Neoplastic: Tracks That Shaped Our Sound

Diving into Yorkshire's cacophonous underground, Hull post-punks Neoplastic unleash their latest sonic venture, 'Monday in Heaven.' Addressing the overlooked and unheard, the track delves into societal structures and those left on the margins. Leo Joslin, the band's singer and bassist, sheds light on the inspiration, emphasizing the individuals for whom the world is inadequately shaped.

This single marks a departure for Neoplastic, venturing into uncharted musical territory. Joslin explains the band's deliberate move out of their comfort zone, exploring a style and delivery that breaks their norm. With wiry guitars and a pulsating rhythm section, Neoplastic's emergence from Hull's punk scene is evident in their succinct, modern post-punk sound, void of unnecessary frills. 'Monday in Heaven' promises a visceral experience, with Joslin's vocals taking on a newfound aggression.

Birds in Row - We vs. Us

Leo: Vocally on our last single ‘Monday in Heaven’ I wanted to push into something more aggressive than what we’ve always done. Tom put me onto French band Birds in Row a couple of years ago and they’ve been on pretty much constant rotation since. 

Instrumentally they’re not far away from us but the vocals are a lot closer to the post-hardcore background that Tom comes from. I remember listening to this track on the train back from our old studio after we’d come up with the first draft of ‘Monday in Heaven’ and thinking “yeah, let’s make this one a bit aggressive”. 

Failure - Princess

Ollie: When it came to writing "Monday in Heaven", we needed a starting point we could work from, but also serve as a platform to really make this song dynamic but most importantly, something we all like.

At the time of writing, I was heavily into Failure. Even behind the critical success of the "Fantastic Planet" album, collectively we think the band has written some hidden gems. For me, "Princess" is one such gem. Just a no-nonsense, in your face song with a drum beat that punches - something our song needed from the start.

Protomartyr - A Private Understanding

Leo: I think Protomartyr will always be one of our references when it comes to our sound. We come from quite different backgrounds musically but Protomartyr were one of the first groups that we all gelled on. They don’t miss. They’re one of the most creative forces in post-punk with some of the best lyrics around to match. 

Hideki Naganuma - Grace and Glory (B.B.M.H.Mix)

Ollie: For the hook, I initially wanted the guitar to pair up with the drums to make the song rhythmic - but it didn't feel complete.

I took inspiration from the isolated vocal melody at the beginning of B.B.H.M. Mix of ‘Grace and Glory’. Listening to this track gave me chills and I wanted that same feeling. By switching the hook over to the bass, then having a more on beat, punk riff (but still making it feel "off"), it gave Tom the much needed breathing space for creative freedom on the guitar..

Eagulls - Tough Luck

Tom: Eagulls’ sound has really influenced how I’ve approached guitars, especially the brittleness and attack that they achieve. I think that adds so much aggression to their songs, and I definitely tried to replicate that on ‘Monday in Heaven’. They have two guitarists though, so I had to try and match that by thickening up the arrangement.