Newcastle alt-rock newcomers PAVE THE JUNGLE are delighted to announce details of their debut EP The Hissing, which is set for release on 9th October 2020 via Cow House. Lead single ‘Ants’ is out now and available to stream on all good digital service providers.
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Commenting on the track, songwriter and front woman Rachael Whittle says: “I got the inspiration for ‘Ants’ after reading Flowers for Algernon. The book is about a mouse named Algernon who undergoes surgery in order to increase his intelligence. The surgery is then also performed on a man named Charlie Gordon. Charlie is the first human to undergo this surgery and the reader follows his journey via a series of progress reports he writes himself.”
“What struck me about the story were the themes surrounding the treatment of intellectually disabled people—how, as Charlie’s intelligence increases, his childlike naivety and love for the smaller things in life decreases. This prompted lyrics like ‘comfort in naivety inside’.”
Exploring the idea that as we age and become more aware of our intent in life we are often disappointed with what we achieve, Whittle examines how, in the end, we are all just the same; much like the track’s titular ants, carrying a giant weight on our shoulders.
“Musically I wanted this song to reflect the chaotic and unpredictable nature of life,” she continues. “This is why the chorus is the only repeated section of the song. I wanted it to be quite progressive. At the time of writing this I had just discovered Pile. I fell in love with the way their songs are so unusually structured and are quite chaotic, but in the middle of it all is an amazing melody that draws you in.”
Blending shades of US indie with a post-punk urgency and the unchecked power of heavy alternative rock, Pave The Jungle were established in 2019 in Newcastle, UK, and formed by songwriter Rachael Whittle after the dissolution of her previous outfit.
Following a mentorship session from Mercury Prize-nominee Nadine Shah and her co-writer/producer Ben Hillier (Depeche Mode, Blur, Smashing Pumpkins), Whittle’s songwriting came on leaps and bounds, and PTJ entered Blank Studios (Pigsx7, Richard Dawson) to capture the more intricate ideas which developed into this latest material.
The band have released two tracks to date on their own Cow House imprint—debut single ‘Jelly’ arrived in January 2020 racking up over 1000 Spotify plays inside a week, and was playlisted by Hype Machine as well as receiving multiple plays on BBC Radio. Follow up single ‘Cookie Cutter’ surfaced in March 2020, showcasing the bellicose flip-side of Whittle’s spectrum as a rock writer, highlighted in the track’s off-kilter footprint and hard-to-place swagger.
Early press supporters have raved about the first two tracks, including Come Here Floyd, Podcart, Yack! Magazine, LOUD WOMEN, American Pancake,Destroy//Exist, When The Horn Blows, Indie Is Not A Genre, Independent Music Reviews and many more.
Further bolstered by early live performances with alt rock pioneers …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, as well as local scene mainstays Cauls & Pit Pony, the quartet have every intention of making 2020 their year of arrival, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19.
Further details and live dates TBA over the coming months.
Debut EP The Hissing is released 9th October 2020
Pave The Jungle live dates:
05.09.20 – Last Train Home – Darlington
18.10.20 – Hit The North – Newcastle
‘Ants’ artwork: