Maxïmo Park have shared their new single 'Child Of The Flatlands'.
The North East band were flung back into our consciousness of late, with Vice libellously branding them 'indie landfill'.
Truth be told, nothing could be further from the truth – a literate art-punk ensemble who were signed to Warp Records, their success doesn't lessen the art.
New single 'Child Of The Flatlands' then, comes at a curious time. The band's first dose of new material in some four years, it's an exploration of British hinterland.
Dubbed "a mildly psychedelic pop odyssey" by singer Paul Smith, it comes equipped with a video from experimental video artist Greg Hodgson.
The frontman comments…
"'Child Of The Flatlands' is an affectionate look at both the psychic and physical edgelands of the town where I grew up, punctuated by snapshots of modern Britain as viewed from a distant hillside. It's about the inevitability of nature (in all senses of the word) over the order we try to impose on it. The quiet, melancholy choruses lament the loss of community spaces for marginalised people, and the overall pace is meant to evoke a long walk, collaging found sound, strings and insistent piano to create a mildly psychedelic pop odyssey."
"We commissioned Greg Hodgson to reflect the distorted blur of youth through his VHS lens, and to create a dreamlike vision of Teesside that reflects the episodic nature of the music. Hopefully viewers will recognise something of their own youth, playing in places where nature encroaches upon the urban landscape."
Tune in now.
Photo Credit: Em Cole
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