With a range of influences that include everything from Pink Floyd to Silversun Pickups, and Interpol to Mew, Indonesian outfit Alpha Mortal Foxtrot have returned with their diverse direction to unveil the anthemic new single ‘No One Will Talk About Us (No One Will Owe Us Anything)’.
Channelling a bold and soaring post-rock aesthetic for this release, ‘No One Will Talk About Us (No One Will Owe Us Anything)’ makes for a wonderfully awe-inspiring and euphoric return for the group. Progressive and uplifting as often as possible, this rich and powerful slow-burner will have you hooked from beginning to end.
So with their latest single out now, we sat down with them to find out more about their newest release and what they have planned in the future.
Words by Chris Bound
Discovered via http://musosoup.com
PhotoCredit: BrennaWeeks
Chris) Hi guys, how are you today?
AMF) We're surviving here in Jakarta. The COVID-19 situation is getting worse and one of our members has just recovered from the virus. Meanwhile, we're preparing new materials, since gigs are not yet allowed due to partial lockdowns and movement restrictions. We hope that you and your team are staying safe!
For those that haven’t heard of you yet, how would you best describe your sound, and who have been your biggest influences so far?
We describe our music as alternative rock with sonic soundscapes that you can sing to. We often rely on multi-layered echo and overdrive, constant change of tempo, and dynamic drum patterns to create a distinct wall of sounds in each song. Some local critics say that our music is basically shoegaze/new gaze with more upfront vocals, while according to some others it's alternative rock with a strong influence of 2000s British rock.
And what would you say has been your biggest moment in music so far?
It was quite surprising to see ourselves on the cover of Spotify's curated playlist last year - totally beyond our expectations as a new band. Oh, we also had a live gig on local TV early this year.
You have just released your new single ‘No One Will Talk About Us (No One Will Owe Us Anything)’. Can you tell us how that track came about? Is there a story behind it?
The track was written during challenging times when people often told us that we were incapable of doing something. So, from the date when the track was written until now, this happens to be our personal favourite as this usually tops our morning playlist, giving the reason for us to lay low and keep working to turn things around and shut people up when we are being overlooked.
Simply put, we just love to be the underdogs. We feel like we beat the odds. We believe that it's much easier for us to prevail when no one talks about us or owes us anything.
And can you tell us how it compares to your previous material?
This track is six minutes long. Yes, this may encompass two or three whole mainstream tracks, but if you're into post rock and progressive rock tunes, hopefully, this won't waste six minutes of your time. Wait for the outro - that's the best part.
Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
We're wrapping up our debut album to be released this year. It was initially scheduled to be released early this year, but the pandemic forced us to push back given the delays during the mixing/mastering process.
The coronavirus outbreak has obviously affected everyone’s plans, but what have you got in store for the rest of the year?
Well, we're finding our ways to have the release party of our debut album streamed online. Perhaps we'll be inviting a few local bands to feature in this sort of online gig. We'll follow up with the actual release party as soon as the pandemic ends or at least when people get their second jabs, but seeing how we're coping with the second wave here in Jakarta, we may need to postpone until God knows when.
And finally, do you have any rituals or habits that help you to write new music?
We're just exchanging demo tracks via emails for the time being. It's quite risky to rehearse nowadays. We note that some other bands tend to have Zoom calls to work on new materials, but this band consists of an IP lawyer, a business consultant, and a start-up founder, so it's fair to say that we've had enough Zoom calls during the weekdays.