Chalk - 'Static'
Belfast post-punk electric trio Chalk share their new single ‘Static’ revealing their debut EP arriving this spring.
The trio formed after meeting at film school with the band consisting of vocalist Ross Cullen, guitarist Benedict Goddard and drummer Luke Niblock. They were influenced by their love of film and the emerging Belfast dance scene, and they are one of the only Irish acts ever to be announced in the First Fifty of the legendary showcase festival ‘The Great Escape’.
Even though Chalk have only previously released 2 singles, ‘Velodrome’ and ‘Them’ they have been championed by Steve Lamacq from BBC 6 Music who quoted, "The love of the dance scene meets the love of raw darkly atmospheric noise... Gothic sounding guitars duel with the sensory overload of a techno club" and Jack Saunders from BBC Radio 1, "A band that are filled with TNT...a sucker punch of a blow to the chest...such an exciting starting point".
This new single ‘Static’ is a cinematic showcase of all things Chalk. From distorted acoustics melding with Ross Cullen’s aggressive local performance. Chalks lyrics tackle brutally honest introspection and tense topics, unabashed by perception and the public gaze. With an emotional horizon of the crashing choruses and isolated melodies and malevolent percussion. Produced and additional syntonised by collaborator Chris Ryan, this single is a released full of purpose and intent, setting the tone for the upcoming year where listeners are pulled inside the atmospheric chambers of Chalk’s explosive congregation.
‘And I’ve been, searching for something to do.’
When vocalist Ross Cullen spoke about Chalk’s new single, he stated that they wanted to explore the meaning of your place in the world, where you live within order and regime always following instructions. Throughout their meaningful lyrics “I could have sworn that I’d cut the cord" Chalk subverts from the social norms and gaining control till they reach the end of the path and awaiting fulfilment but you’re not sure when it will come, if at all.
Get ready to cut the cord to societal norms by listening to ‘Static’ and get ready to scream the lyrics along with them in their 2023 UK tour.
Words by Bethany Simms
