Building on the success of their debut single ‘Halfway To Hockney’ followed by the subsequent single ‘Modern Religion’, the newly formed post-punk powerhouse Conscious Pilot have released their much anticipated EP ‘Epoxy Plains’ and it’s out now.
Formed by former Cheap Teeth members Joe Laycock and Jack Sharp, the dynamic duo has joined forces with musicians from Catholic Action and Pressure Retreat, birthing a post-punk revival supergroup. Rooted in Laycock and Sharp’s shared passion for immersive, beat-driven soundscapes, this newly forged ensemble pledges to urge the listener’s ear into progressively choppy waters whilst simultaneously grounding them in firm lyrical soil.
‘Epoxy Plains’ mirrors the band’s aspiration to treat music as an exploration, steering away from their earlier endeavours. With the intention of enveloping listeners in a harmonious and rhythmic experience before guiding them into unexpected realms, the EP is a compilation of songs that aids Conscious Pilot in navigating and understanding the unfamiliar facets of the world around them.
Rejecting the confines of the conventional post-punk stereotype, Conscious Pilot break away from the prevailing tendency to dwell on everything wrong in the world—an almost inherent blueprint for this genre. Instead, led by the baritone howls of lead singer Joe Laycock, they passionately emphasise the uplifting theme of discovering meaning in the world whilst compelling their listeners to dance.
On the EP they said “Realising we needed to move on from our last band , the music we wrote for this body of work helped us make sense of the world around us. This is definitely evident in the lyrics, which follow different characters experiencing similar emotions in different contexts. We wanted to take the listener on a linear journey centred around purpose and meaning; both at the level of each song and when looking at the EP as a whole”
Attention should be directed towards the EP’s focus track, ‘Benidorm’, a dramatic ballad narrating the life of an ex-military expatriate spending his twilight years in Benidorm. Conscious Pilot utilises this narrative to subtly explore themes of blind patriotism, as the protagonist opts for a military career over staying with his family, who have relocated with their mother and her new partner to Benidorm. The song stands out as an operatic ballad within the EP, opening with lyrics which serve as a twisted reference to Frank Sinatra’s ‘That’s Life’.
Of the single, Joe Laycock said “For Benidorm, with the chords, structure and strong singing melody already at hand, I expressed a desire to write the song about an ex-military expat living out the latter part of his life in Benidorm. Excited by the concept, Jack laid down the bass and began the process of deconstructing the rough pop song into the warped ballad that remains. With arguably the strongest concept and theme of any song on the EP, we set out to conclude the opera in the most spacious/dramatic fashion possible, culminating in a call and response duet, boiling over with emotion and penitence.”
