With Corn Planet, Charleston’s Orange Doors continue to push the boundaries of psychedelic indie rock, crafting a release that feels as adventurous as it is meticulously realised. Following the momentum of singles “Infection” and “Gizmo Gadget,” the band lean further into their experimental instincts, balancing kaleidoscopic melodies with an undercurrent of grunge-inspired intensity that gives their sound both weight and unpredictability.
The EP also marks a notable creative step forward behind the scenes. Mixed and produced by Ryan McPhun (The Ruby Suns) and mastered by Bevan Smith (The Beths), Corn Planet benefits from the expertise of two respected figures within New Zealand’s indie landscape, helping Orange Doors refine an already distinctive sonic identity without sacrificing its raw imagination. Coming after their collaboration with John Fernandes of The Olivia Tremor Control on “Tornado,” the project signals a band confidently expanding both its influences and ambitions.
Rather than chasing conventional song structures, Orange Doors embrace atmosphere and movement, building immersive arrangements that invite listeners into vividly imagined worlds. The band’s vision of combining the scale of orchestral and marching band music with the immediacy and grit of grunge creates an intriguing artistic proposition, while themes of nostalgia, curiosity and escapism run throughout the record.
We sat down with the guys to learn all about Corn Planet, exclusively here for Music Crowns!
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Hey guys, welcome to Music Crowns! How are you doing?
We’re great! Thanks for checking out the EP
The title ‘Corn Planet’ immediately sparks curiosity. What inspired the name, and how does it reflect the world you’ve created across the EP?
A lot of times the titles of songs will come to me midway through writing it. The same thing usually happens with EPs/Albums about halfway through completing them and this case is no different. It just is Corn Planet.
When you were writing these songs, were you consciously trying to create an experience that unfolds like a story rather than a collection of individual tracks?
Some of the songs have stories within them but there’s no overarching story throughout the EP. It’s more so a collection of tracks that were written to be heard together
Both “Infection” and “Gizmo Gadget” embrace a genre-blurring approach. How do you know when an experimental idea is serving the song rather than simply being experimental for its own sake?
We always keep in mind it is a song at the end of the day so we try not to go too far off the rails and keep the experimental aspects in line with the mood and message of the song
How do you approach finding that sweet spot between accessibility and experimentation?
We approach it delicately. No but sometimes it can take a really long time to find the right kind of layer we’re looking for in a song. Sometimes we know exactly where we want to go. In terms of the sweet spot we want to be layered but lot over-layered. We can just feel when the song is complete but I think it’s kind of a guessing game
Who are your biggest influences?
Our biggest influences would be marching band music specifically DCI shows, movie scores, and even some video game music. In terms of rock we’d say early greenday, neutral milk hotel, and Radiohead
Psychedelic music has always been about pushing boundaries. Where do you think Orange Doors fits within today’s indie and psych-rock landscape?
I think we fit quite snug. The songs on the EP are pretty different but have an overarching feel. We’re always looking to try something new while still getting the chorus stuck in your head
Now that ‘Corn Planet’ is introducing listeners to this new chapter of Orange Doors, where do you see yourselves taking the sound next?
With Corn Planet we were able to expand on our brass sound in the recordings especially with “a crack and a peep” which has well over 40 individual brass tracks. On the next EP album we want to do the same thing while expanding in other ways as well..stay tuned!
