Unruly Brighton duo Para Fiction have unveiled their prophetic new EP EPISODE III: PANDEMIC, out today via their imprint Parasitic.
The hotly anticipated six-track release couldn’t be more timely, with the theme and aesthetic perfectly suited to the global pandemic that has engulfed us all in recent weeks. Opening track ‘ROY’ immediately sets the tone with its frantic, panicked vocals and paranoid instrumentation. Next up, ‘Quest’ is characterised by melancholic nostalgia, before the duo’s most recent single, ‘Project 47’, delivers a barrage of snarling vocals, scuzzy guitars and shrewd lyrics. The second half of EPISODE III: PANDEMIC continues with this onslaught of angst-laden guitars and hard-hitting, uncompromising lyricism – capturing the boys at their bold and brilliant best.
“This is the third episode of the trilogy,” Para Fiction explains. “It’s called pandemic which sounds like we predicted all this madness… but we didn’t. At this point in the saga the infection at this point has taken over the world and the end is imminent.
They continue: The vibe of this project is a bit more darker than the previous projects because of the vibe in the story of the music and the current happenings in the world. This is the lead up to a bigger project we’re working on in the pipeline. The vibe of this project is definitely inspired by the dog eat dog world we live in and is based around humanities slow demise because of its selfishness and greed”
It follows on from the release of EPISODE II: EPIDEMIC at the end of 2019, their highly anticipated sophomore EP which combined a diverse range of influences, including prog rock and poetic hip-hop, delivered with their trademark DIY spirit.
Drawing comparisons to classic-era Beastie Boys, the DIY duo is made up of rapper James (aka Jambo) and producer Jules (Coding Dude) who both grew up playing in punk rock bands before they first met at a drum and bass night. After self-releasing their debut EP EPISODE I: L££CH RIDDEN on their label Parasitic last year, the 21-year-olds swiftly won support from BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens and Phil Taggart.
Last summer the guys performed at renowned festivals Boom Town and Dreamland Margate over the summer, whilst embarking on a 15-date UK tour at the tail-end of the year in support of Kent punk rock outfit Lady Bird. They also linked up with Slaves to perform on their Brighton and sold-out Glasgow and London dates.
Para Fiction’s most ambitious and urgent work to date, EPISODE III: PANDEMIC is the perfect sonic encapsulation of these turbulent times.
