Originally starting life as a two-piece in 2018 named Canondrome, after the original drummer relocated to Melbourne last year, singer-guitarist Lorcan Coates recruited two new members and forged ahead with the band under the Planisphere moniker.
The Brisbane group had a busy 2021 with a string of local live shows honing their sound as work progressed on their debut EP of original material.Last week Planisphere released 'Fame Or Tragedy' (recorded and mixed by Bugs' Brock Weston) featuring five tracks of futuristic beats married to heavy riffs lifted direct from the '70s and '80s alongside epic, doom-laden rhythms and experimental electronic sonic-scapes.
The influences of Death From Above, Royal Blood and DZ Deathrays are clear to hear on lead single 'Fury' and 'Underneath'.
Then there's moments of introspective angular rock reminiscent of a Washed Out-The Strokes hybrid ('Red Eye') before the EP finishes with the intense, brooding punk-rock, sludge metal of 'I'm Not Trying To Be Mean'.
Ahead of a launch show (venue, date tbc) next month, Lorcan sat down for a chat about the band, potentially getting a tattoo of his cat, the best place for a midnight feed and the timeless ethical dilemma of putting the bin out/ leaving it for the next person – you know the big stuff!
Who is Planisphere... The band started out originally under the name Canondrome as a two piece, chasing that rawer, fuzzy rock garage sound. Then unfortunately Sam [drummer] had to relocate to Melbourne, and with the addition of Jai [synth] and Kane [drums] we are where we are today going for that electronic-influenced heavy rock.
We sound like... If Royal Blood, DZ Deathrays, Jack White and Death From Above had to write a soundtrack to 'Stranger Things'.
Our first gig was... We were lucky enough to play our first gig as Planisphere at The Zoo supporting friends The Buzzing Towers for their 'Canopy' single launch.
When did you settle on the group's name, and was it a unanimous decision... Coming up with the new name was an interesting process. We would draw up a big grid on sheets of paper, write the coolest space-related words we could find in each box, cut up the page and shuffle all the words around on the table to try and come up with ideas.
I think the best one that came out of that process was '10 Billion Melting Martians', but at the end of the day we ended up borrowing the name from a 17.5 minute masterpiece by Justice. Seemed like a good fit.
In the studio we usually... Everyone has their favourite way of recording. Ours is generally to track all the stuff we can't do at home (drums and majority of gats) in the studio over a couple days. Then I'll go home and do the vocals and any other overdubs separately.
Studio time is expensive! Best part is getting to watch everyone do their thing; you don't really get a chance when rehearsing or playing live 'cause you're concentrating so hard on what you have to play, so to be able to sit back and watch is cool.
If we could tour with anyone... All our local band mates including but not limited to: Verum, Annoying Neighbours, It's Acrylic and Space Flamingo. In our dreams we do stadium tours with Royal Blood every night though so that's fun.
Social media is... Love hate! Always important to find the balance between putting up/making interesting content to keep up engagement, and actually doing the thing you started the project for which is writing the music.
My favourite app at the moment is... Notes. Essays of random lyrics, ideas galore, and all my other deepest, darkest secrets. Domino's app is a close runner up.
To date, our most embarrassing moment was the time... We've been writing some tracks lately in some heavier tunings, drop C etc. There's been at least two times where we've launched into a song live full of gusto only for me to realise I'm in absolutely the wrong tuning, having to abort mission and restart. These days we write tunings on the set list, which seems to help (so far).
Life on the road can be... Yet to find out! We're super keen to take the riffs up and down the east coast soon as we can.
If you'll have us on your bill, all we ask is that our rider contains... Grilled chicken cali burritos from GYG. Any and all tropical pale ales.
The most scary scenario I've found myself in, was... Dropping a pick onstage mid song.
What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band... Ryan Gosling but as Ken from the 'Barbie' movie.
If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose and why? Hossegor, France. It's like Noosa but less crowded; unfortunately no band scene there though so that might have to stay a retirement option.
Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party... Elvis, David Bowie, Dua Lipa. Three superstars from three different eras; let's get red-wine drunk and I want to hear all the stories.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? Yotam Ottolenghi's roast chicken an three-rice salad; housemate introduced it to me and it is the sh.t!
When it comes to pets are you a lover or hater of our furry friends? Lover for sure, we all grew up with furry friends. Jai [synth] and I live together and are seriously considering a tattoo of our cat Gucci's face on a human body wearing a suit.
No matter the expense, send me a case of... Stone & Wood Pacific Ale. Can never bring myself to pick up a whole case at their price point, so if you guys can flick one over that'd be great.
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... Checked the archives but this information is unavailable! These days exercise is strictly completed in the ocean surfing, or in lycra on the bike (yeah I'm one of those people).
What's the one chore you dislike the most? Taking the bin out for sure. An ethical dilemma as old as time itself; when you go to put something in the bin and it's justtt too full, do you try and squish your rubbish in and leave it for the next person, or do the right thing and take it out!?
Do you have any phobias... Radioactive bin juice leaking onto your leg as you try and do the right thing and take it out!
Would you ever partake in a reality show? No, unless it was a bunch of rock bands in a pressure-cooker situation to write and perform the best song with limited time. We'd get around that.
If you could prank any of your friends, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down? Jai and I have decided our other housemate is spending far too much time lately playing PS4; we're considering taking matters into our own hands with some sneaky HDMI cable pulling out action/ controller hiding.
Best local takeaway joint for a midnight feed that will leave you with a food coma? Guzman is always a favourite, apart from that PJ's Steaks in the Valley is gold standard.
Which fictional character best describes your personality? Adam Driver as Kylo Ren – renenergy, dark and mysterious.
Last show you binge-watched? Latest was the new season of 'Stranger Things'. So intense! Before that was 'The Witcher' S2; Geralt's gravelly timbre, swordsmanship, and yellow irises kept me glued to the screen.
