test plan emerges as a burgeoning post punk trio from North London, comprised of Rory Dickinson, Mike Fragkiadakis, and Max Mason, delivering a compellingly noisy and dynamically charged sound. Their new single and accompanying video, Walking in a Vacuum, has a profoundly existential character, and explores themes of repression and avoidance amidst life's pressures.
Recorded and mixed by Darren Jones (Fat Dog, The Fall, Gorillaz) at the band's own practice space in London, the new song impeccably captures test plan's raw and intense energy, mirroring the force witnessed in their live performances.
Drummer and vocalist Max Mason comments: “There’s a lot to be said for resilience in life and for grinning and bearing it. This can feel psychotic when scientists warn of ecological disaster and political leaders persistently uphold the qualities of incompetent narcissists. [Walking in a] Vacuum dances with this notion of pushing your emotions down and letting the world swallow you up. It’s a dance song about over-thinking and surrender, when maybe you should be doing neither.”
Mason's in-house production of the accompanying music video, handling filming, editing, animation, and direction, showcases an artful presentation which finely aligns with the mood of the music. The clip cleverly explores the notion of surrendering to the overwhelming forces of the world, enhancing the conceptual depth of the track.
“It was a deliberate effort to be artistic and wanted it to feel as if it were a performance art in a gallery space,” Mason describes. “It was an attempt to make something that looked sort of cursed or horrifying without actually doing anything blatantly to make it so. The animated touches were a way to add an extra layer of mysticism; colour and playfulness to our otherwise angsty performances.”
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