Empathy Test was formed in London a decade ago by childhood friends Isaac Howlett (vocals/songwriting) and Adam Relf (production/composition), subsequently evolving from complete obscurity to become one of the most popular bands in the alternative electronic pop scene worldwide. They have issued three studio albums blending an ‘80s sound with the intricately layered soundscapes of sci-fi movie soundtracks, and all topped off with haunting vocals and emotionally insightful lyrics.
Having headlined a 30+ date North American tour in the autumn of 2023, the group will play a pair of one-off shows in the Czech Republic and Germany later this week prior to embarking on a 10th Anniversary Tour in the early spring commencing in Scandinavia, followed by an extensive run of dates in both Germany and the UK.
The full itinerary is:
12.01.24 PRAGUE (CZ) Futurum Music Bar
13.01.24 LEIPZIG (DE) WERK2
01.03.24 COPENHAGEN (DK) RUST Natklub
02.03.24 HELSINGBORG (SE) Charles Dickens Bar & Scen
08.03.24 BREMEN (DE) Lagerhaus
09.03.24 HAMBURG (DE) Markthalle
10.03.24 KÖLN (DE) Helios 37
15.03.24 MUNICH (DE) Backstage Halle
16.03.24 LINDAU (DE) Club Vaudeville
22.03.24 HANNOVER (DE) Musikzentrum
23.03.24 DRESDEN (DE) Reithalle Strasse E
27.03.24 NÜRNBERG (DE) Die Cult
28.03.24 JENA (DE) F-Haus
29.03.24 BERLIN (DE) Columbia Theater
30.03.24 OBERHAUSEN (DE) Kulttempel
31.03.24 FRANKFURT (DE) Das Bett
04.04.24 MANCHESTER (UK) Rebellion
05.04.24 GLASGOW (UK) Classic Grand
06.04.24 BRISTOL (UK) Dareshack
07.04.24 NUNEATON (UK) Queens Hall
10.04.24 NOTTINGHAM (UK) The Chapel
11.04.24 NEWCASTLE (UK) Cluny 2
12.04.24 SHEFFIELD (UK) Corporation
13.04.24 LONDON (UK) Garage
Empathy Test are perhaps best known for their stunning 2014 debut single, ‘Losing Touch’, which captivated electronic pop fans internationally and gained wider recognition when it appeared in a video by Richard Swarbrick that celebrated Liverpool FC’s 2013-14 season and was broadcast on the team’s official TV channel. Swarbrick has subsequently utilised further songs by the band for other viral videos.
Empathy Test has self-produced and released the well-received albums ‘Safe From Home’ and ‘Losing Touch (Remastered)’, which were crowdfunded simultaneously and issued together in 2017, with ‘Monsters’ following via a similar route in 2020. All three titles reached their funding target within hours and saw the group receive an acknowledgement from the likes of Vice, MTV, Netflix and the BBC. Extensive touring, especially in Germany, resulted in the 2022 live album ‘Time To Be Alive’, which served as a document of their activity in the territory that year.
Despite being offered numerous record deals, Empathy Test has continued to forge their own path, with Howlett musing that “it seems like only yesterday that we got together one cold morning to record our first track, yet suddenly here we are in 2024 and about to embark on a multi-country/city tour across Europe, without ever signing a record deal or even having a manager.”
In a smart move, the group utilised the German distribution company SPKR services, with Howlett explaining that “this has allowed us to repress our albums on vinyl and CD and get them in retail outlets worldwide. So, as well as celebrating our ten year anniversary as Empathy Test, we are also celebrating our music being more readily available to everybody.”
Despite the band’s fanbase having grown enormously, Howlett thinks his group “have very much remained the UK’s best kept synth-pop secret. Our music is often a very pleasant surprise for people who may not have heard us before, who can now take a deep dive into our extensive back catalogue which still has the freshness of a new, up-and-coming band.”
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