As beloved Sydney outfit Imperial Broads gear up to release their forthcoming album Counterpart, the trio have now unveiled the video clip for their recently-released single, “Control”.
Having first released music by way of their debut single “You’re Scared” back in 2016, the trio – comprising Pip Smith, Eve Lande, Lauren Crew, and Nick Kennedy on drums – managed to turn heads with the release of their first album, Who Are We Turning Into?
An exceptional showcase of their raucous, urgent, yet melodic sound, what had simply begun as “three girls in a garage learning to play guitar in the dead of winter” had quickly evolved into something far more substantial, with a fervent fanbase soon following the group.
Fast-forward a few years, and after a bit of downtime, Imperial Broads are returning with their second album. Having unveiled ‘Unromantic’ earlier this year, last month saw the release of “Control”, a frenetic piece of melodic post-punk which is firmly rooted in the group’s collective influences.
“I was on a Patti Smith and Joy Division bender when I wrote this song and both artists definitely influenced aspects of the arrangement and melodies,” Crew explained of the track’s origins.
“We entered the studio with the aim of finding a disorienting guitar tone to set the atmosphere for this song against that militant tight drum track. I felt like we nailed it with Liam [Judson, producer] managing to get this wobbly tape sound that is quite unnerving and made for a tricky but satisfying guitar session,” Crew adds.
“Pip and Eve really came to the party with their guitar parts for the nightclub explosion breakdown in the middle and once I got the vocal take right (3rd time’s the charm) this song came together for us.”
Now, with Counterpart due to be released next month, Imperial Broads have now unveiled the official music video for “Control”. Edited by Ian Backer, and featuring performance footage of the group shot, directed, and edited by Jonathan Sequeira, the video is complemented by archival footage which provides it with an anachronistic feel, helping to highlight the deep Patti Smith and Joy Division influences at play on the track.
Imperial Broads’ “Control” is out now, while Counterpart will be released on September 24th via Broken Stone Records/Remote Control Records.
