London band Outside Voice offer up a diverse, dramatic and engaging alternative rock meets punk rock sound that they describe as “distinctive, energetic and empowering.”
The quintet met during freshers’ week of their first year of university in London three years ago. They started making music in between lectures and haven’t looked back since.
And on the sound they’ve crafted over the last few years, the band told us: “We would describe the Outside Voices sound as stylistically experimental, melodic and lyrically reflective.”
Our latest taste of this is their third single Chaos, which was released at the end of November. It starts out with light instrumentals before a little piano lick and building guitars that drop into laid-back vocals. A mellow first verse gradually builds in intensity with various instrumental support, before the line Slowly sinking at the bottom of your heart your hopes and dreams, Awaits you in the dark” ends on a big held note. That flows into a powerful chorus “And I finally realised this is a part of my life, Getting back and forth, From chaos to draw the light out” supported by heavier guitars. The pace slows for another laid-back verse that builds towards another big chorus. Cool ascending and descending guitars lead a heavy instrumental section, which slows down to set up a dramatic conclusion.
On the track, the band said: “It’s been a long time coming and we’re very happy to have it out there and grateful for everyone who helped us. Chaos expresses the desire to move on from repeated patterns and struggles we can face in life by diving deep into them. Its catchy harmonies and melodies, paired with a heavy, unified wall of sound and strong vocals in the choruses, remind of a Paramore-like style.
“To anyone who hasn’t heard us yet, they can definitely expect music that touches on the same levels of introspection as our previous music, but approaches the concept from a much darker tone.”
Chaos follows on from the band’s debut EP PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT!, released last February. It opens up with the excellent lead single Tough Luck, before the lively Parasite, the more laid-back Sail Away, which features a delicious guitar solo, and ending with the atmospheric Balance. And the EP followed on from the band’s more experimental sounding debut single Awakening.
The Outside Voices sound is influenced by a wide range of musical interests, including bands like Muse, Paramore and Arctic Monkeys. And on what leads them to write music, the band explained: “Most of our songs are inspired by real-life struggles we come across. We express our take based on what’s going on in the world at the moment and relate it to our personal experiences.”
Outside Voices will be kicking off the new year with two London headline shows, at LVLS in Hackney Wick on Thursday (8 January, tickets here) and Slim Jim’s in Angel on 29 January (tickets here). And they plan to release more new music throughout the year.
And the band added: “We are inter-dimensional imps (and our bassist is Batman).”
You can follow Outside Voices on Instagram and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud and YouTube.
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