This past September, experimental pop collective The North Country released their single, “The Invisible Hand.” It’s a rambunctious track that’s overflowing with idiosyncratic percussion, groovy synth hums, and cynical lyrics served with a smile. There’s a lot going on, and their maximalist styling is perfect for a song about corporate excesses.
Often, their songs hide bleak lyrics beneath layers of vibrant whimsy. You can hear that dynamic at play here on their newest song – despite all those layers and layers of bright sounds, the song is about capitalists working within their own self-interest at the expense of the rest of us (“I’m cashing in on condominiums / Culture be damned when there’s cash to be had!”).
The North Country are great at composing songs that veer off into multiple directions. Listening to their catalog really keeps you on your toes – you never know when a robotic synth track might lead into a softer ballad, or a fuzzy guitar may transition into a flourish of strings.
The band has listed everyone from St. Vincent to Beethoven to Steely Dan as influences, taking cues from various artists across various genres and spanning decades. Truly, no two songs from the band sound alike. But though their sound may vary, the quality is always consistent. And the songs never sounds messy, either – the cohesiveness within the chaos is impressive.
Creating a song from unexpected starting points is a key part of their experimental nature. For example, Born At The Right Time (Exquisite Corpse) was created using the exquisite corpse method, thus creating an amalgam of eccentric pop delights. And if the first single here is anything to go by, their upcoming album The Future’s All We Need is sure to be full of just as many surprising compositions.
Listen to “The Invisible Hand” below – and if you like what you hear, consider heading out to the Silk City Diner in Philly this Friday (10/27) to catch them live with Tubey Frank and Erin Incoherent.
Follow The North Country on Twitter, Instagram, or on their Facebook page to get updates on the upcoming album’s release. And don’t forget to stream “The Invisible Hand” on your favorite platform (or purchase it over on Bandcamp)!
Header 📷 by Mike Kim.