PHANTOGRAM ‘Voices’ Album Now Available Digitally + UK Tour Dates
Phantogram are
Sarah Barthel (vocals, keyboard) and Josh Carter (vocals, guitar). They
caused an impressive stir with the release of their debut album ‘Eyelid
Movies’ in 2009 and follow-up EP ‘Nightlife’
(2011). Now they announce details of their highly anticipated sophomore
full-length
‘Voices’, which is released on Island Records on June 30th and will be preceded by the wonderful single ‘Fall In Love’ on June 23rd. Since forming in Saratoga Springs in upstate New York,
Phantogram have evolved their sound organically and gradually.
The new album is an atmospheric melding of hazy dream pop and
head-knocking rhythms which makes no concession to commercialism and
stays ever true to the aesthetic that has won them a wide,
devoted and disparate fan base. Drafted and written both
back in Saratoga Springs and current hometown Brooklyn, where the duo
build their compositions together around Carter’s often sample-heavy
beats, it was finished with co-producer John
Hill (MIA, Santigold) in LA. The division of labour between Sarah and
Josh is unique – writing and producing sometimes together and also
apart, immediate proximity was not a prerequisite in such a
long-standing partnership.
Released in the US in February, ‘Voices’ is
still making some serious waves over there. It peaked at #5 in iTunes
Album chart and #11 in the main chart as America fully embraced the New
York duo. The shows at this years’ SXSW were
one of the highlights for many (named Buzzfeeds standout act after
their Snoop Dogg support) and Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel & David
Letterman were all quick to book them for their shows. Filter magazine
jumped on board early with a cover feature and Pulse
magazine named their self-titled EP #1 in their 2013 round up, as well
as the likes of Complex, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, USA Today and
Entertainment Weekly all coming on board.
Album opener ‘Nothing But Trouble’
perfectly introduces Sarah’s beguiling soprano vocal, whilst being
constantly underpinned by Josh’s gritty production. Moments later,
‘Black Out Days’ drive the listener deep into an intensifying fever dream of echo and atmospherics. Lead single
‘Fall In Love’ (a hit on US and Canadian Alternative and Pop
radio since its release) stands tall with its sly hooks and contrasting
dynamics – quiet snippets of synthesized strings and isolated vocal
passages are layered amidst pulsating bass tones
and massive orchestral stabs – it’s a track that was originally written
by Josh for a rapper, but on hearing it, Sarah insisted they keep it
for themselves. – good call. In good news for us and off the back of their UK release of the ‘Phantogram EP’, the band head to the UK in the coming months for a string of headline shows, which will take in
The Great Escape Festival and reach London’s XOYO on the 13th May (sold out in 3 days) and
The Oval Space on the 14th - their first UK shows
since a mid-tour injury forced the band to cancel sold out shows at
Hoxton BK and Heaven last year. The band recently completed another sold
out US tour, which included Terminal 5 in New York,
winning over new fans at every turn.
May UK Tour Dates:
8/9/10 The Great Escape Festival
10/5 Ruby Lounge, Manchester
12/5 Thekla, Bristol
13/5 XOYO, London
(SOLD OUT)
14/5 Oval Space, London
‘Voices’ Track List:
Nothing But Trouble
Black Out Days
Fall In love
Never Going Home
The Day You Died
Howling At The Moon
Bad Dreams
Bill Murray
I Don’t Blame You
Celebrating Nothing
My Only Friend
‘Voices’ is available to download now in the UK and will be available physically on June 30th via Island Records.
WHO SAID WHAT
“Phantogram is unlike anything we've ever heard
before. They've got a Dilla-like sway to their beats with dreamy vocals
and a vibrating low-end.”
VIBE
“Packed with elegant tonal flourishes and sweeping
electronic excursions… mesmerizing beats which perfectly compliment the
raw emotional sentiments layered within the heart of the songs
themselves.”
The Line Of Best Fit
“Specialise in a mix of spooked-out folk and synth-led R&B, a smart production hybrid… gorgeous”
NME
“Phantogram
combines sleazy, fuzzed-out synthesisers with pretty, mournful melodies
to conjure paradise where the sordid sounds sexy”
Filter Magazine
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