Ian: You’ve described your sound as psychedelic post-punk, how did that fusion develop, and what artists or scenes shaped your identity as a band?
A: It came from us pushing our early Brit-pop roots, leanings into a stranger and heavier territory. One day, in an early rehearsal, Guigsy just told Nathan to keep cranking the reverb, and we started experimenting with textural pedals; everything darkened and expanded. The mix of our own personal influences probably impacted our sound the most, with the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Gilla Band.
Ian: Your earlier single ”Waste” had a raw, atmospheric energy. Looking back, how do you feel that track set the tone for where you are now creatively?
A: ”Waste” was the second track we had recorded with our producer Darragh Tibbs. This song had only been written a few weeks before recording, having only been tested on one live audience. When recording the song, it was the quickest turnround from writing to recording we had done, and it meant that we were ready to experiment further as the ideas for the track hadn’t fully formed yet. We took this style of writing into our next few recording sessions, and it made its impact.
Ian: The single ”Orange Juice” has just come out today (7th of January) as the first taste of your debut EP. What made this track the right one to introduce ”The World’s End”?
A: The track had become our opening song for live shows, and it was combined with an intro made with a sample from the movie Plan 9 from Outer Space and a bass-driven synth sound made on a digital drum machine. This made it the perfect track to open the EP, and it still includes a remixed version of the live intro.
Ian: The title ”Orange Juice” is intriguing, what’s the story behind the song, and where did the title come from?
A: The title comes from an old lyric that was in the chorus, mentioning ”Orange Juice”, as Flinn thought he was allergic to oranges for years. The song is an inner monologue spiralling out of control, built around the Pinocchio quote “I’ve got no strings on me”. Flinn’s lyric rule was to avoid using “me”, “you” or “them” when addressing someone. This led him to use the word “one” instead. The use of old formal English made the wording feel unsettling and unusual in a post-punk setting.
Ian: With the EP ”The World’s End ” dropping on March 11th. What themes or emotions tie the project together?
A: It definitely is a mixture between each track; we didn’t want any of the songs to sound similar. ”Orange Juice” is packed with energy and is focused on internal issues and thoughts, while the rest of the EP, contrastingly, is a reflection of the outside world. The EP centres around the volatileness, fast pace and struggles of growing up
in a small city and how the rest of the world can impact you without you being involved or even having your say.
Ian: Was there a defining moment during the writing or recording of the EP when you felt the sound or message finally clicked into place?
A: Yes, for the last song on the EP, we had a third-party musician come in to add some texture to the track. It completely changed it and gave the song a new life. We don’t want to say too much though, you will have to wait until March to hear.
Ian: Psychedelic music often leans into atmospheric moods, while post-punk leans into a more mood of tension. How do you balance those elements when arranging your tracks?
A: It does alter from track to track and with this new single it definitely leans more on the post punk side of the family. To even out both influences in other tracks, we usually split the difference between members. We usually have quite a rigid core to our songs, through our drums, bass and guitar, keeping that punchy post punk
sound. Then the layering of guitars, synths and other atmospheric and woozy elements goes on top to add a psychedelic sound to our music. This is usually all done through experimentation in the studio.
Ian: How has being from Belfast shaped your music? Are there specific influences from the local scene that feed into your work?
A: Yes definitely. The Belfast music scene has changed dramatically over the past few years; the music has gotten stronger, and with it, the community. The scene in Belfast is on the rise, and with it being the voted the UNESCO City of Music in 2021 it has so much potential. There are so many great artists in Belfast, with all such different sounds. The great thing is that a lot of them who may not have influenced our sound necessarily have influenced our development as a band, regardless. Artists such as Brand New Friend, Charlie Hanlon and CHALK have been big influences on us.
Ian: If listeners could walk away from ”The World’s End” with one feeling or thought, what would you want it to be?
A: We would want them to walk away thinking, “I need to listen to that again.”
Ian: With ”Orange Juice” and your EP on the horizon, what’s next for Madams Last Discovery, live shows, new material, unexpected experiments?
A: Our next live show will be in Belfast supporting Scustin on the 7 th of February, but we have some more in the works. Flinn has just bought a bass machine, so we will find out where that takes us.
Debut EP “The World’s End” will be released on 11/03/26.
Connect with Madams Last Discovery
Instagram| Twitter| Facebook| TikTok| Website| Spotify
Words – Ian Mc Donnell @mcgigmusic
Cover image credit – Beau