British outfitDef Robotpresent their new album 'Makers of Mountains', which will be released on June 7. This is their first batch of songs to be unleashed from the dark minds of Def Robot, addressing such themes as global ignorance of the destruction of our planet, relationship breakdown, guilt and hope, arrogance and censorship.
Paul Taylor and David Hancox, began life as Def Robot earlier this year, guided by a shared enthusiasm for punk, rock and Americana, mixed with northern English grit and dark film noir. Their sound and songs gradually came together.
"We are here to paint a bleak but thrilling picture like a brooding electric storm in a desert at night, with two shadowy figures on the horizon," says David Hancox.
This is not the first time Taylor and Hancox have collaborated, being bandmates in several bands prior to this including Manchester-based Furball, Slouch and Kerosene.
"In 2018, we had reconnected, because we started working on unreleased Kerosene tracks, which were re-recorded, edited and mastered by all of the band," explains Paul Taylor.
"We had found that our own recording and production skills had been individually worked on, in the intervening years since our former bands had ceased to be. Having been in three different bands together previously, it felt natural to start a fourth!"
Today Def Robot straddles the geographic divide between Berlin and Kendal (South Lakeland District of Cumbria). While historically renowned for pipe tobacco and snuff and grey limestone, today it is perhaps best known for its mint cake and the Kendal Calling Festival. The band recorded, produced, mixed and mastered this album in Manchester, Kendal and Berlin.
Pavement, Wilco, Fugazi number among their influences, as do the Pixies, Mike Watt, Descendents and Ennio Morricone, as well as 80s and 90s Manchester music.
As of June 7, 'Makers of Mountains' will be released on CD and digitally across online stores such as Apple Music and streaming platforms like Spotify. The album can also be ordered directly from the band in both format via Bandcamp.