It all started when a real rattlesnake showed up at the studio. Alternative indie project Until the Ribbon Breaks’ frontman Pete Lawrie Winfield said he was inspired to record the rattlesnake’s “raw and beautiful sound.” The end-product was “Red Skies,” released earlier this month via VERO Music and distributed by Venice Music.
Winfield said a groundskeeper, Julio, helped free the snake to the wild.
He’s originally from Guatemala, and he had so many interesting stories that I asked him to talk on the record. It was such a pure and exhilarating experience. There we were in the desert. The skies were red every night. The song would not exist had we not been in that desert.
~ Pete Lawrie Winfield
The song evolved, as Winfield hoped to include a Spanish-language verse. He sought out a Latin American singer to join in on the single. So, he traveled to Colombia, where a friend introduced him to rising artist La Pardo. He was “blown away” by her talent and deeply enjoyed the collaborative process.
La Pardo shines in both her singing and songwriting, having contributed to works by artists such as Ximena Sariñana and Nio García. Her lyrics are infused with intimate emotion, creating an aura of raw vulnerability with every word of her and Winfield’s vocals.
I don’t want to live and be scared of loneliness
Of loving again, of wanting to cry
Although the red sky is burning
Like a river of blood
I bleed for my love~ “Red Skies”
The single features an alluring sound, powerfully captivating — from angelic vocals to near-belting to speaking. According to Winfield, he loved working with La Pardo so much that he spontaneously decided to direct an accompanying music video with her.
The magic in the room was palpable and exhilarating, so we just kept creating.
~ Pete Lawrie Winfield
The two appear together in contrasting aesthetics: cool-toned light gray with flashing lights and a seductive, warm red setting. Mysterious clips like burning cars, a prowling cheetah, and a blooming rose add intrigue to this bewitching release.
Luckily for fans, UTRB is in an era of creation, with a forthcoming third studio album. The release will add to Winfield’s successes with A Lesson Unlearn (2015) and Until the Ribbon Breaks (2018).
[It’s a] full-circle moment of sorts. It’s me making music with the same excitement that I felt as a kid. There were no expectations of a result. Just a desire to make something meaningful.
~ Pete Lawrie Winfield
Winfield took a multi-year hiatus and also achieved six years of sobriety. He decided to step back, focusing more on producing and writing for other artists rather than performing during his recovery.
During the decade that I was making music, I hadn’t realized the toll it took on me, emotionally and physically. I started questioning why I put myself through so much, and why I medicated myself so that I could deal with it. The addiction and Until the Ribbon breaks had become inextricably linked. So, I decided to retire me in that iteration, and see what happens from there.
~ Pete Lawrie Winfield
Then, during the COVID-19 lockdown, Winfield started making music for himself again. He said it was an “authentic process,” akin to when he was 12 years old, exploring music-making for the first time, pure and naive. Earlier this year, UTRB made a return to the scene with “Everything Else but Rain,” which will appear on his album with Grammy-nominated duo Lucius.
Until the Ribbon Breaks said much more is on the horizon. Be the first to know by connecting with UTRB on the official website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.
Photo credit: Whitney Maris Brown
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[…] “Nature Mother,” featuring Emoni Wilkins, on December 6th, as a follow-up to their smashing summer release, “Red Skies.” The British musical duo, consisting of Pete Lawrie-Winfield and Elliot Wall, was established in […]