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LACK THE LOW INTERVIEW

Lack The Low( Kat Hunter) an independent artist who crafts atypical auditory alchemy with her music.Lack The Low’s sound traverses throughout the neural networks of many different genres like an experienced traveller with a multitude of sonic synonyms under her belt. Her debut album One Eye Closed is an intriguing beast that never fails to grant the listener with something new without being gaudy or using tools for tools sake.

Lack The Low - God Knows Why

Tell me about your first introduction to music and what was the catalyst or first piece of music that you can recall connecting with that made you start thinking about becoming a musician? 

Really, I don’t remember not being a musician. My mother is a pipe organist and my dad a singer, so when I turned four years old they told me to pick an instrument and so I started violin lessons. Equally, it’s difficult to pinpoint a moment where I “committed” to music. When I finished high school, I had to choose between studying music or studying dance at university (I’d been deeply involved in both up until that point), so that was a big decision at the time. But really music is kind of a thing that happened to me; a constant in my life. I remember writing songs from about age 6 and one time I sang a tune I’d written to my mother, and she showed me how to write it out on manuscript and harmonise it on the piano, and I think that’s the first time a light bulb went off in my head about what it might mean to “write music”.

What was the first piece of music you bought with your own money and personally sought out to buy and what drew you towards wanting to buy and listen to your first purchase?

Back when I was a kid, CD singles were a big thing. I think the first CD I ever purchased was Macy Gray’s, “I Try”, which in hindsight has aged well (what a banger!), but the first CD I really fell in love with was Alanis Morrissette’s “Precious Illusions” single circa 2002. I really remember connecting with the lyrics, and her emotional singing style.

What albums/artists/bands or art forms shaped the scope of your musicianship and how you approach the music you write? How do you push yourself and how important do you think that it is for musicians to push past the limits with what they create?

I listened to a lot of indie rock all through high school and gradually got into some weirder things over time. Radiohead was a massive influence for me and Amnesiac is still one of my all time favourite albums. Specifically Silverchair’s Diorama album was a big influence for me: it’s harmonically super complex and beautifully orchestrated by Van Dyke Parks. The Most Serene Republic were also really influential for me, and more recently These New Puritans. But overall my listening habits are actually pretty wide, so what I make is just as much a synthesis of all the instruments I’ve played and styles I’ve listened to over time.

Lack The Low-Future Heavy

I don’t really think it’s important to push yourself. I think making music is probably hard enough as it is, and trying to make something that sounds difficult might just result in something that sounds contrived, which is not really interesting to me. I think the real challenge of composition is to try to let through what comes most naturally and not overthink everything; to just be a conduit and serve the purpose of the song as purely and as authentically as possible.

Tell me about the steps you had to take in order to develop the facility/skills to create the music you make, did you have lessons or was there a method of study or practice you followed?  Was there any specific musicians that inspired you?

I had violin lessons through my childhood and saxophone lessons in high school and joined the school big band. Then towards the end of high school I started studying voice. I also started self-teaching piano and guitar along the way, and did grades in music theory as well. When it came to making work for Lack the Low, I also had to learn to record and mix everything. I already had some basic DAW skills from previous bands, but in 2015 I went really deep with Ableton and got into more if its functions, especially using samples and soft synths. I spent a number of months doing an online mixing course too, which gave me enough overview to get started. I wouldn’t call myself a very good engineer; I don’t think I have a very good mindset for the science behind it all. But I learned just enough to start producing my own work.In terms of self-producing, there’s a local musician called Aphir, who I’m close friends with and who is an incredibly good producer and engineer, and seeing her play live was a big inspiration for me to learn more about technologies that could allow me to become a more self-sufficient artist. With Ableton and a lot of hardware/software technologies, you really have to have good role models and people you can go to with questions because you come across issues that really aren’t self-evident. There’s a lot of trial and error and a lot of troubleshooting.

Lack The Low-The Daylight Is All Inside

How do you maintain your level of musicianship and ensure that you are becoming a better musician?

I practice singing daily, and I work as a singing teacher, so I spend a lot of time overall on my voice, and a lot of incidental time studying voice pedagogy and science. I also try to get in piano practice daily, and violin practice when I can. This year I started taking violin lessons for the first time in about 14 years, and piano lessons for the first time ever, so I’m focusing much more on building and keeping up my technique in those areas. But for the most part I find myself wishing I had the time to do more!

Tell me about how Lack The Low formed and what led you to starting this project? What were your creative intentions/musicals goals you had from the beginning and how has that changed from then to now?

Although there wasn’t a single moment, I feel it formed in around 2015 when I’d just moved back from the UK. While I was overseas I didn’t make that much music and didn’t have much of a musical support network, but when I moved back to Australia, I also started doing the Artist’s Way course and I felt like making something. I’d become very burned out being in previous bands and had felt really disillusioned by the music industry, so it took some real mental reframing to want to make music again. My only goal was basically, “Let’s see if I can make a whole album of music all by myself”. I didn’t want to think about releasing it, or whether it would be good or not, or whether anyone would hear it or like it, I just wanted to feel like I was capable of finishing a project of my own volition and gain the skills along the way to do that. And that took me three years, but I managed to do it. But when it came to releasing and having other people hear my work, I was kind of dumbfounded by the whole process. I had no expectations, so I took every lesson (good and bad) as gratefully as I could. Now my goals have much more of a sense of reality to them – it’s not just me making work in a vacuum for better or worse. Being able to complete my initial goal gave me some self-belief, so I’ve now been experimenting with different sounds and different aesthetics, trying to make more active decisions across the board.

My favourite thing about your debut is all the different musical directions and ideas that come together. How do you begin the songwriting process and how to approach connecting all of those different sections together? Is there a method that you follow or does it depend on what type of song you are working on?

I wish I had a process! Every song starts differently. In many ways I’m still a very traditional song writer in that I think of most songs initially as lyrics, melodies and chord progressions. It doesn’t come naturally to me to think texturally or in terms of sound design. So, some songs come fully formed and I write the lyrics in a single day, whereas some songs are slowly put together or given up on then revived over a number of years. Very occasionally I’ll start a song in-the-box but normally I write at the piano or combo organ or guitar. I feel much more at home with a real instrument in my hands. And then after that, the production often takes a really long time. I end up to-ing and fro-ing between different ways of fleshing things out, and eventually stitching it all together. I think that’s a reason many of my arrangements end up so Frankenstein’s monster-y. To some degree I’m going in blind without any assumptions and hoping ideas come to me that will best serve the song – that’s always the goal: to serve the emotion of the song. I think I really have no idea what an actual producer does or how they get anything done; for me production is like making a tapestry and it all takes forever.

Was your debut a concept record or anything you considered in terms of a narrative between the songs or the whole album? What did you want the listener to experience, think or feel with this release?

No, it’s not a concept record… I mostly tend to just focus on each song having its own world and meaning, and then staying as true to that single vision as possible. There’s a lot of different themes on the record, but a lot of it has to do with dark sides of humanity and personal growth. Some songs feel quite dystopian to me because I’m taking a kind of dark psychological theme and pushing it to its nth. The most important thing for me is that each song is really emotionally resonant in its own way. Complexity can be great and thought provoking, but communicating in an emotionally engaging way is really my main goal.

What were the main influences that you drew from when you were working on your debut album?

My influences can come from anywhere, but normally my songs are about philosophical ideas I’m trying to get my head around. Sometimes I find myself being really inspired by computer games, books, TV shows or films – anything that speaks to an idea that latches onto my brain.

How do you transfer the arrangements to a live setting since there’s an abundance of different instruments? Is this something you have to constantly think about when composing?

The answer is I don’t think about it at all when composing. But I really should. It would be way more sensible to only use sounds that I can replicate in a live setting,and one day I’d like to do a project like that again.

Lack The Low-Progress  (Live) 

(Recorded live, January 6th 2020, by Royal Ubiquitous Handycam)

But because I don’t have a band, I really took nothing for granted with this project. I remember having a realisation when I first started producing music for myself that was something along the lines of, “hey, I don’t even have to use hi-hats”. It sounds obvious, but I’d come from bands where you have a bassist and guitarist and drummer, and they all have to be playing for most of the song, and there are assumptions that each person makes about what kind of tones or parts of their instrument they’ll default to using. But I found it really freeing to realise I wasn’t constrained by that anymore. I didn’t have to feel guilty about not using cymbals for a whole song, like I’d be letting anyone down.

Also, there are a lot of sounds that are completely unreproducible live. For example, there are bird sounds and machine sounds that are field recordings I took myself that have been digitally twisted beyond recognition. There’s banjo in just one song, and bagpipe samples in another. It would be a total nightmare to make happen in the real world, note-for-note.

The one thing that did influence the writing process was when I was getting closer to completing the demos and recording everything, I’d locked in a really amazing trumpet player and French horn player to record the parts, and that made me really confident to go all out in the horn arrangements, especially for Seven Different Species – the trumpet and horn duet in that song is one of the things I’m proudest of.

Do you have a set rule or philosophy of how you want both of the different realms of performing live and what you hear on record? Do you think that everything should be repeated live as its heard or that the audience want to experience something that can only be witnessed from being at a show?

I think this depends on what part of the album/composition cycle I’m in. Generally what I find is that during the writing phase what you see live is fairly representative of what’s probably going on in my Ableton file, and more representative of how the recording is (or at least is at that moment). And if I’m in the release stage I do feel a certain obligation to have live versions sound enough like the recording. But after that I can depart pretty dramatically from the original recorded version, sometimes to the point where it’s almost unrecognisable.

I think this process is reflective of what it’s like to prepare for a live show as an electronic musician (and although my compositions don’t always sound electronic, I’m still using tools and a workflow that has its foundations in electronic production). When you’re in a band, you can take a written song to your band members, and they flesh it out for you and maybe you add it to your live set, and the song develops over time as a live performance potentially long before ever being recorded in any way. Whereas as an electronic or self-produced musician, you have to work in the opposite direction; often ending up with a recording long before you figure out how to deconstruct it or make it a performative “live” experience. And in my experience this creative deconstruction can happen more and more to a composition over time.

Tell about your live setup and the preferences within your setup? Is it combination of software and hardware instruments to emulate what is on the recorded album? Does this differ between what you use when recording and what you using in a live setting? Please go into detail for all of the gear ends out there.

My live set up changes pretty regularly, but currently most of the time I’m playing solo. I’m using a midi keyboard and a Novation launchpad going into Ableton. I’m mostly using the launchpad to trigger clips or to control Live’s looper, to make vocal loops. The keyboard is going into a variety of piano, synth and organ sounds, and I also have some additional vocal FX mapped to this so I can turn them on and off quickly. And then it all goes out through an interface and that’s about it! I’ve been trying to keep my live show as simple and effective as possible because I have the tendency to over complicate things, which then makes shows more stressful than they need to be.

You can purchase/stream/download Lack The Low’s music from the following links below and please follow these pages to keep with regular updates from the band:

https://linktr.ee/lackthelow

https://lackthelow.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7BdQjLu3Ryk5DoQHQwYJ5a

https://www.instagram.com/lackthelow/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/LackTheLow

Marks Of Provenance III - A Bushfire Fundraiser by Provenance

All proceeds from the 14-track compilation will go directly to those affected by the Australian bushfire emergency via the Fire Relief Fund for First Nations Communities. The fund has been established by First Nations musician Neil Morris, in direct consultation with, and upon the request of, fire-affected First Nations communities, including those who have lost their homes and been forced to evacuate to other regions.

Lack The Low will be playing at Arctangent Festival in the UK this year! Make sure you get out there and watch her set!

https://arctangent.co.uk/tickets/

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MOKONO SIGNS SINGLE BREAKDOWN

Mokono are a five piece based in Southampton who’s sound serenely moves between Jazz and Soul taking the modern progressive approach of fellow sound soldiers Snarky Puppy, Syd Arthur and what might The Mars Volta might sound like if they shared a classroom with Hiatus Kaiyote. 

Vocalist Georgia Lee and bassist Ross Millar sift through the fine details and components of how their debut single “Signs” come to form and the creative phases that they both went through. 

Signs by Mokono

Tell me about the Origin of signs and where the initial ideas for this track came from?

Ross: I actually wrote the opening bass riff back when I was first taking bass lessons. I always loved the sound of the harmonics ringing over one another, but never found a place for it. Until, that is, I started playing it during an early jam session with the band, and everyone else started adding their own parts to it. From there, the rest of the song just formed naturally in my mind.

Georgia: Yeah, I remember when Ross first played the bass riff to us during a jam, we all fell in love with it and got really excited at the idea of it being made it into a full song.

What were your creative intentions from the beginning, how did you want the song to turn out once everything came together? 

Ross: To start with, I just wanted a short, punchy word to put over the stabs at the start of the verse. I suppose that, given that this was at the beginning of a new era of the band writing our own songs, ‘new’ was the natural choice! I wrote the next few lines out of that, establishing the metaphor that the lyrics centre around, and the rest followed on pretty straightforwardly from there.

What was the writing process and how did you compose your parts and put them together as a band?

Ross: Signs was pretty typical of my writing process, in that I started with a riff and progression that established the mood and rhythmic feel of the song and then built the rest up from there more or less in order from start to finish. I tend to notate rough parts for the whole song in Sibelius and bring it to the band to play through, and then we develop the parts, mess around with the structure and add new sections as a group.

Were the any concept, metaphor or personal experiences you were drawing inspiration from? 

Ross: I tend to write in a way that takes a snapshot of something that I’m feeling or have felt, isolates and magnifies a certain aspect of that feeling, and then builds purely around that abstracted concept, usually via a central running metaphor. Signs is good example of this, where the central metaphor of being lost in a familiar place expresses a message refined from my feelings at the time of writing (which is essentially the concept behind ‘Like A Virgin’ looked at from a different angle…)

How did you want the listener to feel and what did you want time to experience and take away when they listened to Signs? 

Ross: The feeling that the song expresses and its affiliated emotions are quite complex, so I wouldn’t say that I necessarily want to induce a certain specific feeling in listeners. The song mostly just tries to express a certain mood, a certain state of mind, that listeners can react to in their own way and maybe relate to.

Georgia: For me the song evokes the feeling of exploring an overwhelming emotion brought about by an unfamiliar experience/ person. Like Ross said, it’s open for interpretation.

Tell me about your creative process for writing lyrics? 

Ross: I actually write most of my lyrics and a good amount of my instrumental parts through bursts of inspiration, often in the middle of the night- I’ll be in the middle of doing something else, play a couple of notes on my guitar, and half an hour later I’m sat in front of my bed with a new verse written out!

Where did you draw Influence from when working on signs? 

Ross:

There’s definitely some disco/funk in there, probably inspired by Here Come The Mummies and Jill Scott, both of whom I was listening to a lot at the time. The syncopated clave rhythm that the piece is based around is rooted in my growing up with Herbie Hancock (figuratively), and the breakdown and layering of textures was definitely inspired by synthwave artists like Mega Drive.

Georgia: Jill Scott is one of my influences as a singer/ performer. We covered one of her songs when we first formed so that neo soul influence has always been there- at least for me anyway. Also, I think that when working on the song together all of our personal tastes feed in, one genre that everyone likes is disco so thats definitely in there.

Is there anything that will change between studio version of Signs and when you play it live?

Georgia: Playing around with arrangements is a really fun thing to do. I think arranging songs for different gigs is a great way to keep audiences (and ourselves) interested and something we’ll aim for in our rehearsals in 2019.

Please follow Mokono at the following links below and check their pages for all updates including shows and music releases:

Bandcamp:

http://mokono.bandcamp.com

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mokono.band/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/MokonoBand/

Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4VMLgFnkrBBZwibRQmTcgj

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KENNY FLORENCE SECONDS TO DAWN EP INTERVIEW

Kenny Florence, a musician based in Brooklyn New York, a master of melody and songwriting that’s harmoniously housed throughout the canorous compositions of his debut solo EP Seconds To Dawn.

