London-based synth-rock outfit KYROS are pushing the boundaries on their third studio album Celexa Dreams. Experimenting with eighties pop elements reminiscent of Depeche Mode and Kate Bush, combining them with Muse and Porcupine Tree-inspired progressive alt-rock, and exploring some very dark and honest themes, the quartet have created a very deep and multi-layered record. We caught up with vocalist/keyboardist Adam Warne to find out more about the tracks that make up Celexa Dreams…
We felt compelled to try something completely left-field. We wanted something that none of us would have come up with ourselves and something that people in the progressive community wouldn’t expect to see. There’s an overwhelming sense of expectation and cliché when it comes to visuals in this community and we wanted to reject all of it and throw all of that away.
We felt that the only way we could achieve this was to collaborate with an artist who wasn’t necessarily associated with those types of styles you’d expect to see from other acts in the progressive community. Artist Taylor Torr creates really visually compelling stuff that is more in touch with contemporary styles and modern cues. So far, every decision that she’s made has certainly been outside the box and overall has given the band a fresh new artistic direction.
In Motion
This very percussion driven, eighties production inspired track is about working yourself into the ground and burning out. Not knowing when to stop for the sake of your own sanity.
Rumour
This song is about a man who would do anything for a girl, to the point where he sacrifices his own dignity and even finds himself in very compromising situations for the sake of putting her first. Even though that desperation, obsession and selflessness isn’t quite winning her over…
In Vantablack
This track plays strongly into the overall album concept of mental health, and focuses on being under one’s own sense of reliance on medication and anti-depressions in an attempt to live a somewhat normal life, with a more motivated outlook. The track also plays into coming to terms with your own sense of sanity and mental health, and choosing whether or not to come to terms with accepting yourself as who you think you are and the identity you supposedly give off.
Phosphene
This very dense, textural track is about coming to terms with previous grudges and ended friendships as being simple teenage drama. Especially being able to look back at the lyrics of album one, Synaesthesia, with a smile.
Technology Killed the Kids III
In the age of the internet and social media, this track is about one’s obsession with reputation and scoring cheap points online. Whether that being through getting involved in internet arguments, the toxic sides of internet culture in general and taking advantage of anonymity.
Sentry
I wrote Sentry at a time when I was working long hours doing a job I hated. The song taps into the feelings of being mentally distanced from a loved one, whilst striving to protect and support them.
Two Frames Of Panic
These lyrics recount the sensation of the vivid, surreal dreams you get whilst adjusting to a course of anti-depressants. Bordering on fever dreams and repeated nights of waking up in a cold sweat.
Her Song is Mine
At its core, Her Song is Mine is about converting negative experiences into positive ones. The titular ‘song’ depicted is a literal event that led to quite a negative period in Joey’s life, so this track was my way of healing those wounds and learning from those experiences.
KYROS‘ new album Celexa Dreams is due for release on 19th June 2020 via White Star Records, available to stream or purchase HERE.
