P&P Spotlight: little image

Who knew that a quarantine project between three best friends could blossom into the music scene’s next big thing? As we keep our eyes on little image, we have no doubt they’ll soon reach legend status. The band is gearing up to put out SELF-TITLED, a vivid and vulnerable record almost entirely self-written. Coming out May 12th, this project details the universal pipeline from self-doubt, to self-reflection, to self-acceptance.

little image consists of Jackson Simmons (vocals/guitar), Brandon Walters (bass/synth), and Troy Bruner (drums). The Texas-based trio has developed a unique sound, blending rock with acoustic, pschyedelic, and mainstream pop elements. Their producer, Chad Copelin, previously worked with superstars 5 Seconds Of Summer, and it’s easy to see the sonic similarities in little image’s sound. Recently, Playlists & Polaroids had the honor and privilege of chatting with the band.

Image courtesy of Tyler Krippaehne, graphic created by Karly Ramnani

YOU'LL LOVE little image IF YOU LISTEN TO: Imagine Dragons, Maneskin, 5 Seconds Of Summer, Mod Sun, Colony House

little image intentionally crafted a certain aesthetic around SELF-TITLED, employing various cinematographic elements symbolically. Different colors especially call attention to different themes, something which we can’t wait to further unpack when SELF-TITLED is released. “The whole idea behind SELF-TITLED is to build a world, and visuals are such a huge part of world-building,” Brandon shared with us. “Whether you’re watching a live show, or you’re watching a music video, the idea is that you’re being transported to that same place every single time.” Troy himself has always contributed significantly to their visuals, singlehandedly taking care of this aspect before the band hired a professional team - we love a band member who can do it all!

SELF-TITLED also demonstrates the band’s growth since their 2017 debut album Musings. “Musings was just us, as kids, making music that we just naturally felt like we wanted to make,” continued Brandon. He subsequently contrasting their last record from the more focused approach of SELF-TITLED. From the beginning, their mission was to “create a world that’s extremely unique for people to live in.”

When we asked little image if they had a favorite B-side on SELF-TITLED, all members agreed on the closing track “GLUE.” However, be sure to listen to the album in order first, to fully absorb the story it tells in chronological order. That said, make sure to pay close attention to the B-sides as they’re extremely vital to the flow of the project. “[“GLUE”] is not a very single-y song - that’s what we love to make, the deep cut tracks. They’re so special to us,” said Jackson.

We, for one, can’t take “OUT OF MY MIND” and “BLUE” off repeat! The subtext of “OUT OF MY MIND” allows it to double as a romantic love song and a reflection of the band’s connection to one another. “BLUE” captures the uneasy political atmosphere of the USA in the last few years.

Hopefully, we've introduced you to your next favorite indie rock band! Listen to little image and similar artists in this playlist we've curated, which we feel perfectly captures their vibe.