School Disco release a surrealist biography in their highly anticipated sophomore album ‘Heads Still Here’

Evoking a lyrical atmosphere of mystery, School Disco frontman, vocalist and guitarist Rory  Lethbridge delivers a range of hazy lyrics combined with blurry bold guitar riffs (Troy Holt) and consistent heavy drum beats (Luke Shaw) to compose their second debut album ‘Heads still here’. 

Following on from their self-titled debut album released in 2019 ‘Mongolian Disco Show’, which earned them the rightful recognition from Spotify’s Alt -rock playlist, BBC Introducing and a  support slot with indie-rock sensations Wolf Alice, the Brighton based psych-rock trio are set to return better and bolder than before. 

Written and produced during lockdown, the trio used this time period to their advantage. Despite being semi-distanced based between Glasgow and Brighton the band still experimented to create a new synth sound defined on their socials as ‘fuzzy space rock’. School Disco expresses their opinions and views on an array of issues throughout the nine featured tracks.

The first track, ‘Poison’ is standout, opening with continuous static bass riffs and sixteenth high-hat beat symbols projecting strong connotations to Black Sabbath - School Disco open and share the difficulties of addiction and how to overcome them “Now I take it slowly/you never know/you  never know what it will do to you." 

Following in the footsteps of Tame Impala, ‘Echoes’, ‘Moments Gone’ and ‘To Be A Friend’ feature outlandish riffs and distinct vocals raising awareness to unsolved issues and questioning the future “The end with come and you will get old” and things of the past “I wish I had answers to this question of youth.”

‘Pay the price II’ and ‘Break’ titles are the most chaotic yet strongest on the album. Fuzz and Wolf Alice infused, volatile drums and grinding guitar riffs are apparent, reflecting the confusion and anger of the lyrics “What's wrong with you/ I wish I knew.”

‘Turning winds’ combines pathetic fallacy and drooled anonymous vocals to further mirror this “Wind is slowly turning/grass is slowly burning what is left of our dreams”. Chilling vocals and background echoes continue to describe the  inner fears and issues faced during isolation.

Moving on, ‘Isolation Never Knows’, the most calming song of the album, single tambourine hits and sci-fi sound effects create a mood of tranquility to discuss the  issues surrounding the pandemic and the political difficulties during that time. "No one truly knows/where it comes from / when it’s gonna go back home/But people run home/Blocked out  from the isolations glow.” 

‘O.O.C’ comes in at 9 minutes 30 secondsmaking it the longest song to feature on the album. ‘O.O.C’ distinguishes their spacy DIY experimented sound which is visually depicted by the album cover which features the artwork of Ignas Van Rijckevorsel. 

The LP cover displays stratums, iridescent to School Disco’s inspiration of sci-fi literature the cover is a repurposed digital artefact projecting the surrealist sound of the album. The album serves as a raw, honest, and open biography to  themes all listeners can relate and reinterpret into their own experiences. 

Signed to indie labels  Hot Wax Records, Kraut-Pop! and Copper Feast Records, the band have already played across Europe last September and sold out several shows around the UK. However, School Disco exclaimed to ‘gig until we drop’ and perform as much as they can this year due to several shows being cancelled last year due to the pandemic.

17/09/21 - Glasgow - The Flying Duck 

18/09/21 - Manchester - Big Hands Bar 

23/10/21 -Falmouth - Cornish Bank (supporting Tempest) 

Olivia Boileau 

@olivia.boileau 

Image: ‘Poison’ official single Artwork