The journey of singer-songwriter and producer Pete McAllen, aka Pyramid Park, has been an emotional yet triumphant one from the start. After beginning his career in music at the age of 15 as a coping mechanism after the loss of his father, the frontman has spent the past few years perfecting his art. And after bagging a number of festival performances of the back of his debut album, Vulnerability, he returns to showcase his next body of work with his latest single, ‘Never Let Me Down’.
Taking influence from indie-pop, electro-pop, and post-punk, ‘Never Let Me Down’ is a rich, atmospheric offering that manages to pull together all Pyramid Park’s various intentions into one driven and pulsing new delight. We spoke to Pete to find out more about his intentions and where he is looking to go over the year ahead.
Words by Chris Bound
Discovered via http://musosoup.com
Chris) Hi Pete, how are you today?
Pete) I’m doing great, thank you. The sun is out and we’re enjoying a bit of garden action in the middle of work.
How would you describe your sound?
I’d say it’s indie pop. Lots of synths, a load of guitar sounds and effects, plus some subby Moog and driving bass.
Which artists have influenced you the most over the years?
There are so many but I’d have to say a band called Mutemath. They’re from New Orleans and I don’t think they tour much these days. However, I’ve had the privilege of seeing them in London twice and their live shows were epic. Their musicality, rhythms and energy are captivating. Other than that we have a lot of love for indie bands including Two Door Cinema Club, Kooks, Phoria… the list goes on.
You’ve just released your latest single, ‘Never Let Me Down’. Can you tell us how that track came about?
Yes, that’s right. I had recently stepped out to work full time as a musician. It was a massive leap of faith and sadly, soon afterwards, I had a nasty cycling accident that smashed up my face, my teeth and a few bones in my left hand. It meant that I couldn’t play the summer festivals, which led to a very difficult first six months on this new venture. I got in the studio with a writing friend of mine, Féz, talking about the risk, the pain and confusion. The line, “I think I’m drifting between the head and the heart” seemed to sum up my feelings. The song was born soon afterwards.
Are you planning to make it part of a larger release, such as an EP or album?
The single is the first track from the soon to be released album, Not An Island [released on 24 April]. It really feels like our best work.
What other plans do you have for 2020?
Before coronavirus there were a bunch of festivals and a tour in The Netherlands booked in. Now we are unsure. I would hope to get back to writing new material for another project and, if the lockdown in the UK lifts, plenty of shows in the autumn. Gigs in Germany too.
If you weren’t a musician, what career path do you think you would have chosen?
Probably a career in design. I love art and graphics and feel that it could be an area to go into once I hang up my guitar… but hopefully that won’t be for a long time.
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Pyramid Park’s latest single ‘Never Let Me Down’ is available to stream and download now; his new album ‘Not An Island’ is due out on 24 April.