Thunder Jackson Regains Control On New Single “Institution”; Announces Debut LP
Since teasing the world with his synth-driven pop sound back in 2017, Los Angeles indie pop artist Thunder Jackson has announced his self-titled debut full-length will be released on October 1st.
The Oklahoma native found success in Los Angeles after singing to himself in a cab with Until the Ribbon Break’s Pete Winfield sitting shotgun. The two eventually packed themselves away in a studio, and now Thunder Jackson is ready to be shared with the world. Ahead of the release date, Jackson has shared his psychedelic new single “Institution” and its colourful and sweaty music video.
Jackson’s silky falsetto, the leading factor that helped catch the attention of Winfield, complements the bassy, dense synth-pop beat and his interchanging baritone on “Institution”; it’s driving pulse helps to bring out the airy feel of the vocals.
Despite its captivating and electro-pop flare, the song was inspired by Jackson’s adolescence after being prescribed the wrong medication.
“Institution is one of the most personal songs on the record,” Thunder Jackson explains. “It’s about my adolescence, specifically the period during which I was mis-prescribed medication. The negative effects of the pills left me questioning my reality. My brain felt like it was entirely mechanical and my everyday life felt incredibly systematic in a way I felt no control over – I was trapped in a mode of what I can best describe as “synthetic thinking”, as opposed to healthy, “organic thinking”. My mental health was deteriorating and I felt like I had nowhere to turn and no one to help. Through a great deal of trial and error, I eventually found the end of the tunnel but it took until I did to fully understand where I had been“.
And with music being a powerful medication in itself, Jackson continues, ” This song is a reminder to myself, and to anyone who battles mental illness of any kind, that we are not alone in our struggle to find health, happiness, and self-love. And a further reminder that the struggle may be lifelong, but worth the fight.”
Watch the music video below, and listen to “Institution” and more on our ‘Starting Line-Up” playlist.
