London’s Måntra unveil new single Individual today. Produced by Tom Dalgety (Pixies, Royal Blood, Ghost), the track showcases emotive lyrics combined with haunting melodies, crisp, distorted guitars and thundering drums.
‘We thought we’d follow up our dreamy ambient electronic EP ‘Sleep’ with the most aggressive song we’ve done yet. I like the naivety of the lyrics and Tom Dalgety’s wizardly production skills’
– Simon Stark, vocals & guitars
A clear generation gap exists in 2018. Aside from living in one of the most increasingly polarised times – with the resurgence of the far-right in the west, Dickensian levels of inequality and daily deceit delivered by the mass media; there is a whole generation who have slowly slipped into an ether of apathy. Modern pop and rock music now reflects this new paradigm; devoid of any substantive message, or meaning.
West London rock band Måntra would rather stand up and deliver music with a message for the left-behinds and the disenfranchised. ‘It started at university’, explains frontman/guitarist and the band’s principal songwriter Simon Stark. ‘I felt so removed from everything socially and emotionally. I just didn’t want to be there, it was numbing for me. Music was the only thing that actually meant something’.
Simon would go on to form Måntra with two friends from Ealing, Richard Leeds (bass) and Rob Emms (drums), as an expressive outlet for these subversive sentiments, underpinned by their shared musical influences.
Having released their I Want EP in January 2017 through Dine Alone Records (Alexisonfire, City and Colour, Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional), followed by second EP Sleep in October 2017, singles from these releases generated support from BBC Radio 1, BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio.
The band’s live prowess has been demonstrated time and time again through a number of high profile supports and tours, highlights including SXSW, ReadIng & Leeds, Download, The Great Escape and Community festivals.
Måntra have spent the tail-end of 2017 writing for their debut album, set for release later this year. Watch this space for further news.