Bug Teeth are set to release their debut album, Micrographia, on November 21. What began as the lo-fi bedroom pop project of PJ Johnson soon emerged as a fully-formed musical collective that now includes guitarist Sonny Mitchell, drummer George Orton, bassist Adam Bentham, and synth player Alex Calder. Their gauzy experiments in opaque pop filaments certainly have foundational antecedents in bands like Cocteau Twins and A.R. Kane, but the band locks into to their own unique frequencies, finding further shadowy recesses in which to mine these atmospheric sounds. They further combine elements of indie rock, ambient, and ’60s psychedelia to create something that pays homage to their influences but is resoundingly drawn from the band’s own entangled creativities.
Their latest single, “Warp & Weft II”, is a beautifully hazy piece of pop architecture, one that deals less in specific frameworks and more in immediate impressions and half-glimpsed contours. Voices drift over homespun guitar lines that shimmer and shiver in the cool afternoon breeze while a playful percussive shuffle acts as our transportation.
“‘Warp & Weft II’, initially written in two parts, breaks down another perspective of my grief and sudden loss,” explains Johnson. “Looking back on memories of my mum, I find myself rewriting them, more so as time passes – it’s easier and more comfortable to remember us being closer, and to try to forget any difficult moments we had. Through the song, I wonder if this is an honest perspective. I’m still not sure if this view has changed our relationship entirely.“
They continue: “During the recording process, the entire band sung the last refrain together – a moment that stands out from the whole album. It shows the collaborative nature of Bug Teeth as a full band, rather than rather than my solo project, and exemplifies how my bandmates support me through grief.“
Listen to the track below and check out some of the band’s upcoming tour dates.
Tour dates:
Aug 26 // London, The Shacklewell Arms, Eat Your Own Ears Presents
Nov 26 // Bristol, The Lanes
Nov 27 // Birmingham, Victoria
Nov 28 // London, Shacklewell Arms [Headline]
Nov 30 // Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
Micrographia:
1. Tapeworm
2. Ammonite
3. Topiary
4. Thin Circle
5. Crunch Went The Snow
6. Merricat
7. Warp & Weft II
8. My Stupid Tree-Frog Daughter
9. Collections
10. Landscaping
Micrographia is due out November 21 on State51. You can pre-order the album here. Follow the band on Facebook and Instagram.
