Words: ROBIN MUMFORD
Pattern Pusher have had an incredibly difficult past year, with the tragic loss of their lead singer Alex Johnstone ‘s father being the cause of a lot of pain. But nevertheless, they continue to persist as positive people, releasing the disco-infused, introspective new single ‘Holding On’, which homes in on hope in light of loss.
Soft vocalism is mixed in with a whirlpool of up-tempo soundscapes that can be likened to bands such as the Blossoms and Bombay Bicycle Club to encapsulate Pattern Pusher’s sole mission to uplift people with their music. In essence, ‘Holding On’ is a hopeful sigh of relief that talks of better days around the corner.
Talking about the release, Alex says: “The loss of my dad and the end of my long-term relationship both happened within the last year. That stuff shakes you to your core and you can’t help thinking about how short and fragile life can be.
“Out of this period of introspection came hope; the idea that life is a brief candle and that we should enjoy every flicker of it and simultaneously, that self-love and wanting your own ‘perfect life story’ is absolutely okay! The past year has seen crazy life changes for me. It all happened so fast; this song seemed to come out of thin air during all the madness.”
The latest single also comes attached with a visually unique music video, created by London BFI Short Film Winners Spinning Path:
“Nowadays we have devices in all shapes and sizes and as filmmakers it’s difficult to imagine how your end project might look on different screens. For example, Instagram has three different ratios to choose from!’ says Simeon Costello (Spinning Path producer). ‘What if we filmed a seemingly normal performance video, but the band gets interrupted when the frames start to expand?’ asks director Tommy Gillard.
Spinning Path set themselves the challenge to find a way to work practically, only using large moveable props and camera trickery, with no use of digital effects reminiscent of classic cinema. “We love Pattern Pusher for their retro vibe and endless energy, and we wanted the music video to capture that by bringing in elements from classic silent cinema” says Director Tommy Gillard.
In every sense of the term, Pattern Pusher are a bundle of energy, personified through three charismatic hearts. And to give them the credentials they were always worthy of, they were cited as one of NME’s hidden gems due to their barnstorming live performances at Boardmasters Festival last year, as well as becoming one of BBC Introducing’s ‘Ones to Watch’ for 2022.
Although their newest song tackles with hardship of loss, Pattern Pusher are persisting in their mission to uplift the world through their rose-tinted musicianship, and ‘Holding On’ is another beautiful song to add to their amazing collection.
Current tour dates:
13/4 - Retro, Manchester
14/4 - Hagglers Corner, Sheffield
16/4 - Stockton Calling, Stockton
16/4 - The Globe, Newcastle
19/4 - Louisiana, Bristol
22/4 - O2 Islington 2, London
29/4 - Old Bakery Studios, Truro
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