Sistertalk

Mysterious quintet Sistertalk are hard to find online. A Google search offers up a Facebook page and an empty SoundCloud account, but despite the lack of online media presence the London band are being tipped as one of the next one’s to watch.

Made up of Gabriel, Seth, Tom, Dan and James, the five-piece are consistently hailed for their electric live performances, dark soundscapes and impeccable outfits. Currently working on, well, we’re not quite sure what, we caught up with the guys to (try) and find out more.

Q: There are a quite a few of you in the band. Well, five to be exact. Can you tell us a bit about each of yourselves and what you do?

Seth: We all work or study in London. I play keys, Tom plays bass, Dan drums, James guitar, and Gabriel is the chief.

Q: How did you all meet?

Dan: Gabriel and I are brothers, and Tom’s our oldest friend. I shared a bed with James for a year, and Seth we found in the cistern of London’s toilet circuit.

Q: Was it “let make music together” at first sight?

Tom: Dan, Gabriel and I have always played music together. James and Seth we adopted last year.

Q: Where do you find inspiration for your music? A lot of it has a really intriguing dark quality…

James: I’m not sure we could name any specific inspirations - Gabriel writes the majority of the music, I wouldn’t want to speak on his behalf.

Seth: Bowser’s Castle.

Q: It’s hard to find your music online and your SoundCloud is, sadly, empty. How come you’re yet to upload?

Dan: It’s important for us to do things on our own terms. We’ve started playing shows at a time of heightened interest in London bands, but with that comes this expectation that we need to capitalise on a movement before it dissipates. We’re not interested in releasing anything in a rush.

Q: Even though there’s no music online, your live performances are consistently championed and, from the sets we’ve seen, you guys always put on an incredible show. What’s your secret?

Dan: Thank you. We know that besides the live show, people don’t have a means of engaging with us. We therefore work to ensure our sets are memorable.

James: We just approach each one as if it’s an occasion.

Q: Obviously if we’re talking about your live performances, we have to mention the impeccable suits. What’s the story behind that?

Tom: We all just arrived at our first show dressed formally and continued on from then. There’s no contractual obligation.

James: If I were to rationalise it, it reflects the sense of occasion mentioned earlier. When this band started, feigning indifference seemed to be in fashion. We put a lot into this, and we’re unable and unwilling to pretend otherwise. Dressing smartly embodies that for us.

Q: Finally, what can we expect from Sistertalk this year?

Gabriel: Don’t expect anything and you won’t be disappointed.

Words Elly Watson | Illustration by Aga Giecko