Fever the Ghost aren't your average psychedelia band. Their debut album, 'Zirconium Meconium', is a "fantasy and sci-fi-inspired multi-layered sonic journey" inspired by landscapes and dreams. Constructing these landscapes as they go, the band's unique, darker take on swirling melodies and aversion to choruses takes you on a mystical tour of their warped fantasy world.
The album, out now on Heavenly Recordings, has been a long time coming. Singer Casper Indrizzo is relieved, yet somewhat reluctant now that the album is finally out. "It's been done for a while, and now all the songs feel kinda old. It's a weird thing. You get bored, kinda, so now we're in the process of remaking them for when we play them – they're gonna be completely different. We've pretty much got another record ready. It feels good. I almost feel this record is kinda tame, especially compared to where we are now."
Since being signed to Heavenly last year ("It all came from the worst show we ever played, at SXSW, with probably five people watching"), the band have already supported the likes of Sean Lennon's Ghost of a Sabre Tooth Tiger and Temples, and appeared on stage with their heroes The Flaming Lips – something they expected would come much further into their journey as a band.
As one might expect with a band who create such vivid imagery with their music, their aesthetic is crucial. "There's definitely a theme for each song individually, as well as the collection of them," Casper explains. "The album spanned a lot of territory, but I think a story has come out of it. My godfather Tate Mosesian does our artwork – he works for Naughty Dog, who did Crash Bandicoot and other video game stuff. You can't find any of his stuff online, he hides it all away."
The band's inspiration comes, like their sound, from weird and wonderful places. Synth player Bornabin finds ingenuity even in chart music. "It's really weird. I'm into just the music behind it. I enjoy pretty much everything. You can find something that we'd enjoy in pretty much any genre. Whatever sticks in the moment becomes a part of what's influencing me. It's like a journey – you stop, you meet new personalities in the form of these new musical things you've discovered."
Despite having only just released their debut, the band aren't ready to take a break just yet. "We're reworking our live set… we have a lot planned visually, and essentially, we're working at making it so our live show isn't recognisable as a band anymore. That's the goal."
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WHAT: Weird and wonderful psychedelic sonic explorations
WHERE: Los Angeles
GET 3 SONGS: 'Vervain (Dreams of an Old Wooden Cage)', 'Source', 'Rounder II'
FACT: Singer Casper compares their debut album to "Easter bunny poop. You might look at that Easter bunny's poop at first and be like, I'm not gonna try that, but once you do, you might like it."
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Words: Megan White
