Planesphere just dropped a badass EP that brings together a fiery and brilliantly sonic rock feel that incorporates a dirty pop undertone and insanely danceable fuzz toned, sing along, heavy breakdowns, fists in the air, massively cinematic and slightly haunting sound.
The Fame or Tragedy EP is absolutely huge with a tasteful but righteous presence and energy that takes deepened riffs and melodic but character riddled vocals and create this atmosphere you can't beat.
Think of bands like Death From Above 1979 but with a lot more going on.
This record is boundless fun and excitement with tons of surprisingly catchy hooks and this sound you can't put your finger on exactly but is addicting as all hell.
They bring in organs and synths to add more to the melodies and good times. The songs have danceable beats and feels with all kinds of experimental and borderline psychedelia that is coated in this killer distortion and outstanding riffs.
The riffs have swagger and style and give the band this slick and cool style that still has this neon lit get on the damn dancefloor vibe.
This is explosive and all the songs have this climactic point that just melts your face on the spot.
The drumming is ridiculous all over the record and just comes through with power and more power.
Every riff is better than the last and you start to get super attached to the style.
You have to prepare yourself for this level of energy for sure. It's solid.
With the release of such a blistering record, we wanted to sit down and talk about the single "I'm Not Trying To Be Mean" which is just our favorite song.
RAG: Okay so let's start with "I'm Not Trying to Be Mean". This single has a great sort of theatrical rock theme to it! Where did this song come from?
Thanks! The majority of this song was written during a biggg Bloc Party phase I had where I was listening to mostly Silent Alarm & Intimacy on repeat. I loved the way Kele would weave his biting social commentaries with such intensity, but melody wise it would be quite simple and he would just sort of hang around the same phrasing/notes. Paired with the band behind him gradually adding more and more intensity and it just becomes so massive and turbocharged, so there was definitely an element of inspiration/plagiarism with the verses and pre-choruses from that. The rest of the riffs just sort of came as a natural way out of these high tension builds. I then had a metalcore phase so HAD to throw in a couple of breakdowns and growls. It wasn't until Jai [synths] and I sat down to write the keys parts that it took on that theatrical vibe with those soaring gothic organs.
RAG: I'm hearing some great styles on this release. Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
My favorite band of all time is The Killers, I think they were early adopters of that synthy dance rock on Hot Fuss (aka Somebody Told Me) and parts of later releases. I've always also been greatly influenced by Jack White and his raw approach to music, and early on I was super into rock bands like RHCP, Muse etc which I believe infected me with my love for riffs. I'm a big 'phase' person though, every month I'll listen to death a new genre/couple of artists and everything I write will be touched by that for a period, so I try to mix it up where I can.
RAG: So how did this all begin for you really? When did you fall in love with making music?
I started learning guitar properly when I was 13 and never looked back! During school I often messed around making demos in my dodgy version of Reaper to throw on soundcloud (which I sometimes go back and listen to, highly experimental), and then I joined my first band not long after finishing school. Started with indie pop, but I was always trying to go heavier, now we're firmly in heavy rock territory so we can go as hard as we want. I just love the feeling of a new track coming together and knowing you've got the beginning of something there that's going to tear the roof of some tiny stage in a venue someday.
RAG: What's next for you as an artist?
We already have so many more songs written, and I'm not going to say we're not proud of the tracks on the EP because we are immensely, but the new stuff we've been writing since finishing that is so hectic we absolutely can't wait to get that out there. So to answer the question, playin' shows to bring this EP to as many eyes and ears as possible, & writing more dance-punk heaters!
RAG: What inspires you to write a song?
Everything I see and hear around me. I used to sit down and try to write a song and that was it, if I got up and went to do something else it'd be song mode over. These days I'm much more aware of how things around me make me feel and whether I can use that as inspiration right then and there, ie I recently re-watched The Matrix, and the scene with Trinity and Neo in the club at the start with everyone in steampunk attire and The Prodigy blasting was just so incredibly unapologetically sick, I immediately went and wrote some filthy riffs and Matrix themed lyrical content over it and it's probably going to be our next single 'White Rabbit'
RAG: What are you doing when you're NOT working on music?
If I'm not working on music, I'm normally in the surf, doing something stupid like getting up at 5am to ride my bike, triggering the neighbors practicing my extreme vocals, or sitting at a desk plugging numbers into the mainframe. We all gotta pay the bills somehow right?
RAG: Who are you listening to right now?
Right now, I'm rotating between the new Thornhill album 'Heroine', and the new Bad Omens album 'THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND'. Before that I was getting into the new Kendrick album which I think is amazing, as well as Jack Whites new album from a few months ago. Florence & The Machine's new record Dance Fever is also beautiful, and Slumberjack's Dichotomy goes hard.
RAG: Are you doing live performances?
We sure are! We have a big show in the works to celebrate the release of this EP, planned for 22/07/22. Unannounced as of yet but we can say it'll be heavy. Then we are excited to take this EP onto all the stages we can until we have new riffs to share.
RAG: This single seems like a big undertaking. What kind of advice might you have for other up and coming artists out there?
Keep going! All you can do is make the best music you can. Sometimes the algorithm can get a bit overwhelming and you might forget why you actually started this in the first place, but at the end of the day, at least for us, the music is what matters.
RAG: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
Anyone that's ever streamed a track, come to a show, watched a vid, yelled "TURN THE GUITARS DOWN" at a gig thankyou SO much xxxx
Comments