Phantogram, the experimental and boundary-defying duo of Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel, have cultivated a fiercely loyal fanbase by refusing to be confined to any single genre. Their music masterfully blends hard-hitting, expansive beats with guitar-driven, dark psychedelia and shimmering electronic pop, earning billions of streams and producing numerous critically acclaimed singles and projects. Now, they embark on a bold new creative journey, partnering with Neon Gold Records (home to artists like Charli XCX, HAIM, and Tove Lo) for the release of their highly anticipated fifth album, “Memory Of A Day”.

Co-produced by GRAMMY Award-winning producer John Hill (Portugal, The Man, Cage The Elephant), Phantogram’s latest release is a mesmerising and dynamic addition to their ever-evolving discography. The album unfolds with lush, ethereal soundscapes, highlighting their innate talent for crafting hypnotic and atmospheric instrumental arrangements. Their signature soaring vocals, pulsating synths, and evocative lyricism shine through each track. The standout title track, “Memory Of A Day”, brims with deep, immersive basslines and a head-bopping, infectious instrumental, closing the album with a captivating flourish and setting the stage for an exciting remainder of 2024.

Listen to the track…

We linked up with the duo to talk through the creative inspirations behind their latest project, working with John on the album and highlights from their journey to-date.

Read the interview…

Congratulations on the new album! “Memory Of A Day” marks your fifth studio album, can you tell us about the inspiration behind this new project?

During the making of this album, Josh stumbled upon a life calendar, which inspired several concepts for this project. A life calendar is an exploded view of our lives as we can see it in chunks of weeks. A lot of the concepts behind the songs are about memories and how they shape and inform us, and how we see our lives. And with every feeling or sensation, we have particular memories attached to those, and hope you’re able to connect your own memories while listening.

How does “Memory Of A Day” differ from previous projects?

Making this project was refreshing for us. We started it while the world was shut down with the idea that no one might ever hear it, but that attached a sense of freedom to it. This album was created in chunks of time, where we would go in and work together with John Hill for a few weeks at a time and live our lives during the time in between in a way that we haven’t really lived our lives in the 15 years we’ve been a band. We were able to separate living and creating, but still always having the passion, and spirit of artistry and creativity within us, which drove a lot of the process of making this record. We’ve always made music that we want to hear, and making this record felt that way even more so because there were no expectations attached to it. It all came out so naturally and organically. It felt a lot like making our very first album – just the pure passion of making music, being curious, and experimenting with so many different sounds, and also just making things purely from the heart without overthinking it.

Can you share your creative process for the album?

This album is very much a natural expansion of who we are as a band and as people. We are constantly growing and experimenting. Sonically, we implemented some really interesting sounds and vibes that we haven’t done before, but in a way that is exploratory and without judgment or restriction. That is one of the things we’ve always loved about what we do, is that we’re experimental in our sound and what we draw from yet are able to still sound identifiable as Phantogram.

You’ve worked with industry heavyweights like Tom Morello, Miley Cyrus and Big Boi. How do these collaborations influence your sound?

For a long time, we told ourselves that if we didn’t do absolutely everything ourselves, we would somehow lose our integrity as artists, which we’ve learned is absolutely not true. We also always told ourselves we would never stop creating and learning and challenging ourselves, so getting to collaborate with artists like these has helped us stay true to this and has expanded the horizons of our mind and imagination. We are very proud of who we are as a band because we’re highly adaptable to so many sounds because we are a blend of many genres and influences.

Are there any artists you hope to collaborate with in the future?

A lot! We’ve been fortunate to have been able to connect with a lot of artists that we looked up to before we became a band and even before either of us started making music, who tell us they really love our sound, and every time we are humbled. So yes, there are a lot of different artists we hope to (and are in the middle of!) collaborate with, so be sure to keep your eyes and ears open for what is coming!

How has touring with Kings of Leon been? Are there any stories you can share from the tour?

Touring with Kings of Leon was so much fun, getting to watch them every night and also getting to meet so many new fans. There were a lot of people who had never heard of us before, but we felt such great energy from the crowds, so thank you Kings of Leon for taking us on tour and thank you to your fans for welcoming us. Getting to support bands like Kings of Leon is always fun for us, but we’re also really excited to be going out on our own headline tour soon.

You’ve enjoyed huge success and amassed over a billions streams along the way; what has been the most rewarding part of the journey so far?

We are so lucky we get to do what we do and have marked so many milestones and memories, from the first time we played Jimmy Fallon, to touring with bands such as Muse and Queens of the Stone and The xx, to playing Madison Square Garden, selling out Red Rocks and collaborating with Big Boi, just to name a few. All of that is so rewarding, but what’s most fulfilling for us is the feeling of constantly creating as we keep moving forward. It is truly amazing to look back on and it’s just as incredible to know how much more we’ll do in the future.

What does the rest of 2024 have in store for you?

We are wrapping up some unfinished songs that we worked on during the process of “Memory of a Day” that we’re excited to share with you soon, as well as preparing our live set for our headline tour at the beginning of 2025. We are also going to be spending time with friends and family for the holidays