Seconds To Dawn covers a new range of creative contours that I haven’t heard Kenny Florence musically explore before, its great to see that one of my favourite musicians is still looking for ways to push themselves and this EP has definitely done that.

This interview explores the creative processes he went through whilst writing and recording this release.

Do you have a tried and tested method for how you work with writing music and did you change that for this release?

In contrast to a lot of what I've done in the past, I wanted this record to feel intimate, personal, and ephemeral. I wanted every song to have the character of a short, passing thought or fleeting mood. In order to accomplish this, I tried not to linger too long in the writing process or to analyze what I was doing to the extent that I normally would. 

Three of the songs were written in one or two sittings. Two were old songs that I rediscovered while listening back to an old handheld tape recorder from about a decade ago. These ones basically just needed to be developed a bit, and again I tried to finish them in one or two sittings.

Cut the Tension is a cover of a song by the New Jersey emo-hardcore band Lifetime. To me their music embodies the same kind of transient emotional poignancy that I was going for with this EP, so I figured I'd see how well it would translate stylistically. 

It actually ended up being my favourite track, so I guess there was something to the resonance I felt with their aesthetic. 

Seconds to Dawn by Kenny Florence

How did each track begin, develop and change as you worked on them? 

As soon as I finished writing or arranging each song, I considered it pretty much locked. From there the only changes I made were to the orchestration, which is for the most part pretty sparse. The backbone of each song is definitely the acoustic guitar and vocal melody. 

I do a lot of doubling of the main guitar part with piano, hammered dulcimer, and folk harp, often creating emergent counter melodies by selectively emphasizing certain fragments of the main part. I was really stoked to be able to finally put my hammered dulcimer to abundant use--I'd been tinkering around with it for years waiting for the right project to feature it. 

Two of the tracks feature strings, the more involved of the two being Clouds Go By.For that song, I wanted the string arrangement (a quartet) to sound like a freely played, highly ornamental guitar solo harmonized in four parts.

It's a technique I've been messing around with for a few years. I recorded myself playing all four parts on guitar and then recorded each string player separately, using the guitar recording as a guide.The part is played behind the beat, so I programmed a separate fluctuating click track for the quartet to record to.I was blown away at how easy it was to get it to sound right. 

Honestly, I wasn't expecting it to work. I did have the good fortune of working with some really great players, so I'm immensely thankful for that

Seconds to Dawn by Kenny Florence

 Seconds to Dawn by Kenny Florence

What influences did you have for each track and the whole EP? What creative methods did you take and was there a specific direction that you wanted to follow?  

Over the year or so that it took for me to make the EP, I was listening to a lot of late 60s and early 70s singer-songwriter type stuff. Nick Drake, Joni Mitchell, and Cat Stevens were huge influences. 

Vocally, I've been gravitating a lot more toward a breathier sound, in the vein of say early Smashing Pumpkins or My Bloody Valentine. It's something I had never really considered to be in my wheelhouse until a couple years ago, but it's become kind of a go-to sound for me. 

In the past I've tended to neglect minor keys, so I made a conscious effort to include a few on the EP. I've always found major keys a more ready vehicle for my personal musical voice, but I've been realizing more and more the gigantic potential for interesting modal shifts and shading with minor keys. 

How did you want push yourself musically with this release?  

Well, first of all I've never been very good at writing short songs. I have a hard time knowing when to wrap things up. Often, when I get about three fourths of the way through a song I start to veer from the main plot, adding little twists and turns like a double bridge or extended non-sequitur outro. 

But with this EP I realized it was going to be necessary to try and impose tighter constraints on the overall complexity and duration of each song. I've also always had somewhat of a hard time with lyrics. I have a penchant for the esoteric and metaphysical, and I tend to use my music as an outlet for expressing headier kinds of thoughts. But I feel this sometimes gets in my way lyrically and can cause an awkward aesthetic juxtaposition with the music. 

Seconds to Dawn by Kenny Florence

So the challenge for this EP was to find a way to bring the lyrical content down to earth while staying true to my cosmic, revelatory impulses. 

The solution I settled into was to couch the macro in the language of the micro, using the intimate, the small, and the personal as representations or resonances of the larger picture I feel constantly compelled to describe.

Lastly, I wanted to make sure that this EP was stylistically cohesive and really felt like a unified vision. 

I've done a lot of genre-hopping in the past--an approach I know I'll never truly abandon--but felt that this collection of songs really needed to flow together. 

In terms of production how did you want the EP to sound? How did you record the EP and what microphones and software did you use?  

As I've mentioned, it was important to me that the EP feel extremely intimate and personal. For this reason I chose to go with an overall super dry, close-miked, highly present sound. I wanted the vocals to really sit up front and have an almost tactile quality. I used a Sennheiser M421 for all the vocals, which I found achieved this effect pretty well on my voice. 

De-essing became somewhat of a battle though, so I'm not sure if I'd do it that way again. I recorded almost all the instruments in one room in my apartment, and that made everything end up sounding pretty unified spacially. The thicker sounding guitars were recorded by my friend Neal Shaw at Power Station, and I believe he used a Neumann U67 and U87. 

Please Follow Kenny Florence’s music at:

https://kennyflorence.bandcamp.com

For other projects and music from Kenny Florence:

https://www.kennethmichaelflorence.com

Seconds to Dawn by Kenny Florence

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ORCHARDS INTERVIEW

Orchards, a quartet based in Brighton that masterfully modulates between the primary colours of pop and malleable molecules of math rock. 

Each of their tracks contains a copious amount of cleverly executed hooks and progressive punctuation that’s subtle and subliminal, providing plenty of musical muscle that’s robustly relevant to the ears of musicians and the casual listener which is no easy feat. 

Its pleasant to see a band pull this off without it sounding like its a forced installation of ideas that are trying to swiftly suit the needs of the listener or cut creative corners to satisfy tasteless trends. 

Orchards do everything listed above and clearly convey a sense of fun whilst maintaining a serious approach to songwriting that’s meticulous and modern. 

I interviewed Orchards on their tour with Tiny Moving Parts back in summer after their recent signing to Big Scary Monsters. 

Losers/Lovers by Orchards

How did Orchards form and what were all of you musical intentions for how you wanted Orchards to sound and how has that changed from then to now ?

Sam: Orchards began with me and the original vocalist, we started to write a few songs together and then got Will (drums ) involved and then decided that we needed a bassist. I didn't actually know any specific bass players but I did know someone who owned bass which, was my housemate Dan Fane.

Dan: Me and Sam lived together and I was the owner of the bass guitar that we had in the flat. I came along to a few practices and starting writing with songs with the rest of the band so, I haven't formally been asked to join the band to this date.......

Sam: That's how we like to keep it, we like to keep him on his toes.

What inspired you to become musicians and become involved in music ?

Sam: My cousin took me to see The Red Hot Chilli Peppers when I was really really young which was a big moment for me, seeing John Frusciante play really opened up my mind to what was possible with the guitar. 

After that I went home and sat with my acoustic and tried for hours to make my guitar sound like his which led me to buying my first electric guitar.

Dan: The first record that I bought was the best of Carlos Santana, my parents loved his music well, it was mainly my dad. My parents used to host a lot of parties in our house and Santana's music was always something that was present there. Seeing people dance and enjoy music in that setting made me want to learn how to play an instrument, I even went and bought one of Santana's signatures guitars as well.

What the bands, artists  and musicians shaped and formed the creative approach you take with your instrument ?

Sam: Again John Frusciante, not just what he did with The Red Hot Chilli Peppers but every aspect of his approach to playing and his solo stuff. I'm really into his other Ataxia as well.

Incubus was another important band that influenced  the way that I play in Orchards. Incubus is one the bands that we can all have as a collective influence. At The Drive and The Mars Volta really blew my mind and were really pushing a lot of musical boundaries so my approach was influenced by lots of different genres combined together.

Dan: It was mainly Biffy Clyro..............

How are the songs are written in Orchards and how does the process work from A to B?

Dan: It's a really different process for all of us since we're all songwriters. Sometimes a song comes from a riff written by Sam or our drummer Will who's also an incredible guitar player as well.  It can be anything really anything from a chorus idea or a top line vocal melody. It's a great way to work and I like how we don't write to formula and have lots of different creative pools to draw from. Orchards sound definitely comes from the different styles and influences that we all have.

Sam: I'll usually have a plethora of ideas that can range from a single guitar part or a complete idea that we'll structure together as a band. Me and  Will will work on some ideas that he's come up for me to try out on guitar which gives me another creative avenue to explore. 

His guitar parts really push me out of my comfort zone which in turn makes me become a better musician.  He'll usually bring me a handful of riffs to try out which I'll change here and there. We'll continue to work on ideas as a full band and shape the songs in a rehearsal room.

Sometimes a song will just come together really easily, like when we wrote I Luv You 2.  

The core elements of the song came from a single guitar part and the whole song came together in the space in a three hour rehearsal. It  hasn't changed from the initial ideas that we came up with together in that one room.

Luv You 2-Orchards

Dan: Whereas songs like Darling which took about two years to write. We couldn't move past a certain point with it and keep hitting a creative wall so we just shelved it and put it to bed until we were ready to work on it again

Darling-Orchards 

Sam: When Lucy joined we started playing it at the end of a rehearsal, without the intention of even working on it so, it was all completely off the cuff when we came up with the rest of the song.

I can't remember if it was a different guitar part or bass line that me or Dan played but something happened which made Lucy add a load of new vocal parts and it all just came together.

How do you maintain a constant state of progression and ensure that you are proficient with your musicianship?

Dan: I don't practise as much as I should and the only time I feel that I seriously practice is when we are rehearsing together as a band. I'm not a bass player, I use a pick and just play it like a guitar so I'm approaching the role of a being a bassist from a totally different perspective than what its used for. 

I mainly just work on writing new material on my Guild acoustic and experimenting with lots of different chords and vocal melodies.

Sam: I write more than I practice, I have a warm up that I play its a something that Tom Morrello uses which is a mixture of hammer ons though, I didn't do that before today's show.

I'll usually just run through songs if I actually need to warm up. The main rule I have is not to have more than two beers before I go on, that's a golden rule since we all got a bit plastered at a show before which doesn't help when you are playing music that's technical with lots of changes.

Since you all write and bring ideas to the table, how important do you think it is to listen to everyone in the band and be honest when working on a song or specific idea, how important is honesty in a band when working together creatively even when it comes to your own ideas?

Dan: We've learned as a band to see an idea through to the end and try it out regardless whether you like it or not.

Its not always the best approach completely shun or dismiss and idea, even if you don't like it based on how it sounds. Getting past that first impression and seeing how it'll turn out in the end is a really factor  to consider in the writing process and something other bands should keep in mind.

There's always room to experiment with ideas, the end result will always be different to the first initial idea. We're always open to try an idea and see what happens.

Sam: We're all really good friends and that really helps, it allows everyone to trust  each others sense of musical judgement. Overall we have a great sense of  musical democracy between us, everyone gets to put their ideas forward and everyone's opinion is taken into account.

Dan: Our live shows for us is the main element that we focus on when writing, playing something that you really don't enjoy live really comes across to the audience.  

What have you learned from playing in a band and knowledge can you pass on to other musicians?

Sam: I'd advise other musicians to only create music that you want to play, don't just follow or write music that fits a scene.

Once a trend dies then all of the music that went with it dies as well, you can't just jump on a scene if its gaining a following already. Just be yourself and focus on writing music that you love to play.

Dan: I remember watching an interview with Biffy Clyro and they were talking about the origins of the band.  Their agenda from the start was to only play the music that they had a collective passion for and that they wanted to create.

So like Sam I'd strongly agree with playing and writing music that you really enjoy, its one of the most crucial points of being in a band.

Do you think bands need to deliver more to an audience and that audiences expect more in this modern age?  

Sam: I like it when a band sounds completely different from their studio recording, that's how you can tell if a band is actually performing live.

I've never been a fan watching bands that play to  backing tracks or drummers just pressing play on some kind of sampler.

I saw Clean Clean Cut Kid live recently and they sounded completely different to their recorded albums. It just makes it more of a an interesting experience for the audience and the band playing since everything isn't running on a script.

Orchards - Live and Acoustic - BSM Popup Shop, Cardiff

Dan: I think its very easy to go overboard when you are in the studio and a song can really sound great with loads of additional overdubbed parts and different layers but, you are always going to find a problem playing it live if you go down that route since you don't have an abundance of extra  musicians playing everything you've recorded or  you have to play to a click so that everything lines up with a backing track, eliminating any elements of surprise.

Musicians naturally speed up, slow down, play more aggressively or quietly to cause tension in a live performance.

 You can't really do that if you are relying on a bunch of other elements to enhance your performance, if one thing goes down then your whole set can be ruined.

Sam: Its annoying when a band can't play a key element of they the song because its on a synth or something that can't be incorporated in a live setting. I prefer a live performance to be as natural as possible with everyone reacting as a band instead of relying on software to cue everything.

Our producer Thomas Lebeau Morley knows how to make the songs like they've been played together by a band in the same room even though we've recorded some additional parts and layers.  He mixes everything in a such a clever way and doesn't sound like a misinterpretation of what we sound like live.

There's a difference between both mediums but its not a drastic difference when we go between them.

What do you use in your rig?

Sam: I'm currently using a Mexican Fender Mustang and an American Telecaster going through a Fender Deluxe Hotrod and  a Fender Deville.

My pedal board is designed to fill out the space of only having one guitar in the band and  I'm playing a lot melodies instead of chords. Like Incubus and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers we've got three different instruments to work with  Lucy's vocals on top 

I'm using a Line 6 DL4, two boss delays which are used for slap back delays and a Electro Harmonix Cathedral for reverb.

Next is a Poly Octave Generator from Electro Harmonix and a Digitech Whammy  which are used for pitch shifting and octaves.

I've started using more modulated effects which is where the Marshall Regenerator and  Rainbow Machine come into play. The Rainbow Machine is really a weird pedal that requires some fine tuning but I've found a way to integrate it in with everything else.

My last pedal is a Dunes Overdrive from Earthquaker  Devices that I competition from Juan Alderete during one of  their exhibitions. Its another weird pedal that's replaced my Boss DS1 and just gives me a really thick (GIRTH!) and heavy sound!

A big shout out to the Yamaha ABC ( Automatic Bass Chord ) Keyboard, we've used that for every track we've put out. Its coming to the end of its life and is covered in duct tape.

Unfortunately Yamaha have discontinued this model and they are quite hard to find online. I remember that I dislocated my shoulder and still had to play all of the parts when it was in that condition but we managed to get everything down, hopefully it doesn't croak before we put out our next release.

Lucy also uses a Boss VE20 for harmonies and doubling up her vocals. 

What advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time and see yourself as a younger musician?

Dan: I'd advise myself to not use too much distortion, when I first started playing live I was always at the front playing guitar, using the stereotypical Line 6 Spider amplifier on the most metal sounding setting which sounded great on its own but doesn't give you any real definition of what you are actually playing in terms harmony or melody.

Sam: I'd invest in a good set of strings and avoid using the cheapest brand that I was using at the time and the correct gauge to suit my style of playing since I used to always snap strings when I was a younger musician.  I'd tell myself to get my guitar setup by a professional guitar tech, its not an expensive process and can really make a difference.

Sam Rushton was recently nominated by Total Guitar Magazine as one the best new guitarists of 2018. 

Give him your vote since he’s paving the way forward with modern guitar music and he’s a quality chap. 

