In-Flight Movie are a synth punk band from Oxford who recently featured on Steve Lamacq’s Radio 6 slot with their single Aliens (also recognised in Nightshift’s top 20 tracks of 2023).
Main influences include Black Marble, LCD Soundsystem, M83, Public Service Broadcasting, Neutral Milk Hotel, Nation of Language and many more. The band also draw influence from films and sci-fi soundtracks, e.g Stranger Things and Blade Runner. In-Flight Movie’s songs combine frenzied drums (Simon Calver), old school synths (Pete Armstrong) and driving guitar which underpin soaring vocals from James Askwith.
The band collaborate on lyrics which span a wide range of themes. For instance, Worldly Departures which explores the idea of an interstellar voyage compromised by a destructive relationship; alongside Aliens which imagines an extra-terrestrial visiting planet Earth only to discover it isn’t very interesting and full of tedious
humans.
Originally meeting as students in Oxford circa 2015, the band have remained local playing illustrious venues such as Jericho Tavern, The Bullingdon, The O2, The Library, Port Mahon to name a few. Wherever they play, In-Flight bring a massive sound delivered through their ‘synth-station’ comprising at least 4 analogue synthesisers which deliver penetrating bass against ethereal soundscapes driven along by Simon’s punk drumming skills.
The band has benefited from Oxford’s music ecosystem with promotions from the likes of Osprey, OMS and Divine Schism alongside production help from the likes of Mike Bannard at Safehouse Studios. In-Flight has also featured regularly in the local music press (Nightshift) and radio (BBC Introducing and WRFM). The band have developed an extensive back catalogue of ideas during annual winter expeditions to a rural cottage in South Wales. Each year, over the course of a week, the trio infuse the surrounding valleys with the sound of pulsing synth patches, ominous drums and droning guitars whilst conjuring up the next line-up of songs to be road tested back in Oxford. Since the back end of 2023, In-Flight have been recording their latest batch of songs which are being released in advance of their follow-on EP, Stolen Answers. The first of these to come out in 2024 is Getaway (released at the O2), a song about a childhood friendship which has been lost and the movies that forged their shared experience. In-Flight Movie’s ambition for 2024 is to resonate the chest cavities of a festival audience with their latest set.