Having already been championed by the likes of Steve Lamacq of BBC 6 Music, trio Rampton Prom have certainly earned themselves considerable acclaim and attention since they dropped their debut single “Too Baby.” Rather well known – or coming to be so – for creating and sharing rather energetic tunes, their latest release “Give Me Something” has a more experimental feel to it, proving that Rampton Prom aren’t afraid to push or test their boundaries and that they’re not a band you can pigeonhole into one particular genre-box. PopWrapped caught up with the band to find out more about the new single, how they’ve been keeping busy and creative during the Covid-19 pandemic and what fans can expect to see and hear from them in the months ahead.
You have a really interesting approach to songwriting. Can you tell us a little more about your new single “Give Me Something” and what it was inspired by?
Why thanks! We write very much as a collaboration. There aren’t really set roles; we all just jump around until it sounds good. “Give me Something” is inspired by contemporary hip hop in terms of its arrangements and structure and in terms of what it’s about, it explores inner conflict and frustration.
You mention taking influence from US hip-hop. Are there any artists in particular within this scene who inspire you the most as a band? What are you currently listening to?
The Beastie Boys were definitely a reference that came up a lot whilst we were working on the record – in terms of the cheekiness and unashamed loud punchy production elements. Also, Frank Ocean – in terms of his left field production and his lyrical approach. We’re currently enjoying listening to Kenny Beats, Slow Thai’s new record, 070 Shake, Serpentwithfeet and JPEGMAFIA.
You reference beckoning us into your ‘Promniverse’. What does this entail, it sounds very intriguing…?
Haha, we may have spent too much time together. I guess the project became our whole world for periods during lockdown when it was just the three of us working together. We write, record and produce everything ourselves and create all the artwork/videos – with help from our friend Rory who’s a bit like a fourth member – so it’s pretty hands on. In-jokes have the ability to go quite far and a prom-night theme we were having fun with ended up giving birth to interludes featuring characters and a kind of dramatic narrative that runs throughout the album. It doesn’t make a lot of sense when you listen to tracks independently but when you hear the album in its entirety it’s easier to grasp – hopefully!
How do you come up with the concepts for the videos you make for each track?
We liked the idea of creating visuals rather than music videos so there more like scenes playing out with the lyrics. For example, the visual for “Give Me Something” features Bubs playing a video game featuring Queen G that gets interrupted by Baby Blue calling. You can watch Baby Blue at the party in the visual for Too Baby, the first single we released. They’re all interweaving and are littered with in jokes and easter eggs such as Rampton Brew beer bottles, posters hinting at future releases and characters from the Promniverse.
What, in your mind, makes a song iconic, and if you could choose any song in history you wish you had written, what would it be?
We tried to answer this as a band which is tricky as we have different tastes, but we all agree that “Simply the Best” by Tina Turner is an absolute belter.
The last 12 months or so have proven to be challenging for artists and creatives, with many not able to create in the same way they have previously. How has the lockdown affected your creative process as a band? Have you still been able to write songs remotely? What are you most looking forward to post-lockdown?
We actually managed to get together quite a bit over the last year during the times in between lockdowns and when it was considered safe to work together. It did mean that we ended up living together for stints of time and when the pubs were closed it was definitely quite intense but probably good for the music. We’re most looking forward to the pub. Especially Bubs, he loves nothing more, so lockdown has been really hard on him.
Is this new single of yours part of a wider project? What can we expect from Rampton Prom over the next few months?
As we mentioned, “Give Me Something” is merely one drop from the Promniverse’s garden water feature. We’ve got more singles coming out as part of the album campaign.
Check out the visuals for “Give Me Something” below and for more information on Rampton Prom, give their page a like on Facebook or follow them on Twitter. Header photo credit: Amanda Tromp.
Author