Just follow the link below and VOTE!!!!!

https://www.musicradar.com/news/who-is-the-best-new-guitarist-of-2018?fbclid=IwAR2I3xHrx-hXDyiElpPrsjOPjk7zKSmg2hTyqy-rJoDn_99eGH519Q7LAn0

Please follow Orchards at the following links listed below 

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/orchardslive

Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4XWU6kWmuSBJJ1QL0BV3NZ

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/orchardslive/?hl=en

( Photos by Dan Chase and Jessie Morgan )

[carlculationinfinityinterviews]

DELTA SLEEP INTERVIEW

Delta Sleep, an indie quartet based in Brighton whose sound is sonically cinematic and as broad as the many cities and countries that they've toured.

Ghost City, their latest release covers many musical terrains and spectrum of sound that form a compositional coalition between the cooperatively complex instrumentation and vibrant vocal craft work contained in Devin Yuceil's lyrics.

Each track feels like a new colourful border for the listener to explore. Opening new auditory pathways with each listen.  I met with Delta Sleep on their most recent tour in Southampton to discuss how they became musicians and their processes throughout the creation of their new album Ghost City.

At what point did you realise that music was something that was important to you and what bands and artists were the first to influence your interest in music?

Devin: The first genre of music that I really got into and really cared about was punk, an older friend of mine from college had some of the early albums from Weezer, Green Day and NoFx which we used to listen to in his basement. It was quite extreme back then and we felt like we were being really rebellious. 

Those bands inspired me to start learning to play guitar and write shit punk songs filled with power chords about girls and the establishment.

Blake: I first got into music from listening to a lot of trance and garage. I used to buy those compilation albums from Ministry Of Sound and Judge Jules which led me to start listening to The So Solid Crew and The Heartless Crew. 

Nu Metal bands like Korn and Deftones were what inspired me to become a drummer since it was a combination of metal and hip hop which, are the main genres that I’m currently listening to at the moment. 

David: I listened to a lot of Trance as well, Cream Anthems and then Iron Maiden.

Glen: I used to listen to NoFx, a lot of NoFx, I was even in a NoFx covers band we were called YesFx5000 though, we only played show. I loved Deftones and really got into Aphex Twin and Bjork but in the beginning Pop Punk and Punk Rock were my main jam.

Delta Sleep - Sans Soleil 

How did you all meet and what do you feel that everyone brings to the table creatively and how do you work together as a band?

Devin: Me and Glen met at uni, he had dreadlocks and was really into juggling, we found that we had a similar interests in music and I learned to never judge a book by its cover. 

Blake: I joined the band later and saw that they really needed a solid rhythm section, my role in the band is bring a sense of structure to the songs and provide a core rhythmic backing for the weird and sporadic ideas that Glen and Devin come up with. Like most bands we jam out ideas and shape the content of the song as we go. 

Glen: I definitely take the role of guitar riff guy. 

Dave: Its definitely more of a collective effort in the they we work now.

Devin: Our more recent material is mainly defined by the vocals which has been the main factor in deciding how long a section should be and where they should change or repeat. We've been focusing on using more standard song structures to write the new material which is something we haven't really done before.

How would you describe the approach to your instrument and what bands and artists shaped the creative core of your style?

Glen: Enablers really changed the way that I thought about guitars and how operate in a band, their music features a lot of space, there's a lot of points where instruments will cut out and stop playing throughout a song which gives everything room to breathe in a really unique way. 

Our earlier material used to have tonnes of guitar riffs and ideas that would go on and on and on which, really worked for us in the earlier stages of Delta Sleep.

I'm now writing music that's completely parallel to that where the songs are three minutes long and have lots of repeating sections.

Me and Devin were in another band where I played bass and Devin played drums. The guitarist’s philosophy was to do everything live, record in three takes, songs should only between two and three minutes long and any ideas go into another song. I’m using more and more of those ideas now in our newer material. 

Blake: Personally my approach is to start writing something simple, find the backbeat and then add in various different parts making it more complicated or full as I go along. As previously mentioned I listen to a lot of hip hop so finding that backbeat is one of the core elements of my style.

Delta Sleep - El Pastor

How do you push yourself musically and ensure that you are exploring new creative realms?

Blake: I try to listen to lots of different music and incorporate different  styles into my playing. Our sound is always changing because we're all listening to different types of music and experimenting with lots of different genres. That's how you develop your own sound and style. If you are just listening to one style of music you'll only learn how to replicate instead of innovate.

Glen: I've stopped overthinking my guitar parts, sometimes having the most simple idea is the best idea, improvising can sometimes bring out the best in your playing as well. If you are thinking about a part for too long then it probably isn't  the best  idea you could come up with.

How do you feel that working on Ghost City has pushed you creatively and how do you feel that you have changed as musicians?  How did the original ideas that you had at the beginning change as you worked through the album?

David: I feel like we've become more ruthless in regards to writing and less precious about specific parts, riffs or ideas. 

Twin Galaxies had a lot of parts that we had to fit together whereas with Ghost City any parts or ideas that didn't work were saved for another song so, instead of having 10 riffs we'd have one riff that was fully fleshed out and developed. 

Simplification over complication is what we were after with Ghost City. There's still plenty of  proggy moments but its fleshed out between the   verses and choruses of each song.

Delta Sleep - Single File

When recording Ghost City in Italy I read that you were also playing shows alongside the creation of the album and recording everything live. How did that compare to working on Twin Galaxies? Is this a process that want to repeat in the future?

Devin: We had a tour booked either side of the studio and a few shows booked leading up to those tours as well, we ended up playing a lot of the new songs live which led us to capture the most natural elements of us playing together as a live band.

Glen: Recording live really changed the overall result of how we sound on the album, knowing that everything is being recorded at the same time eally pushes you to make sure that you really the know how to play the songs and work together efficiently.  

We knew from the beginning that we wanted to capture the mood and feel of each track which and doing that live allows you play more expressively and dynamically. Recording everything live provided us with the inital pressure to play as best as we can and capture everything in that single moment during each performance.

Blake: You can punch in for everything and that's fine but it can really take out the soul, recording live captures the vibe and feel of  that moment of a bands performing. Capturing that live element actually makes the tracks feel like something more than a recorded piece of collected information that sounds perfect and has no human element.

David: Having that tour on the way down really helped us to play the songs that would be featured on this album, so we were really well rehearsed since we had to play these songs live to an audience and in the studio.

You can do thirty takes and it can really take the love you have for a song because you've focused so much on planing each part perfectly. Playing live doesn't give you the option to go ever that much detail since your only playing in that moment.

Devin: We still overdubbed a few different parts which was mainly doubling up distorted guitars and adding different textures with delays and other pedals to create other sonic textures. 

Recording our parts live beforehand allowed us to spend more time to have more time to experiment with pedals  and all of the other interludes.

Floater was actually finished in the studio when we were in Italy. We didn't want to change it a lot or over compose anything or really spend a lot of time analysing the parts as the interludes served as a documentation of the time that and moment we spent in Italy.

Delta Sleep - Sultans of Ping

Tell me about the concept for Ghost City, how you came up with the idea to take this creative direction or approach to about the effects of technology on society? How do you think technology and music are working together and do you feel that more bands are taking the organic approach to recording and writing like you did on Ghost City?

Devin: We never sat down and discussed how the album would sound or what musical direction we should follow in terms of a creative idea or blueprint. I feel that our music is cinematic, when writing lyrics I like to place myself in a world or write from the perspective of the people in that world and what they may experience, whether that be tastes, smells, relationships and culture. I feel that process allows me write lyrics thataren't typical and based around common themes or subjects.

When was the last time you listened to music that you feel that really pushed the boundaries of music?

Blake: James Blake's The Colour Of Everything really changed quite a lot for me and I never really understood his music until that album out. The approach to production is something that really stands out and has loads of textures and chopped up vocals. Its a really dark sounding album.

David: There's a band of Ovlov which is I think is meant to be Volvo backwards.

Glen: It's kind of a throwback to music from the early 90's similar to Weezer of Foo Fighters.

Devin: It's like what we talked about earlier where bands are going back and re inventing a genre or style of music and taking a different approach to the simplicity of that music.

What advice would you give to other bands are starting up now and lessons have you learned a long on the way?

Glen: I've learned from making mistakes when I was younger and wouldn’t change anything at all, it’s all part of the learning process of becoming a better musician. 

I've written some absolutely awful songs but that's allowed me to become better and understand why they weren’t great and how to improve myself as a songwriter. 

My advice to other bands is to get your own personal means of transport, learn how to drive and get a van if you can.  

If you can drive then you can play a show anywhere without having to rely on anyone else that could potentially let you down in the long run. Play as many shows as you can outside of your home town and find bands that you love. Try to play with shows with them and gig swap its the best way to form contacts with promoters and bands in different cities. 

I’d also recommend recording everything live if you can and do it as often as possible.

Devin: Avoid any promoter that asks you sell any tickets for your own show, it can be a complete scandal and really rip you off. Don’t always settle on the first idea you come up when writing, ensure that  you and everyone is happy with what you are playing. Try lots of ideas and don’t just follow other bands because they are doing something trendy, you can find your own voice and it may take some time but it’ll be worth it in the end. 

David: Be open to chatting to people at a gig, you never know who you are going to meet or who'll be at a show. I think all bands should know how to put on their own gig and do it completely of their own backs. Its a great learning experience and as you soon as you learn how to put on a show then you have less chance of being screwed over. It'll help you learn how the industry works, try to pick the best shows for your band and try not say yes to everything. 

Please follow Delta Sleep and support their music by checking out the links below as well as their upcoming West Coast USA Tour

Tickets: https://www.facebook.com/tours/322098818343652/

https://www.facebook.com/deltasleepband/

http://deltasleepband.com

https://deltasleep.bandcamp.com

[carlculationinfinityinterviews]

Life Inc. The Last Double Act Single Premiere

Life Inc. a progressive and experimental group based in London. Their debut single the Last Double Act courageously merges the sonic inventories from a plethora of different genres, raiding the polyphonic pockets of artists of akin to Department M, Forward Russia, Telefon Tel Aviv, Bloc Party and 65 Days Of Static.

Life Inc. have created something that’s atypically aggressive and creatively balanced with a clear sense of its own musical identity without the feel of them trying to slip into the artistic uniforms of someone that they aren’t which, can be a fatal mistake I’ve seen new bands make with their first release.

There’s a lot to take in as a listener but, never does it feel that you are bombarded by an array of gaudy instrumentation.

Each listen uncovers an ingredient in the sonic blueprints of their sound and has definitely provided them with a solid foundation.

Overall I’m impressed and intrigued. It’ll be interesting to see what they can produce with their future releases and how they’ll interpret their material in a live setting.

Life Inc. will be playing at Ritual Union Festival on 20th of October at the 02 Academy at 17:15

Tickets and stage times can be found in the images and links below.

http://ritualunion.co.uk

Ritual Union Festival Clash Finder + Stage Times.

Please follow Life Inc. at the following links listed below:

https://www.facebook.com/lifeinc.lifeinc/

Instagram:

@lifeinc._

[carlculationinfinityinterviews]

THOM PANKHURST INTERVIEW

Thom Pankhurst, a solo virtuoso guitarist based in the UK who has recently released his shredtacular debut EP Lighthouse. Thom is clearly a musician who has the ability to comfortably move between many different creative contortions and compose colourful clever arrangements. I sat down with Thom to discuss the processes he went through when working on this release, his musical approach and his development as a guitarist. 

You can follow Thom Pankhurst at:

https://www.facebook.com/Thompankhurst/

https://www.instagram.com/thompankhurst/

Stream Lighthouse in the links below:

https://www.thompankhurst.com https://thompankhurst.bandcamp.com/album/lighthouse

[carlculationinfinityinterviews]

Kitty O’Neal Interview

Kitty O'Neal, an independent songwriter who’s recently released her debut album Giving In To You. This brilliant debut explores the embodiment of her experiences as a songwriter personifying them as entities and narrating them from different perspectives.

Coupled with a backing band or presented as a solo artist Kitty O’Neal’s music displays a vast amount of depth that’s complex, deep and cleverly cryptic. In this interview we explore the  creative processes she went through whilst working on her debut and her musical origins.

Tell me about your first musical encounters and how those interactions led you to wanting to become a musician?

Like most musicians I grew up with my first musical interactions coming from my parents and other family members, my mother is a music teacher and my Dad was a bassoonist so there was always someone playing music around the house.

My grandmother gave me piano lessons though I switched to learning how to play guitar when I attended college where I discovered that I had a natural love and ability for songwriting.

Giving In To You Introduction  

Can you tell me the first piece of music that made you want to write your own music?

The first song that started to make me pay attention to music from a musicians perspective was Alanis Morissette’s Hands Clean, it was the first thing I can remember that I wanted to listen to or became attracted to it in a musical sense. I was really listening to songs that featured a lot of lyrics.

How would you describe your approach to writing music has changed since you started writings and how has your musical ambitions changed as well?

The main aim of songwriting at the start was just to write a song and have something that was complete, catchy and something that I could call my own. There wasn’t as much attention or direction put into the overall content which is completely different to how I work now.

The main change is that I’m drawing from experiences that are both first and third person or ideas that I need to express.

I feel that I’ve become more of a songwriter in terms of what I achieve with the overall output and finished product.

What was your process for writing and how do you write a song to A to B? What methods do you use?

I wasn’t a great guitarist when I first started out and most of my songs used to just start with simple chords. simplicity was what worked for me in the beginning with the lyrics just being shoved on top of them.

Now the focus has completely shifted to everything supporting what I have to deliver as lyricist. Words are something that I think about all of the time,  the majority of ideas that I’m working with now spur from a phrase or experimenting with melodies to make them fit a lyrical phrase that I’ve had in my head.

The overall content or message of the song is different every time so I’m always moving forward as a songwriter.

Tell me about your latest single from your album without a sound? Can you tell me about how it changed when you took from playing it on your own to a full band and the process of working with the other members in your band?

Without A Sound is written about a feeling that I was experiencing which I personified in a way, as I found it easier to write about something if it was given a ‘body’. This is something I’ve been approaching differently in my songwriting process, as I used to write quite obviously but now I try to include levels in the meaning, although I can understand why a listener would think this song is solely about my relationship with another person.

Without going into detail, the general feeling I was experiencing which is personified in Without A Sound was the urge to disappear or remove myself from certain things. The phrase “I will go without a sound” kept resounding in my mind when I was writing it…the verses came easily as I wrote them from a conversational standpoint. Personifying these emotions allows me write more objectively.

Tell me about how you work with the band and what creative tools do they bring to the table? What steps does a song go through when you work with them?

I’ll write all of the lyrics, chords and melodies first before taking an idea to the band. I like to have a complete idea and the skeleton of a song before I start working with them.

I always think its important to hear their take on it, I always consider what feedback they have to give, how they respond since they are the first audience to any ideas that I have. Although sometimes I’ll have an idea and be dead certain on what I want for the overall outcome. We’re all great friends and are on the same creative wavelength and they are all greatly skilled musicians so we all equally respect each others ideas.

What made you want to work with these three other musicians and what do they bring to the creative elements of your music?

I’m extremely close with all of my band members which makes it all the more fun. My guitarist Morgan is one of my best friends and housemates, we met at university and started playing covers and my songs together.  He’s been working with me throughout the duration of my studies and has become a musician that I’m really comfortable working with and being open creatively in front of.

Frazer (Bass) also lives with us. He is great at coming up with ideas that I wouldn’t usually think of, perhaps because of his broad musical taste. These ideas are mainly about the arrangements and what the whole band is doing and how they are supporting the song, and he’s good at coming up with really specific details in drum fills/bar lengths that I would never think of.

Dan (Drums) came into the band last winter and recorded and produced my debut album. He’s an amazingly talented composer and has added a lot of different compositional elements to my sound, both in the studio and in the live setting.

Take It Slow 

How have they pushed you as a musicians and how important is it to have that close working relationship, how does that benefit your music?

