Phantogram incubate dark energy on one-off, 'In a Spiral'

Coming off a relatively quiet streak, electronic rock duo Phantogram capitalize on their return with their latest one-off of the year, “In a Spiral”. The track follows earlier singles, “Into Happiness” and “Mister Impossible.” Recognized for their dark psychedelic blend of rock and electronica, the duo—comprised of Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter— broke onto the scene with 2010 debut album Eyelid Movies and continued to push an eclectically haunting sound. Despite a lack of music output, the New York-based act recently concluded a 25-date North American tour and are slated for additional show dates and festival slots. Their last studio album Three was released in 2016.

Equipped with a steady rock beat and bedazzled with trippy synths, “In a Spiral” brings forth an admittedly candid expression of electronic rock. Groovy guitar lines juxtapose distorted vocal chops as choir synths provide the backdrop to Barthel’s dark lyricism. Carrying silent intensity, the track melds its upbeat energy with the sullen nature of its theme.

“‘In a Spiral’ started from a beat that Josh had in his back pocket for quite some time, which I had gravitated to immediately and written some vocal ideas for. But the song was waiting for the right moment to reveal itself to us. We threw it on at the last minute while we were preparing to go record in Joshua Tree at the magical Rancho de la Luna with our friend Boots, and once we got out there everything started to fall into place,” stated Barthel.

Photo Credit: Charles Reagan-Hackleman