On
Virginia Wing s fourth full-length, the album s themes of isolation, dealing with trauma, and mental wellbeing reflect a collective despair that we are all feeling after a year without spontaneous human interactions. Right now, it feels like all our lives are private â the self that we show to others being just a preselected snapshot mediated through feeds and computer screens. Â
Having made Ecstatic Arrow in alpine Switzerland s picturesque setting in 2018, the Manchester trio had to settle on working from home like the rest of us did in 2020. Despite this, Private Life is testimony to the remarkable things one can achieve in times of crisis: Virginia Wing have produced one of the most fearless pop records of not only 2021 but the past few years. Glossier and more tumultuous than its predecessor, the band s idiosyncratic roots haven t been compromised, thanks to the dense, multi-layered arrangements and sporadic moments of strange, futuristic magic.Â