We catch up with Glitch Kingdom, the vibrant fusion of chaotic guitar leads, bloopy Nintendo synths, and infectious poppy vocals, taking the pop punk scene by storm.
Glitch Kingdom’s latest release, “Candy’s Save Point,” is a thrilling concoction of video game synths, thundering pop punk drums, and scorching guitars that will transport you to a world of musical perfection.
In our exclusive interview with Miller, the multi-talented guitarist, songwriter, and synth player of Glitch Kingdom, we dive into their creative process, inspirations, and aspirations.
With a passion for keeping the pop punk flag waving, Glitch Kingdom embraces their unique blend of influences to create a captivating musical experience.
As the pop punk revival continues to surge, Glitch Kingdom stands out by infusing their music with unpredictability, unconventional chord progressions, and surprising genre shifts.
They strive to create a perfect balance between chaos and catchiness, pushing the boundaries of their sound while delivering unforgettable melodies that soar above the sonic turbulence.
The future holds exciting prospects for Glitch Kingdom, with new songs in the works that promise to deliver more genre-mashing adventures, video game nostalgia, and unexpected musical turns.
With their arsenal of chaotic guitar leads, bloopy Nintendo synths, and infectious poppy vocals, Glitch Kingdom will undoubtedly captivate their fans while continuing to evolve their style.
Happy: What are you up to today?
Miller: Just graphic design work from home, as well as hopefully planning out artwork for the next Glitch Kingdom single, then off to a different band practice tonight.
Happy: Tell us about where you are from? What’s the music scene like in your neck of the woods
The idea of Glitch Kingdom was kind of ignited when two pairs of musicians from different sides of Sydney realised we all liked the same music.
Two of us were from the Northern Beaches, and two were from Penrith, and we ended up jamming together for a cover show and bonded over easycore and 2000s pop punk bands.
There used to be a good pop punk/heavy scene from Western Sydney, but there wasn’t much in the Northern Beaches, so all the gigs we’d attend were in the city or inner west.
These days there aren’t too many heavy pop punk bands around, so we’re trying to keep the flag waving.
Happy: What about your ultimate day?
Miller: My ultimate day would probably start with some time in the ocean, whether it be a swim, snorkel or surf. Some kind of delicious plant-based meal would need to be in there, most likely tacos in the inner West.
I think a bit of Nintendo 64 multiplayer gaming would need to happen with the band crew, and then close out the day by going to see pop punk bands, for some singalongs and crowd surfing.
Happy: Tell us about your creative community. Who are some artists or bands that have inspired you, and how have they influenced your music?
Miller: The obvious inspirations come from the late 2000s/early 2010s easycore scene, with bands like Four Year Strong, Set Your Goals and Chunk! No Captain Chunk! for the riffs and drums, along with the classic pop punkers like New Found Glory and Sum 41.
But we also like ska so Less Than Jake and Reel Big Fish influence us to sneak in some bass licks and guitar upstrokes. Lesser known European bands like Can’t Bear This Party and Abandoned By Bears made us want to pump up the synthesisers, with video gamey keyboard parts.
Can’t Bear This Party were especially inspiring since they have two live keyboards running, not backing tracks. We all love Paramore, and although instrumentally there isn’t much of an influence, Hayley Williams is of course an idol for our singer.
We want to take a piece of a bunch of bands, and turn it into our own thing.
Happy: What did you read or watch last that opened your eyes and mind to a new perspective?
Miller: Across The Spider-Verse was visually incredible as well as having a great story, and it makes me want to do something crazy with our upcoming song artwork.
Happy: Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind the song “Candy’s Save Point” and how it came together?
Miller: The idea started out as a “set opener” where we wanted it to sound like the start of a video game, then ramp up into a high energy punk track, to get people hyped up to kick off a show (or album).
We wanted to blend the crazy fast punk parts, with a heavy rhythmic chorus, and have funky lead guitar lines peppered in.
The song is about new beginnings, learning from your mistakes, and being inspired to try something different.
Erasing the old and hitting the reset button, so you can move forward from a new point.
Happy: How did your love for gaming and the influence of Nintendo and arcade games shape the sound of “Candy’s Save Point” and your overall musical style?
Miller: To some people, video game music can sound a bit cheesy and childish, but for us they are fun, nostalgic and comforting.
You get a different feel when you hear a melody played on a retro sounding synth, as opposed to on a guitar or keyboard.
At the heart of it, Glitch Kingdom is about fun, so weaving video game synths into our songs shows we just want to enjoy ourselves making music and playing gigs.
It helps us keep a light-hearted vibe.
Happy: In the current pop punk revival, how do you think your music stands out, and what do you hope listeners take away from your songs?
Miller: We hope that our music stands apart by being unpredictable and unexpected. We consciously try to avoid the typical chord progressions, adding some unconventional notes in there, and putting in brief sections of a completely different genre, like ska punk, metal or chiptune.
We also aren’t afraid to make things a bit busy and technical, and don’t want to water down the ideas, but at the heart we want the catchy melodies to stand out above the rest of our chaotic sound.
Happy: What’s next for Glitch Kingdom? Can we expect more high-energy and nostalgic tracks in the future, or do you have any surprises in store for your fans?
Miller: We have a few new songs we’re in the process of writing and recording. Expect more genre mashing, video game sounds and unexpected musical turns.
We’re conscious of building on styles of the past, rather than simply emulating them.
There will be plenty of chaotic guitar lead lines, bloopy Nintendo synths and poppy vocals.
Happy: Do you have any gear that you can’t live without?
Miller: Are we talking about music or video game gear haha? I am obsessed with handheld retro emulation at the moment, playing through old Gameboy and Super Nintendo games whenever I get a chance. As for music gear, our Novation Mininova is a must for all our live sets, to play the synth lines, and muck around with arpeggiators.
Happy: Lastly, what makes you Happy?
Miller: There isn’t much that makes us happier than playing our songs live to a crowd. We hope you can come out to check out one of our gigs for a high energy time.
Photo Credit: Emma Mees
