The South Walian four-piece The Family Battenberg are back with their second single, ‘Foggy’, and the announcement of their highly-anticipated debut EP, 'Spider Rock Forever'. Following the success of their first single, ‘Anteater’, the new track continues to build upon the "filthy, fuzzy psychedelic sound" that they’ve proudly coined as "spider rock."
Born from a bout of sleeplessness, ‘Foggy’ is a bizarre yet brilliant sonic representation of a mind caught between wakefulness and dreaming. The song floats with a kind of groggy surrealism, with a drunken, tub-thumping drumbeat and a half-asleep guitar riff. The track’s unnerving nature is heightened by condescending backing vocals that add to the uncanny atmosphere before the band is jolted awake by a raucous, overdriven chorus. As frontman and songwriter Eliot Jones discovered, the key to his restlessness was magnesium, an impressive remedy for his sleep struggles.
The new EP is set to be a fascinating journey into the band's influences, which include the likes of Ty Segall, The Black Angels, and Iggy Pop, specifically his work on The Idiot. It's a collection of songs that establishes their signature sound, recorded independently at the studio of Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard's Tom Rees while he was away on holiday. To get the project just right, they enlisted the help of long-time collaborator Eddie Al-Shakarchi, known for his work with Boy Azooga and Swim Deep.
Central to the EP's lyrical themes is the concept of cult mythology. Jones found a "bottomless pool of intrigue" in watching countless documentaries about sects like Roch Theriaault and the Ant Hill Kids, Heaven's Gate, and Children of God. He explains how his lyrics are structured to articulate the "rambling psychobabble" of charismatic leaders while simultaneously conveying the "thought reform" experienced by their followers.
This dual perspective is evident in 'Anteater', a track that vocalist Jones describes as "self-humiliation in the pursuit of a potential suitor’s attention." It’s a blistering anti-love song about unhealthy adoration and the lengths people go to for approval. The EP also features 'Spiders,' a track that fully captures the project's ethos, and 'Gwyllgi,' which draws on Welsh folklore about a ghoulish mythical dog.
Having already made a name for themselves on the live circuit, with appearances at major festivals like Green Man and The Great Escape, and supporting acclaimed acts like Gruff Rhys and Panic Shack, The Family Battenberg are a formidable force. Already championed by tastemakers like Steve Lamacq and Amy Lame, they're poised to make a significant mark on the music scene with 'Spider Rock Forever'.
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