SCOTTISH fans of pop music, specifically of the synthesised variety, have been blessed with an abundance of talented local artists in recent years. Prides, Chvrches and, most recently, WHITE have been producing addictive pop tunes that have received much acclaim.
It’s therefore unsurprising to see an act like The Insomniac Project, a Glasgow-based six-piece with four synthesisers and three vocalists, follow in their footsteps. Comparisons are perhaps inevitable – in fact, their debut single In and Out (Of My Head) was produced by none other than Prides drummer Lewis Gardner.
However, there’s far more to the Insomniac sound, as exemplified by their exhilarating single launch in Nice N Sleazy last week. Filling the small stage with an assortment of different synths, the sextet’s big textural sound had pinches of everything from disco funk to 00’s French House.
According to vocalist Deborah Lang, this is a very deliberate approach. She says: “There are some amazing synth-based bands out there with just a few members, but we wanted a really big sound. For us, that meant live drums and both male and female vocals. There’s a lot of ‘question and answer’ to our lyrics and so we needed that relationship between band members.”
The group’s overwhelming approach certainly gives them a distinct edge. Though funky grooves form a foundation for most of the tracks, many of them vary in flavour.
The new single, for example, layers loops of synths and keys below the majestic hook of “I can feel it coming like a wave over me.”
Elsewhere, such as on the track Parallels, the band are more gradual, incorporating Balearic dance elements into a more hypnotic mesh of sounds.
“Though we’ve developed into a six-piece, myself and our bassist Gary Neill still have ambitions on the DJ side of things,” says lead vocalist and synths player Andy Butler.
“With the type of music we produce, it’s natural that there’s a merge between the “gig” and other nightlife so we try to embrace that. I personally like to use more sonic, sequencer type sounds – the samples and patches we use on our synthesisers lean more towards house and electronic dance on the musical spectrum.”
Despite their experimentations, last Friday’s show demonstrated that the project is just as much about songcraft. Given the band are still fresh on the scene, there were plenty of sing-alongs and hooks being belted out by the packed-out crowd.
“We were overwhelmed by how busy it was,” says Lang. “Every time I looked out at the crowd, there were more people turning up. I’ve never danced so much in my life, either.
“It’s just a really exciting time. We have so much in the pipeline right now. We play the amazing vinyl only club night at The Admiral on September 25 and then we play Broadcast on October 24.
“After that? A new single is being purposefully written as a follow up to In and Out (Of My Head). We’re not launching into an album just yet so there’s plenty of time for people to get to know us.”
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