Franklin Jonas Unveils New Song & EP
Today, rising artist Franklin Jonas releases a new song, “Spaceship,” on Pizzaslime Records (via Mad Decent)
The song comes fresh off the heels of his debut EP, Sewer Rat, a raw introduction to the sonic world Franklin has worked for several years to create. It’s out now to widespread praise.
Of his latest song, Franklin details,“Spaceship is a song that means a great deal to me. I began writing this song in 2019 during a deep, dark depression. The lyrics reflect the only way I could describe the intense loneliness and hopelessness I was feeling.As we were recording this song we tried to implement as many tiny Easter eggs referencing that time in my life as possible. For instance, when I originally wrote the song, I worked at Henson Recording Studios as a runner which is referenced in the second verse; in some darker moments, I often listened to Aphex Twin, so in an attempt to replicate Bucephalus Bouncing Ball we dropped a basketball near a mic instead of a kick drum. It was at the end of the recording when looking for a finale to this song, I had the thought to pick up my copy of Howl and enter the recording booth. A mentor of mine introduced me to beat poetry and the works of Kerouac and Ginsberg. It was Howl that called to me most deeply.Spaceship is a song more important to me than most. It is an expression of my pain at my most painful. It culminates into a reflection via the voices and inspirations that I have gained as a result of staying on this earth through it all. In its dissonance and darkness, it is ultimately a hopeful song.”Following his live debut at Stagecoach in April, Franklin set off on a pair of extensive North American tours this year, supporting Hobo Johnson on a run of shows this summer and currently, performing at venues across the country as sole support for Dope Lemon. Full tour routing can be found below.Franklin Jonas’ solo musical journey began when he started experimenting with beatmaking in college, crafting samples directly from vinyl and diving deep into the world of music production. After studying audio engineering under mixing mastermind John McBride—whose distinctive voice appears at the beginning of “Cocaine”—Franklin took a break from music, until inspiration struck during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was roommate and fellow musician Clint Michigan who encouraged him to pursue his creative streak; and it was a peer who, after hearing Jonas’ work-in-progress, connected him with the guys behind Pizzaslime Records. Jonas takes inspiration from a bevy of foundational influences—the synth-y zest of Passion Pit, Allen Ginsberg’s classic work of poetry Howl, Bon Iver’s electro-acoustic experimentation, samplepedia bands like The Avalanches—to craft his own sound.
| photo credit: Prince Garcia |