New Single - A Fistful of Bitcoin
Inspired by the music of Ennio Morricone and grunge rock, this song is a tribute to the Wild West days of the early internet and the vast digital freedoms that were once promised but now seem out of reach.
Performed live at the national finale of the Local Heroes competition in Germany, it contributed to us winning "best live performance" and the public vote prize.
It was partly inspired
by an article written by Kate Wagner entitled "404 Page Not Found".
Wagner looks back fondly at the early days of the internet and suggests
that there's something endearing about those old trashy MySpace pages -
as digital spaces have become more and more standardised and
commodified, we seem to have lost that initial "wild west", chaotic
creative spirit that typified the late 90s/early 2000s. So our song
looks back with both nostalgia and bitterness to this time, prior to
when the digital space became carved up and "colonised", resulting in
its more clinical (and profit-orientated) form that we know today.
Carnivalesque embody the absurdity of everyday injustices under
late-stage capitalism. Expect catchy melodies, hard driving basslines, a
plethora of rhythmic styles, crashing walls of distortion, quiet
moments of introspection & brutal social commentary.
After more than a year of writing and arranging, Carnivalesque released their self-produced eponymous debut album in March 2022. Featuring tracks such as "Riches to Rags" and "Green Room", the album forms a cultural critique of late capitalism, realised through a 90s grunge rock aesthetic which draws from an eclectic mix of influences.
British founder and guitarist Thomas MacMillan had already been working on the first tracks since 2018. He then met Polish singer Marta Owczarek, whose powerful rock voice and expansive vocal range perfectly realises both the delicate and heavy aspects of this material. The musical foundation is formed by bassist Hans Köbler, who has played with the band since 2019, allowing the band to develop their musical gut instincts. Hans has also been instrumental in taking initially abstract musical ideas and assembling them into a rousing arrangement. Finally, drummer Erik Hansen has not only been rocking behind the drums since summer 2021, but his new input and knowledge of music production led to the band finally releasing their first album.
Currently without a label and with unlimited artistic freedom, the album is produced in accordance with the DIY attitude of punk, which builds on rock music with various influences from funk, hip-hop, folk and world music. Thomas MacMillan describes his own music as follows: "I feel like a lot of current music and art is false representation and meaningless. Especially rock, which is basically dead museum music now. It's escapism, whereas I want the opposite: show people the harsh realities of life, draw attention to injustices and reveal false idealism. Rock music with a social realism aspect that is not afraid to borrow from other genres."
It is music for everyone, addressing vulnerable groups that do not feel represented by the ideal society. People who pursue meaningless and soulless occupations to maintain their existence; the exploited; people with mental and physical illnesses and those who fall through safety nets. The band wants to address a wide audience, which deviates from the usual rock clichés and has no place for sexism, boasting and egocentrism.
Carnivalesque demonstrated their skills in the "Local Heroes Bandcontest 2022", winning "Best Newcomer in Berlin" in the state competition before moving on to the national finals. There, they convinced both the jury and the audience, winning both the prize for "Best Live Performance" and the "Audience Award".
Members:
Marta Owczarek // Vocals, Violin
Hans Köbler // Bass
Thomas MacMillan // Guitar
Erik Hansen // Drums
