Get To Know... Flat Party • Neu • DIY Magazine

Hello and welcome back to DIY’s introducing feature, Get To Know… which aims to get you a little bit closer to the buzziest acts that have been catching our eye as of late, and working out what makes them tick.

For anyone who’s a regular on London’s grassroots gig circuit, then the name Flat Party will surely be a familiar one. Having spent the year working on not one but two EPs - January’s self-titled debut and recent follow up ‘It’s All Been Done Before’ - the art-rock six-piece have cemented themselves as charismatic flag-bearers for indie’s overdue shake-up. To mark the release of their ambitious, forward-facing sophomore project, we catch up with frontman Jack Lawther to talk dystopia, artistic development, and unexpectedly enjoyable nights in the French capital.

Describe your music to us in non-musical terms.
Like slowly floating towards a steaming hot pie on the windowsill only to find it’s made of your childhood dog.

What was the musical moment that changed the world for your teenage self?
For me, it was when I discovered ‘Generation Terrorists’ by Manic Street Preachers. It was everything that had been missing for me in a band and it basically became a way of life for me in my teenage years - not really beyond that though, luckily…

‘It’s All Been Done Before’ is your second EP of the year, and it feels like a real ambitious step forward, both in terms of themes and instrumental arrangements. Did this feel like a natural progression for the band’s sound, or did you have to quite consciously move out of your comfort zones? What do you think drew you to explore these darker or more dramatic corners of emotion?
It was a bit of both really. Obviously, we didn’t want to do the same thing again, no ‘I’m Still Bored Give Me A Hug’ type bollocks, so we did somewhat make a conscious effort to switch it up, but at the same time most of the songs were already in their final form before the first EP was recorded.

In terms of the lyrical content, I’ve always been drawn to darker themes; they’re very exciting to write about and it’s also cathartic. If I’m down in a pit of despair - which can happen fairly often - writing about it is the best outlet I have. I’m too squeamish to hurt myself and too weak to go out fighting, so I write about it.

One of the project’s most striking throughlines is the concept of escapism, and that’s reflected in the EP’s uncanny artwork, too. Why did this dystopic scene feel like the right way to visually represent these tracks?
I’ve always loved dramatic depictions of hell, and a lot of the lyrics are documenting personal hell in some way or another. It’s like when you go into Catholic churches and they’re full of all this grotesque and garish imagery; I find it fascinating, I’d like my future home to be decorated like that. For the cover, I wanted the artwork to create another realm that people could get lost in. If I were an English teacher I could make a tenuous link to “escapism” in that, but I’m not, so I won’t.

If you could take one album, one book, and one film to a desert island, what would you pick (and why)?
‘Rubber Soul’ by The Beatles, because it’s nostalgic; The Grass Arena by John Healy, because it would make me feel better about my current situation; and Paprika, because I could use all the spare time I’d have to figure out what the fuck happened in that film.

Tell us about the most memorable gig you’ve played to date.
Supersonic in Paris. Considering we were like first on, it was one of the best receptions we’ve ever had. Everyone always says, “oh, people in Paris are so snobby” - well these folks weren’t, they were a dream! It was hilarious, we felt like ROCKSTARS. Also, we were supporting Yowl who I’ve loved for years (‘Warm’ is one of the greatest songs ever written), so that was great to see them too.

Finally, DIY are coming round for dinner - what are you making?
I make a good steak, and I’ve heard that’s the key to someone’s heart - presuming they’re not a vegetarian, of course. For dessert, tiramisu; I make one for my friends every Christmas and it always goes down well.

‘It’s All Been Done Before’ is out now via Submarine Cat Records.

Flat Party are currently on a headline UK tour; find out more here.

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