It’s the most crucial thing, having people that you enjoy working with really adds to the overall quality of the music, it really enhances our presence when performing as a band. The main message that I’ve heard from successful musicians is to surround yourself with people who not only love your music but people you are great friends with.

Morgan, Dan and Frazer have definitely pushed me to write more. When I worked on my own I took a lot longer to create things since it was only for myself but having something new to show them in rehearsals is always refreshing. Its a great feeling when I have a new idea to show them and they are equally excited to work on it.

You said that Alannis Morrisette was one the artists that inspired you to want to write music, what other artists have shaped the sound of the music you create and the approaches you apply?

As I mentioned earlier in my teens I listened primarily to a lot of female artists such as Sarah Bereilles, Agnes Obel  and Missy Higgins who use a lot of lush, scrunchy chords and clever lyrics. They were the main inspiration behind the fist songs that I wrote which were mainly piano ballads.

When I started playing guitar Joni Mitchell was one of the guitarists that made me really wanted me improve my abilities.

Learning her approach to finger style guitar and the chords that she uses really helped me improve.

More recently I’ve started listening to Feist, Kate Bush. Also The Staves and Bon Iver, who’ve pushed me to try and use my voice in different ways and add dense harmonies in the studio.

Lucy Rose and Haim were also main influences when writing the album.

How do you ensure that you are becoming a better musician?

I don’t practice a lot but I do listen, that’s the main method that I use for improving myself. I make sure that I’m always doing something creative, whether its painting or writing or music.

Keeping my mind in that creative space allows me be ready for any ideas that come into fruition and ensures that I’m ready to work on those ideas as soon as they come.

Comfortable Enough

How important do you think it is to push yourself as a musician, t get out into your comfort zone and to explore new grounds? Do you think that this a natural requirement for modern musicians?

I think nowadays that its important to push yourself as much as you can since everyone’s in a band or creating music. There’s a lot of music out there follows the same format and it can be very hard to stand out and make something unique and special.

It doesn’t have to be obvious  and you don’t have to bare your soul to the world but you know as a writer when you are either settling for the middle ground or going that extra mile to do something different, if you want people to listen then you’ve got to push yourself and be honest.

Tell about your album and the processes that go into a making and how to do create that with taking the audience or listeners into the equation?

Giving In To You was an album that I wrote last summer, I mainly wrote the songs for myself until I had a large enough collection of songs to record as a collective.

I started a PledgeMusic account to help fund the costs of making the album. Dan Keen is the producer and drummer on this release.

Overall the main thing that goes into an album when recording is hours, I think I’ve spent over a 100 hours with Dan in the studio.

Promoting an album requires everything from artwork, photography, organising a release show, tour promotion and booking lots of gigs. I worked with the really talented Brandon Otto who took all of the photos album and my single release and created my album artwork. I also painted a floral design which can be found on the CD of the album.

Where Will I Go

Tell me about your creative mindset a the beginning of this process in comparison to how you feel about the album as whole at the end?

At the beginning I thought the songs I had written were an exact representation of how I was feeling which, at the time was completely true. Over the duration I’ve written a lot of songs that have moved away from where I started in the creative process.

I think I’ve changed my mindset and am now writing purely because I love it and writing when it comes naturally. Whereas when I set out to write this album, I had a deadline and I was writing for an ‘end goal’. I think I prefer my new way.

Lyrically how are you approaching things differently from this album and where are you drawing inspiration from are you from the third person by personifying emotions and ideas or things that have happened to you directly?

Some of the earlier songs, such as Comfortable Enough and Make It Yours were written about things I’ve experienced with relationships/friendships.

Most of the ideas came from things that I’ve personally been a part of but I’m able put a twist on things and write from other perspectives. I don’t want to give too much of myself away but for me the main inspiration does come from my own feelings and my own mind.

How important is it to remain honest in what you have to say lyrically or musically?

I think its really important to keep honesty as a priority in writing. Each person is different and that individuality will set you apart from other artists.

In the beginning I used to go with the easiest option, by using lyrics just because they rhymed or followed lyrical themes or formulas of other songs that I had already heard.

Over time I found that doing things my own way provided me with the most authentic results and satisfaction as a songwriter.

I’m at a point now when I’m being completely honest with myself and know when I really need to step up and push myself , I’m continually pushing boundaries as a songwriter and trying to step out of my comfort zone with the new material that I’m working on.

As a modern DIY musician and what challenges come with that, what advice have you had  a long the way and what advice can you give to other bands?

I’d advise just throwing yourself into everything creative that you can and you’ll figure the rest out as you go. There wasn’t a guide or anything when I started, I just went and started writing music and playing shows. Everything just comes together as along as you keep putting music out and continue to work hard on your craft.

Giving yourself a deadline along the lines of something like “I’ll be signed by this or that age” can be very unhealthy for the content of your work. My approach is to keep writing and playing music because I love it, keeping that in mind allows you really to enjoy every part of being a musician.

Without A Sound

How do you want audiences to interpret your album live do you want differences between each of the different mediums? Do you think audience members expect a higher standard with each?

I like a bit of both, I like it when a band can perform the songs of an album as I’ve heard it previously but also strip things back and play a different rendition or version of the song.

There’s a track on the album called Where Will I Go, which sounds electronic and heavily produced so that will definitely sound different live.

If you could go back in time to see yourself as a younger artists what would you tell yourself?

I’d tell myself to keep going and not to worry about being good enough or comparing yourself to your peers, I had a year away from playing music and went travelling but kept coming back to playing music because its my passion. I’d tell myself to take my music more seriously from an early age. Having confidence in yourself is a great tool.

You can follow Kitty O’Neal’s Music in the following links listed below: 

SPOTIFY

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7LNhh4bznMxIqjePfTAgTK?si=aDb2w4B1SDmt9mw3r3jCPg

FACEBOOK

www.facebook.com/kittyonealmusic

INSTAGRAM

https://www.instagram.com/kittyoneal_/?hl=en

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STANLÆY INTERVIEW

STANLÆY, an artist who creates music that brilliantly uses vastly textural compositions fused with a visual counterpart. 

STANLÆY’s  latest release titled The Human Project explores the elements and embodies each of them in both sight and sound. The Human Project is an incredibly immersive experience that’s ethereal and captivating.  

I interviewed STANLÆY at The Maple Leaf Lounge Sessions in Southampton to talk more about the album and musical origins of the band. 

STANLÆY-THE HUMAN PROJECT TRAILER

What was your first encounter with music and what inspired you to become a musician and what is the drive behind you wanting to create music?

I couldn't pin down a singular experience that made me want to become an artist or that led me to become a creative individual. My earliest musical memories were from listening to records that that my dad played around the house or on our many journeys to Cornwall. They were things like Kate Bush, Damien Rice, and Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds. One of the earliest artists I can remember being fond of outside of my Dad's influence was Cocorosie.

I've been classically trained from quite a younge age. The first instruments that I learned to play were piano and viola.

The main drive behind my desire to create music is the process of world-making and story-telling. I love to create musical spaces with other musicians using texture, composing for all kinds of instruments but also I find lyrics very important and I spend a lot of time playing around with language.

What was the first piece of music you sought out to buy and how would you describe the experience of engaging with music at that early phase?

The first CD that I can remember owning and loving was by Sigur Ros Inni Mer Syngur Vitleysingur- it’s just beautiful. It’s one of those albums that I can listen to on repeat still, it really used to annoy my family so I used to listen to it with headphones secretly in my room.

How did  STANLÆY begin and how did you want to achieve with it from the begin into comparison to what you wanted to artistically when it started in comparison to now?

I didn't actually start writing music till I moved to live in France for a bit, a few years ago. I had written a fair few songs before then but I didn't consider myself as a solo performing artist at that time.

STANLÆY officially began when I moved to Paris and met a guitarist called Marco Pavesi. Stanhopea was the first musical pseudonym I used because I wanted to separate my identity from the music I was making. Why the band is called STANLÆY is quite a long story with a web of reasons all tying into one another – but in short: I wanted the band to have its own androgynous body. Also, my dad’s nickname was Stan at school, even though his name is Adrian! I have always thought that was funny and I like the family link Stanley has to me.

The vision has changed a lot for what I wanted to achieve with STANLÆY. It's now become an encompassing art form that's audio visual, and ever evolving. My latest release The Human Project features a video for each song embodying the sound and image of the elements.

Tell me about the process of wanting to make The Human Project Audio Visual and the meaning behind some of the songs featured on the album and how you wrote them?

I made my first music video for The Fisherman's Wife last summer 2016 and fell in love with film making which made me decide to make an audio-visual album for my next musical project. 

STANLÆY-THE MOUNTAIN COLLECTOR 

The album is an exploration of embodiment that I completed alongside my degree whilst I was studying at Southampton University. I decided that I wanted to work with brilliant musicians and compose brilliant things for them to play.

I was told that it was a very ambitious project but I knew that I could do it. I composed all of the parts and recorded/engineered everything in about six months and then premiered the film counterpart at The Harbour Lights Cinema in Southampton in May!

The instrumentation for The Human Project consisted of thirty different musicians featuring strings, harps, percussion, various different drummers and vocalists. I recorded all of the main vocals and piano parts as well.

The first song that I composed was Earth, The Mountain Collector. 

STANLÆY-THE MOUNTAIN COLLECTOR

This song began with the chorus riff and the backing vocals which I demoed in Logic. I treated that idea like a sketch and applied the same creative ideas as sculpting a piece, I slowly started adding parts in Sibelius since I knew that I wanted other instruments to be a feature of that track.

Earth is about the effect of being trapped in corrupt environment that you aren't connected to and the feeling of wanting to return to your roots. The video tells the story of four rams gambling. I run away and try to find my way back to the mountains because I'm disconnected with the environment, like how I was losing the game. I return, grow and turn into a mountain in this new environment because I believe we echo the environment we are surrounded by and exposed to. The song was written for string quartet, double bass, drums, piano and vocals. I really enjoy the space in the track.

Water

Water has three sections to it and the initial creative concept was based around particles. I wanted the instrumentation to be scatty and all over the place with interlocking polyphony between the harp, strings and bass. I had choir made up of five people and had the bass playing a higher melody so that it could interject between the main vocal line.  Every instrument acts like a separate vocal line or a lyric that tells a different story throughout.

Tell be about the process of playing the recorded material live. Since you've featured 30 musicians on The Human Project, what do you want musicians to experience live in comparison to your recorded material?

It would be amazing to play with an orchestra and mix all of these amazing sounds together one day! I don't know of that's plausible right know though. Also, finding a time where thirty musicians are available would be a nightmare to organise.

I chose to make it more manageable for myself by arranging the pieces for a smaller ensemble, my current line up consists of bass, drums/percussion, guitars and vocal and sax. I'll have a violinist play with me eventually though in order for that to happen I'll need to find someone who is also passionate about the music.

I actually really love playing music differently to how it is on record, that's what I did when I released my first album Ouroboros. I like to keep it interesting for the musicians and for listeners. It’s really fun and sometimes a good challenge for me to rearrange everything… it’s only natural to evolve, it doesn't need to be the same.

STANLÆY-NME

How do you maintain your proficiency as a musician and ensure that you are progressing?

I try to listen to as much music as possible, I have a lot of great friends and we all recommend different albums to each other I've been introduced to a plethora of great artists that I may not have found on my own… like a photograph you get exposed to a lot of things and you get over exposed, that's the best kind of photograph.

In regards to maintaining my proficiency I am still practising classical violin and piano. I am also always learning more about the guitar and vocals. I think for me, stepping back from music to focus on other to art forms is really important too (and influenced how you therefore keep creating art) so I work on other things such as painting, film making, yoga, cycling, going to as many live gigs as I can and meeting lots of different people/exposing myself to as many different things as possible.  

What are you currently listening to and what was the last form  that really expand what you thought you was creatively possible?

I've been listening to a lot of Joanna Newsome lately and I've been painting a lot so it’s great to listen to put on full albums on repeat whilst I'm doing that. Something that I really love about her work is how she weaves lyrics together into such delicate/intricate stories.

I like to tell stories through songs so its inspiring to hear someone else do that. A very inspiring band I've been listening to at the moment is This Is How We Fly. They are from Dublin and feature a percussionist, wind instruments, violinist and saxophone, they basically create beautiful riff based folk jazz with soundscapes. I like to write music that has a lot of sonic textures and use instrumentation/instruments collectively to create a sonic tapestry, it’s like painting with sound and the sounds creates a space to inhabit. I love listening to bands that create music like that.

What equipment are you using?

I'm using hollow body Grestch at the moment that I have called Oak. For pedals I'm using a Boss DD6 and Electro Harmonix POG.

What advice can you give to musicians that are starting out or thinking of writing their own music or becoming a performing artist?

I'd advise that you just keep being yourself since it’s maybe easy to start thinking about “what do people want to hear?” instead of what you want to create for yourself.

What do you want people to take away from the Human Project Means?

I'd love for people to feel inspired by the album and feel like they are in the space and environment that the videos reveal. I’d like to connect the viewer sonically to the elements and for people to see music/videos from a new perspective.

STANLÆY will be performing at The Art House Southampton on May 11th, I highly advise that you buy a ticket: 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/stanlaey-and-kitty-oneal-at-the-art-house-tickets-45491159282

Please follow STANLÆY at the following links below and support their music:

https://www.facebook.com/StanleyStenning/

https://soundcloud.com/stanlaey

https://stanlaey.com/

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CAT ELIZA T INTERVIEW

https://www.facebook.com/events/269342836938347/

Cat Eliza T is a musician based in Southampton with an affinity for stringed instruments. Her music encapsulates the sound of folk, indie and classical; exploring the concept of personal experiences.

CAT ELIZA T : CEMENT 

Tell me about your introduction to music and the first time you heard music that made you want to become a musician?

My mother told me that when I was little I couldn’t learn the alphabet until a melody was applied to it so, learning through music could be an innate skill of mine.

The first song that I ever knew all of the words to was Two Become One by The Spice Girls. I remember becoming excited I’d learned a piece of music all the way through!

My dad is a Bluegrass musician, my mother a pianist, my older brother a violinist. A house where music and instruments are being played by everyone will naturally make you want to become one. I don’t think I had much choice.

How did you think you would turn out as a musician back then in comparison to what you do now and what led you to performing as Cat Eliza T?

I am nothing like I thought I would turn out like, I didn’t actually think that I’d become a musician. I wanted to become a philosopher or actress whilst at college.

At Uni I began performing covers but I wasn't enjoying playing them and kept forgetting the words, so I figured that if I wrote my own songs then it wouldn't matter if I remembered the lyrics or not. I found I enjoyed performing my own songs much more and remembered the words better!

Tell me about the processes that you go through when writing?

I’ll be doing something completely unrelated and will suddenly get a lyric or riff in my head. I have to grab the nearest instrument available and get my ideas down.

The basic skeleton of a song takes about 15-20 minutes to write, it tends to be a very quick explosive creation. I'll keep revisiting it after that to finesse parts.

CAT ELIZA T : HUMOUR ME

Most of my early songs typically follow the standard progression of verse, chorus, bridge/middle eight. Over time my composition style has changed to be more through composed, I try to arrange it in a way where the song transitions through like a story.

What methods do you use a lyricist?

It varies.

The first song that I wrote was called Try, which isn’t based on personal experience but I did enjoy creating a story for the song… a story about being in a relationship that changes your identity completely past the point of self-recognition, I took references from the story of Pandora's Box and being left with the remainder of hope.

Not In My Familiar was inspired by Ru Paul’s Drag Race, one of the episodes featured the phrase and it got stuck in my head, so I built a song around it

My new music is written differently. 

If I hear something that sounds poetical then I’ll write it down. I have a vast collection of random phrases. I cut them all up and reshape them to make lyrics which was a method used by David Bowie. These songs are about so many disparate things so they can be interpreted in many ways. It’s ‘The Death of The Author’ I suppose.

