Lower East Side

VIDEO PREMIERE: “HARAKIRI” BY FUTURIST

Via PANCAKES AND WHISKEY:

We are excited to premiere the new video from Futurist called “Harakiri” today at P&W. The impressive live video was recorded in their former NYC rehearsal space and is off their forthcoming, sophomore album, entitled Omens which is slated for release on 9-27-19. “Harakiri” is a cool psych-rock tune with an addictive bass-line and chattering percussion that puts the listener into a head nodding groove, while the spastic keys and rhythmic guitar sets the mood for the haunting lyrics that are sung with passion and a sense of urgency. For nearly five minutes the band seems to absolutely lock-in on this live take of “Harakiri” and gets us intrigued about the new LP and future live shows.

“Harakiri” is our second live video release from the Cash 4 Gold Sessions, recorded in our subterranean rehearsal space in the Lower East Side last November. This song is another preview from our upcoming, sophomore LP release, Omens – available September 27. You see, our rehearsal space for the past 5 years or so has been in this dim, decrepit basement beneath a pawn shop, hence the name. The rehearsal space itself is actually really nice and enclosed within, built out by our friend and longtime collaborator Nicholas Rahn of the band All Boy/All Girl, but it’s accessed through these rusted iron doors on the street and the rainwater and other various liquids seep down into the basement. It is kind of grungy, with the added charm of exposed electric wiring and leaking carbon monoxide…probably. Anyways, those guys eventually relocated to Philadelphia and we wanted to commemorate our time in this space as Joey (Campanella) and myself are also leaving NYC for our next chapter. We decided to film and record a series of videos of the band performing some of the tunes off of our new record to both promote the new music as well as create a time capsule of the space.

 Harakiri was cowritten by Joey Campanella and Curtis Peel, who fused together two unfinished ideas they both had to create the dark and eerie funk jam that runs second to last on the new record. After nearly a decade since their debut record, the song aligns with the times and represents a newfound edge written into the lyrical and compositional elements of the band’s second release. Peel writes, “Isn’t it funny? They’ll think I got lucky. The blade went in. I’m bleeding out unwritten stories, the bleak allegorical  mess in me. The art of the comeback.”

FUTURIST Climb the “Olive Mountain” to Deliver Their New Live Performance Video [Exclusive Premiere]

Via PURE GRAIN AUDIO:

Alt-rock, psychedelic pop group Futurist are getting set to release their new album Omens and, to help build the hype, we’re premiering the band’s new live, studio performance video for “Olive Mountain.” This is the first single to come from the sophomore LP, recorded in late 2018 in the foursome’s basement rehearsal space in the Lower East Side, New York City. The song can be saved/purchased now, via both Spotify and Apple Music.

The title “Olive Mountain” is a play on the ‘Mount of Olives,’ a biblical phrase common in the New Testament and the place where Jesus stood the night he was betrayed. Overcome by the horror of the crucifixion he was about to experience, his sweat fell like “drops of blood” and he prayed to God for strength. The band felt this served as a good metaphor for what the lyrics in “Olive Mountain” are about.
Aaron Willschick