Flat Party have released their new EP, It’s All Been Done Before, via Submarine Cat Records, which includes their latest single, ‘Madonna,’ a searing critique of toxic masculinity, delivered with the band’s signature theatrical edge. With shimmering synths, rumbling basslines, and an atmosphere both haunting and unsettling, the track showcases their ability to craft music that’s as captivating as it is provocative. Vocalist Jack Lawther and bassist Nic Morris dive deeper into the track and the band’s creative process.
[Gemma Cockrell]: Hi guys, congrats on the new single! Could you tell us about the inspiration behind ‘Madonna’? How did the themes of toxic masculinity and manipulation come into play during the writing process?
[Jack Lawther]: It’s difficult to say, because any song I’ve tried to write with intention has always failed. If I ever think “I’m going to write a song about this” it comes out disingenuous, so I often come up with phrases and let the subject of the song conceive itself. That was the same with Madonna, obviously there’s some autobiographical parts to it, but a lot of it is trying to embody a different character. I at least know the end refrain was inspired by the first scene of Reservoir Dogs when they’re all having a discussion around the meaning behind Madonna’s Like A Virgin and Quentin Tarrintino’s character says something about how one particular guy is making her feel like she’s being f*cked for the first time again.
[GC]: Your new EP It’s All Been Done Before promises a darker, more hedonistic tone than your debut. What motivated this shift, and how did it shape the sound and storytelling of the new record?
[JL]: After the first EP, which was intentionally accessible, we felt like we could be a little more intense with this one. We’ve been playing some of the songs off the new EP since our formation, so it wasn’t a conscious move of “let’s write our dark masterpiece!” It was more about grouping existing material together because it worked sonically or thematically. There’s definitely a common thread there lyrically, they’re all far more dramatic than our other songs, so it felt right to compile them in this way.
[GC]: You mentioned that ‘Madonna’ came together in a stream-of-consciousness writing session. What was it like tapping into that “creepy” side of your mind, and how did that process differ from previous songs?
[JL]: Well, at the time I didn’t really consider it that “creepy” – I was just writing and not thinking about how it came across, it was only when I played it to people that they pointed out the tone was off-putting, but that didn’t really bother me. I’m very comfortable tapping into the darker side of my psyche because I know myself well enough to know that I would never do or say anything of these things in real life. No one is perfect and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t exciting to inhabit morally ambiguous narratives.
[GC]: The ‘Flat Party sound’ seems to pull from an eclectic mix of influences, from 70s glam rock to noughties alt-rock. How do these influences shape your sound, and do you find yourself leaning more toward certain eras or artists on this new EP?
[JL]: Most of the time I just try to rip people off and it doesn’t work so we get our own thing, it sounds cliche, but it’s true. For this EP though, we definitely had a certain pool of references we were pulling from. Albums like The Downward Spiral, Dog Man Star and The Holy Bible definitely informed a lot of it; cheery stuff I know.
[GC]: You worked with producer Chris McCrory on It’s All Been Done Before. How did his approach impact the final sound, and what new elements did he help bring into the recording process?
[JL]: Chris really encouraged us to push things to the limit, he’d say stuff like “Black MIDI wouldn’t do this!”, which probably isn’t true, but it certainly egged us on. We also just got on with him really well, so it created a really exciting creative environment. The songs are dark, but we had a lot of fun experimenting with sound and structure to finish with a project that is a true representation of us.
Credit: Emma Swann
[GC]: Flat Party has built a reputation as an electrifying live act. How does your live energy translate into your recordings, and are there particular songs on the new EP that you feel especially embody that intensity?
[JL]: I think this whole EP sounds much truer to our live sound and that was definitely a conscious decision. Chris pushed us to treat the initial takes as we would live, with the same gear and tones, then we would make changes as necessary to elevate that sound (sometimes it didn’t need anything). One of the main things was keeping my vocal as bare as possible, obviously there’s effects on there, but we didn’t do any double tracking and most of the vocals were done in one or two takes. The EP opener ‘Circle’ perfectly encapsulates the full spectrum of our live shows with abject chaos being matched with a tight alt-rock sound.
[GC]: The EP’s title, It’s All Been Done Before, seems self-aware and maybe even a bit tongue-in-cheek. How do you see your music both paying homage to and pushing the boundaries of the art-pop/indie-rock genre?
[JL]: At this point in rock’s lineage it’s impossible not to pull from the past, even “boundary-pushing” acts are doing it, they’re just pulling from more obscure references. I don’t think it’s something to be ashamed of, as long as you’re writing good songs that people connect with it doesn’t matter. If some old fart on Facebook thinks our sound is “unoriginal” it doesn’t bother me, I’m more interested in connecting with a teenager who never got to see Nirvana play live.
[GC]: With sold-out shows at venues like Windmill Brixton and now a headlining tour this month, your fanbase is clearly growing. How has connecting with audiences live influenced your direction as a band, especially with this new release?
[Nic Morris]: It’s a strange moment for a band when you look out into the crowd and don’t just see your mates there. It enforces another layer of preparation and consideration into live shows and recording. The fact that there are people out there who have bought in and are along for the ride is mental and they deserve the best live shows and best recording output possible. It’s the nicest pressure that’s ever existed and it spurs us on definitely.
[GC]: You’ve been praised by critics as charismatic and boundary-pushing. How do you balance humour, flamboyance, and darker themes in your music, and why do you think that combination resonates with listeners?
[JL]: I think it resonates with people because we are all a combination of conflicting emotions. We all try to find humour in things that are hard to deal with, and that’s what I do with a lot of my writing. The way I write can be quite scattered too, sometimes I’m trying to handle fifty different ideas in one verse, which is similar to how people’s attention spans have been conditioned by the New Media Age to prefer the summary rather than the original text.
[GC]: Looking forward, how do you envision Flat Party’s artistic evolution? Are there specific goals or themes you’re excited to explore beyond It’s All Been Done Before?
[JL]: We want to reach as many people as possible, that’s for sure. We’re smart enough to realise that to some we’re just another white indie band, but we want to be more than that and I do genuinely believe we have the tunes to back up our dreams of becoming a stadium selling act. We have no interest in obscurity, we have bills to pay.
Flat Party ‘s new single ‘Madonna’ is out now.
