So It Goes - EP - Press Page

So It Goes - EP release 22.10.2021

The culmination of a period of intense touring and writing, Ponte Pilas’ debut E.P. So it Goes was recorded in the summer of 2020. The collection of songs that were brought to the session took on a new significance against a backdrop of widespread lockdown and the cancellation of the band’s touring schedule for the foreseeable future. The record’s title reflects this, a phrase that recurs in Kurt Vonnegut’s opus Slaughterhouse-Five and signifies how life’s inherent chaos and unpredictability often leaves it well outwit our control.

Recording was done with original 60s and 70s equipment at Impression Recordings in Berlin over four days. Together with recording engineer Robbie Moore (Babyshambles, Florence + The Machine, L. A. Salami), the band made the decision to record live in order to capture the energy and drive that has made them such a fixture on the Berlin gig scene. In these recordings, the band’s blend of classic rock influences, such as the Beach Boys and Rolling Stones, with contemporary groups like The Hives and Black Midi reached its apotheosis.

The anthemic, high octane songs such as Tinderbox, Acid Flashback #4 and Last of a Dying Breed are mixed in with the raw emotional vulnerability of Treading Water and the political agitation of Clickbait and Opium for the People, with both Last Of and Opium selected for editorial playlists by Spotify and Apply Music. A rich and varied record, So it Goes represents the outcome of years of playing and growing together as well as a willingness to engage with and fight for causes the band believe in. This is in particular true of Ponte Pilas’ recent work alongside Fridays For Future in Germany and further afield in Ecuador, Africa and Asia in addressing and combatting the climate crisis.

Enlisting mixing engineer Andy Baldwin (Oasis, The Who, Björk) and mastering engineer Mandy Parnell (Black Saloon Studios), the band have produced an E.P. that crams a great deal of musicality, introspection and heart into just six songs. A whirlwind experience for listeners, the themes explored reward repeated listens and aim to inspire hope and change, as well as a bloody good time. For what is rock ‘n’ roll if not a bloody good time?

Biography

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Since forming in 2017, Ponte Pilas have built a reputation as one of the most exciting prospects on the Berlin rock ‘n’ roll scene. Bringing together a wide range of influences from The Stooges to Oasis, the band breathe fresh life into the genre with a high-octane musical sensibility and a chaotic, unhinged approach to their live shows. Their brand of what reviewers have called ‘sweaty rock’ has marked the outfit as ones to watch.

A mix of Scottish and Ecuadorian talent, Ponte Pilas are a ‘band of brothers’ having lived and played together since 2016. Their name (literally “put on your batteries”) is taken from an Ecuadorian slang term meaning “snap out of it”, a wake up call that also references the wild energy exerted on stage. With a passion for their music and craft that shuns the intellectual cynicism of many similar outfits, the band have drawn comparisons to The Hives and Primal Scream.

Having garnered extensive touring experience throughout Europe as support for the likes of indie legends The Wedding Present and King Nun, as well as headline tours throughout Germany, Ponte Pilas released a series of well-received singles and in 2021 will release their debut E.P. ‘So It Goes’. A fixture on the Berlin alternative scene, the band have headlined venues such as Musik & Frieden, Cassiopeia and Rock at SAGE, garnering a devoted fanbase. 

On the back of winning the Publikumsprize from ‘listen to berlin’ in late 2019, which resulted in a prestigious showcase gig at Most Wanted: Music, Berlin’s premier industry festival, the band set to work on their debut record. With touring plans shelved in 2020, this year sees Ponte Pilas embark on a support tour with British indie rockers the Sherlocks this November. With a long-awaited Berlin headline show at Badehaus on 25th November and an album scheduled for release early next year, there is plenty to look forward to from the band.

Releases