Taking their signature electronic-pop sound into new territory, Queensland Music Award winners, Standby Empire, return with their powerful new single, These Walls, out 23 August.
Teaming quietly commanding synths with a hypnotic, heartbeat-like beat and front man Tom Wensley’s velvet vocals, These Walls lulls listeners into what feels like a captivating dreamscape where time fades away into a sense of surreal tranquility – an ideal antidote to the somewhat denser lyrical themes it addresses.
“These Walls is about our efforts to escape our fears and shield ourselves from our own disillusionment,” said front man Tom Wensley. “It’s about the very real struggle we all face in battling to overcome self-doubt and isolation, exploring the power of how our thoughts shape our actions and struggles with questions left unanswered.”
“Musically we hope listeners are drawn in deeper and deeper as the song builds from a sparse soundscape to a climatic close with 160+ layered tracks echoing the emotions that lie behind the walls we build.”
Drawing inspiration from The Cranberries 1993 hit Zombie, the existential ether of the track was brought to life with the help of not one, but three producers (Josh Beattie, Nathan Morrison and Marcus Bishop) who each added their own flair.
“We’ve ventured into new territory on These Walls, weaving vocals, synths, strings and brass to build a truly immersive and emotive sound. It’s pretty different, and we’re excited to see what people think.”
With another single, Explode, due out in September as well as the launch of a new live show the trio have been working on, Standby Empire are continuing to go from strength to strength in 2019.
The musical equivalent of a gentle giant, soft yet powerful, be sure to put your feet up and kick back to Standby Empire’s latest gem These Walls, streaming exclusively below.
THESE WALLS – STANDBY EMPIRE
