Fierce post-punk outfit Pigeonhole unleash raw new single Figures, Figures, Figures. Tristan Phipps delves into the latest release.
Despite the lull in live shows, gritty North London outfit Pigeonhole are determined to keep the buzz going with the release of the biting new single Figures, Figures, Figures, in what may be one of this writers’ favourite releases of the year so far.
Formed in mid 2019, this exciting young group have wasted no time in spreading their sound far and wide, treating audiences from their native Kentish Town to bustling Brixton to vibrant Liverpool. With an EP expected to be released early next year, Pigeonhole have opted to keep the fans excited with dazzling new single Figures, Figures, Figures – a chaotic, rip-roaring offering destined to be a live show hit.
Initially striking with jerky, off-beat guitar lines, the track soars into unfamiliar territory when frontman Marko Andic delivers his quirky yet compelling first verse. A style so often employed by indie and punk royalty, more recently from nu-wave post-punk and ska outfits such as Hotel Lux, this tone makes a welcome change when listening amongst Pigeonhole’s wider discography. Following in the footsteps of Manchester favourites The Blinders, Pigeonhole possess real grit in their delivery, possessing the mould of a punk band already highly established in the scene as each verse and chorus is roared out in what I can only describe as a highly enjoyable experience as a listener.
'In a record full of twists and turns, Pigeonhole really know how to make a song gripping to the very end.'
Further sucked in by Andic’s unusual lyrics (‘Another seminal piece of our writing, Another day in the life, Could this really be the life?’), the track’s composition begins to echo the new-wave, more commercial punk stylings of the great David Byrne. Yet Andic’s strong and articulate delivery results in a highly absorbing listen, with the tempo constantly driven forward by Leah on the drums. With slightly unnerving, unpredictable lyrics and a powerful, ever-driving drum line, Pigeonhole easily find themselves comparable to Nottingham’s own Do Nothing, with a clear likeness between lead-singer Marko and Do Nothing’s Chris Bailey.
As the track cascades into the thunderous, Kasabian-esque chorus like a runaway train, the intensity is suddenly snatched away, leaving a thin guitar line as the only cover for Andic’s slowly building vocal line as the track begins to climax. However, as the record roars into the home stretch, you can’t help but yearn for the return of the live show, as well as the mosh-pit, as the bulky rhythm section carries the track over the finish line – punching, kicking, biting as it goes.
“This is a public service announcement. Figures, Figures, Figures… Pigeonhole. Goodnight” is the message as the track ends in the most serious and slightly chilling fashion, over yet another jaunty, unpredictable, but ever so enjoyable guitar line. In a record full of twists and turns, Pigeonhole really know how to make a song gripping to the very end. This is not something I’ll say very often, nor confidently when I say it, but there is very little left to desire from this track, in what may be the surprise of 2020 so far. The future is dazzling for this punchy six-piece – here’s to hoping they make the journey up to the Midlands before too long. In the broader sense, where Pigeonhole head in the upcoming twelve months will be very interesting, and hotly-anticipated by many.
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