It hasn’t been very long since we last hear from Atlanta-based indie pop duo I Am a Rocketship , but like many bands, they kind of went into hibernation due to the Covid pandemic. Or so we thought – it turns out they’ve been busy writing and recording a full EP worth of material in that time, just months after releasing their third long-play ‘Ghost Stories’ in April.
Ahead of releasing their new ‘oRAnGE’ EP, at the end of November (a collection of five new songs inspired by current events), we are pleased to premiere the lead single ‘Shooting Star’. Delightful and melodic, their catchy offerings are dreamy yet grounded, loaded but not overinflated. Sonic symmetry! This is one of Atlanta’s more notable (and prolific) indie pop bands. Though quite varied – from electronica to electro rocking tunes – their output should appeal to fans of The Kills, Phantogram, The Ting Tings and Garbage. Artists that come to mind in relation to this current single include Beck, Tom Petty and Pink Floyd.
The rise of authoritarianism, accelerating environmental collapse, and the coronavirus pandemic led the duo to write new material to express the frustration, sadness and rage of 2020. From the isolation and sadness of ‘Shooting Star’ to the wordless fury of the title track ‘oRAnGE’, to the call to fight fascism in ‘Back From the Shadows’, this EP is about the emotions of a turbulent time.
“These songs came about really quickly, and recording was fast, too. We went for the simplest recordings of anything we’ve done, trying to just get the essence of the songs with the fewest layers and tricks possible. It’s the most emotionally direct collection we’ve made,” says guitarist and programmer Eric Weissinger.
“This spring, our world suddenly got a lot smaller and our plans for touring and traveling were cancelled,” adds singer and keyboardist L E Kippner. “Through our feelings of isolation and anger came the realization that we are all going through this together. These songs are our way of sharing the experience of this year with others.”
I Am a Rocketship merges cool Scandinavian vocals, pop hooks and a dash of experimenting. Layering dark lyricism and fuzz guitars over pop grooves, their music draws from memories of 80s pop, hip-hop overheard on Atlanta streets, Bernard Hermann soundtracks, and Neue Deutsche Härte to make bedroom pop with an edge.
Eric Weissinger had backed up various artists and opened for bands such as The Wedding Present, The Black Crowes, James, Cracker and Portastatic, but everything changed thanks to a chance meeting with L E Kippner – cellist, scientist, radio DJ and singer for Swedish synth-pop duo Neobox. At first forming Hitchcock Blondes in Ohio, they relocated to Atlanta to try new ideas as I Am a Rocketship.
The new EP follows up their third long-play ‘Ghost Stories’, released in April 2020, the 2019 album ‘Mind Grafitti’ and debut offering ‘Mission Control’ in 2016. I Am a Rocketship is a self-contained duo, independently writing, recording, and creating art and videos. All music was recorded on a notebook computer over the first half of 2020.
As of October 27, ‘Shooting Star’ will be available across digital platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. It can be ordered directly from the band via Bandcamp at https://iamarocketship.bandcamp.com/album/orange. The ‘Orange’ EP is slated for release on November 20.
TRACK LIST
1. Shooting Star
2. God’s Country
3. oRAnGE
4. The Light in Your Eyes
5. Back From The Shadows
Their previous single ‘My Nature’ is also worth checking out:
