Vancouver Synthpunks Phuture Memoriez Release Their New Album "Play Cobra"
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Phuture Memoriez have just released their latest full length LP Play Cobra out now on Nerve Wracking Collections with accompanying video-single for “Ear Blue”. Phuture Memoriez is a dark synth-pop-punk band from Vancouver BC and is composed of Marc Blaquiere and Jessica Blaquiere. Their third release, Play Cobra, is a concept record dedicated to the musical improv game Cobra. Created by jazz legend John Zorn, Cobra utilizes a series of hand jesters, cue cards, drawings, etc. and a conductor leading a group of improv artists creating noise, chaos, and beauty. Phuture Memoriez used each of the 10 chapters in the Cobra manual as inspiration, pulling all of the lyrics and song titles for each of the 10 songs on their new album Play Cobra, creating song titles like Mouth Yellow, and Ear Blue.
Aiming to create a hypnotic listening experience, all 10 songs are the same tempo of 138 BPM. All songs were written, recorded, and mixed by Jessica Blaquiere (Synth/Pedals/Sampler) and Marc Blaquiere (Vocals/Bass Guitar/Sampler/Production) and mastered by Doug Fury at Fortissimo Sound in London, Ontario. The band describes the album as “our best record to date, the cobra’s bite is intoxicating!” After Play Cobra was completed, Tylor David joined Phuture Memoriez on guitar. Tylor’s guitar compositions offer an enhanced live version of the Play Cobra songs, providing rich texture, tone, and harmonics.
The songs on the LP are short, fast, visceral blasts that are rooted in early punk and hardcore and have elements of Krautrock and foundational industrial music. Each track is an explosion, an expression of internal turmoil and angst against discordant hooks and symphonic feedback. Phuture Memoriez’ sound transitions constantly - not surprising because of their desire to test new sounds, tools, and techniques, which range in quality from lo-fi to professional level. They use tools like the Akai MPC Live, a cohort of digital/analog synths, pedals, noisemakers, electric bass guitar, among others, and vocals affected by other-worldly tones and textures. Their sound has been described by some to encompass “twisted tones and haunting synth vocals, pulling the listener down into a shadowy soundscape”. In other instances, some say Phuture Memoriez is “grungy with a metallic edge”.
Listen to “Play Cobra” right now, and connect with the band on their social media!