Drawing comparisons to Peter Gabriel, Tanlines, and Small Black, Florida-based self-styled “epic pop” band Challenger draw from these influences without the slightest hint of plagiarism or mimicry. Their love of 80’s beats, coldwave synths, and Paul Simon afrobeat tendencies mix with a more recent indie dance pop mentality, and the resulting hyper-manic sound feels as timeless as it does reverent to its influences. In advance of the release of their new album, the band has just released a new song called “Are You Scared Too?,” and it sounds like some odd amalgamation of Graceland-era Paul Simon and Echo and the Bunnymen having a sleepover at Robert Smith’s house. When describing this track, the band said:
“Are You Scared Too?” is about the real fear of Death himself during a manic episode. And being lost in a bad trip at night along the Hudson River.”
Listen for yourself as Beats Per Minute is proud to premiere “Are You Scared Too?” from Challenger’s new album The World Is Too Much For Me.
