Arca and Hood By Air’s Shayne Oliver have announced their debut album under the collaborative moniker, WENCH. Formed sometime in the mid-2000’s after Arca and Oliver connected at a GHE20G0TH1K party in New York, WENCH have thus far only released two mixtapes and two standalone singles.
Titled Greatest Hits ‘88-’16, WENCH’s debut LP comprises 13 tracks written over a five year period, reportedly cut down to this final number from about 50 tracks in total. Thematically, the album touches on concepts familiar to both members’ solo work, such as trans identity, sexuality, and rage.
While Arca has gone on to forge a prominent and influential career in music, Oliver is perhaps best known for his work in fashion. His Hood By Air brand has been lauded multiple times for breaking the conventions of the fashion industry by daring to intersect with and collaborate with creatives across other fields, including visual art and technology. Earlier this year, Oliver launched the multidisciplinary collective The Anonymous Club, releasing a compilation album from the collective’s music artists. Arca meanwhile unleashed her sprawling and expansive Kick Cycle, comprising six albums, five of which were released consecutively over the course of a week.
Greatest Hits ‘88-’16 will premiere in its entirety with a special broadcast on NTS Radio this Friday, August 12. WENCH will host a release party for the album at Paragon in New York City tonight. Details on the event can be found here. See the full tracklist for Greatest Hits ‘88-’16 below.
Greatest Hits ’88 – ’16:
- Take My Hand
- Teen Spirit
- Snake
- Sick
- Rush
- Sexorcist
- Rocker Fish
- Primal Pussy
- Graveyard Shift
- Give It up (Do As I Say)
- Fister
- Blow It Up
- Better
