INTERVIEW: FUTURE STATIC - ALL ABOUT ‘FATALIST’

“Where the previous release 'Want' expressed a need for answers, 'Fatalist' - produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Christopher Vernon (Belle Haven, Better Half) with help from Darcy Handley (Terra) - is fury and confusion. 'Fatalist' is the realisation that just because you want an answer, doesn’t mean you find one, and as Future Static emphasise, "If you can’t get even, just get mad."

The group released singles "Choke" and "Dead End" a few weeks ago and have had a massively positive response, beginning with a SOLD OUT "Choke" single launch show, plays on Triple M's Hard N Heavy, triple j Unearthed love, both added to rotation on The Faction, Spotify playlisting on Homegrown + Heavy and Rock Out., a number of shares across social media and national publications as well as worldwide with a spotlight from Kill The Music.”

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We chatted to Future Static about the response to and creation of Fatalist, their mission as a band, their biggest influences, what cats dream about, their top 5 isolation bangers, and whats up next!

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You’ve had a fantastic reception to Fatalist, was this something you expected? What has been the best/favourite word of praise?
As artists, you always want your work to be recognised and reviewed positively. We hoped that it would be received well, and we had a pretty good feeling about the whole process. But we had no idea that the record would resonate with people the way that it has, both in publications and in our general listeners. It really blew us away, and we’re so grateful for the warm welcome that the EP has received from so many people.

In terms of words of praise, our personal favourite has to be, “I struggled writing this up because I just wanted to listen and listen and listen, and that was it.“ 

Fatalist is a collection of emotional, rather angry (head)bangers - what was the songwriting process like, and given the angry, honest, emotional nature of the tunes, was it taken from personal experience?
Lyrically, the EP dives into some pretty heavy places, and whilst this sometimes meant emotions were running high, we were fortunately surrounded by great people through the whole process. Every day involved a lot of laughs and funny stories, which we definitely needed to get us through it.

The lyrics are definitely taken from personal experience and then expanded on. This is something we have always wanted to be a part of our music; we wanted it to be a cathartic experience for us as well as something our listeners could relate to and feel a part of.

Musically the record also comes from a dark, angry, nihilistic place. It was a definite experience of catharsis for us, every chord or note is played with a ferocity and anger that we’ve never really utilised until now.

Fatalist’s release day, April 3rd, was also National Chocolate Mousse Day, National Find a Rainbow Day, and World Party Day! Did any of you inadvertently celebrate any of these? We were partying because of the release of course.
Definitely sad we missed those! We had a little zoom party with some friends and drinks as it rolled out.

 Favourite track on the EP?
BM: My favourite track would have to be The Fatalist. Lyrically, it’s quite heavy and it’s a song that a lot of listeners have resonated with. It’s got this absolutely huge feel to it, and I feel like it’s the perfect ending for the record.

RQ: Defs “Never Miss” It’s just flat out riffs from start to finish, a challenge to play live, but one that I’d be happy to take on again and again.

JT: Dead-set, Dead End. It’s my absolute favourite track to perform live. I’m a hardcore kid at heart and Dead End scratches that itch with it’s dark and edgy sound

KN: For me it’s The Fatalist. After the huge journey the EP takes you through, to have this big, emotional epic finale to tie everything together is something I’m really proud of, and always hits me hardest when we play it.

JS: My personal favourite from Fatalist is Adaptive Manipulator. It’s succinct and undeniably aggressive, a thematic turning point and will leave a mark on anyone who hears it. 

What's something you'd like listeners to take away from your music/your message in general?
Our main mission in Future Static has always been to instil a sense of strength and unity in our audience. The main thing that we’d like listeners to take away from our music is the fact that you are not alone, and that with the help of the people around you, you have the power to get through whatever it may be you are struggling through.

You had a sold-out show for the single launch of ‘Choke’. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it, but we hear it was awesome - how was that for you guys?
Ridiculously good. We pulled together an incredible line-up with Stand Tall, Furious George and Excuse for an Exit, had an amazing audience of familiar faces and new supporters, and it honestly felt like our strongest show yet. Not knowing how serious the lock down would be at that point, we’re incredibly lucky to have that show be such a high point, and selling it out was the cherry on top of what’s turned out to be an awesome release cycle. 

Biggest influences - personal and/or professional/musical?
KN: It definitely helped that we wrote and recorded this record with Christopher Vernon, but Belle Haven are a huge influence for me. From how they interact with each other and their ability to have fun with each other while being able to write such high quality music with a huge spectrum of sounds, they’re definitely people and musicians I look up to. 

