North Carolina indie pop outfit The Mystery Plan present their new album ‘Haunted Organic Machines’, released via American boutique label 10mm Omega Recordings. Their eighth full-length album and 13th major release to date, the band explores new, but familiar territory from spacey dance grooves to spooky, moody dream pop and thensome.
This record finds the group in new and strange soundscapes. While the last few records were co-produced and mixed by the legendary John Fryer (4AD, This Mortal Coil, Cocteau Twins, Nine Inch Nails, Love & Rockets), this one is produced by Jason Herring and Rob Tavaglione exclusively. It’s a little louder, while being equally textured and strangely arranged.
The album’s lead track ‘What a Day’, is a deep dive into dance land and the basis of the ‘What A Day’ EP, while other songs on the LP float just above your head in the ether. This scrumptious dose of bliss-pop, featuring a vocal sample from the legendary Erykah Badu, was followed by the single ‘Big Bliss’ with Amy Herring on vocals.
Very active on the local music scene, the Charlotte-based collective started in 2010 as a duo with Jason Herring and Paul Jensen (Fetchin’ Bones / the Interstellars) writing and producing everything. Jason’s wife, Amy Herring, then joined. The line-up was eventually rounded out with Otis Hughes, Patty McLaughlin Thomas and Jefferson Chester.
“This is an emotional album. The songs from this record were born during the pandemic, either during lockdown or as we were coming back into a somewhat more normal life. There is no denying the emotional tug between longing for companionship and the celebration of togetherness. Some songs are about sorrow while others are of the love of life. ‘Big Bliss’, the opener, is about both of those things together. This album has sadness and joy, uneasiness and comfort, depending on the song. The closing song, ‘Holding My Interest’ actually did not originate during the pandemic, but was reworked during the downtime and transformed into a love song. Jason wanted to end the album on a sweet note and leave our listeners with a feeling of hope and warmth,” explains Amy Herring.
“Our albums have always offered a variety of musical styles and a journey of feelings and, of course, this one does that as well. We do not believe in playing to one style of music over and over again. Our band leader Jason is a DJ by trade and has been making mixed tapes since he was a child. He has always loved taking his listeners on a journey, giving the audience a variety of lovely tunes to grace their ears keeping them from ever being bored… That is exactly what he’s doing here, only we’re making the music ourselves.”
The Mystery Plan is prolific, their latest releases (put out with John Fryer’s support) include the albums ‘Queensland Ballroom’, ‘Zsa Zsa’ and ‘You Also Have Eyes’, plus an epic remix on the ‘Thought Bubbles’ record.
TRACK LIST
1. Big Bliss
2. What a Day (Disco)
3. Inner Space
4. Late Night
5. I Think I’m Granola
6. Snow Queen
7. What a Day
8. Holding My Interest