Do you write as a part of therapeutic release?

Music is definitely cathartic: to write, to listen to and to perform.

There are times where I’ve listened to music that has caused me to break out into tears but equally I’ve cried when writing.

I never sit and purposely think I want to write about a given subject, but it’s a representation of emotions I’ve had over a length of time. Once a song is written I’ll discover its meaning often some months later. At first, I didn’t realise that I was writing from experience with Humour Me but looking back it’s clear to me that I used songwriting as a method to express what I was feeling at the time. I think this could be some kind of coping mechanism, but I enjoy the latent epiphanies.  

How do maintain your skills as a musician and what disciplines do you apply to the music you make?

I never give myself a large set of rules, I want to be free creatively.

I don’t practice as much as I should! However, I can obsess over things/songs until it's completely finished. I’m currently playing Faithless by Flyte over and over and over.

Tell me about your influences and how they have shaped the musician that you are today and the music that you make with as Cat Eliza T?

I like many kinds of music.

I’m influenced by folk and Bluegrass having watched my Dad perform as I’ve grown up.

Classical music has really shaped the way that I approach writing, playing viola in orchestras from a young age. I adore George Butterworth’s pieces as he loved the viola and always allowed moments for us to shine. I try to follow suit in that. Violas never get enough stage time.

Sivu has been another big influence as well, his music is so beautiful and interesting and driven by strong melodies.

Kishi Bashi is a current favourite, his album ‘String Quartet Live’ is so breath-taking I can’t stop listening to it.

I’d like to shout out the artists based in Southampton too. They always offer something new to see or hear. It’s a great community to be part of and work with.

CAT ELIZA T: ALL GOD’S ANGELS COVER

How important is it as an artist to progress?

Depends on what you mean by ‘progress’?

You are never the same person twice. The experiences that you go through in life shape and form you. If you don’t change then you’ll be listening and producing the same material over and over. I don’t think listeners or artists want that at all, I don’t want to hear that, I want to hear all the aspects of what an artist has to offer.  

What was the last thing that exceeded your expectation with music and how did that effect you as a musician?

Seeing Sigur Ros, it wasn’t just the music, it was the whole experience! The lighting was amazing and the gig had a beautiful buzz to it. One of my favourite feelings is of communitas. It is the feeling of connection, emotion being shared… I care a lot about how the audience feel and think a lot about how I can create the best live experience for my audience.

As a DIY musician how do you have to operate in the modern music climate?

Creating a theme that fits with everything is crucial. The doll I made in the music video I’ll be releasing with my EP is wearing a purple dress, so I’ve linked everything to that when designing merchandise. Lot’s of purple.

Doing as much as you can yourself is the direction the music industry going. Find something which is undeniably ‘you’.

I studied puppetry at university and using that in my music videos is another element of me and who I am as a creative person.

What advice do you have for other musicians that are starting out and what were the trials you faced when starting out?

The most important thing I can think of is to just be a nice person and help everyone that you can in your musical community.

Start with the community that you live in since there’s lots of artists that are making great music, especially in the Southampton scene.

Most musicians are nice people too.

What would you tell yourself as a young musician if you could visit yourself now?

I’d tell myself not to worry and that everything will happen when it happens and just do what you want to do. There’s nothing that I would change.

Tell me about your upcoming EP and what was the writing process for these songs, did you use any of the previously mentioned methods or did you move onto experiment with other ways of writing?

These songs were written five years ago. The songs basically wrote themselves and they stuck. They are still favourites of mine and my supporters.

I decided it’s time to properly release them online and on CD. I think five years is long enough to wait!

What were your creative goals from when you started writing the EP?

During 2016-2017 I was sponsored by Beefeater Gin and travelled Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. I recorded three tracks in my friend’s bedroom put them on a limited CD and took them with me on tour.

This year I decided to rebrand these tracks as a collective EP since I wanted to take my music more seriously. It’s been a very enjoyable journey.

Will there be differences between live and what people will hear on the EP?

The launch show is essentially just me playing all of the tracks solo. A friend or two may join me on stage though, but don’t hold me to that! The EP has multiple instruments, all of which I play (apart from the Drums). However, a band is slowly building on the horizon! So future gigs could have the full experience.

What do you want people to take away from the EP and what is next?

I just want people to enjoy listening and recognise it as something that is the first part of my musical life… and to know that there’ll be more puppets, short films and music.

You can follow Cat Eliza and stream her music at the following links: https://www.facebook.com/CatElizaT/

https://www.youtube.com/user/catelizaT

https://soundcloud.com/catelizat

Cat Eliza T will be releasing her EP on the 24th of May at The Art House in Southampton:

https://www.facebook.com/events/269342836938347/

Cat Eliza T EP + Video Launch // 'Antelope' Short Film 

Tickets are available here:

https://catelizat1805.eventbrite.co.uk/

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SCARECROW BOAT INTERVIEW

Scarecrow Boat are a indie alternative quartet based in Southampton. They’ve been constantly progressing and becoming a better band since they started and its great to see a band with such a strong DIY ethic. I met up with their guitarist Dominic James to discuss the new line up and other topics. 

SCARECROW BOAT-PATHETIC 

How has Scarecrow Boat changed since the band formed and how have the new members changed the creative dynamics of the band? 

The new line up has definitely made us all step up and become better musicians, there’s a greater attention to detail within the songwriting process. Joe and Tom have really brought in a new set of skills and influences that allow us to do so much more as a band.

What other methods have you used to expand yourself as a musician?

I feel that an audience will only tolerate you being an average band for one release and showing progression is really vital. The novelty of being a young band that is rough around the edges really wares off quickly.

There’s a difference between being a band that people listen to just because you know them as friends and a band that you actually want to listen to. 

I’ve been trying to avoid using the three same chords and use different scales and chord sequences. Our old songs just followed the same progressions of D C# and A, there’s a lot more theory involved with what we write now instead of just noodling around to find chords that we like the sound of. 

I’m writing lyrics from an angle that’s more personal, in the past my lyrics were just written as a melody that fitted the basic requirements of what the song needed. Taking the narrative concept more seriously conveys a better experience for the listener.

Developing and being different is what we want to achieve with our next release.

What bands and artists have contributed towards your development as a musician?

I think everyone in the band has outgrown the influences that we all started out with. If you want to develop as a musician then you’ll need to find new artists to listen to, that’s just a natural part of progression if you are looking to better yourself. Unfortunately there’s been a lot of bands that I’ve strayed away from due to a lot of nefarious behaviour that’s been going on in social media. 

I’m currently listening to Manchester Orchestra, Iron Cheek, Julien Baker, Tiny Moving Parts, Murderhouse and some other bands from the 90’s screamo era. 

How has the songwriting process changed and how do you know when a song is finished or when to step back and realise that your ideas are not always the best?

I used to write all of the songs by myself, but this time we’ve all brought ideas to the table and we all contribute to the songwriting. Writing everything together is a much more organic process and much healthier since everyone can get their opinions across.

A collective input in a band allows you to get to the point faster and allows us to know exactly how we all want it to sound before we enter the studio.

Do you feel that audiences expect more diversity from the bands that they listen to and expect a wider range of genres mixing together? 

I think its important for different bands to play together but I still see shows that are either all punk shows or all metal shows. I’ve recently seen an influx of spoken word artists opening shows.

Personally I just like to have bands that are fun on a bill which works for the show that we are playing with Tiny Moving Parts since I think that it would be weird if we were opening an acoustic or metal show but who knows maybe something like that will happen in the future for us. 

Crossovers do work but only in the right places and they can introduce audiences to something that they wouldn’t have initially planned to experience.

Tell me about the process of working with Dom Street at The Ranch, the mindset of going into the studio the second time around and what you wanted to achieve as a band with this release?

The first thing we did differently was to use a click track when recording the rhythm section. We rehearsed for months before we went into the studio. We’ve all been studying Music Production at Solent which has given us a greater understanding of what a professional band should sound like and how to communicate to producer. 

Using the correct terminology when working with a producer is a great advantage since you’ll get to the point faster and get the results you are after which will save you a tonne of time of money. 

How important do you think it is to be prepared for recording and what advice can you give to other bands that are thinking about recording their material in a professional studio?

I think bands today should have a brief understanding of every aspect of the music industry. You should be able to write and play your own original material,  record it yourself, release it and know what you want it to sound like if you work with a producer. The more you can do for yourself the better, playing music is a job and equipping yourself with the right skills is going to give you a greater advantage of getting what you want. 

An important factor to take into consideration is to step back and let the producer their job. Its their role to provide you with feedback and help you make the best record possible so I’d recommend trying out anything they advise. 

What’s the best piece of musical advice have you had whilst being a musician or the best advice you’ve given yourself?

If I’m ever struggling or facing creative difficulties then I just stop and tell myself to keep trying take a break and come back to it.  So many people I know have written records and given up because it hasn’t worked out though, that doesn’t mean the music you’ve made has no value and that you should stop. Just keep trying sometimes it’ll work out and sometimes it won’t.

How important it is to follow the creative path that you want instead of following creative trends?

If something is popular then its been done to death. I’m always selfishly making music for my self though you have to have some level of  creative compromise so that everyone gets to make the music that they want. 

I hear so many stories of bands being forced to meet deadlines set out by record labels which takes the fun out of it.

We’ve done a similar thing by releasing two tracks every two months which at first was great but it has difficulties. Setting yourself deadlines can be a great thing to keep you on track and works in most situations.

What are you currently listening to and what artists do you think are really creating important music that’s creating a positive shift?

My favourite artists at the moment is Jeff Rosenstock he’s consistently making amazing solo records. 

Death By Shotgun from Southampton are exactly what the scene needs at the moment, their music is just, pure joy encapsulated and Will Palmer’s new project Sunspot is something that I’m excited to hear. 

Outside of punk I’ve been listening to Chris Farren, Julien Baker and The Chats who have this awfully great song called Smoko which is just so bad that its good.

What’s in your rig?

I used to a use Fender Deville, it was heavy, extremely loud and killed my back. I’ve replaced that with a Fender Blues Junior which is smaller but it does everything that I need it to.

I’m using three different Fender Squire Vintage Modified Jazzmasters all in different colours that I painted, they don’t have amazing pickups but they work well for what I’m doing.

My board which, is my pride and joy features the following pedals:

Boss tuner

Old Blood Noise Fault 2 stage overdrive

Electro Harmonix Bigg Muff

Stone Deaf Kliptonite

Boss Harmonist

Earthquaker Eruptor Fuzz which is a custom model

MXR Carbon Copy

Ibanez Chorus Flanger

I’m using the following strings and plectrums:

Ernie Ball 10s but I’m trying out flat wounds too

Tortex picks 2mm.

At The Ranch:

Fender Bassman Silverfce 70 is what I recorded in the studio mixed with an Orange 4x12. We tend to change everything up in the studio and used a MR Black Double chorus mixed with a 2 big muffs.

I’m looking to get more pedals possibly some Earthquaker Devices models like the Data Corrupter and Rainbow Machine.

What’s next for Scarecrow Boat?

We’ll be releasing another two track soon. I’ve also started a record label and will be releasing music through that too, we’ve a tour coming up venturing up to the North. We’ve got plans to release another EP and maybe a full length. 

You can follow Scarecrow Boat’s pages in the links below

https://www.facebook.com/ScarecrowBoatPunk/

https://scarecrowboatpunk.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/scarecrowboatpunk/?hl=en

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3i4ilsOqx0R74GPT2OKP3Q

Scarecrow Boat will be supporting Tiny Moving Parts at The Joiners TONIGHT!

[carlculationinfinityinterviews]

SKETCHSHOW-INTERVIEW

Sketchshow are a rock band based in Southampton, UK. They’ve been working on their soon to be released debut EP Patchwork. Their sound merges the elements taken from many musical territories including math rock, pop, funk and jazz forming a musical capital occupied by a collection of sounds.

SKETCHSHOW-EVERY EXCUSE

Tell me about the first piece of music you heard that made you want to become a musician:

Satin: My dad always played music around the house or the car when I was growing up, I can remember him introducing me to artists like Johnny Kid and The Pirates, Foo Fighters and The Pretenders. I really loved Paramore and Busted when I was a teenager and they were the first band that I ever saw live. I remember that I had to sing an octave higher to be able to sing along to their songs but, that really did help with training my voice.

Adam: My dad was always listening to The Police and The Stranglers which were both on a frequent rotation for car journeys. Like Satin I was really into Busted when I was growing up as well as other pop punk bands like Green Day and Paramore.

What artists/bands and musicians directed your decision to take up the instrument that you play?

Satin: I asked my dad if I could start having guitar lessons at school since there was an advertisement for music lessons. I began learning how to read music and the other fundamentals that went along with studying music, though I didn’t carry on with the lessons. I then started to learn songs by The Beatles, with chords from those run of the mill books that were given to me by a family friend which led me to start writing my own material.

Adam: I started off with taking piano lessons since we had a piano in our house. Though I quickly lost interest and moved onto playing guitar, since playing piano wasn't  the coolest thing when you're in your teens. However, I'm trying to get back into it now. Overall I just wanted to be in bands and write my own original music.

How did the band form and how has it changed since the beginning?

Adam: We started off as an instrumental act but felt that the songs required a vocalist. Me and Joel met at uni and were always sending music back and forth including some of the songs that I'd written. Later on that year I decided that I wanted to form a band around the material that I'd been working on and posted online to find additional members, Luke our other guitar player replied and Scott became our drummer shortly after.

Satin: Carl actually told me that Adam’s band was looking for a vocalist and that I should go and audition for the role since I was becoming more interested in bands that were making music outside of the standard realms of pop and experimenting with different time signatures.

How do you write you parts in Sketchshow?

Adam: I usually start with noodling around with guitar parts till I have something solid and then I'll demo it in Guitar Pro, I’ve never been the kind of person to use  recording software and it really helps with remembering what I’ve written. Though,  you have make sure what you write is actually playable so I always write with a guitar in my hand instead of using the software to compose parts and learn them back.

Satin: Everything starts with a demo that's written in Guitar Pro. The parts that I get sent are just bounce of everything in a midi format. I'll listen to that over and over to learn the structure and then start with improvising melodies and harmonies in my studio. I’ll take a few days apart from recording those parts and then learn them back if I don’t need to make any changes. The nature of the music allows me to try lots of different ideas so I'm always trying to do something new that the listener wouldn't expect to hear.

How has playing in Sketchshow impacted the way that you think about music? How have the other members changed your approach to being a musician?

Satin: Playing in Sketchshow is a challenge and requires me to push myself to explore areas of music that I haven’t before so, it always gives a great sense that I’m progressing instead of remaining constantly comfortable, it pushes my boundaries. Everyone in Sketchshow listens to music that’s completely different so it’s given me a completely new palate of sounds to work with, vice versa.

What was it like working with Daly at The Ranch and what were the advantages of working with a producer?

Adam: Working with Daly George at The Ranch was a really simple process and he provided us with a really relaxing  working environment. Recording can be stressful due to the amount of money that you are spending, making the most of your time in the studio is really crucial.

All of his feedback was always positive and constructive.  He made sure that we were always comfortable and enjoying the methods that went into making our debut EP. He had a lot of input on layers and the tonality required to make the songs sound as best as possible giving us plenty of opportunity to experiment with lots of different pedals and amps.

Satin: As a vocalist being comfortable and at ease is something that’s really important when you are recording. Daly’s really great a bringing out the best of what an artist can produce and we all felt relaxed and able to throw round different ideas.

How do you maintain your musical proficiency?

Satin: Youtube is a great resource, there’s so much information that you can retain visually and there’s tonnes of lessons that I've use to expand my current skill set. I’m currently working at The Talking Heads that showcases artists from various different backgrounds which gives me an insight into different ways that artists write and perform. I’ve been listening a lot to bands like Everything Everything and how they form the structures of their songs which don’t actually follow a strict A to B pattern.

