This week’s Track of the Week comes from BIMM Institute Brighton students Belmondo. Their industrial pop sound takes influence from rock bands and techno DJs alike, they’re very exciting!
Check out their latest track, ‘RTD’ below!
Describe your new track in three words….
Vicious, unapologetic and driven.
What inspired you when writing this track?
Musically a lot of electronic rock and techno, for this track in particular Dutch band De Staat and Kasabian were big influences for blending electronic elements with a rock song, as well as French DJ, Gesaffelstein, for the harsh production techniques of his tracks. The themes addressed in the song are about the behaviour and toxicity of social media platforms.
Are there any artists that inspire you when writing?
As previously mentioned De Staat and Kasabian were references for both ‘RTD’ and the general sound of the band. Other influences included Queens of the Stone Age, Killing Joke, Nine Inch Nails and more.
What would you say makes your music unique?
We wanted to be bold and have something to say, so it would have to be our blend of traditional rock tropes contrasted by heavy electronics. This relates to the subject matter of modern technology used as a voice for negative thinking and behaviour. Our general image as a band is also something that differentiates us from other bands of similar genres. We’re an industrial pop band using the themes of 50s/60s cinema which is an interesting mixture of contrasting aesthetics.
Do you have a process you follow when writing a song?
We’re fortunate to have two songwriters in the band, who approach writing songs in very different ways. Kelan focuses on arrangement and writing on DAWs to get a full picture, whereas Carmen writes acoustically to strengthen the foundations of the melody, chords, and structure. Blended together we get the best of both worlds.
How has studying at BIMM helped you develop as an artist?
For a start, we would have never met due to being from different corners of the world, and it’s given us the exposure of what it takes to run a band from scratch.
What’s next for you?
We currently have several singles in development as well as gigs planned over the coming months. We also have a strong focus on the visual and online elements of the band AND we’re all driven to make the most of this project and to take this band as far as we can.