BM: Yungblud is someone I look up to on a personal and professional level, probably because those two worlds seem to overlap seamlessly for him. His energy onstage is nothing short of electric and his shows are so much fun, but he also speaks out about real issues and uses his platform to inspire real change.

RQ: Definitely Lee Malia from Bring Me The Horizon, he’s an incredibly versatile guitar player with a great knack for playing to suit the song. He’s also a great riff writer, something I aspire to be.

What 5 songs would you put into a Top 5 Isolation Bangers playlist to perk up your day?
Want you in my Room- Carly Rae Jepsen

Hard Times - Paramore

Sell Out - Reel Big Fish

Allergic To The World - Sleep Talk

If I Fall - The Story So Far 

What are your plans once we’re allowed out of isolation? What have you been missing most during this time?
BM: I miss just going outside. I’m someone who lives life spontaneously, so not having the freedom to just go out and see what the day brings is kind of excruciating. I can’t wait till I can hang out with my friends at gigs again, sometimes I feel like it’s the only time I feel alive.

JT: I miss my friends, hanging out at shows and being up on stage performing our music together. My fondest memories were created in and around shows; either the ones we produced or the ones we go to. I miss the atmosphere at live venues.

KN: Definitely friends and shows too. We were so lucky to have our last pre-isolation show be our incredible single show, and it’s definitely a memory I’ll treasure until we can get back out there again. There are a lot of people getting a lot of hugs when it’s safe to give them!

JS: Saturdays with the boys; what else are Saturdays for? 

RQ: Being able to kiss the homies goodnight

What do you think cats dream about?
RQ: Electric Sheep.

KN: Electric Mice.

Seriously though, final question; what now / what’s next?
More music, exploration of new and exciting sounds. We’re not a band that likes doing things twice in a row, comfort is complacency, and we’d rather be pushing ourselves outside our comfort zones in terms of our capabilities in a live or a studio setting.

Thanks so much to the guys and gals from Future Static for their time, and don’t forget to check out the new EP if you haven’t already - and check out our own review of the EP HERE!

The 'Fatalist' EP is available now to stream and purchase at all good online outlets and streaming platforms!

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INTERVIEW: KATIE WIGHTON // KIT

We jumped on for an e-interview with Kit // Katie Wighton from All Our Exes Live In Texas, about her recent jump to a solo debut and her latest release, her influences, the change to livestream shows to replace live gigs during isolation, and what she’s looking forward to once everything calms down.

Where did the name 'Kit' come from - is it just a nickname you went with or was it specifically chosen as a solo stage name?
It was specifically chosen for my solo stage name :) I was just writing down all the letters in my name and it kept popping up. I made a font by writing out all the letters and I really liked the way KIT looked together. I wish it was a better story tbh..!

 What triggered the jump to a solo act?
I had been writing some pretty rocky music and when Exes took a break from touring and playing loads, it just felt really right to start working on my solo stuff. Music is my outlet and I didn’t want that to stop just because my band were taking a break. :)

 Following your new single and music video for 'Good Guy', how would you actually describe what you believe are traits of a real good guy? Have you met many 'good guys' (the 'actually I'm a bad guy' ones)?
Haha this is a great question! I think the traits of an ACTUAL good guy would be a willingness to own their mistakes; self-awareness; a desire to learn from the women around them and strong female role models; someone who calls out bad behaviour in a positive, non-violent way - especially with their friends and someone who listens to women. 

I have unfortunately met a few ‘good guys’ which is a real shame. I mean the ones who have high-profiles are the worst because they teach other men that they can behave badly and get away with it. But I also have a lot of genuine good guys in my life, so that gives me hope! 

We heard that you performed with the first-ever streamed virtual version of Live Lounge through Instagram recently with a bunch of Collarts students and other artists. We missed it, unfortunately, but how did it go?
It was really lovely!! I teach at Collarts and so it was really nice to perform to some of my students. I really love performing and I actually miss it so so much. I only got to do ONE band show with KIT BC (before Corona) and so I am really looking forward to doing another when this whole thing gets lost.  

You're also planning your own live stream for your single launch show with Bonnie Songs, Nancie Schipper & Hannah Blackburn via Instagram in a week's time. We've obviously seen a lot of live streams being pulled together for similar shows and 'tours', with even a few international artists jumping on board for Isol-Aid, etc. Is this something you're enjoying, and what are your thoughts on the whole situation? How is it singing to/interacting with a digital audience in that way?
I really am! My friend Merpire started Isol-Aid with some other incredible women and I remember her calling me and saying “I have this idea…” and I was like, “Dude. This is huge.” And it is! I absolutely love the idea of inclusive gigs. I think festivals like Isol-Aid have inadvertently stumbled upon a whole bunch of people who have actually been left out of live music for a long time. People who are unable to leave their homes for whatever reason. And I really hope that after this we remember those people and keep including them. 

