Rotterdam based psych/post-punk group Rats on Rafts will release their new and most textured record to date Excerpts From Chapter 3: The Mind Runs A Net Of Rabbit Paths on January 29th on their own label Kurious Recordings (and outside of Benelux via Fire Records). The album was recorded in the band’s own Kurious Recording studio, with a little bit of help by Niek van den Driesschen. The first single Tokyo Music Experience is out now.
Excerpts From Chapter 3: The Mind Runs A Net Of Rabbit Paths refers to the period between their previous and this new, third album. The album is layered with songs and fragments that on different occasions refer to one another both musically and lyrically to form a song cycle. A concept album? It could be, but first and foremost it offers a fragmented view into the wonderful and frightening world of Rats on Rafts.
Even though some songs are about events that took place in the past few years, a lot of the songs have been inspired by the internal world and the constant battle between reality and imagination. Like last year’s single version of Where Is My Dream?, the atmosphere repeatedly shifts, not only by means of lyrics but by melodic layers and rhythms that carefully adjust the colour of each mood. Each song spins a yarn; there are plagues, dreams, wind and fire, ‘mythical’ characters, and the search for the secret government warehouse. Drowning in the sounds of Van Dyke Parks (Song Cycle), Scott Walker (3 & 4), Moondog (Elpmas), White Noise (An Electric Storm) and Beach Boys (Smile). It’s a musical melodrama; created in isolation. This dark psychedelic album is a giant leap into the looking glass which ultimately captures a more intense, experienced, layered and diverse collection of songs.
Tokyo Music Experience is the first single of this record. “In 2018 we got the opportunity to support Franz Ferdinand in Japan”, says David Fagan, singer of the band, “When we arrived back home from our amazing tour and journey, I seemed to hit some kind of post-holiday-depression feeling that seemed to get worse by the day, it wasn’t just hard getting back into my daily routine but I had these really weird dreams and a lot of trouble sleeping. We spent most of our time in Japan in Tokyo and the city and its people had such a big impression on me. One evening I was working on a song and decided to do something else and the entire blueprint for the song just came out in one go. As we continued working on the song I realised the entire force of energy we had been carrying around since our trip was channelled in the song; we could now turn it on on off by playing the song.” Watch the video below.
Quite like their hometown Rotterdam, Rats on Rafts are an ever evolving group. From their catchy new wave debut The Moon is Big, which briefly launched them into the pop world of The Netherlands, the dark psychedelic sound of Tape Hiss created a path for them to get across borders and the band got signed to Fire Records (UK) in 2015. They toured extensively in the last few years including shows at festivals like Best Kept Secret (NL), Liverpool Psych Fest (UK), Reeperbahn (DE), Glastonbury (UK) Primavera Sound (SP) Levitation (FR) and many many others.
Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8VHS6ZRfqw&feature=youtu.be