Even while playing shows throughout Kansas, local indie rock band Race Bandit is sitting down to record a new extended play album, called “Validated.” The EP will feature six original tracks.

“‘Validated’ came because with the release of our first official product, we feel like, ‘okay, we’re in the race now,’ we’re validated, and a lot of the topics that are in the songs on the release have to do with the sense of being validated not because you say you are, but because of who says you are validated,” said Zach Force, drummer of Race Bandit.

The band has already released a single, “Many Things”, off of the EP that is currently available to stream on Soundcloud. The single gives a preview of the band’s sound, which features airy vocals by Abby Powell that have an ominous coliseum sound. The main hooks played by electric guitarist Josh Peoples have a great classic distortion with just enough presence and grit, but not too much fuzz.

Even while recording, Race Bandit is still discovering new, interesting parts of the sound they want to give, and are continuing to experiment, suggesting that the EP will have a good amount of variety. Every member of the band has written a song for the band, and the EP will feature the works of each.

“Funny story from ‘Many Things’… I was really just doing it to joke around, I was going to play a solo in this spot, and I did it, and they were just like, ‘Why did you not think of that before?’” Peoples said.

Race Bandit has also found recording to be much different than the experience of playing live.

“For me, live is more of a conversation, and then recording is more of setting things in stone,” Peoples said.

“We would watch people’s mouths move and sing along to our songs before they were recorded, just from being loyal to the shows,” said bassist Nate Force.

The band has been together for just over a year with quite an odd story of how it came to be. Originally, Nate Force and his brother Zach worked together on writing and composing songs. Then, upon requesting the help of Powell and Peoples as temporary fillers for shows, the four soon discovered that they liked the grouping enough to make it permanent. Josh’s brother, Mike Peoples, also recently joined the band and is helping with the recording of “Validated”, along with also playing guitar for Race Bandit.

The EP is expected to be released in February, should the band receive the proper funding for it. Race Bandit currently has a Kickstarter campaign which fans can currently donate to if interested in the release. As of Jan 20., the campaign has earned $705 of the $1,000 the band has hoped for. Rewards are also available to those who donate $25 or more, including hard copies of “Validated,” Race Bandit beanies and a free download of a remixed version of “Many Things.”

Race Bandit is currently touring around Kansas while recording their EP and will be playing a show in Manhattan with the band Vineyard on Friday, Jan. 23 at The Well. Tickets will be $10 and will include a free Vineyard CD.