Scottish indie types The Phantom Band are set to release their second album ‘The Wants’ on October 18th.
The Phantom Band are appropriately named. The group’s music lingers long after you play it, defying boundaries without any need for challenging experimentation.
Based in Glasgow, debut album ‘Checkmate Savage’ was a cult success. Connecting Krautrock to indie and folk, it seemed to emerge very naturally and organically from the band’s lengthy recording sessions.
Buoyed by word of mouth hype, the album was followed by extensive touring. The Phantom Band set about crafting a follow up earlier this year, secluding themselves in the famed Chem19 studio.
Owned by Chemikal Underground, the studio allowed The Phantom Band to record their most daring statement yet. In typically allusive style, the band have released a few details about new album ‘The Wants’ – none of which approach coherency.
According to keyboard player Andy Wake: “As you know, The Phantom Band was built on the site of an ancient Indian burial ground, so every time we record it’s like an emotional exorcism. It’s painful, prolonged, confusing; at times it’s hard to tell what’s happening outside of this other-world.”
O-kayyyy…
Continuing, the keyboard player compared The Phantom Band’s new effort to their debut. “Where ‘Checkmate Savage’ was varied, we’ve intensified those elements, because we’ve got no reason to be subtle with them,” he says.
“It’s much more concentrated, more skilfully executed and with more decoration. It’s Checkmate Savage – On Ice.”
Mixing Krautrock vibes with Tom Waits, the band now cite early rock ‘n’ roll, John Carpenter soundtracks and digidub rhythms are a source of inspiration.
The Phantom Band are due to release ‘The Wants’ on October 18th.
