Indie-pop duo The Response release fresh new single

Expertly melding pop sensibilities, electronic minimalism and a slick DIY approach, The Response (Andy and Victoria Knopp) release Tallest Walls, the first single and accompanying video from their forthcoming album Escaping This Cold Rotation.

Tallest Walls builds from sparse beginnings, but explodes with a joyously melodic chorus. Delivering an undeniable feel-good vibe, this is indie pop at it’s finest. Lyrically, the song tackles the ups and downs of every day life, and contemplates the good moments amongst the challenges that inevitably lie ahead. Andy Knopp elaborates; “This song follows a character who wakes up to a whole life of infinite possibilities before them. Reality deals them some blows but they keep going despite the difficulties. They know it won't last but that's not the point. It's about enjoying the good things while you have them.”

Vic Knopp states; “My favourite lyric in this song is ‘When morning calls the tallest walls fall in this world of mine.’ To me, this refers to the 'walls' that you put up to protect yourself from the bad what-if's, as well as the ideas of success that can be so easily snatched or destroyed.”

Self-recorded and produced, Tallest Walls encapsulates the DIY approach from which The Response was born. Beginning as a bedroom recording project, as a way to ‘have their own thing’ amongst their separate side gigs and cover work with other bands, Andy (Guitar and vocals) and multi-instrumentalist Vic have since recorded 3 full length albums and 5 Eps since graduating together from jazz school in Christchurch.

The Response’s visuals have also been created by the duo, who have no concerns about jumping in feet first and giving new things a go. “We have fond (and not so fond) memories of late nights taping together hand-cut album covers before release shows and spray painting stencils onto CDs in the garage,” Vic explains. “Most of what we do is learning as we go, so if we need to make a lyric video, it's time to learn how to use After Effects, or if we need cover art it's time to pool our design skills. Andy got his job as a graphic designer using cover art and show posters as a portfolio so it's paid off. We get input and support from other people along the way, but most of what we do is in house – literally, in our house.”

As you’d expect, the self-produced video for Tallest Walls gave another opportunity to learn new things. Andy: “We made the video at our kitchen table. It was a stupid undertaking as anyone who's dabbled in animation will tell you, but we learned a lot and we love the end result.”

Tallest Walls from The Response is out now through Spotify, Apple Music and iTunes. Full length album Escaping This Cold Rotation releases Spring 2019.

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