by Perhaps the amount of rain that regularly soaks the streets of Leeds is the catalyst for so many great bands in the city, because what else is there for musicians to do other than shelter from the cold and conjure up some brilliance from their instruments?
It’s here in Leeds that Bug Teeth find themselves at home, although the band actually began as the solo project of Essex-born frontperson PJ Johnson. Norwich was Bug Teeth’s initial HQ, but as Johnson recruited a full band to help them bring their creations to life, their relocation to the cold depths of Yorkshire proved to be the perfect place for them to thrive. A real amalgamation of cities (and their subsequent musical scenes) has thus sown itself into the DNA of Bug Teeth’s ethereal sound, which refuses to conform to one genre or one state of being.
They’ve just released their final single, ‘Thin Circle’, in the run-up to their debut album, Micrographia, a stunning collection of tracks which grapple with heavy themes, particularly grief. Yet, with ‘Thin Circle’, Johnson harnesses a distinctive weightlessness as their voice floats across glitching electronic textures, untethered from this icy landscape as they fall in line with delicate strings layered over the top.
It’s a hypnotic track, with Johnson repeating “nothing but this gaunt quiet” over bouncing synths, which eventually appear to take their voice hostage as the final delivery of the line glitches into nothingness. Forgoing traditional structure in favour of creating an ambience that is truly addictive, Bug Teeth prove themselves to be masters of crafting soundscapes that are as gorgeous with or without vocals.
Of course, it’s Johnson’s airy voice which brings everything together, though their ability to move between tenderness and a self-assured sense of confidence makes for a listening experience that keeps you on your toes.
While you can hear the influence of 1990s trip-hop and ambient icons, as well as one of the band’s favourites, Broadcast, Bug Teeth occupy a world that is wholly their own – fully-formed and fleshed out. According to the band, “the song is inspired by folk horror, particularly within the vocals,” taking “its lyrics entirely from a copy of War of the Worlds” by HG Wells. This sci-fi influence, which “intends to replicate the fear that comes with loss,” lends the song a sense of mystery and tension, the glitching noises creating a sense of instability as Johnson reckons with lyrical abstractions.
‘Thin Circle’ teases an impressive debut album for the band, which comes after years of honing their sound into what it is today – expansive and shimmering with texture, introspection, and the promise that music can be the ultimate saviour in the most incomprehensible of times.
