On the heels of their US tour opening for the legendary Bryan Ferry who talks about them as his new favorite band, The Phenomenal Handclap Band have released “Following” – the first single off their forthcoming new album, Form & Control, out February 14th via Tummy Touch Records. The track finds the group taking the next step forward from the cosmic disco-funk and international, psychedelic soul of their critically acclaimed debut album.
The band – or self-styled collective – broke through in 2009 with their debut single “15 To 20,” a club hit both in America and Europe that set the scene for a self-titled debut album later that year. Their sound and style had roots in New York and San Francisco, Sao Paulo and London, some physical and others more spiritual. But imagine a scenario where Curtis Mayfield and Deee-Lite threw a Nu-Yorican party with Afro-beat, Italo-disco, Turkish psych, ‘70s West Coast rock and Boney M also on the decks. Kaleidoscopic or what?
But when Form & Control hits your deck or laptop, you need to reconfigure expectations. Imagine The Human League, MGMT, Fleetwood Mac, Black Devil Disco Club, Justice, Hercules & Love Affair, Blondie, and The Steve Miller Band produced by Mike Chapman at London’s legendary RAK Studios, home of prime slices of ‘70s glam, soul and disco. In other words, a sleek and shimmering alternative to the first album’s spicier mutant stew, but just as groovy.
”Following" was written in NYC while dancing at David Mancuso’s legendary Loft Party and inspired by the sounds of Human League, Chic, and Fern Kinney. Sean Marquand, writer and co-producer of the song, recalls: "At a truly great dance party, there is a moment when you can feel a certain energy take off in the room. You can look around and see that everyone is into the exact same thing at the exact same moment, it’s a unifying force. The song is directed toward all of those who might want to join that moment and experience the same spirit."
Available now from iTunes
The band – or self-styled collective – broke through in 2009 with their debut single “15 To 20,” a club hit both in America and Europe that set the scene for a self-titled debut album later that year. Their sound and style had roots in New York and San Francisco, Sao Paulo and London, some physical and others more spiritual. But imagine a scenario where Curtis Mayfield and Deee-Lite threw a Nu-Yorican party with Afro-beat, Italo-disco, Turkish psych, ‘70s West Coast rock and Boney M also on the decks. Kaleidoscopic or what?
But when Form & Control hits your deck or laptop, you need to reconfigure expectations. Imagine The Human League, MGMT, Fleetwood Mac, Black Devil Disco Club, Justice, Hercules & Love Affair, Blondie, and The Steve Miller Band produced by Mike Chapman at London’s legendary RAK Studios, home of prime slices of ‘70s glam, soul and disco. In other words, a sleek and shimmering alternative to the first album’s spicier mutant stew, but just as groovy.
”Following" was written in NYC while dancing at David Mancuso’s legendary Loft Party and inspired by the sounds of Human League, Chic, and Fern Kinney. Sean Marquand, writer and co-producer of the song, recalls: "At a truly great dance party, there is a moment when you can feel a certain energy take off in the room. You can look around and see that everyone is into the exact same thing at the exact same moment, it’s a unifying force. The song is directed toward all of those who might want to join that moment and experience the same spirit."
Available now from iTunes