Irish post-punk band Movment have created something really cool with their track, I Believe in Noise. It’s a fast-paced song with a beat that will get your feet tapping straight away, perfect for those into their heavier forms of post-punk. If you missed our review the first time round, a full stream can be found at the end of this interview with the band.
By Jane Howkins
We recently reviewed your track I Believe in Noise. What can you tell us about the song?
Kevin: Noise means unwanted, unpleasant, loud sounds. But noise can also be pleasant and have a positive effect on your mood. And more importantly, noise can impact your performance, your concentration and your energy levels. So, it is not always unwanted. So, we were focusing on that aspect of noise and its energy, in particular. And more than that, there is a spiritual element to music and loud noisy music focuses your mind on this.
Martin: Noise has a power that is infectious. And loud music can have a positive effect on how you feel. We are trying to tap into the energy levels and satisfying feelings you can gain from loud, noisy music. It affects your body and your mind. Tap into its energy!
How has the reception to I Believe in Noise been so far, and where can the track be purchased?
Martin: A lot of reviews have tapped into the idea behind I Believe in Noise. They understand what we are expressing and how music, especially loud, energetic music affects our bodies and minds. They claim we have delved into the depth of sound’s extraordinary impact. It’s been called a sonic tornado! It is our sonic manifesto, and it dives into the profound impact sound has on our reality.
Kevin: Yeah, the reviews have generally been positive for the new single. It is available at movment.bandcamp.com and on all streaming sites. We also have a video on YouTube for the single – https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=pm1CNn5NCOc
Do you plan to release any more singles in the near future?
Kevin: Yes the 2nd single from our forthcoming album, Crawl Back Inside, is just out. It also has a video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G0iYRVBAO4 – and it is getting positive reviews too. It explores our journey through life. We will all reach the end. Just as life begins, it will end. Is there nothing then? Just what we have now?
Martin: We are also releasing a 3rd single at the end of October, Existence. This will be the final single release before our new album is launched. But we are also planning future single releases in 2024. We are recording those songs at the moment.
Are there any plans to release a full-length album or EP anytime soon?
Martin: Our 3rd album, REINVENTION, will be released on 24 November this year. It will have 10 tracks. And we have finalised the artwork for it. We will begin promoting it at the end of October. And we also have to shoot some videos for some of the tracks on the album. It is a busy 2 months for us.
Kevin: The album took about 12-15 months to write and record. We are very happy with all the songs on the album. But that period of songwriting is now complete, so we are working on the next batch of songs. The new songs are written, we just have to record and mix them, and then decide how to release them.
How did the band form? What is the writing and recording process like?
Kevin: We are brothers, so we have been listening to music together since our teens. We only really began playing in our late teens. I started on bass, but Martin had a drum kit before that. We were in a band called Raw Novembre in the beginning and we released 2 full albums and an EP and some singles, before a final compilation album, My Bones.
But we were always writing songs together, and Movment has been around as a side project for a long time. We only began writing and recording for Movment in 2007/08 and finally released the first Movment album in 2012.
Martin: Movment is now the main focus of our songwriting, although we still play Raw Novembre songs live. Songwriting usually starts with bass and drums or guitars and drums. And we add synths for atmosphere, and vocals and lyrics at the very end. We don’t sit down with a guitar and write songs. A beat is important to us, as is atmospherics and synths. We tend to layer music over our basic demos of guitar, bass and drums. And we have been using NI Maschine to assist with our songwriting for a number of years now.
Your music has a post-punk sound. What/who are you most influenced by? What have you been listening to recently?
Kevin: We are big music fans. I started off listening to Joy Division, Jesus and Mary Chain and the Pixies, but I now listen lots of genres, from alt country to electronica… I like Depeche Mode and Grandaddy. No music is off limits, I will give most genres a try. I find a lot of new music at festivals. We are going to see Protomartyr shortly, and Therapy?
Martin: Yeah, we have similar tastes in music, but I probably started listening to metal in the early days, Iron Maiden, Nine Inch Nails and more. But I listen to lots of different genres too. Nirvana and New Model Army are 2 bands I like a lot. And I have been listening to Ghost and Rammstein more recently.
You’re based in Ireland. What is the local music scene like at the moment?
Kevin: We live in a small town, and there are some bands that play locally, but most bands are from Dublin. The Academic are probably the biggest band from Mullingar at the moment. Covid had an impact on gigs in Mullingar, but live music is slowly coming back. I like to catch original bands when they play in Mullingar, and those gigs are only starting up again. Also, I tend to like rock music mostly, check out my blog – roughcalmhead.com – where I keep track of the bands I like.
Martin: There are some local bands, Bobby and the Blunts are excellent live, funk-based rock, and Cronin. But we could definitely do with some more live original gigs. There are some live venues that tend to get original bands, especially The Stables. We need more original bands coming to play in Mullingar. I haven’t been at too many original gigs in Mullingar this year because there have not been many original rock gigs.
Do you have anything else exciting coming up this year?
Kevin: Our album release is exciting for us. We have spent 15 months on it, so it is great to have it ready for release. I hope people enjoy it. It will definitely appeal to those that like rock, goth, darkwave, and perhaps electronica. Ultimately it is a rock album.
Martin: Yeah, finishing an album is exciting. Any band or artist will be fired up by an album release. Writing songs is what we are about. So, completing the songs and getting them released is the main reason for the existence of our band.
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
Kevin: At the moment there are no gigs planned for the UK, but if an opportunity arises, we may play some dates there. We are preparing for an album launch at the end of November. So, we will look at opportunities to play in 2024 over the next few months.
Martin: We have been busy writing and recording in 2022/23. So, we are ready now to promote our new album for the next year, and that could include some live dates.
We will let you know if we book any shows in the UK.
Any last words for the fans?
Kevin: Keep supporting new bands and especially rock bands. Hopefully you will connect with our music if you get a chance to hear it. Make your own mind up about the music you listen to, there are lots of ways to find out about new bands. Check them out!
Martin: Get in touch with us with comments about our music. We like to hear what people think about our music. It’s not for everyone, but based on the music we listen to, we know there are lots of people out there that will like Movment songs. Keep music loud, live, dark and alternative!