Digital audiences are very different I think because you’re hearing their thoughts! You never get 200 people watching you and saying lovely things. Partly because people are too shy and partly because it would be rude to talk so much during a gig! So I think it’s a really positive thing to come out of a real crap situation. 

 Are there any other artist's live streams that you're looking out for/forward to?
My friend Merpire (bloody banging on about her but I adore her so I am not gonna stop) is doing a live stream in the next week - I’m not quite sure when - and her music is just incredible. James Seymour plays and lives with her so I’m sure he’ll be jumping in and that’s so fun to watch at the moment when most of us can’t play music with our bandmates! 

Biggest influences - personal and/or professional/musical?
Ooh another good question! I think personally I would say my mum. She has an incredibly strong character. She’s kind, honest, generous and stands up for what she believes in. Honesty has always been rewarded in my family and I’m really grateful for that! 

I would say I’m really inspired by my colleagues at Collarts too. They’re all really great teachers and musicians - no egos which is rare and incredible to be a part of!  

What songs would you include in a Top 5 Isolation Bangers playlist to perk up your day?
OMG Okay. Juice by Lizzo FOR SURE. How can that not get you dancing?

The Middle by Jimmy Eat World. Those lyrics “It just takes some time, little girl you’re in the middle of the ride everything, everything will be alright” are so damned appropriate atm!  

In 5 years time after coronavirus calms down, what are your plans once we’re allowed out of isolation? What have you been missing most during this time?
5 years?! IT HAD BETTER NOT BE FIVE BLOODY YEARS. Ummmm my friends. For sure. I’m an extrovert which means I really need groups of people to hang with - not just one or two which is pretty much impossible at the moment. I also miss gigs and leaving Brunswick and camping and kissing and hugging and touching!! 

 Do you find you write better in times of isolation and on your own, or when you're able to collaborate/be with/around others?
I think I write better when I have the mental space to write. At the moment, I’m still working HEAPS which is so amazingly lucky but it doesn’t leave me much brain space for writing. I love co-writing with people too so I can’t wait to get back into that in a few months time! 

 How many times does it take for you to listen to a song that you love before you actually hate it instead (or the other way around)? Are there any/many songs this happens with?
Hahahaha, well I did an insta-choir version of Two Strong Hearts (where people sent me videos of themselves playing along to a cover of it that I did) and by the end of that week I needed a break from that song. But I’m back in now - didn’t take very long, haha.

Finally, and this one is important, so please pay attention. On average, how many times a week do you hurt yourself trying to dance in the shower?
Well I don’t even try to dance in the shower because I just KNOW I’d fall over and knock out my teeth on the bath. Or worse - scrape my back on the tap when I stood up!! 

Seriously though, final question; what now / what’s next? Anything in the works for after the single launch? Or outside of that, what's the next thing you've got going on in general that you're looking forward to?
I plan to release a couple more singles this year and then an album next year which is bloody exciting. Apart from that I’m looking forward to hanging out with my friends and seeing my mum and getting out of the city :)

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Thanks so much to Katie for her time answering our strange questions (we’re losing our minds a little in isolation), and be sure to check out Good Guy and her next livestream this Friday (April 17)!

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A CHAT WITH MARCUS POWELL FROM CITY OF SOULS - SYNAESTHESIA

Kiwi alt-rockers City Of Souls lay down the gauntlet in 2020 with their brand new single ‘Shimmer’ from their upcoming album SYNAESTHESIA - out on May 1!

One of New Zealand’s most reputable acts, City Of Souls was formed in August 2015 by guitarists Trajan Schwencke (Cold by Winter, In Dread Response) and Steve Boag (In Dread Response, Blacklistt). Vocalist Richie Simpson (New Way Home) found their existing tracks immediately captivating and joined the band. Guitarist Marcus Powell (founding member of multi-platinum bands Blindspott and Blacklistt) then joined, and the line-up was complete with Daniel Insley on Bass (Solstate) and Drummer Corey Friedlander (In Dread Response / 8 Foot Sativa).

We had a little e-chat with Marcus to find out all about the development of the band’s upcoming release ‘Synasthaesia’, his favourite type of MnM’s, COS’s version of Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’, time travel, and what’s coming next!

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‘Synaesthesia’ is COS’s first full album release – what has the full writing and recording process been like in that sense? How different is it to putting out a lone single at a time?
It has varied a lot. Some songs were in their complete form from individual members and got the screws tightened on them. Others were a collaborative effort.  I prefer the latter although both can work, but being able to listen to one another and let go of your own agenda or inhibitions to jam is one of the biggest joys in music. Connection. 

