Russell RockwellEven though they’re known for tightly wound math rock, there’s a spirited sense of fun on the Purkinje Shift’s new 7″. This is the instrumental band’s first release since 2012’s Executive Contours, yet despite the six-year interlude, on the surface not much has changed in the band’s sound. The trio still rely on ’90s post-hardcore syncopation and mathy flourishes, but the mechanical energy of the group has given way to a more organic feel. Rather than aggressively build and deconstruct passages, Gary Flom and crew are content to linger in the grooves and explore more delicate shifts in tone, even while pummeling the listener with the same explosive riffs we’ve come to expect from the band.
There’s a spontaneous energy that comes with long-term collaboration, and it’s woven into even the most rehearsed bits of the 7″, especially on the B-side “Mo Ave Tav.” The song flows like a freeform jam before the band hone it into a linear firestorm. Ahead of the the trio’s release show tomorrow at 529, I reached out to founding members Gary Flom and Ben Davis about the ups and downs of being in a band for 20 years, what they like and don’t like about playing music in Atlanta, and how they come up with their creative song titles. As an added bonus, the group was gracious enough to give us an exclusive peek at their new record, which you can stream at the bottom of the interview.
How do you keep pushing your songwriting, after having been at it for almost two decades?
Ben Davis: Well, I don’t think we really push anything. It always tends to develop pretty naturally. We become interested in different things and that gradually shapes our own music over time.
Gary Flom: I think for the most part songs come together fairly quickly for us. The three of us get in the practice space and just hammer through things. Ideas typically start with a single guitar part from Ben and expand from there. We also tend to be pretty efficient with our time and are diligent about documenting good ideas so they are not forgotten.
You’ve all been working together so long, what is the songwriting process like now compared to when the band formed?
BD: The songwriting process has been roughly the same for the entire time. Generally ideas are created spontaneously in the practice room and developed with input from everyone. Of course we’re different people, so I think that’s what changes the music over time. Occasionally a more thoroughly formed idea will be bought in but these are generally warped the same way. If anything, after such a long time the process has become more enjoyable (for me anyway).
GF: When the band first formed, I recall the songwriting process being painfully slow. We really used to drill parts of songs for hours on end before moving on to the next idea. Part of that was due to the personality of the band at the time. We are much looser now when it comes to putting ideas down and it certainly feels a lot easier these days.
How do you come up with song titles for instrumental tracks? Do they have anything to do with the feel of the song, or is it somewhat random?
BD: All of that plus lots of in-jokes. The title of “Mo Ave Tav” was added at the last minute. The original title was “The Gerundizer” which I though was funny, but wasn’t really appropriate for the release. “Mo Ave Tav” is a reference to Moreland Avenue Tavern, which was the place we played our first show. I think the feel of that old club does share a feeling with the tune, but that won’t make sense for most people as the club is long gone. The name just sounds cool. Cool or strangely funny is generally our goal. “Mohawker,” the A-side, is decidedly an in-joke but the tune sounds pretty punk and aggressive so mohawks make sense. I also think many instrumental bands may have this in common: I have no idea what some of the actual titles are as we often call them something entirely different on the set list.
Why did you pick these two tracks for the 7″?
BD: To be honest, they are short enough to fit on a lathe cut record and still sound good. They also seem to program nicely with enough differences and similarities to boogie together as a release. That was just blind luck, though.
What’s good about being in a band in Atlanta?
BD: At this point there are a lot of different people of different ages and backgrounds involved in the rockier side of the music scene. So it seems like there’s room for many different types of bands to play and be heard.
What sucks about being a band in Atlanta?
BD: I’m not sure that much can be griped about right now. It could be that being older has made me more patient, but it’s hard to complain about being allowed to play strange music for people.
GF: My only complaint is that unlike many other cities, a lot of the venues here are still not smoke free. I will also say the loss of the Thunderbox and other practice spaces a few years ago probably made things more difficult for people to be in bands in Atlanta. As Atlanta gets more expensive, the opportunity to find cheap practice spaces in town gets more difficult. Thunderbox was pretty great in that a ton of bands were all in one place. It was not unusual to knock on the door of someone that you heard through the walls that sounded really great. I’m sure it also lead to a lot of cross-pollination between bands. It was just real easy to walk down the hall and play with another band. So while it may be more difficult these days, creative people always seem to adapt and make it work.
What’s next for the Purkinje Shift?
GF: We have a stockpile of songs tracked and are in the process of mixing down a full length. Our plan is to release more music and I’m hoping we can follow this 7″ up with a full length soon.
BD: Probably another 7″ and a full length. We have nine more songs recorded and want to get them released soon as it’s been several years since our last one. Our buddy Mathis Hunter is starting the mixing process on those songs as I type. He mixed the 7″. Obviously, we’re not in too much of a hurry with anything, but now seems to be the time.
“Mohawker” b/w “Mo Ave Tav” is out tomorrow via Chunklet and Third Uncle.
The Purkinje Shift will celebrate the release of “Mohawker” b/w “Mo Ave Tav” tomorrow night, Apr. 6, at 529 alongside the Messthetics, Motherfucker, and Dead Now. Doors open at 9 p.m. Admission is $12-15. 21+ to enter.
More Info
Bandcamp: thepurkinjeshift.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @thepurkinjeshift