Debut single from The Graceland Conspiracy

Hailing from Belfast, The Graceland Conspiracy is an artistic endeavour built around a deliberately elusive idea of coming together, making a record and disappearing. Its members have continued their musical journeys elsewhere, with connections to Bad Noise Monster, The 2.19, Edelle McMahon, JBR Project and EarthMusic Belfast but The Graceland Conspiracy presents something more transient, a project without a defined destination, embracing the uncertainty of where a musical journey might lead.

That sense of mystery is part of the appeal and to the questions of where is this going, The Graceland Conspiracy suggests that perhaps not knowing is entirely the point. Music can be about the thrill of a new journey, the excitement of discovering something unfamiliar and the strange sensation of arriving back where you started, only to find yourself somehow changed. That context sits alongside a project concerned with atmosphere, movement and the spaces between certainty and discovery.

Leading the project is Colin Crooks, whose musical history reaches back to PBR Streetgang, a project that released several singles through the legendary Northern Irish label Good Vibrations. Colin is also currently part of Belfast-based Bad Noise Monster, making The Graceland Conspiracy a notable departure from some of the more abrasive output associated with his musical past.

With the new project, distortion has not disappeared entirely from his musical offering but its role has changed and now the emphasis has shifted towards atmosphere, space and texture, creating a dream pop setting that allows the music to breathe. Colin takes on piano and bass, while Edelle McMahon provides the vocals, Paul Wilkinson joins on guitar, Gary Taylor on drums and Jon McKinley contributes brass, forming a group whose members have repeatedly crossed paths within Northern Ireland’s music scene.

Now, The Graceland Conspiracy reveals itself with “We Are Chaos,” a 2026 remaster of an old track that arrives as a celebration of the chaos surrounding us within an ever-changing universe. Its title alone suggests a world where certainty is difficult to hold onto, where change is constant and where the surrounding disorder can become something worth embracing as opposed to escaping. Set up by lilting piano notes, bright guitar plucks, airy atmospheric tones and soft reversed textures are met by distant vocalisations, forming a dreamy soundscape that flows with delicate melodies and transportive aesthetic.

Jumping with the taps of percussion, the track builds with elegant vocal leads and smooth rhythmic energy, crafting a charming folk-tinged dream pop scene brimming with tender melodic leads and intricate instrumentation. With mellow ebb and flow, the song sways through shifting arrangement to craft a magical musical moment that’s memorable, uplifting and truly original all at once. Rising with a lively finale where pattering drums and pulsing bass underpin Edelle’s graceful vocal performance, it’s a truly delightful listening experience from start to finish.

“We Are Chaos” serves as a compelling introduction to a new project that maps out the atmosphere around The Graceland Conspiracy, where familiar musicians step into unknown areas and distortion gives way to space. The Graceland Conspiracy leaves the destination open, allowing the music to form in a space between where things began and wherever they might go next and we can’t wait to see where that leads.

Listen to We Are Chaos below

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