Phantogram is a trip-hop/psych-pop duo which formed in 2007 in Saratoga Spr… Read Full Bio ↴Phantogram is a trip-hop/psych-pop duo which formed in 2007 in Saratoga Springs, New York, USA. The band consists of Sarah Barthel (vocals, keyboards) and Joshua Carter (guitar, vocals). Their music can be described as a culmination of unique street beat rhythms, psychedelic melodies and organic textures. The band practices and writes music in an out-of-town farm called Harmony Lodge. The group name was inspired by the optical illusion called phantogram.

Barthel and Carter were friends since junior high school. Barthel pursued a visual arts degree while Carter formed the experimental band Grand Habit. In the summer of 2007 they reunited and worked on finishing some beat ideas Carter made earlier. The duo was originally called Charlie Everywhere when performing around the Saratoga Springs area on the local label Sub-Bombin Records. When they signed to BBE Records they changed the name to Phantogram, to avoid legal issues.

In March 2009, they self-released a five song EP, Phantogram EP, which featured four songs that ended up being on the full length. In the same year they released another EP, Running From the Cops on BBE Records.

The band's debut album Eyelid Movies was released in September 2009, on BBE Records in Europe, and in February 2010, on Barsuk Records in the US. The album received generally favorable reviews. The singles "Mouthful of Diamonds", "When I'm Small" and "As Fas As I Can See" supported the album.

Phantogram have supported acts such as Metric, The xx, J-Live, Brazilian Girls and have toured with The Slip, Zero 7 and Minus the Bear.

Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter were inspired by artists like J Dilla, Serge Gainsbourg, My Bloody Valentine, Madlib, Sonic Youth, The Beatles and David Bowie.

In 1 November 2011, the band issued the EP Nightlife. This EP includes the single "Don't Move".

The duo collaborated with Big Boi from OutKast on three songs from his second studio album, Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors: "Objectum Sexuality (feat. Phantogram)", "CPU (feat. Phantogram)" and "Lines (feat. A$AP Rocky & Phantogram)". Phantogram are also credited as producers for the song "Objectum Sexuality".

Official site: http://www.phantogram.net

Voices
Phantogram Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A world
A world inside
I can't find the heart to lead
Cause the knife is out
The feeling that I had
Was all because you said

It's alright

I've been sleeping
For the recent
Cause it tells me what
To do

So Jenny
It's gonna be okay
You got your puzzles on your mind
I got my shoes untied
The feelings that we had
Were all because you said

It's alright
I've been sleeping
For the recent
Cause it tells me what
To do
I've been sleeping
For the recent
Cause it tells me what
To do
To do

A world
An empty sky
It's been running through my mind
It's been running through my mind

I'm hearing voices all the time
I'm hearing voices, they're not mine
I didn't want to do it
What I have done to you
What have I done
What have I done to you

I've been sleeping
For the recent
Cause it tells me what
To do
I've been sleeping
For the recent
Cause it tells me what
To do
Been sleeping
For the recent
Cause it tells me what
To do
To do
To do

To do
To do

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Phantogram’s song “Voices” are relatively ambiguous, allowing for interpretation from the listener. The opening lines describe a world within, a personal realm that they cannot find the heart to lead. They mention a knife, indicating that there is danger, and the emotions that the singer experiences are all tied to another person. In the chorus, they mention sleeping for the recent, potentially indicating that they’ve been avoiding dealing with something. However, they also mention that it tells them what to do, although it is unclear what ‘it’ references.

In the second verse, the singer mentions an empty sky running through their mind. They then declare that they hear voices all the time, but those voices are not their own. They feel as though they have done something wrong to someone else, but they are unsure what it is. Instead, they simply sleep to avoid addressing the issue at hand.

Overall, the lyrics of the song describe someone who is struggling with their inner world and is hesitant to take control of it. They feel as though they are being controlled by external forces, which may be causing them to avoid confronting any issues they may have.

Line by Line Meaning

A world
There's a world around us

A world inside
And there's a world inside each of us

I can't find the heart to lead
But sometimes it's hard to find the strength to lead

Cause the knife is out
Because danger is present

The feeling that I had
My emotions

Was all because you said
Were all influenced by your words

It's alright
It's OK

I've been sleeping
I haven't been paying attention

For the recent
Until recently

Cause it tells me what
But now something is telling me what to do

To do
And I'm following its guidance