Newcastle krautrockers, Parastatic, have today released new single “Sweet blue eyes“ signalling the band’s shift from brooding epic soundscapes to what they’re coining ‘Krautpop’, and a gentle nod to classic Stereolab synths with Late Girl adding vocal melody which builds to a Grace Slick style refrain. The single was produced by Sam Grant from Pigs x 7.
The new single begins Parastatic’s next body of work, moving on from the stark ode to Brutalism of last year’s Concrete Reborn album to a more human theme of recollection and relation to the world.
“Sweet blue eyes” is inspired by band member Neil Caffery‘s experience caring for his mum who lives with Alzheimer’s. Rather than focusing on the tough reality of that the song finds moments of joy within a difficult reality. It grew from their shared trips to the seaside where her excitement at glimpsing the sea, birds or clouds, as if for the first time, prompted a question – could we all learn from her openness to experiencing the world?
“Can you show the way to me?” is an invitation to look again at what we take for granted before Late Girl sings “Let us see through your sweet eyes.”
Neil says: “I wanted to recognise that in among the difficulty and sadness that comes with Alzheimer’s we can still share plenty moments of pure joy with those we love. The upbeat arrangement and instrumentation, especially that synth line is intended to create an air of optimism and positive thinking.”
Taken from forthcoming EP Still Time, the new single is a personal song about love, uncertainty and finding beauty in the present.
Parastatic shows:
8th November – Todmorden – Golden Lion
21st November – Manchester – The Yard
28th November- Newcastle – Liminal Sound Festival, Star & Shadow
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