Singapore’s "friendship-core" band Carpet Golf is back, offering a raw, unfiltered take on the turbulence of young adulthood with their sophomore album, In Between, Out of Phase. The band features Nathaniel Soh on guitar and vocals, Daniel Borces on guitar, Spencer Tan on bass, and Jordan Fernandez Khoo on drums. After a four-year hiatus, the group has transformed their sound, shifting from the thrashing chords of their early hardcore days to a more melodic but equally intense approach. This new release goes beyond mere catchy riffs, diving into themes of identity, change, and the bittersweet process of growing up.
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The album reflects the unique paths each band member has taken, from full-time jobs to post-national service adjustments, all while staying true to their roots in the Singapore DIY scene. Carpet Golf has crafted songs that resonate with anyone caught between the chaos of life choices and the yearning for clarity. Tracks like 'Human Things' capture the nostalgia of youthful relationships, while 'Steven For a Year' contemplates the uncertainties of adulthood, depicting the challenge of finding one’s way amid external expectations and internal doubts.
Known for their infectious energy, Carpet Golf explores these complex themes with a refreshing sincerity. The tracks carry emotional weight yet are delivered with an authenticity that resonates deeply. With In Between, Out of Phase, the band embraces the messiness of young adulthood, creating a soundtrack that mirrors both its highs and its poignant lows, offering a deeply relatable journey for listeners. We caught up with Carpet Golf to find out what drives them to bare it all in their new release.
What was the inspiration behind the album title In Between, Out of Phase?
Spencer: The album name was inspired by something Bo or Ian from PK Records said while we were recording guitars. The details are vague but I remember an imaginary lightbulb going off in my head when I heard it, so I wrote it down and added it to the list of names we thought the album should have been called. We also think it's pretty funny that the album’s acronyms spell out to be “IBOOP” so that's how we’re going to refer to the album for the rest of this interview.
The track 'Human Things' explores nostalgia and first love. How has your perspective on these themes changed since you first started writing it?
Spencer: ‘Human Things’ is a little bit of a special track because it wasn't actually written by us. Nat and Dan used to play for this band called the Neptune Waves and they wrote the song in (2015 I think). We’re all in committed relationships now so the lyrics feel a little bit disconnected from how we think of love now (hopefully) but who gives a shit about what love means anyway.
'I Might Die' explores life's fragility with intense emotion. What led to the inclusion of this track and its reflective tone?
Spencer: We wanted an acoustic track on the album, and as fate would have it, Benny’s songwriting is something we’re all a fan of. The lyrics of ‘I Might Die’ speak of a fondness for another and the weight of uncertainty. Like I said earlier, IBOOP was meant to capture the sentiment of growing up and apart, Benny’s track captures the fear of being overwhelmed by inner struggles that aligns quite well with the album’s ethos.
How has your sound evolved since the early days of playing in Singapore's DIY hardcore scene?
Spencer: After experimenting with hardcore punk for awhile, Carpet Golf gave all of us a chance to explore a sound that was more focussed on melody and topics less fuelled by anger. We’ve always (and will always) want to be hardcore kids, so playing fast and hard will always be a part of our sound. We just want to write slower and play longer songs now (because we can).
Your music videos consistently feature a strong theme of humour, especially evident in your latest release, ‘What You Carry.’ What draws you to this playful approach for your videos?
Nat: I think that reflects the band’s dynamics and each of our personalities - we don’t really want to take ourselves too seriously. Everytime we try to do something serious we end up making a joke out of it so that’s how we ended up with the idea for the music video. We really just wanted to make something that all of us would laugh at
What do you hope listeners take away from In Between, Out of Phase?
As selfish as it sounds, we’re just writing music that we enjoy. And at the end of the day, that’s all we really care about!
