Ben Woods Announces New Album 'Dispeller' + Unveils Single / Video 'Hovering At Home'

Back in the spotlight following a relatively quiet period for the Ōtautahi artist, it turns out Ben Woods has been toiling away crafting his second album Dispeller, set to release on 15th June. This extremely welcome news is accompanied by lead single 'Hovering At Home', launched with a flat out gorgeous puppet video self-directed by Woods, with cinematography by Martin Sagadin (who co-edited the clip) and Tom Tuke in the role of lead puppeteer. Opening with a beautiful outdoors vista and nature sounds recalling (to this viewer) long forgotten TV classic Woolly Valley, the handmade visuals swiftly move in surreal, expressionistic directions befitting Woods' supernatural balladry — starring puppets created by Tuke and Woods. Recorded over a year in Lyttelton with co-producer Ben Edwards (Aldous Harding, Marlon Williams, Julia Jacklin), vinyl LP and CD preorders for Dispeller are available HERE...

"'Hovering at Home' is about the magical world we hold onto in hermitude. Initially, I thought it was about hiding, but as we carried on building the song, I came to realise it was more about finding points of connection between that inner world and the outside.

The video is a retelling of a paranormal experience I shared with my cousin as a child. One night we were visited by an inhuman entity dancing at the window. Initially, I was frightened of its thin gyrations but have come to think of it as a fond memory.

Tom Tuke (the puppeteer) and I spent days trawling through the markets and charity shops of Auckland before Martin flew up to join us. We worked at a small studio that was built into a desolate train stop. We built hillsides from Chinese winter melons, and devils out of fish guts and bones. Stashed away with Tom and Martin, carefully building this surreal universe, felt like the right way to serve the spirit of the song.” - Ben Woods

'Dispeller' is out on Friday 15th July via Melted Ice Cream (NZ) / Shrimper (USA) / Meritorio (EU/UK), vinyl LP and CD preorders available HERE.