Alarm Drum continue to grow in stride since the release of their debut Colorsick EP, sharing a new song on our 2016 Sampler, showcasing an evolving live lineup – now featuring MyBrother MySister members Dylan Kittrell on drums and Jenni Scott on guitar – and a new EP on the horizon. Last Friday night at the Infinite Room in Tapp’s Art Center the powerfully loud group played through new and old songs in a set that seemed to finish 15 minutes sooner than it could have. I was only left wanting more.
Alarm Drum are set to release their follow-up EP August 12 with two shows planned, one in Columbia on the date of release and the following day at the inaugural Future Chord Festival in Greer, SC. The band’s sound is ever-changing, from their first darker post punk demos, to the dreamy Colorsick EP, the new material looks to be more experimental with electronic programming, an area in which the band excels.
The sohpomore EP came together over the last year where ideas, demos, and musical circuits created with Max/MSP programming all lined up in a similar style. Between shows they’d move their recording equipment to an empty house on the outskirts of Blythewood where they’d continue to write and flesh out songs. This continued into Archer Avenue Studio where producer Kenny McWilliams weighed in. Saxophonist David Glymph recorded on the first song “Mercury”, taking that song to another level and mixing something more organic into the spacey jam.