Adam: Me and Luke always try to write something that pushes and challenges us so we’ll always try and play something that isn’t exactly straightforward or easy to begin with. I used to take guitar lessons from Sithu Aye over Skype and he'd mainly teach me about different ways to approach songwriting.

Tell me about the writing process for your EP and what actually goes into releasing an EP as an independent band?

Adam: I wrote most of the material and Luke wrote one of the other songs in the beginning. Though the songs have massively transformed from how they used to sound. That just comes from working on them as a band since when you write parts in guitar pro they don’t sound as consistent as they would in a setting with a live band. Going into a studio and working on them with a producer greatly excels the quality of whatever product you are going to make and having the input of someone who's not a member of your band or attached to the material.

We're not trying to copy anyone and are trying to do our own thing and that’s something that a lot of bands need to think about. Just by using our skills to produce music that we enjoy writing and listening to.

Satin: It's really important to take everyone’s personalities into account and be honest with the music that you are writing as well as ensuring that everyone listens to each other. Letting the other members of the band know what my lyrics mean or represent is really important, giving everyone an insight into where I'm coming from creatively gives a sense of creative clarity. It helps us form a better sense of communication to the listener, which creates a sound that supports the meaning of the song.

Is the lyrical process something that’s personal or is it metaphorical ?

Satin: At first I always begin writing about something personal that I’ve experienced as well as what the other members of Sketchshow interpret from my lyrics, which gives me new perspectives that aren't strictly my own. Lyrics have to be honest and an audience or listener can instantly tell if your heart isn’t in it our doing something for the sake of popularity. I am an instinctual being and I believe in being true and raw.

What realities have you come to realise that come with being part of a DIY band:

Adam: First and foremost this band isn’t our job. It's what we do for fun and we have to fund it ourselves. If you cut corners financially then there’s always a chance that your product might suffer in the long run so it’s always important to spend where you can since it’ll benefit you later.

Satin: Dedication is important as writing your own material. It isn’t easy and requires a certain level of musicianship.  Getting an audience to relate to songs that aren’t well known covers always has its own challenges since the audience have get to know the art that you are creating. Promoting yourself is really important and if you love your art then you’ll be willing to spend the time and the money present it to the highest standard. It’s a work in progress and everyone has to put their energy into it.

Will there be any differences between what audiences can expect to hear on your EP and what you will perform live, what do you think expects in this modern era from a live performance?

Satin: Audiences expect a band to deliver and perform music to a high standard so the competition is always very high. We do have a few changes that will happen live, since performing the record live note for note isn’t always the best way to connect with an audience.

Adam: A lot of the bands that I’ve seen add different elements when playing live including things like improv or changing a song completely. That’s something that we’d like to experiment with as a band when people get to know us a bit better and know the songs from the EP. That’ll keep it fun for us and the audience.

What was the last band that you saw or heard the expanded what you thought was possible with music? What are you currently listening to as well?

Adam: I’ve been listening to a band called Knower who experiment with pop and jazz fusion and other styles of music. My music taste varies quite a lot and my favourite releases from last year were from The Contortionist and Spirit-Box which are both quite heavy bands so Knower is something that’s completely different.

I’ve also been listening to more mainstream music since the driver that takes me work always has the radio on.  It’s important to understand why people actually like that kind of music since its full of great hooks and, melodies which aren’t the easiest things to write.

Satin: I’ve been listening to more mainstream music and getting into music from other cultures. There’s a band called Babylone which sing in Arabic, the phrasing is completely different to the way that English vocalists sing, so of course it’s piques my interest.  I’ve also been listening to Clean Bandit, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Marmozets and Raye: Decline, since there’s all different types of rhythms and as well as a good melody. The way the lyrics are placed over the beats are brilliant.

Making mainstream music is still an art form, a way of expression. More people should give it a chance. There’s nothing wrong with 4/4, and there’s more to a song than it’s time signature. Like, production, tones, dynamics and arrangement. Being open to what’s featured in radio music can really give add to the way that you approach songwriting. There are reasons for repetitive melodies, emotionally usually. It’s not brainless. These are huge companies, selling worldwide, of course it’s not brainless.

What’s next for Sketchshow and what do you want people to take away from the EP?

Adam: To give people something fresh that they may not of heard before, we’re currently writing new material that will hopefully turn in to an album as well.

Satin: Hopefully it will open people up to something they haven’t heard before and help people with any  personal problems or provide people with courage to overcome any difficulties that they are facing. Songs can be great friends. I really want to share what we’ve made with this band so we’ll be looking to play as many shows as possible.

You can download Sketchshow’s debut single Every Excuse in the link below for free or as a pay as you want download:

https://sketchshow.bandcamp.com/

Please follow Sketchshow at the links below as well: 

sketchshow.bandcamp.com

sketchshow.band

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYs1f_iGI0oIPPFk3nj3SSg

instagram.com/sketchshowuk/

Their debut EP Patchwork will be released soon so keep checking back to their page for more updates.

[carlculationinfinityinterviews]

RUBY THROATED INTERVIEW

Ruby Throated are an eclectic four piece based in Los Angeles who’s sound is plenty atypical, textural, progressive and fierce. Each song is an grand exhibition of the collective musical union and personality that each member brings to the creative table. Its refreshing to hear something that’s musically clever and solid at the same time. I’ve been listening to them since the release of Shortie Newbie and haven’t stopped wanting to find out about the internal processes of the band. 

RUBY THROATED - SHORTIE NEWBIE 

First and foremost, how did the band form and what led you to wanting to work together as a collective of musicians and what drew you to each other? What were you looking for in relation to forming a band before you all met and how does Ruby Throated deliver that result?

Rodrigo Moreno: Ruby Throated formed under a much different pretence than what we are today. This was back in 2010 while Jocelyn and I were attending Saddleback College. A friend of ours had put together a group to play through some klezmer charts she had and really just sort of jam. Shortly after, Jocelyn began bringing in original music for us to play, and in my mind, that’s where ‘Ruby Throated’ really began. Being full-time music students, we spent an immense amount of time together and that led us to foster both a uniquely creative environment and supportive community throughout the department. Ruby Throated became the creative outlet for us to express our art honestly and true. Those core values are at the heart of the band and have remained intact throughout its evolution.

Hayley Bronwell: -The band originally started out with a completely different personnel and I joined because Rodrigo and I went to college together and he just asked me to play a gig with them one time. Then…we just kept playing and now it is what it is! I was just down to play.

Jocelyn Raulston: Rigo, Tony and I met in community college. Later, Rigo met Hayley at CSUN. I was just looking for people who were down to play my songs. And particularly ones who were interested in stuff that was a little bit out. I think for this music it was necessary to have individuals who are down to learn their parts/ write their parts in advance and outside of rehearsal. It’s not the kind of stuff that is easily taught in person.

Tony Dangond: The band had already been together for a while when they asked me to play at a house show. They sent me some rehearsal recordings and I was blown away by how unique and interesting the music sounded, and by how well they all played together. The party show was super fun and afterward they asked me to join for real.

( Photos by Amalia Sepulveda )

How does playing in Ruby Throated compare to other bands that you have played in? How do you feel that you are exploring music differently with this act?

RM: There is really no comparison, because this band is our art. Working professionally, I’m very fortunate to get to play in a lot of different musical contexts and configurations. It’s something I absolutely love, but often, at the end of the day, it’s as part of a specific job. I am hired to help create someone else’s vision. With Ruby Throated, I am able to create the music and fulfil the vision that is in my heart.

HB:  Being a freelance musician, I am always playing other artists’ music so having Ruby Throated as my own creative project really brings out who I am as a persona and musician. I get to be my truest self because I’m a part of a creative process with some of my best friends. It’s a very different feeling than just showing up to play a gig.

JR: Ruby Throated is more personal because it is my voice and my words.

TD: It's a very rare situation to be in, being good friends with everyone in the band and gelling so well musically. You really feel like a team and a family when you're in a group with that magical combination. I think our music has a fast pace to it, not neccessarily in terms of tempo, but in how quickly the songs take rather sharp emotional turns, changing feels and sounds in kind of a drastic way. Over the course of a set, we go to a lot of different places in a short amount of time, so I think we've been exploring maintaining that kind of pace and intensity and still having the music feel cohesive.

What are each of your earliest musical memories and what was the point where you realised the music was starting to become an important factor in your life and how would you describe the need to want to express yourself and create music?

RM: My earliest musical memory is of my mom putting on records and dancing with me as she was preparing me for bed. This was while we still lived in Mexico so I must have been around 2 or 3 years of age. In fact she was a huge factor in developing my gravitation towards music. Through not musical herself, she just absolutely loved listening to music. I remember the radio always being on. K-RTH the golden oldies station was her, and in effect, my, absolute jam. I didn’t know it at the time, but it was through seeing her become so affected, being brought to such joy at the sound of her favourite songs, that I learned the power that music carries.

HB: -All I can remember is that I started playing drums at the age of seven and I just never stopped. Luckily, I had incredibly supportive parents that always gave me the opportunities to create things, explore and to pursue my passions. I just never ran out of drive to to make music and for me, it’s the clearest way I express myself.

JR: One of my earliest musical memories is from when I was about 5 at my first violin recital. I remember standing on stage with a group of tiny violinists and playing the open strings. It was the first time I heard a bunch of violins playing at the same time and it surprised me. I grew up being told that I was musical, so I always thought it was important. I would describe the need to express myself creatively as something that builds up in you and will start to make you sick if you don’t do it and get it out. That gets complicated when you find yourself at a time in life when it is difficult or impossible to write. The need doesn’t go away.

( Photos by Amalia Sepulveda )

What was the initial point where you decided that you wanted to become a musician, how did you feel, think and approach music back then in comparison to the music that you create now, what did you want to achieve as a musician back then in comparison to now?

RM: I wouldn’t necessarily say there was an initial point in which I decided to become a musician. By the time I acquired my first bass, to play punk by the way, the decision had already been made. But I didn’t think about it. I just cared about playing and so that’s what I did, as relentlessly as I could. I remember my friends and I would exchange albums on a daily basis, each of us eager to show the rest of us the gems discovered the night before. 

This was in the early days of the, sort of, ‘Kazaa’/P2P sharing platform era. Not knowing any better, being teenagers on the internet for the first time, and being only able to buy so many cds, we spent a lot of the time scouring for all the deepest cuts we could find. I couldn’t tell you how many Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd bootlegs we had collectively. But that was just it. 

Music was our lives. And through this brotherhood, during our formative years, of a shared experience, driven by what meant most to us, we were able to develop a powerfully raw yet meaningful and intimate relationship with music and each other and really just what it means to be a fucking human being and human family. That foundation would later help me develop my own voice and philosophy as I grew not only technically, on the axe, and spiritually, through my mind,  but also logistically, having to figure out a sustainable economic model for making a living as a musician.

HB: As I kind of said in the above question, it was just something I never stopped doing. I never really had to face a question of “what should I do?”…it just was.

JR: I feel like I had almost no idea what I was getting into when I decided I wanted to be a musician. I was basically a child as I made those choices. I just kept following what I was interested in.

What was the first piece of music that you sought out buy with your own money, how would you describe that feeling of having to hear something and the experience of it connecting with you?

RM: Honestly, I don’t remember the first piece of music I ever bought. I remember being a little kid and going to garage sales with my mom and just looking through cassettes picking things out based on artists or songs I recognised. At that early age, I just didn’t think about it on a trivial sense. My attraction and curiosity just produced a sublime connection to music on a material sense. I couldn’t tell you how I got access to a record or piece of music but if I liked it, boy did I play the hell out of it.

JR:  The first album I can remember buying with my own money was Millenium by the Backstreet Boys. I was seven.

Do you get the same feeling from listening you music now? How do you think the way that you have listened to music has changed?

RM: I’m obviously able and have to listen to music on a much broader scale, but fundamentally, the feeling/connection to music is and just always has been a fact of my existence.

JR: The way I listen to music always changes. I think about it differently in relation to whatever I’m currently practicing and writing and I go through phases. When I’m sad I listen to a lot less music. But in general listening continues to feel better and better for me.

TD: I think one thing I sort of had to un-learn after studying music in college and always thinking so analytically about it was how to just *listen* and not get distracted by wanting to figure out what those cool sounds were that I heard. But once in that place of non-judgemental listening, it's really about just letting the song take me on an emotional journey- whatever emotions those may be- and then later come back to the things that made me feel something strongly and figure out what quality created that kind of experience.

( Photos by Amalia Sepulveda )

Is there anything you miss now as a musician that you did when you were younger/novice musician? What do you think your younger self would have to say about yourself as an artist if you were to sit down and have conversation now?

RM: Well, between the crushing weight of adult responsibilities and the dismal infrastructure of the music business, I just miss being able to jam endlessly or put on record after record without a care in the world.

JR: The older I get the less afraid I am to sing and to perform. Every bit of my relationship with music continues to improve and deepen, so I prefer things now to when I was younger. Now I get to do a lot more of what I want with music. My younger self would be surprised to see me tolerating the stage because I was a very shy kid.

TD: No, my experience with music- listening and playing- has really only improved with time. I understand/appreciate more music, and I've got a much more open mind now when it comes to checking out music that I don't normally listen to.

HB: I don’t know if I necessarily miss anything, everything that happened then and that is happening now is appropriate for its time. I do like looking back at memories I have of learning something for the very first time and how excited I was to be learning. I try to keep that same mentality about everything now; enthusiasm to absorb and information and more music.

How did you develop your skills and stylistic approach that you take with your instrument? Was it through musical tuition or just from listening to albums, what artists/musicians/bands or any other forms make up the artistic ingredients of your musical identity?

( Photos by Amalia Sepulveda )

RM: When I first started playing, I would spent countless hours just learning my favourite bass lines. Back then I was immersed in the world of classic rock and punk. Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, Yes, The Misfits, The Ramones, Dead Kennedys. Although I had picked up some educational material to help learn scales, chords, etc., I spent a majority of the time just jamming out trying my best to pick through my favourite songs or riffs. It didn’t take long for my friends and me to form a band.

We were actually very fortunate, one of our guitar player’s dad had been a rock musician for long time in his heyday, and he really helped guide and support us as we learned the fundamentals of our artistic vision. It almost seems cliché, but it was in the garage that I really learned how to just jam and communicate with other musicians on a deeper level.

I couldn’t say we knew what we were doing but that sure didn’t stop us from playing and improvising around the same riff for hours at a time. Once I got to college, that’s when things got serious.

I was lucky enough to be accepted into the jazz program but having no previous formal training, I had a lot of catching up to do. Alongside learning a completely new idiom on a new instrument, the upright bass, I also had to learning how to read and write musical notation. It was tough work and it took me a long time but every obstacle helped define who I was and what life and music meant to me. Both my time at Saddleback College and Cal State Northridge were cornerstone to my development and are experiences I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.

HB: I definitely wouldn’t be anywhere I am now if it weren’t for the teachers that invested in me at a young age. I did most of my learning from being a part of performing groups at a young age, taking lessons and being in band at school. It wasn’t until college that I really started finding my particular voice by listening to some of my favourite bands- Local Natives, Grizzly Bear, MuteMath, Hiatus Kaiyote. And of course, being immersed in an intense Jazz program at Cal State Northridge.

JR: I studied classical violin from age 4-20. I started singing in college just out of necessity and shortly after that I began actually taking voice lessons. My stylistic approach is probably mostly a result of all the music I have listened to and obsessed over throughout the years. It varies so widely. Indie music was my first true love but my dad had a pretty hefty CD collection when I was growing up, and I think his taste was a huge influence on me at a young age.

