When we last heard from George Huntington nearly five years ago, he was busy crafting eerie, angsty songs with the Athens group Padre. Although the band never quite took off, most of its first-rate roster would go on to find success with other projects; most notably, Kristine Leschper and Matthew Anderegg with Mothers and Jack Blauvelt with Neighbor Lady. For Huntington, though, the disbanding of Padre led him to step away from creating music altogether, and he eventually left the Classic City to pursue new opportunities in Atlanta.
Recently, however, the itch to write and record began to resurface. Huntington purchased a Korg Minilogue from a friend, which triggered a newfound obsession for synths, drum machines, and experimental electronics. Working out of his home studio, he began to blend these sounds with elements of pop and folk to create genre-bending canvases that shift between a kind of warped beauty and a restless tension.
Using his first name as a moniker, George unveiled a few singles over the summer before sharing his first collection of songs, Write as Rain, in December. Lurking at the center of that EP is the jittery “EatUp,” a cryptic assemblage of skittering beats, jabbing pulses, and frenzied piano that feels like the soundtrack to a nervous breakdown. It’s mechanical and frigid, an anxiety-riddled dreamscape made all the more disarming by the spectral vocals that float in and out of the song’s glitchy grooves. That mix of mystery and claustrophobic noise wraps “EatUp” in a cloak of dark unease, an aura that well suits the track’s source material.
“‘EatUp’ was inspired by No Face, a character from Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away,” Huntington explains. “It’s consuming objects and other spirits, believing that this will bring it closer to the main protagonist, Chihiro. When I’m mixing and recording, I usually have some sort of video playing on mute in the background. It can really influence what you’re making and I enjoy that.”
Directed and filmed by Huntington, the video belies the song’s steely atmosphere by showing a group of friends goofing around on a swing in a backyard playground. Intermingling rapid-fire cuts with slow-motion footage, the clip maintains a friendly frivolity that feels increasingly off-kilter as the track’s ominous coil continues to unravel. The overall effect is mesmerizing if only to witness the jarring juxtaposition between the two distinct moods.
Watch/listen above.
The premiere of “EatUp” marks the start of what should be an eventful year for George. Huntington says he plans on releasing two more records in 2020—one a concept record about famed American artist Georgia O’Keeffe slated for spring, followed by second release in the fall. As for live performances, that’s also in the works, although there are still a few technical details that need to be ironed out.
“Soon I’ll be booking some shows,” Huntington says. “It’s just a matter of getting everything worked out on my end. It’s a lot of cords, loopers, and whatnot. I’ve never really been a ‘one-man-band,’ so this is all new to me, but I’m excited!”
More Info
Basecamp: thegeorgie.bandcamp.com