Today sees the release of Wellington rock quartet Seismic State’s single ‘Since We Last Spoke’, the second release off their upcoming debut EP ‘State of Things’ and following on from last month's ‘Genius’.
“This song started as a riff I came up with at home one Saturday evening, I thought it sounded pretty cool so I brought it to the band” recalls Liam Wright, bassist and co-writer. “From there it really took shape quite quickly, but it’s amazing how long the creative process continued, even into the studio!” he continues. “As with all of our songs it’s really a true collaboration – Matthijs’s drums are awesome on this track, they really set the mood and Nicole’s vocals are amazing as always, then Sai’s lead guitar work, especially in the solo, really caps it off. This is definitely a personal favourite of mine!”
Toby Lloyd of T-Lloyd Productions; who recorded, mixed and produced the track goes a little further, "Since We Last Spoke is probably my favourite song on the EP. At first it feels like just a cool rock 'n' roll song with kind of Arctic Monkeys and Queens of the Stone Age influences” he begins “but when you dig deep into the lyrics; it has so much more depth to it. Tracking the vocals on this song was an incredible experience as it was clearly something really important that Nicole needed to get out. It’s the kind of song that Producers live for; songs that really mean something to the artist and this was one of those songs. It’s always an incredible moment being there in the studio capturing a singer pouring their heart and soul into the microphone and on this occasion; there were definitely a few goose bumps and a few lumps in my throat due to the incredible imagery of the lyrics and performance. But let’s not forget Matthijs's iconic, brilliant and almost riff like drum fills on it! The whole song came together really well!"
Formed in early 2018 by former members of Auckland band Dirty Riot; Sai Soe (guitar) and Liam Wright (bass) were joined by Matthijs van Dijk (drums) and Nicole Hardie (vocals & guitar) and immediately got to work writing and gigging in and around Wellington.
Their style mixes rock with elements of funk, progressive and alternative as they combine riff-oriented guitar with melodic basslines and driving drum rhythms forming a foundation for creative vocal melodies and thought-provoking lyrics. The result is an accessible and sonically pleasing brand of rock music.
Lloyd is excited by the point of difference Seismic State brings to New Zealand music. “Seismic State are a breath of fresh air for the NZ rock scene.” he says “For far too long rock bands have taken themselves far too seriously and it’s so great to hear a kick ass band playing rock music that is not only compelling but also fun! With killer riffs, banging drums, smooth bass lines and incredibly honest and poetic vocals; they are a definite must see for any fans of rock music.”
‘Since We Last Spoke’ is now available Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, YouTube and other major streaming platforms.
The ‘State of Things’ EP is due out on 20 September.