Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs: Groove, Doom & Confidence

PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS have more than earned their place as one of the best in the British doom scene. Without doubt, their latest record Land Of Sleeper has shown a shift to a sonically more experimental sound, while still displaying the captivating style we know and love. We caught up with guitarist Sam Grant and returning drummer Ewan Mackenzie about the changes in confidence in their attitude towards creating.

Oddly enough, while the record has been very well received, the band were potentially expecting a less successful record this time around. However, that wasn’t much of an issue as PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS weren’t looking to make something that was necessarily the biggest hitter in their arsenal. When asked about what changed for them this time around, Sam responded thoughtfully, “I think there was much more of confidence and self-belief, as a band, that we’re able to go into those spaces.”

“I was joking that I think this record is like, it’s like a headphones album. It maybe not be known as one full of party bangers. In the same way as with the last couple, you put them on a Hi Fi and just crank the volume, whereas this one really comes into its own when you put a pair of headphones on.  And now I see that those kinds of albums are probably more rewarding, but less successful. So, I think we’ve probably done something where we’ve been like, ‘oh, do you know what, we really want to make this record.’ And we want it to be like this.”

It’s clear that as a band PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS had a sense of direction that meant they wouldn’t compromise on their pursuit of creating the kind of music they’ve always strived towards. “We set out with intent of making this with rules,” Sam explains, “for example, we wanted something that was a really direct record; something that was really just a straight line, kind of hard-hitting thing. And with each successive record, we’re always trying to allow ourselves to view it differently. So perhaps with the production side of things, I’ll try and think about how I could approach it in a way that better reflects what that thing is at that time. Yeah, so each one is always going to be given its space to be. And in this instance, I think it’s really that’s really been a rewarding element of it.”

The resulting record, Land Of Sleeper, is back to back with songs that thunder and groove equal measure, in a superb slab of psychedelic doom. What’s perhaps one of the most enjoyable factors of this record is the collaborative elements, wherein several guest have imprinted their own mark onto the songs. There was no pressure for any performer to create any certain sound, but to create what felt natural to them when experiencing the music. What will be the test for PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS now is how that transcends to a live performance. “Yeah, we’ve always enjoyed collaborating with other people right, Sam?” Ewan Mackenzie muses. “We like to do that, but without making it kind of impossible to perform live. It’s a kind of acid test for us, you know? We haven’t really played a lot of these songs live people yet. So that’s going to be really exciting, because it means that you know that that’s something we’re like, ‘does this actually work for us as a band sort of thing?’. Because I think we’re more of a live band in the studio, but even though Sam has this beautiful studio and he’s an amazing sound engineer and all the rest of it. I guess our bread and butter is doing live shows.”

“Yeah, again, that’s another thing about having the confidence within yourselves to play with these ideas. And then to go, ‘well, if it’s live, it’s going to be different, but we can do this with it.’ Or, you know, it might have turned out completely different if you hadn’t had that sort of vocals on it, which is kind of cool. Just to sort of run with it and see what’s going to happen.”

The time it took for PIGSx7 to put the record together was something like a smelting pot of ideas, coming together in a short time. “We did go away and record and Wales for a week,” Ewan explains. “So we spent some very special time together in their studio where we were boarding as well, which was, for us is like a total luxury, it was a really special thing to be able to do just to some work and music every day and spend all that time together.”

“Yeah, we much pretty did all the writing in that spell,” Sam continues. “We had all the various ideas and then we went out. We didn’t necessarily design it this way, but ended up with a couple of songs a day. You know, we start in the morning and work on one, demo it and then we started another one in the afternoon and go into the evening. We’d repeat it until wrote the album. Like Ewan says, it was a really special process in the middle of nowhere in Wales.” That sort of kinetic energy has transcended into a record that feels like PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS are being the most authentic version of themselves in this moment; full of groove and doom and confidence.

Land Of Sleeper is out now via Rocket Recordings.

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