Introducing :: The Picture Palace

Words: Linn Branson

After just unveiling their five-track EP 'Kedai', High Wycombe teens The Picture House are already starting to impress producers and promoters alike.

Formed only this past February, the four have wasted no time in gigging around the local circuit, (plus a few Oxford and London dates), putting out their debut EP 'Mirage', and over the last month's working the tracks that make up this second EP. Not bad considering all are aged just 18/19, not long left education and recorded all their material in one of the band's bedroom.

"Sam, Matt and myself all met whilst in sixth form together studying our A-Levels," explains drummer Tom. "Matt and Ben have known each other from childhood. Ben and I are 19 years old and Matt and Sam are 18. We recorded the EP across four months in the bedroom of our guitarist, Ben. We wrote and recorded nine songs, but filtered them down to what we felt were the five best."

Citing their main musical influences as Foals and Bombay Bicycle Club, we can also detect a few others in there. For instance, take 'Malfunction', we get a vibe in vocals and melody of early Twang. And particularly impressive throughout is Ben Allim's wailing guitar, compared by one renowned record producer as similar to John Squire.

Take a listen below to 'Kedai', after Tom guides us through each track.

Kedai
"Although it’s the first song on the EP, it was the last one we wrote. We wanted a simple but epic intro that would set the tone for the rest of the EP. The song was written very quickly with the guitar and bass parts being improvised and recorded on the spot."

Alice
"With this we created a song with progressive elements that didn’t shy away too much from standard song structure."

Malfunction
"'Malfunction' was the first song we wrote and was the starting point for the whole EP, moving into picky guitar parts and a more theoretical approach to writing which we wanted to pursue moving forward."

Feeling Drowsy
"'Feeling Drowsy' came after 'Malfunction', with a heavier instrumental and lyrics of a less innocent nature than our previously released songs."

Earnest
"We used a template of a standard song structure followed by a long progressive instrumental uses various musical techniques or varying complexity, we wanted to use this song as a climactic conclusion to the EP as a change to experiment with rhythm and musicality."

"As a band we feel that this EP has been a big step forward for us and we’ve been much more adventurous with our writing than on 'Mirage'.

Little Indie favourite tracks: 'Malfunction', 'Kedai', 'Alice'.

The Picture Palace are: Sam Hunn - vocals, guitar, Ben Allim - lead guitar, Matt Donnelly - bass, Tom Batchelor - drums

Catch them live at The Crown in Hazlemere, High Wycombe on December 19.

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