Ground Pilots have a great sound, one that takes the tired old indie format and kicks it into a more sophisticated, more seductive sonic future. They blend the requisite power and propulsion of a band hovering on the indie-rock divide, then add unexpected layers of poise and polish, a late-night haze, and a forward-thinking vibe.
If indie music has always been about raw energy, groove, and accessibility, with “187”, Ground Pilots add all manner of mature tones and lush textures to the format without losing any of those necessary traits. The guitars sound almost as if they were drawn from a more dream-pop place; additional keys wash through, softening the edges; drums pound, and basslines pulse, giving the song a euphoric energy, and the whole thing sounds like a glimpse of the future rather than a continuation of the past.
And as great as the song is, visuals always help capture the mood. To this end, “187” comes with a great video, one that turns the humble performance visuals into something artful and exciting. Like the song, there is a certain mood being evoked as it cycles through light and shade, bathed in both understated colour and stark monochrome, somehow both driven and slightly subdued, not quite melancholic, but certainly brooding.
What a great package, a song that acts as a signpost for where indie music is going, and a premonition of the shape of things to come for music in general, and a video that, rather than just being an accompanying piece of marketing, is actually a work of art in its own right…as all videos should be.
If you want to know where indie music, for want of a better word, is right now…well, just turn on the radio. If you want to know where it is going, listen to “187.” And if that isn’t enough to cause you to make a mental note to pick up their EP Telekinesis when it comes out, then maybe music isn’t for you after all!
Exciting times!
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