TD: The most crucial tool I gained from studying music through lessons and in school (aside from the technical aspects) was how to listen and think critically about music, and the rest really comes from exploring the sounds that I like in other music. After listening to something long enough, the sounds and styles start seep into my own playing, so I might accidentally discover something and recognise it as something from a song I really like, and then just try to further explore that idea until I can make it my own.

( Photos by Amalia Sepulveda )

How do you implement these influences in your playing style and in Ruby Throated and how do you maintain your musical proficiency to ensure that you are always moving forward? Is there a specific skill or goal that you are working towards?

RM: What’s really cool about Ruby Throated is that, since I’ve been doing this band for so long, it has always been an accurate representation of who I am. With this band being my foremost means of artistic expression, I get to voice myself as honestly as I can. 

At this point, with my philosophy being largely defined, music isn’t about maintaining proficiency. That part is sort of just inherent. There is no ‘end’ to the journey so I’m always going to practice my scales, I’m always going to seek out new music to listen to or play, etc.

Now all that operates on a higher level, allowing me to be more fluid in my continued growth and evolution. Also, ultimately, a large portion of my mind and energy have to be direct towards building an economic model that works for doing what I do. Just like progressing on the axe, you have to progress in terms of the industry.

HB: -I just play what feels good to me and what serves the music that usually, Jocelyn, brings to our rehearsals. I’m not sure I have one specific goal I’m trying to reach but I definitely put time into practicing and listening to a lot of music. Luckily, I play a lot in other projects as a working musician so it challenges me to learn quickly and to serve any time of music, no matter the situation.

JR: I maintain my proficiency through regular playing and writing. Having shows is a good motivation to write and learn new material. I also teach music now, so I have to be able to demonstrate all the things I am teaching. I am always working toward being more comfortable performing in front of people.

What has been the greatest musical advice and experience that has helped you progress as a musician and when was the last time that you experienced or listened to something that changed  your perspective on what you thought was possible with music or creativity?

RM: That’s a tough question for sure. Along every step of the way in my development I was fortunate to have incredible mentors and colleagues, each adding an immeasurable amount of inspiration in their own way. Sure some may have hit harder than others, but music just isn’t a competition for me. I can’t rank my experiences in any way. They are all really more of ‘one’ grander experience. Everything being connected, though separated by time and space.

HB: Honestly, the best hands on advice that I have received has really just been seeing all my friends doing bad ass shit; making amazing music, pushing me to make music and ya, just seeing THEM do it. It’s the coolest thing to watch and really has shaped me to be the musician I am right now. If it weren’t for that kind of support and example….IDK!

JR: Playing with this group has challenged me in really positive ways. It keeps demanding that I get out in front of people and express my music. And it is a constant reason to be working on new material.

TD: The idea of creating music and not caring whether it's "good" or "bad", but rather just staying true to your tastes and letting what wants to come out come out, has been a very liberating piece of advice, that's still sometimes hard to follow. The real stuff always ends up sounding more authentic than trying to play cool shit.

( Photos by Amalia Sepulveda )

How are the songs in Ruby Throated written please describe the process from A to B? Does each of you have a specific process that works best for you individually or a way that you prefer to write and have to had to think of any new methods or approaches with writing in Ruby Throated?

RM: I’d say that our tunes are built around the lyrical/melodic content, which are written by Jocelyn. Often she will send out a demo for us to learn the song and then we explore it together in rehearsal. We have a habit of recording our rehearsals so that we can also work on material individually and that helps us continually further the evolution of our tunes. We definitely like to consistently be working on new material and arrangement ideas.

HB: Jocelyn is mainly the mastermind behind the skeletons of the songs. A lot of the time she’ll have a full song she brings in and Rigo, Tony and I will take that, sit with it and come up with our own parts and really shape the song. Although, in this past year or so I have rhythmic ideas that I will record on my phone, send to Jocelyn and she’ll straight write a melodic/lyrical idea over them and sends me back a demo. In which I then cry because it’s always SO SICK. I think we might share a brain…

JR: I usually write at the piano or in my car, because I drive a lot and it’s an easy place to work out lyrics. Then I make a rough recording of the lyrics and the initial piano part. Everyone basically memorises it before they get to rehearsal and then we work out the specific parts. If anything, we have had to get more and more detailed with our writing. More specific about sounds as well.

Sometimes Hayley will send me a cell phone recording of a drum part and I will listen to it 30-40 times while I’m driving around and sing to it. After that I sit at the piano and maybe work out some parts there. Other times, I start with a piano riff and write to that. Very rarely do I just hear words first without any other music. Melodic or rhythmic material usually inspires me to hear words.

I like to handwrite as I am coming up with words so that I can get a lot of ideas onto paper quickly and then organise them later. My phone is full of voice memos of lyrics and ideas. Most of my songs are from personal experiences, but they do stretch into more imaginary territory to make the song work sometimes.

TD: Joss will usually bring in a song (often written at the piano), and then we'll jam on it as a group to find ways to further arrange and orchestrate the song. We often discover something new during that process, and we're all willing to just explore those ideas and see where they go until we find what feels right.

How does this differ between what you want the listener to feel/hear in a live setting and listening to your recorded material? How do you feel about being honest with each of these displays of music?

RM: I’d like to think that honesty in our music is one of the things we all hold most dear. I mean, otherwise what’s the point? You can’t have an honest voice, as an artist, if you are letting it be dictated by something other than your heart and soul.

JR: I just want the listener to feel what I felt when I heard the words the first time. Obviously that will be a different experience in every setting and to every person. The words I hear are always accompanied by some sort of feeling or tone that I work to define during the writing process, using words or images. That helps a lot in finishing a song. 

I think my approach to being honest with the songs comes from writing lyrics from a place of listening more than trying. I try to get into the feeling space of a song and just be quiet and hear what my brain makes up, rather than try to force an idea.

( Photos by Amalia Sepulveda )

What do you want the listener to take away or experience when listening to Ruby Throated?

RM: One of the biggest reasons I play music is simply for the fact that I want others to experience music. I know how greatly if affects me, and by creating music myself, I can hopefully help someone else achieve that same sort of feeling and experience. Ideally you want someone to like your music and be positively impacted by it, but you can’t really control that. So without ego attached, I really just want everyone to have their own honest reaction or experience when listening to our songs.

JR: I hope they feel that sort of emotion that wells up inside you and surprises you and kind of leaks out. Whether it is joy or sadness.

HB: “This isn’t mainstream music but this is sick and I can connect to it.” That’s literally what I want people to say/understand haha. Not everything has to fit in a box ya know?

TD: I want them to think "fuck yeah".

What is in your rig and what are the preferences within your setup?

RM: My main axe is a Fender American P Bass I bought back in 2015. I swapped out the stock pickups for EMG’s Geezer Butler signature set. I go through a Genz-Benz Streamliner head into a Markbass 1 15 cab. I spent a lot of time researching those components and I couldn’t be happier. It’s just super versatile. Small enough to easily lug all over town but also with enough headroom to carry even the loudest gigs. It also works well on upright, which is a must. On most gigs I carry a small pedalboard consisting of

3Leaf Audio Octabvre, Wayhuge Porkloin, and Tech21 SansAmp bass driver. With Ruby

Throated, both live and on recordings, I take more liberties with the bass tone and layers. I’m a big fan of using phase and reverb to create textures as well as hugely distorted tones accompanied by a clean channel to maintain the integrity of the bass’s role in supporting the harmony and melody.

HB: -So, currently I am playing TRX cymbals, I usually play a lot of dark, thin cymbals- I like a lot of wash. I have a baby Gretsch Catalina Jazz kit, 18” bass drum, 14” floor tom and usually a 14” or 15” snare depending on what I want that day. I also use a lot of percussion toys like, baby tambo’s, rattlers and usually an 8” splash on my snare drum. Also, I add in some electronic sounds/samples at times with a Roland SPD-SX.

JR: Right now I’m using the voice live touch 2 for vocal harmonies and for doubling. It has so many options but my favourite is just having parallel 4ths or 5ths with my melody. I also use the octave down a lot.

TD: I used a Nord Stage 2, with a lot of combining keyboard and synth sounds, as well as various built-in effects, to design the sounds used in this band. The sound-layering and keyboard-splitting allow me to combine a multitude of different sounds and be able to play a lot of it live.

Finally what artists are you listening to and what can we expect from Ruby Throated in 2018?

RM: I’m really always jumping around to what I am listening to. Having to constantly learn new music for gigs, whether originals or covers, I frequent a wide spectrum of artists and genres. In a contemporary sense, the artists I’m often listening to are: Kendrick Lamar, Hiatus Kaiyote, Grizzly Bear, Anderson .Paak, just to name a few. It’s kind of crazy because with the internet you get thrown into this realm of having access to so much information that it can be hard to focus as a listener. The shear breadth really affects thedepth a listener can absorb. I am and have always been an album listener. I’ll find something and put that sucker on repeat until I know every piece of it. 

I wonder how much that still goes on in today’s general listening public.You can expect a number of releases from Ruby Throated this year. Both tunesand videos, we have a consistent schedule to be on the look for.

HB: OH MAN, this is the year for new music for me! Right now, I am listening to Hundred Waters, Hippo Campus, Half Waif, Kehlani, Billie Marten, St. Vincent, Polica, Allie X, Sylvan Esso, Moses Sumney, Purity Ring…man, there’s so much more, though!

JR: Right now I’m listening to Hundred Waters, Xenia Rubinos, Juana Molina, Jesca Hoop, Adult Jazz, and a lot of pop music. You can expect a few music videos and 2 EPs of music that we are happy to be wrapping up.

You can follow Ruby Throated at the following links below:

https://www.facebook.com/RubyThroated/

https://soundcloud.com/rubythroatedmusic/shortie-newbie-2

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrwcGphAxMTxfj9OpEjf5Tw

http://www.rubythroatedmusic.com/

https://www.instagram.com/rubythroatedmusic/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7E0AjvC20Uka142Sh3N6L5

[carlculationinfinityinterviews]

JUDITH - IT’S BEEN SAID ALL BEFORE

Another new feature that I’ll be covering on this site will be exploring  the construction of how musicians and artists create their tracks. 

The first of this new series begins with Judith. 

Judith, is a multi instrumentalist who’s debut single It’s All Been Said Before traverses between the sonic territories of David Bowie and Queens Of The Stone Age.

JUDITH - IT’S BEEN SAID ALL BEFORE

How did It’s Been Said All Before begin as a song, how did you push yourself creativity and exceed yourself in comparison to other material that you have worked on?

The song started with the verse riff, I started playing guitar about 2 years ago and I’ve been writing songs and random sketches. But the start of 2017 my new years resolution was to finish something! So that really gave me the drive to complete an idea and put all the effort in that you need to put in to finish a song. The initial idea is the easy bit, its the refining, development and crafting of the song thats the hard part.

What was the creative process of writing lyrics for this track and what is the message of the song?

Well the first verse came to me at 4am in the morning, the first line came to me and I thought it was interesting. Its basically a list song, because Ive never really written lyrics before, that structure really helped. I really like the first line, it has a dreamy/weird quality to it. I want the listener to almost feel a bit confused… I like it in certain songs when a word feels out of place. it doesn’t fit the narrative of the rest of the song or its a inconsequential place or thing, it grabs your attention and makes you want to inspect what the rest of the song is doing. I find that Frank Ocean and Bowie do that really well.

Tell me about constructing the different sections, was there anything specific that you really wanted to achieve?

It just took a lot of time, what I learned from the song is how much you need to focus on the vocals. Guitar is my safety net… I love playing guitar, but i think if i want to write songs that flow… i need to put the guitar down and start singing. find out where the top line wants to go and then follow that with everything else.

In terms of specific things… I just want it to be interesting, and for it to sound like me. I find that when I write things that melodically make more sense and sound more like ‘pop’, i tend to not want to pursue them as it feels like ground already covered. I wear my influences on my sleeve, Bowie had the balance right… his music could be so catchy and ‘pop’, but something was always ‘off’. whether it was a guitar line tone, lyrics, or his vocal performance there was always something that made him sound different.

How did the song change from the initial point from where it started, Were there any surprises or happy accidents that came through? 

The only happy accident I can think of was the guitar line in the outro section. I just started improvising over that section and it became a really useful variation to lift that section and then help bring the song to a close. I didn’t have any idea in the beginning what the song would be or end up being, i just followed my ear and the vocals.

Tell me about the recording process and production techniques, how would you describe the processes or preferences within the way that you work? 

I recorded it at my parents house. Again i’m on the this whole “I want to do everything myself” trip… My parents went a away for 2 weeks so I set up the drums, and created a studio!

For drums, I have Rode NT2-A, which I used for a close room sound. I used a Shure SM7 in the hallway for an even roomier sound, not the best mic for the job, but I’m really happy with how the drums came out. I think they have a real character to them. I try not to get too hung up on gear and getting the ‘perfect’ snare drum sound for example, I feel that imperfections can give the production its uniqueness.

I really enjoy the empowerment of recording myself. What I compromise on gear, I gain with time. Spending time on mic placement, getting instrument tones and capturing good performances. I also asked for a lot of help along the way, luckily I know a lot of talented musicians that I could lean on when I had a question or two.

How will this differ from studio to live?

At the moment I’m not pressuring myself with live. I have spent the majority of my youth and early adulthood gigging like crazy. So right now I’m happy to put that down and just focus on writing and releasing songs. Im aware that gigging is an important side of getting your music out there, but I’m to obsessed and interested in songwriting right now.

What is next for Judith and what can we expect with your next release?

I want to keep releasing singles, build up my repertoire and get better at song writing. The next release is written, just need to get into the studio and record it. Im really excited to release this next one!

You can follow Judith at: 

https://www.facebook.com/judithmusicuk/

Youtube: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9yNWMe07PA-l6LkDqoiRVQ

Soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/user-918257180/its-been-said-all-before

[carlculationinfinityinterviews]

Dawne-Dark & Lovely Track By Track

Solo artist Dawne's sound is a collective mixture of rock,blues,jazz and other experimental artefacts to taken from modern progressive artists.

Her debut release Dark & Lovely is comprised of four tracks displays everypossible angle of her musical pallete, not to say that this is all that Dawne has to offer. Dawne takes us through the creative processes and labours for each song and is the first of the new features that I'll be releasing on this site.

1.COME ALIVE

<a href="http://dawne.bandcamp.com/album/dark-lovely">Dark & Lovely by DAWNE</a>

The shell of this song is about being at a crossroads. When I wrote the song I was in a place in life/as an artist where I wanted a lot more creative control/input, but was not really pursuing it with enough rigor. I felt stuck in a box during the days in regards to the people/situations I was surrounding myself with back when I lived in Hollywood. This one is one those songs where I wrote the lyrics in about five minutes and just let the pure emotion of my daily life come through in words.

I wrote this song by first creating the main guitar riff and putting it into Logic Pro. I then built the other parts around that main guitar riff theme. I remember the vocal line came out so damn easily! The odd meter bridge also felt so natural as I was almost exclusively playing/writing in odd meter at the time it was written.

As far as music theory goes, I do not consider/think of any music theory when writing music. I have studied lots of theory in the past but I find overthinking it takes away from the natural essence/flow of the song.

The lyrics paint a sort of vague picture of someone stuck at a crossroads and feeling unfulfilled in regards to their current state of living. Which is how I was at the time when I wrote it. I tried to use more vague terms to describe that feeling, and really let out exactly how I felt into the music. I’ll have to admit that putting lyrics out for people to read/criticize can be tough for me because my lyrics don’t hold back!

The studio process/production for this song was rather simple. I met with my awesome producer John McLucas and we recorded the vocals and whatnot in a few takes. I did the guitar and bass on my own in my rehearsal space, and Forrest Rice performed drums!

