Six months after the release of their debut single, London’s test plan unveil their follow up single/music video ‘Walking in a Vacuum’, out on 26th March.
Uniting ferocious guitar-driven havoc and pulsating rhythmic force, ‘Walking in a Vacuum’ delves into repression and avoidance in the face of life’s pressures.
Loaded with hypnotic bass lines, resilient drum beats, raw, animated guitar hooks and propelled by manic and captivating vocals, test plan’s follow up single is a blast of existential despair and a love for intense volume.
“There’s a lot to be said for resilience in life, for grinning and bearing it.” says
drummer / vocalist Max Mason. “This can become psychotic when you begin to actively deceive yourself. Moving down the wrong path, aware of each step making things worse. ‘[Walking in a] Vacuum’ dances with this notion of pushing your emotions down and letting the world swallow you up. It’s a dance song about over-thinking and surrender, when maybe you should be doing neither.”
Recorded and mixed by Darren Jones (Fat Dog, The Fall, Gorillaz) in the band’s own north-east London practice space, ‘Walking in a Vacuum’ captures test plan’s intense and visceral energy, matching the force seen in their live performances; pumping and scuzzy in equal measures, seamlessly treading between dancing and moshing.
The accompanying music video, filmed, edited, animated and directed in-house by Mason, captures the essence of the song’s themes; propulsion, horror and elation, surfacing the concepts of resilience in a world filled with chaos and uncertainty. Mason muses on the idea of surrendering to overwhelming forces of the world: “It was a deliberate effort to be artistic and wanted it to feel as if it were a performance art in a gallery space. It was an attempt to make something that looked sort of cursed or horrifying without actually doing anything blatantly to make it so. The animated touches were a way to add an extra layer of mysticism; colour and playfulness to our otherwise angsty performances.”
test plan are set for a busy year with their biggest headline show to date, an overseas
summer tour starting at Paris’ Supersonic Block Party, a live session and a forthcoming EP. ‘Walking in a Vacuum’ will be released on 26th March with their headline single launch show on 29th March at Paper Dress Vintage with in violet and Brides.
Upcoming Live Dates:
29/03/24: Paper Dress Vintage, London (Single Launch)
18/04/24: Strongroom, London
24/05/24: Sebright Arms, London
01/06/24: Supersonic Black Party, Paris (FR)
06/06/24: Le Ravelin, Toulouse (FR)
07/06/24: Jokers, Angers (FR)
Keep your mind open.
[Why not walk on over to the subscription box while you’re here?]
[Thanks to Rory of test plan!]