Portsmouth based band Oxygen who I have had the chance to see on multiple occasions have announced the release of their debut single on the 4th September. A great live band that first caught my ear in a support slot supporting the Stanleys in Southampton, filling the stage with 4 guitars and anthem like songs. Then again I had the fortune of seeing them in another support slot, this time supporting the Manatees. This new track ‘Without a Trace’ is a great alt-rock rack that doesnt pander to the norm, it has there stamp on it with great vocals and less than traditional production thats sets them apart from a lot of their contempories, gets in your face and takes you on a journey. It’s always a pleasure to promote and support local up and coming artists so take a listen and if you get the chance, get to see them live.
Here is the Press Release
ANNOUNCE DEBUT SINGLE ‘WITHOUT A TRACE’ – LISTEN HERE
Portsmouth alt-rock band Oxygen announce debut single ‘Without A Trace’ – a blistering introduction to a band discovering its identity in the midst of upheaval and change.
Written and recorded during a period of frustration and uncertainty for the group, ‘Without A Trace’ emerged as the band were undergoing significant change, with drummer Todd Jones and guitar player Archie Waugh joining the ranks alongside founding members Jack Woolston, Jacob Owens and Luca George to complete the final line-up on the track. The result is a song which seems to bottle all of the intensity of this time and manages to turn the restlessness of a band finding its feet into something spectacular and exhilarating.
“With Archie and Todd coming on board, we found ourselves at a bit of a crossroads. Nobody quite knew their place, and there were certainly moments of push and pull within the band” says singer Jack Woolston. “It was all quite intense.”
“There was definitely a sense of being on the edge of something, and a feeling that we were at a bit of a boiling point. The song seemed to arrive at the perfect moment and just pulled it all together.”
Rather than trying to tame the uncertainty, ‘Without A Trace’ leans into it, continually traversing between light and dark, restraint and release, its arrangement constantly shifting and unfolding. The song, recorded live at Ford Lane Studios, opens with atmospheric airy guitar textures, almost symbolic of the bands lack of direction at the time, before tearing into a torrent of guitar and drums with a ferocity only made possible by the release of genuine pressures and tensions within the group.
“We’re all relatively level-headed people, but the band desperately needed some kind of release and I think we can all count ourselves lucky that this manifested creatively and came in musical form, rather than anything else” says Jacob Owens. “It was a make-or-break moment which ultimately went the other way. It really felt like it unlocked something for us.”
It is this tension and release which defines ‘Without A Trace’. The song feels like being pulled in every direction all at once. It is propelled forwards by driving guitar rhythms while Jones’ frenetic drumming seems intent on pushing the song beyond its limits, threatening to send the whole thing careening off course. Jacob Owens’ deep bass holds the whole thing down while Woolston’s melodic vocals soar over the top. It is a song held together by instinct, exceptional musicianship, and the chemistry of a band that has finally found its balance.
Out September 4th
