EXTRANAUTS “Lazarus”

A kaleidoscopic and groove-laden guitar-pop record, “Lazarus” finds hypnotic harmonies and swirling synths pirouette amongst lush layers of percussion. Taking inspiration from the biblical story of Lazarus — the man who defied death to return to the living — it sees the six-piece cook up a little miracle of their own.

Produced by Jagz Kooner (Primal Scream, Kasabian) and recorded at Grouse Lodge in Westmeath, Ireland, “Lazarus” tells a tale of regret, redemption and rebirth. As the band explain:

“”Lazarus” is a song about the hope that things can change, but it is also a warning that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.”

Said to have been written “forever ago”, “Lazarus” has been in the Extranauts’ locker for some time and soon cemented itself as an early favourite. Catching the ear of Alan McGee who heard the track while visiting Ireland a few years back, the Creation Records founder dubbed it “a modern day classic” and encouraged them to release it. Finding its verdant and fully-realized form this year, “Lazarus” finally sees the light of day this Spring.

“Lazarus” arrives as an early taste of what to expect from Extranauts’ upcoming debut album ‘The Alchemist’, which is set for release on 2 June 2023. Packed-out with anthemic floor-fillers, the album was also produced by Jagz Kooner (Primal Scream, Kasabian, Andrew Weatherall), who was able to capture the band’s immense live energy in dazzling technicolour.

Taking inspiration from ‘60s psychedelia just as much as it does dance music, the band’s debut long-player sees Extranauts wear their influences proudly on their sleeves. Funneling a rich amalgam of genres, styles and sounds into thirteen tracks, the album swings from retro-tinted indie-rock cuts like “Uptight” and the twangy “Liquidator”, to more hazy and heavy electro-driven moments like “Everybody In The Night” and the groove-laden, jangling “The New Age Of Innocence”.

Alongside the electrifying new single “Lazarus”, the album also features previous singles “Slow Robot”, “We Used To Dream”, “It’s About Time” and “Debonair”; all of which are available to hear now.

Boasting a breadth of influences, earworm worthy hooks, and catchy funk-fuelled melodies in aplenty, the long awaited release of ‘The Alchemist’ marks just one small step for Extranauts, and one giant leap into a vibrant, technicolour universe of sounds to come…

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Having started out under the moniker The Dead Heavys, Extranauts have attracted praise from the likes of XFM’s Eddy Temple Morris, The Enemy’s Tom Clarke, Jon McClure from Reverend and the Makers and Louder Than War’s John Robb, who  enthused: “[the band] could easily grab the attention of a stadium full of fans or the charts’’.

While initially taking inspiration from late ‘60s psych-pop and mod groups like The Small Faces and The Kinks, it was a shared passion for indie-electronic crossover acts that would become crucial to the Extranauts melting-pot sound. As lead singer and songwriter Keith O’Neill explains:

“We were heavily influenced by Krautrock bands like Neu & Can and that kind of relentless motorik beat but with a lot more melody and emotion on top. New Order have always been a big influence in how they can meld the danceable track with a melancholic track so that was also a big touchpoint”.

Finding a fan in Creation Records founder Alan McGee who discovered them in their remote hideaway in Waterford, Ireland, before the pandemic; buoyed by his support, the sextet spent the interim years putting the finishing touches to what would become Extranauts’ debut album.

Finally gearing up to release their debut full-length album ‘The Alchemist’ this Summer, their latest single “Lazarus” is available to stream on all services now

-Official bio