The Halloween Dream EP finds the Welsh genre-agnostics Martyrs further expanding their uncategorised sound, launching from a base of drum machine beats and sequenced synths into the realms of the acoustic indie rock anthem and beyond.
Lead track ‘Delta Rain‘ is a swooning slice of atmospheric electronica, propelled by a juddering bassline and augmented with gossamer guitar. An anthemic ode to anywhere that feels like home, singer Michael describes it as “a love song dedicated to a place rather than a person.”
‘October Kind’ is an elusive, intricate labyrinth of piano and guita jangle, where tightly harmonised vocals are draped across an ever-shifting musical landscape. Conjuring an otherworldly atmosphere, the band call it “a catalogue of Autumnal memories and the intangible feelings they inspire.”
The EP is rounded out by a warped cover (the band’s first) of Super Furry Animals’ 1998 cult favourite ‘The Man Don’t Give A Fuck.’ Twisting the original into new shape, the duo finds a new sense of aggression an intensity in contrast to moments of sublime serenity. “Gruff Rhys called this an all-purpose protest song” says multi instumentalist Jon, “and there’s plenty to protest right now.”
Also included on the Bandcamp exclusive version of the release are ‘Midnight Mass‘, a brand new demo for an epic spoken-word post-rock tune, and a striking instrumental version of The Man Don’t Give A Fuck. A suite of videos to accompany the tracks, all created in-house, will drop over the coming weeks, with the Halloween-themed October Kind home movie clip available now.
https://martyrsuk.bandcamp.com/album/halloween-dream-ep8
The EP’s first two videos have now hit over a combined 100,000 views on Youtube, as well as featuring on South Wales’ The Sound of Swn radio show and on dozens of other stations worldwide.