2. NO GOOD

<a href="http://dawne.bandcamp.com/album/dark-lovely">Dark & Lovely by DAWNE</a>

This song was inspired by something most creative types have to come to terms with at some point, and that is being criticized by the regular world for fully pursuing their craft. I had some specific folks in my life who were highly critical of me pursuing this art fully, and it was something that naturally came out in song form. It was damn refreshing to record this song. It was cathartic to say the least.

Once again, the song was built off of a main riff/idea, and then all of the other parts I am able to hear in my head follow that riff. Then comes the vocal melody on top, then bass lines I hear, and then we add drums. I also have studied the likes of certain songwriters I enjoy the most, like Daniel Caesar, to try to make each section really stand out and build up and then flow into another in a way where each section really hits. I enjoy hearing that in any artist I regularly listen to!

I didn’t think much theory in this song either, except for in the bass line where I routinely studied a way to make the line hit the root notes yet still add fills that led section to section in a way that uses more classical theory.

As stated above, the lyrics came from a place that was very pure and open to critiquing those who hate on artists and musicians. It was almost my way of just yelling it, “I’m No Good,”in their faces, so that I could just say yeah, I get it, I’m not following the path you want me to, I’m not a societally ‘good' girl, I’m going to do what I think is best for me… the song almost was sort of meant to take on what is considered societally ‘good’ versus what is actually ‘good’ for a specific individual and their needs as an artist, a human, a creator, etc. 

All of my favourites did what was truly good, not surface level good, for themselves and for the planet, so I take a similar route. 

When I developed this song I really listened to some of my favourite songwriters/Rock bands that are totally killing it, to get the icing on top that i wanted. I always write nearly every part of a song on my own in isolation, and then before we record it and finalise it, I hear that extra oomph in some bands/solo artist I dig and use some little things I consistently notice in their work to add to my own. 

I think that finding those little details that really push and pull a song and tripling down on them is inevitably what makes a group/artist ‘make it’ in the long term or not, because those spots are often looked over by people who don’t spend enough time on their art.

We used a bit more production methods on this song than on the others. Again, i worked with John McLucas and he actually programmed in the drums on this song. We recorded guitars in amp as well as a DI track, same with bass.

3. DRIFTER

<a href="http://dawne.bandcamp.com/album/dark-lovely">Dark & Lovely by DAWNE</a>

As funny as it sounds, this song was initially about someone I sort of loved. But then when I went to record it the feeling was gone but that lovey, gushy feeling is still sort of there when I hear it. This song was definitely written back when I was more inspired by mathy/virtuoso-esque guitarists, as heard in the main riff. I was also studying some jazz at the time and I think a little bit of it wore off in there! 

Again, I wrote ‘Drifter’ around the main riff as heard in the verses and build everything else around it in the order of guitars, vocals, bass and then drums. I rewrote the lyrics when it was time to record, and I’m glad I did! This song, like the others, came out quite quickly and easily. Once I get a main theme it’s generally very easy for me to hear all of the other parts and then execute the song fully.

Music theory was used only as a way to write the guitar solo. I went back and found out all of the chords in the verse, chorus and bridge and it was actually super fun to do! Didn’t realize quite how jazzy it got in their in those verse and bridge parts!

The lyrics vaguely paint a situation of being the kind of person needs to focus on their art/craft more than on another person. When I say, ‘I’m drifting,’ and, ‘That’s how it’s got to be if you want to run with me’ it reflects the choices that musicians have to make in order to make this happen. I have to tend to my art, rehearse, travel, write when I get ideas, etc., and the person I am seeing has to understand. 

There are lots of things someone gives up to be an an artist full time/be in a band, and it’s worth it. But it’s often hard to find a partner/person who is close to you who fully understands the commitment to a different lifestyle. I let this song develop by really engraining the first riff in my head, and then slowly but surely building the other pieces on top. It took a little longer to write than the other songs.

We kept the production process simple. As with the other songs, we did guitars first, amped and DI’d, then bass, then Kynwyn Sterling added drums underneath, and I laid the vocals on top. It was the hardest for me to get a guitar solo that I dug, I took a lot of time to try to make it sing!

4. SWEET NOTHINGS

<a href="http://dawne.bandcamp.com/album/dark-lovely">Dark & Lovely by DAWNE</a>

This song was also more inspired by the mathy artists I was listening to at the time, from the likes of Chon especially. But I also wanted to make it more personal, emotive and a little darker. I definitely intended to also challenge myself as a player and compose something I thought had a lot of beauty, nothing cheesy. 

This song was written when I considered myself more of an instrumentalist whereas I now pursue singing/performance/artistry much more.Again, I made that main riff and it was something I was sort of jamming on for awhile! Then the other parts slowly but surely came. 

I wanted to make all of the guitar parts sound very smoothly connected with the voice leading, as well as with the vocals on top. I thought very much so like a musician, with jazzy and classical training, when constructing Sweet Nothings. The process was the same, I just sat and played and sang until it all came together and made perfect sense to me. 

As far as theory goes, this song was written when I was in a phase in life where I paid more attention to theory. I was getting into shell chords on guitar, as well as really paying attention to smoothly connected voice leading. Then I used whole steps in the verse chords to create a sort of tension, leading into a sort of upiddy, sonorous triplet feel in the chorus. 

Some of my classical training probably comes out, in the way I move up an down the neck in the playing. I also aimed to use a lot of open voicings in the guitar chords to challenge myself with the chords I came up with! The lyrics touch upon a sort of apathy I was feeling towards romantic love at the time. It’s hard for me to feel, I have a very one track mind and when I’m focused on a song or a group, I get consumed by it. It was kind of saying, yeah, you like me and it’s sweet, but it doesn’t do for me what I want in life right now. 

I feel differently about that kind of approach now. I get excited about love rather than feeling like it’s a road block. I developed the song, once again, in isolation and through sitting with each riff until it felt like magic. I was a lot more shy and reserved and less confident when I wrote this song so I sorta just sat in practice rooms all day. I also took a sort of all or nothing approach with it, and said if I’m going to make a fulfilling guitar piece, let’s go all the way and really connect the dots, or each chord/voicings, so to speak.

The production on this song was so bare! I actually recorded the guitar at my old rehearsal space in Hollywood with an audio engineer who I met. Then I recorded the vocals myself in that same spot! Funny enough, a few people asked me how I got such a good vocal recording tone on the song. I laughed so hard, because I literally did it myself for the first time. I think what helped is that I used an awesome mic, an Audio Technica, that gets the clearest, most vibrant tones on my voice.

 It’s one of those things where I’ve tried mics worth a few thousand dollars, and I don’t like the sound as much as I do from the Audio Technica that I frequently use! I’ve read of some super big producers who use 200 dollar mics for the same reason, it captures their essence in the best way, and that’s what you gotta look for in gear, in my opinion.

Please follow Dawne and support her music by streaming, sharing and purchasing her music.

You can follow Dawne’s page in the following links:

Bandcamp:

https://dawne.bandcamp.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/TaylorDawnMansfield/

Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLIa4-xhfv4K_uhiiWP2EXw/featured

[carlculationinfinityinterviews]

Kurt Travis Interview

Kurt Travis, a vocal athlete that has been part of a multiplex of acts as well as venturing on his musical endeavours as a solo artist and managing his own label Esque Records. A master of applying himself to any musical genre whether its post hardcore, pop or instrumental rock. I caught up with Kurt on his headlining tour in the UK.

Tell me what caused you to take an interest in music and tell me about your earliest musical memory?

My grandfather was a lounge singer much in the style of big bands such as Frank Sinatra. He would take us camping every summer and there was always a guitar lying around and we'd always take part in singing. I started out by learning lots of worship songs given to me by my worship leaders. It all really stems back from going back to church and being with my grandfather and extended family.

My cousins were in bands and played music similar to Deftones and Rage Against the machine my family are from Sacramento and that kind of hard rock was really popular at the time.

Tell me about the first piece of music you bought with your own money?

I think it was Rage Against The  Machine, my parents really didn't want me to have it so I bought it with my own money, Blood Sugar Sex Magic was another one of my first purchases. There was also a bunch of Christian bands that my parents would let me listen to though the secular world was kind of frowned upon, if I wanted to listen to anything else then I'd have to hide the cds or listen to them on my Walkman.

Kurt Travis-Switchblade (Prod. by Ben Rosett)

Was that like a sense of rebellion for you?

In a way but I'm not sure what really brought me towards that kind of music and always told myself that the kind of content featured on those cds whether it had violent lyrics or an aggressive output wasn't okay to conduct in real life since its only art and a form of expression. I got into to those kinds of bands around the time of the Columbine shootings where Marilyn Manson's music was used as a scapegoat for acts of violence in schools. My parents were really religious and were more concerned about raising me the best that they could and I'd rather have that than anything else.

Other artists like DR.Dre, Korn, Tool.Eminem and Limb Bizkit  were artists that I listened to when my cousins were driving me to school. I was born in the 84 so my adolescence was right in the 90's. I remember how Tool was so controversial with the artwork and lyrics and how my parents would have been furious if they found out that I was listening to them and on a few occasions I got caught and they threw some of my music away.

When was the first point that you can remember music becoming a most crucial element in your life and what led you to wanting to pursue music as a career?

I remember me and my mom having an argument and telling her that I'd rather become homeless then have a regular 9-5 job and that I'll either be a bum on the street or a millionaire, either way I'm going to be an artist. Even now as an artist there's always going to be going to be a struggle, if you are an artist you are probably a sensitive person I still try to be a good sport like if I fuck up I try to apologise and just generally try to be a good person all round.

Kurt Travis - Overthinking

How would you describe your compositional process, how do  you work throughout the song from A to B and when do you decide when you need to creatively stop or when a song is completely finished?

There's not really a formula, the music usually comes first and then the vocals, rarely do the lyrics come first though I'm not opposed to that method of writing.  I try to give the song exactly what it needs if it’s just one riff that really benefits the song then that’s all you need, first impressions are really good. I usually go with my first idea though the overall components that I start with can be completely different when I get to the end of the song. 

There’s points in the mixing phase where the song can still come alive in ways that you didn't even comprehend. I like to get all of the ideas out and then creatively reform them as I go along.

Does that differ from live to record?

Not really whenever I record I always think of how I'm going to interpret live or how it will sound in a live environment I don’t want the sound to be too different from the recorded material.

How do you approach or what method do you apply to vocals and what advice can you give to other musicians who are either looking to develop themselves or become better vocalists?

Well for males I feel that there are two registers either low or high range or head voice. I feel the best advice I can give to anyone who wants to develop their vocals is to learn an instrument and develop themselves alongside it. Learn to tune you instrument and learn what it is to be sharp or flat and in tune. That will help you immensely when you are trying to hit or sing notes in your head since you’ll know exactly what the notes are supposed to sound like. 

I you don’t know these concepts then it can be very difficult for you to reach those musical levels that’s not to say that there aren’t singers out there who can’t do that without training and some just have a god given set of skills that allow them perform. Even the most primitive voice needs to know about pitch and rhythm. When working with drummers its really important to make sure you have the correct tempo and to offer constructive criticism. I can tell when a drummer is dragging or rushing since I won’t have enough breath if they are playing too fast,  or too slow since the phrase has become too long since it’s been drawn out. 

As a singer these concepts are something you should follow. 

Giving the backing a band a BPM always helps dragging vocally is never anything that’s a good factor when playing live, luckily my backing band is the same as Andrés’s which features Elijah, Andrés Danny Strain and Skylar Bachand which are an incredible set of musicians. 

Kurt Travis -Brain Lord

How would describe what you talk about lyrically?

There’s really no filter and nothing that I stay away from, every topic is open to be discussed. I try to write about life and it’s all pretty ambiguous, sometimes it can be about dreams, people’s lives or things that can be affecting me or something else though, doesn’t always have to be that way. I used to always put lots of depth and meaning into my lyrics even with A Lot Like Birds in the spoken word sections. Lyrics have always been very personal and literal I believe that there are a lot of power in words and being metaphorical. Corey Lockwood always used to praise me on that since he’s so cryptic and he speaks so eloquently, poetically and with very good meter and execution. He would say that I could always bring the same emotion with less and more of a literal approach.

How important do you think it is to remain honest as a musician and ensure that you are following a creative path or ideal that is true yourself instead of making a creative compromise to please others?

All art is a form of expression and expressing yourself is really therapeutic. Expressing yourself doesn’t have to be about hardships it can be about anything for example, it can be about something positive like going on holiday with the love of your life, that’s also something that can carry a lot of really intense emotions. I always think that creating music and art is a therapeutic thing and has provided my with a lot of closure for things in my life in order for new experience or happiness to flourish.

What was the last piece of music you heard that expanding your idea of what was possible with any art form?

I’ve been listening a lot of Sampha, its something they always play at work when I’m back in Urban Outfitters since they play most up to date bands and things that are on the up, I’m also listening to Kaytranada and the 99% album, Hiatus Kaiyote. Tame Impala, Mac Demarco’s album This Old Dog he’s a great player and songwriter, he’s on a great label called Captured Tracks Records and which also features some awesome bands.

How you push yourself musically and ensure that you are moving forward creatively?

I honestly  can’t really say, I just try . The last time I really worked like that was with Eternity Forever they were giving me all sorts of ideas like, try approaching it like Justin Bieber, or Hiatus Kaiyote.  I’ve never really tried that falsetto approach like Al Green, I was really sick when I recorded so my voice had a lot of grit to it.

Eternity Forever // "Fantasy"

What would tell yourself as a younger person and what advice would you tell yourself?

Oh man that’s too much, it wouldn’t be just one thing I’d have a book for him, a novel of things to look out for though overall we are all defined by the things that we do if I was going to change something it would definitely have to have a large impact like The Butterfly Effect or something that would cause a mass change. I’d just tell myself that everything is going to be okay and not to worry, take a breath and that it could be much worse, enjoy the moment and I’ll see you in the morning.

What’s the best advice you can give to modern musicians?

Educate yourself and learn to put your own spin on the music that you create.  Everyone has their own unique talents and that’s a definite thing within music. Every vocal sounds completely different with different timbres, ranges and that goes with instruments too everyone. Don’t forget that every musician operates at a different level. There are only 12 notes.

You can stream, download and purchase Kurt Travis’s music in the following links below:

https://kurttravis.bandcamp.com/music

Follow Kurt’s pages and side projects:  https://www.facebook.com/kurttravismusic/

https://pushovermusic.bandcamp.com/

https://eternityforever.bandcamp.com/

[carlculationinfinityinterviews]

Album Of The Year  Andrés-Strange Memories On This Nervous Night.

Firstly I’m not a massive fan of writing up a list of my favourite albums of the year. The majority of music that I find online is a mixture of old and new releases and I’m not a fan of reviewing albums either but, Andres debut album Strange Memories On This Nervous Night is something that is really fresh and organic which has taken the spot of my favourite album of the year.

Andres unique approach to composition is a clean departure from gaudy over shredding and copycat complexities that are usually thrown in for the sake of flexing ones musical muscles. From witnessing his live show its very clear that Andres is no slouch to display what he can execute in the terms of technical proficiency.

There’s a different type of complexity which resides in the songwriting and genius production skills of Allen Casillas and Casey Bates. Supporting the song is the main focus with Strange Memories On This Nervous Night. Everything compliments each other and moves together in a pace that never takes the listener off course. It achieves this without chucking everything in the kitchen sink at your ears at once. This restraint is what I think a lot of modern bands really could learn from.  

Andres has definitely made something unique that’s fun to listen to and has plenty of cleverly executed hooks that solidify the meaning of each song. I think that this is somewhat lacking within the experimental progressive scene at the moment but I’m sure 2018 will bring something that will change my mind.

You can stream Strange Memories On This Nervous Night in the link below but please buy the album to support his music: 

https://andresmusica.bandcamp.com/album/strange-memories-on-this-nervous-night

Happy new year everyone.