News Playlounge: A Revolution In Thrash

Playlounge talk about music just like you and I do. They verge into fanboy territory when discussing the time they went to a DIY Presents show to see Japandroids play for free at London’s Old Blue Last. They speak about Johnny Foreigner as if the band has achieved untouchable, demi-God status. Yet Playlounge are about to tour with JoFo. It wasn’t long ago that Sam and Laurie found out these heroes were fans of the band.

“When we got asked to play with those guys, it’s like ‘Oh my god, that’s actually happening’. I still can’t get my head around the Fear And Records thing, either [the label will release Playlounge’s new EP, ‘Thrash Magic’]. How have these [labels] even heard our music?” Imagine being thrust head-first into a music scene that you’ve always gazed upon from a distance. This is what’s happened to Playlounge over the past year, to a T. I ask them if there’s any existing band who they’ve yet to cross paths with; whom they adore. Sam’s reply - “We never thought we’d end up playing with Johnny Foreigner. If you asked me a couple of months ago I’d have said them” - puts into focus just how quickly things have progressed for the pair of noise-makers.

Playlounge are a band who go along for the thrill of the ride. When Neu first wrote about the band earlier this year, we said “Playlounge give you this sense of clarity, of rejuvenation, like only the most triumphant rock bands can.” And this triumphalism is perhaps what’s made the pair so prominent amongst a flock of bands all pedalling the same aesthetic. They refer to tours with the likes of Joanna Gruesome, as makings of an “inverted commas scene”. Sam says, “There’s a brotherhood between all of the bands. I guess in ten years time people might call it a scene but it’s just a pretentious thing that we do.”

‘Thrash Magic’ however, allows Sam and Laurie to stand out in the crowd. It’s the most intense, thrilling work the band have thus far put their name to. It’s laced with hate, but the songs themselves sound crystal-clear with happiness. One track - ‘Sweet Tooth’ - contains a chorus consisting entirely of the words “I hate you”, repeated over and over. “If something bad happens to me I wanna get it all out,” explains Sam. “Every time we play that song I’ll feel exactly what I felt when I first wrote it.” He adds, self-consciously: “I hope I’m not coming across as an aggressive person or anything like that.” Sam and Laurie are in fact some of the warmest, most likeable band members we’ve ever met, but it’s this underlying message of frustration that makes their songs what they are: glorious bursts of expression. Spontaneous or calculated, it needn’t matter: everything is illuminated. This is why the band are getting signed for big releases, this is why they’re playing shows with their heroes. It’s just a case of getting their heads around it all. But you sense that deep down, Playlounge are enjoying the surreal journey of fast-becoming a significant band.

Playlounge’s new EP ‘Thrash Magic’ will be released on 22nd October via Fear And Records. They’re currently on tour with Johnny Foreigner.

Taken from the October 2012 issue of DIY, available now. For more details click here.