Brooklyn-based salamander has announced their forthcoming debut LP, [container],set for release on October 18, but keeps their fans occupied with their newest single, “the label.”
salamander, currently made up of Leo Frampton, PJ Hunter, and Ben Verde (percussion), began when songwriters PJ Hunter and Leo Frampton decided to play a last-minute experimental pop show during the last week of their spring semester SUNY Purchase in 2019. The show included a flute, a loop pedal, pre-set casio beats, heavy distortion, and, under all of it, melodies. In the winter of 2021, drummer Ben Verde joined the group, solidifying the three-piece setup of the current-day band. salamander’s songwriting process is fluid and highly collaborative, with contributions coming from multiple, sometimes all, members of the band.
While some songs, such as “wildfire” and “xylem,” have lyrics and chords written mostly by one of the band members of salamander (the former PJ and the latter Leo), other songs such as “ride” and “🌊” were written in full collaboration. Leo and Ben currently live in Brooklyn, and PJ lives in upstate New York near New Paltz.
Following the previous release of the record’s first few singles, among them “xylem,” “wildfire,” as well as “ride,” salamander returns with its newest cut, “the label.” With a distorted yet melodic bite, the track propels forward with sludgy verses and a guitar-driven backbone.
“I woke up one morning with the melody to the label in my head, and immediately made a guitar demo on my computer. PJ’s ableton beat on this really gives me chills. I have a verse about loneliness and alienation, PJ later sings about surviving the apocalypse, and in an emotional ending, we bring it all together. ‘the label’ is what people see from the outside, it is what they choose to look at or away from.”
Leo Frampton
The intro of “label” opens with a cool syncopation between the percussion and backup vocals. About 20 seconds in, the lead vocals begin– raspy and supported by melodic harmonies that calmly fade into the background. The middle portion of this song is especially captivating due to an encapsulating electric guitar solo backed with some percussion and synths.
Stream “the label” on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube and follow salamander on Instagram and Bandcamp.
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