KEROSCENE: NEW TRACK "OUR TIME" - REVIEW

Keroscene are back again with their latest single ‘Our Time’, following on from the release of their first handful of singles 'Regret', 'Just Like Zero', 'I Can't Do A Thing' and 'Like The First Time'. We covered the release of ‘Like The First Time’ back in January and spent some time picking the band members brains in an interview, you can head over and read these by clicking HERE. For a band without a full EP release under their belt they’ve managed to cultivate and own their style in no time at all. You can hear them maturing at a rate that’s off the charts, each song relentlessly develops on its predecessor as we bare witness to a band that simply refuse to stand still. If they dare continue on this current tirade of auditory perfection then it won’t be long till every nook and cranny of this country’s existence will know who they are. That appears to be the aim for sure!

When we last spoke about Keroscene the focus was on their canny ability to build suspense in songs. They somehow create this head rush of kaleidoscopic soundwave that has such a bold and demanding presence on the listener. ‘Like The First Time’ is a mesmerising vortex that, much like a black hole, fails to stop growing and building as the momentum becomes unattainable and eventually consumes everything in its path. We now stand here a mere month and a half later with a track that has maintained all these fundamental attributes but sounds so far from the same. ‘Our Time’ hears Keroscene rip down the style benchmarks and through the wall of genre stereotyping. Take a minute to step back from what’s blatantly there in front of you and appreciate the subtle hints of sub-style that creep their way into this mixing pot. Let’s build some context; imagine it like a sandwich…….. (stay with us here) peel the fundamental ‘bread’ away from the top and bottom and what do you have left inside? Well, those interesting souls out there will have built a culinary masterpiece filled with a variety of exciting flavours, fillings and sauces that the mere mortal among us wouldn’t dare combine in their day to day sandwich. Keroscene are among those interesting souls! These thought-provoking ingredients are, on their own, a satisfying singular entity BUT when brought together and harnessed in this construction they react and bounce with each other forming new flavours and relationship. This is what Keroscene achieve with ‘Our Time’! Sure, it’s a great song! It looks, sounds and smells great on the surface but don’t just be satisfied with what you first hear, take the time to dissect what’s underneath the skin and you open it up to be so much more than initially meets the eye. It’s a clever fusion of so many rock sub styles and categories with hints of alluring synth, grunge undertones, reverb ridden surf rock, sharp indie and vibrant melodies.

The track enters with a curtain of hazy synth that sounds like it fell off the back of the Blossoms tour bus before being attacked with some powerful fuzzy guitar. The rhythm guitar asserts it’s masculine presence, taking the helm as the track sails into the unknown. The vocals tiptoe in harmonising with the synth and lead guitar as we prepare to voyage into the catchy chorus. Imagine a mix of Blossoms, Placebo and Peace this is the general vibe of the song throughout, a combination of all these very differing styles of music. Perhaps the most elusive but interesting hint we see is The Strokes as we lead into the chorus each time. The sharp, bright and overdriven sound is an astute ode to our favourite NYC indie garage rockers.

The track was written during the bands time at their “Unit 4” warehouse in West London, 'Our Time' is a reflection of their time there and how it developed them as a band. “Lyrically the song is inspired by everything currently happening in the world around us, both on a societal level with rapid changes in technology and politics and on a personal level. This apparent lack of tangibility of anything genuinely real in our digital world can sometimes make us feel bored and at odds with a sense of cultural stagnation.

The lyrics were also heavily inspired by David Foster Wallace’s essay 'This is Water'. Specifically how our perception of banal cultural platitudes and daily annoyances can be radically altered with a shift in consciousness. Just as we have the power to sulk and get pissed off by every little thing going on, we also have the power to control how it affects us. Despite all the craziness around us, we have the ability to choose how we feel”. Compelling stuff from the psychedelic rock four piece! They play The Montague Arms, London tonight (15th March). We’ll be heading down to catch them in action and a Live Review will follow soon after. If you’re in the London area and an avid patron of new emerging music get yourselves down, we’ll hopefully see you there!

Check out "Our Time" here on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/kerosceneband/our-time