A Chat with I am the Unicorn Head (02.09.2022)
With their debut album Future Dinosaurs, I am the Unicorn Head bring their maverick style to uplifting vibes. Packed with catchy earworm tracks, the album is extremely inventive and intensely positive as it veers off the mainstream route while keeping you engaged. With a motto that states ‘Expect the Unexpected!’, this album is a wonderful introduction to a sound that keeps very well to this. We had the chance to chat with the band about their debut album, defying genres, uplifting music, creative processes and much more!
OSR: I Am the Unicorn Head is a band that came about during the pandemic, but how did the two of you first meet?
I am the Unicorn Head: We met on Reddit, and decided to form a band to help our mental health during the pandemic.
OSR: You have recently released your debut album Future Dinosaurs, what made you feel this is the right time to release it?
I am the Unicorn Head: We’ve been gradually releasing tracks every 6 weeks or so, since we started. We wanted to keep back some songs that would only feature on the album (now available to listen to or buy on Bandcamp). The time was right when we only had a few unreleased tracks left, so we thought it was time for the album release.
OSR: While your music tends to remain in the realm of rock, there are influences of different styles and genres. Is this something that comes naturally to your sound?
I am the Unicorn Head: We both have very eclectic music collections, so we are influenced by many genres, inc punk, post-punk, garage rock, psychedelic rock, prog rock, math rock, and anything that grabs us really. Our motto is ‘Expect the Unexpected!’.
OSR: Using psychedelic touches and mixing them with indie rock and new wave, you have created a really innovative album, but is there a theme or backstory that holds the tracks together?
I am the Unicorn Head: There is no overarching theme, although I think it’s fair to say we are appalled at the state of the world and its self-serving leaders at the moment! Our next album has a real narrative all the way through.
OSR: Many of the tracks on the album walk the line between alternative and mainstream. Is this something you actively tried to achieve or did it happen organically?
I am the Unicorn Head: It kind of happens organically. We come up with all sorts of strange musical ideas, but they still seem to end up quite catchy and accessible, in an odd way.
OSR: Your music has an overall uplifting vibe to it, but what is your creative process like?
I am the Unicorn Head: We send each other snippets of music over the internet (as we live in the USA and the UK). One of us has the initial idea, the other one develops it into something that is often quite different. We then bash ideas out online on how to finish the track off.
OSR: You have released the album exclusively on your website with a Deluxe digital version. What prompted you to bypass streaming services?
I am the Unicorn Head: Our best song is nearly nine minutes long, and we thought people may not listen to the whole thing on streaming services, which could adversely affect our algorithm, and stop our music from being sent to so many people. Also, we are very proud of what we have created, and genuinely feel it is worth £7 of anyone’s money! In fact, now it is also available on Bandcamp, where you can pay ‘£7 or more’. People who have listened to the album there have actually liked it so much that they generally buy it for £15 to £18, which has been very kind, and much appreciated!
OSR: Some of the tracks from the album have been released as singles, how did you choose which ones to release and which to hold back?
I am the Unicorn Head: The long tracks needed to be held back, also we wanted to keep the title track back, as it’s kinda quirky and is a nice start to the album.
OSR: Is there a specific track from the album that holds a special place in your heart?
I am the Unicorn Head: Our epic psychedelic track ‘I Fear God (is leaving tonight)’.
OSR: What was the most exciting thing to happen surrounding the creation and release of the album?
I am the Unicorn Head: Just the joy of creation, and the astonishment of finding that there are people out in the world who actually like it!
OSR: Now that you have released your debut album, what else do you have in store for the next 12 months?
I am the Unicorn Head: We have a hugely ambitious project lined up for our next album. It’s a concept album about the intrepid adventures of two ‘Unicorns in Space’. We are releasing each song, in order, as a chapter in the overall storyline. The thing will build as a full sci-fi film as it goes along. We would also like to turn it into a graphic novel, and stage musical (if we can ever find some financial backers). We will be asking people to collaborate with us on the project, to make the whole thing an interactive experience for our followers!
Thanks to I am the Unicorn Head for chatting with us! You can find more about them on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Bandcamp.
