Virgin Soil

The story of 1000 Rabbits begins in Aldeburgh, Suffolk. From those coastal beginnings, they have grown into an off-kilter art-pop picnic telling stories through human sounds that are both intimate and extroverted. Comprising Laura (violin), Liv (synthesiser), Paolo (guitar), River (vocals), and Luke (drums), the five-piece have performed across London’s independent venues, becoming regulars at The Windmill in Brixton, where their enigmatic, high-voltage performances earned them a word-of-mouth reputation as local “powerhouses”. It was there that they caught the attention of Young, who release “Virgin Soil” today. “Virgin Soil” has been a long time coming. The track began life with a vocal melody and riff by River. Smooth, almost soupy sections emerged during writing sessions with Paolo, while the closing passage draws on Luke, Liv and Laura’s teenage experiments with live drum and bass. Since its debut at The George Tavern, the song has evolved across more than 50 live performances to become a centrepiece of their set, shaped as much by the stage and the crowd as by the band’s time together in rehearsal rooms. With “Virgin Soil”, 1000 Rabbits bottle the spirit of a band in motion, curious, unpolished in the best way, and deeply connected to the physicality of performance. Grounded by playful bass synthesiser, expressive vocal lines weave through a colourful tapestry of violin, guitar, and drums. It is a debut that honours where they started and hints at just how far they are set to go. Reflecting both origin and intention, “Virgin Soil’ represents the band’s beginnings – experimenting together and making music with no rules,” 1000 Rabbits explain. “It feels right as our first track out in the world.”