The music video for that same track ‘Shimmer’ is oddly quite visually intense and seems almost claustrophobic with all of the heavy visuals and camera movement. How was that video put together and how did you decide on such a harmonious visual theme throughout the rest of your videos?
Interesting you felt the claustrophic vibe. The theme of the song is escaping a space you are trapped in so I was hoping to visually represent that in shape and movement. 

I was keen on a video with silhouettes and none of the typical close up hi res footage of people's hands playing or plugging in a guitar lead and moshing in an abandoned warehouse. Those performance videos can really make you look like a rockquest band. Marko from Delirium VF and the lads absolutely nailed it. 

The album name ‘Synaesthesia’ – where did that come from/why was that particular word chosen?
Some people say they can hear in colour, it's called Synaesthesia. I don't have it but our guitarist Steve does. There are a lot of different moods and textures on the album so it's a fitting name. I would prefer to be able to smell sounds! Is that a thing? Smellythesia doesn't have the same ring to it though, haha!

Is there anything particularly different to previous City Of Souls releases that we should expect on the rest of the upcoming album?
I think the newer songs, some of which haven't been heard yet definitely have a flow and cohesion to them that you can expect to hear more of from us as we grow and learn. 

Is there a favourite track on the upcoming record? What is it and why?
Not really there are too many I like! White Ghost, Cruelty, Lifeblood and Shimmer are probably standouts for me. There's something super special about Brushstrokes though... it breaks my heart every time. Extremely personal song and we haven't thrashed it to death live. 

Which are the better M&M’s – crispy, peanut, or just classic plain chocolate (and yes, there is a right answer)?
Plain chocolate aaallll daaaaee... If I want peanuts and rice I'll eat peanuts and rice, those aren't treats. Chocolate is a treat. 

In a previous interview at the end of last year with HeavyMag, it was said that the album was to be released in February this year (assuming we’ve actually found the right info) – we can see in the current press release it’s changed to May. What happened between then and now to create such a delay in the release?
It was a planning thing really. We wanted to be at the height of a touring run before it released so we booked all that in, including playing with Deftones. Now with covid that's all been binned. We're still going to release May 1st though. We have a really cool approach to physical copies and special content that we're super excited to share with everyone. Also the art work and design is absolutely killer. 

You published your version of Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ last year – as brand newbies to City of Souls, we gotta ask- what provoked that song choice/the idea to record your own heavier version? And what was it like recreating such a staple record?
That was all Trajan. He obviously heard how large it could sound and how far away we could take it from the lofi original. I have never listened to that band in all honesty but I dig what he did with the song and could hear how I'd fit into it. 

Having supported names like Stone Sour and Bring Me the Horizon, would you say these names give an accurate impression of your own inspirations and influences? Who would you say are your biggest influences and inspirations– musically or otherwise?
I would like to be as big as those two bands. I would say stylistically neither of them for me. I can't speak for the other dudes but I'm influenced vocally by early Devin Townsend, Tool, Alice In Chains, Deftones and a lot of space rock, shoe gaze post hardcore kinda stuff. 

That's a very condensed lense though I draw from a multitude of other bands in terms of riff writing and singing. I try and stay away from the obvious ones that have already been plundered or at least mix everything up in a way that's not recognisable. 

Cannibal Corpse or Napalm Death has influenced certain elements of my guitar playing for example but most wouldn't hear it in the context I use it in. 

Who would be your dream headliner to support for a show?
Pink Floyd circa 1974 or Metallica 1989 time travelling between the two. I'd hope to have another album out though so we could alter sets accordingly 

You were also supposed to have been supporting Deftones on their upcoming tour around Australia and NZ – will you still be supporting them on rescheduled shows after the recent cancellations?
We're just waiting on them to re schedule here. Hopefully they'll have us for a full tour!!! 

We’re just recently skimming the surface in our own research of New Zealand musical acts- especially in the alt rock scene. What are some of your personal recommendations/favourites?
In all honesty Jakob are the only NZ band that gets regular spins. They have a really centred, spiritual and magical sound. Pure emotion expressed through music and classic natural production and mix, it's like watching a sunset, just washing over you and accompanying you. 

Check out the song Malachite, although there are gems on every album. 20 years they've been releasing music, lovely dudes too. Big fan.

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Thanks so much to Marcus for chatting with us (although disagree on the MnM’s front— it’s gotta be thecrispy ones for us).

Check out ‘Shimmer’ now and get ready for ‘Synaesthesia’, out May 1st.

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