Issue Fifty-One
Also inside: Pem Orlando Weeks Gut Health DEADLETTER Sex Week julie Most Things LICE Tooth MJ Lenderman
richie-culver.com Lulu Lin @ da__h_
So Young Issue Fifty-One finds us in the centre of festival season, a time where we can often enjoy many of our favourites, old and new, in one field, in one weekend. With less gigs and people jetting around, the summer can often present a lull in brand new artists emerging, but that’s not the case for 2024 and this issue is evidence of that. Here’s what’s inside. On the cover, Wunderhorse are preparing themselves for the release of their second album, ‘Midas’. Since we last spoke, the dynamic has shifted from Jacob Slater’s solo project to a cohesive and collaborative band. The impact of that is, well, ‘Midas’. An unapologetic, raw, rock record which relishes it’s edges and has no intention of conforming to trends. Sat avoiding the rain with the whole band in London, we discuss learning from the likes of Pixies and Fontaines D.C. on tour, recording in the same room as Nirvana and cutting the bullshit. September will see the release of the debut album from Londonvia-Yorkshire’s DEADLETTER. ‘Hysterical Strength’ marks the bands latest peak in a four year career as guitar music underdogs. No ‘buzzy’ moment in sight, just ‘one step in front of the other’ growth. You only have to take a look at the bands ongoing, gruelling tour schedule to understand that DEADLETTER are a live band, and this record captures that energy - pairing their honest observations of the world with danceable post-punk. We chat inside. Shoegaze, used rightly, wrongly, readily, has felt some serious growth as a genre over the last few years and LA’s julie are one of the most exciting and innovative new artists to be born from the sound. Now signed to Atlantic and preparing their debut album for release, we gave them a call whilst in Ohio for their tour with Faye Webster to talk through their move from Orange County to LA, the influence of their new community and the impact of other art mediums on their music. Bristol favourites and longtime friends, LICE have a new album on the way via new label partner, AD 93. In an interview that leads our writer to question his everyday existence, we discuss ‘Third Time At The Beach’ with frontman Alastair Shuttleworth. Now in Lisbon, the full time home for his art studio, Orlando Weeks’ creativity is not limited to his music but he does have a new album out.
Titled ‘LOJA’, after the local name given to his studio space, Orlando delivers a positive record which explores all that he left behind in London. We gave him a call to dig into the breaking of old habits and how music and visual arts elevate each other when paired. It seems there’s barely a moment where Jake Lenderman isn’t on the road. Be it touring worldwide with Wednesday on guitar, or taking the music of his project MJ Lenderman to an ever growing audience. It’s the latter music that we discuss on the phone as new album ‘Manning Fireworks’ is on its way. As always, it’s with great excitement that we present some brand new artists to our pages. We start with London duo, Most Things. With just one video up on YouTube (‘Shops’), it’s very early days but with a full live schedule coming up and, we’re told, plenty of music ready to go, we were enthused to find out what we could at this point. Another new band from the capital with only a YouTube presence to their name are Tooth. Impressed by their youthful energy and 00’s indie spirit when performing at one of our We Are So Young nights, we followed up with a call to see what’s going on behind the scenes. Staying in London but via Bristol, we find Pem. Her new EP ‘cloud work’ was recently released via Ali Chant’s Fascination Street label and is a beautiful listen. Eager to know more about where these songs came from and what’s coming next, we gave Emily a call. Finishing off overseas, Sex Week are an exciting new duo from NYC. Sitting somewhere between the dark and light of bar italia and Chanel Beads, there’s an atmosphere in the pair’s music that feels haunting yet comforting. We gave them a ring to find out the story to date. And finally, Melbourne’s Gut Health have a debut album (‘Stiletto’) on its way. Catching them at the back end of a EU tour, we cased them on the themes of the record and their translation of their live shows to the studio sound. We chat to Lulu Lin, the artist behind the striking new Fontaines D.C. album campaign and announce our collaborative t-shirt. Cork based photographer, Emilyn Cardona has given us a window into the world of Irish band Cardinals over the last year or so. We spoke to Emilyn about her aspirations and career so far. The GradList returns as we partner with Arts University Bournemouth once again to showcase some of their most talented new graduates.
3 Pem Gulls
41 LICE Third Time At The Beach
9 Most Things Just bass and drums
45 Emilyn Cardona Seize the Moment
15 Orlando Weeks Store
47 DEADLETTER I’m a Realist
22 Sex Week Toad and Boo
51 julie my anti-aircraft friend
25 Lulu Lin Spontaneous Expression
55 Gut Health Stiletto
29 Wunderhorse Raw Expression
62 Tooth Age of Innocence
37 GradList 2024 AUB Illustration
65 MJ Lenderman Wind, birds and ghosts
Pem (aka Emily Perry) has had a profoundly busy, and
My dad loved birdwatching, hence the references to Gulls
successful year so far. Following an acclaimed run of live
and other birds throughout the EP. I learned the names of
shows, the organic-sounding multi-instrumentalist recently
lots of birds through him. For example, the track ‘martin
released her EP ‘Cloud Work’, following the loss of her
pêcheur’ is named after the French word for Kingfisher,
father last year.
which was my dad’s personal favourite. He was a very nomadic man, always jumping between places, which
Produced by Ali Chant, who has worked with the likes
I think is best compared to the life of a bird - always
of Yard Act and Katy J Pearson, ‘Cloud Work’ has been
migrating, yet eventually returning.
praised far and wide for its heart-rending depth and acute sensitivity. Filled with introspective lyrics poignant
‘Gulls’ is my favourite track from the EP and was the first
enough to make any daffodil-loving poet blush with
non-romantic song I wrote. Before that my songs were
jealousy, the EP reveals a vulnerable side to the artist
mainly about relationships. ‘Gulls’ is like an ongoing
behind the pen, whose distinctive sound matures with each
conversation with my dad. On the day he passed, I went
release.
down to the beach, and I took recordings of the sea and its surrounding sounds, which you can actually hear faintly
‘Cloud Work’ has not only consoled Perry throughout
in the track.
its production but continues to do so as a means through which she can viscerally reflect on her father’s life with a
Can you tell me more about your writing process as an
cradling fondness and bittersweet smile.
artist? Do the lyrics come first or do the melodies?
Similar in sound to Adrienne Lenker’s solo work,
I tend to write reflectively when I’m in a place of
Perry’s voice is instantly recognisable with its trembling
boredom. My writing is without a doubt driven by my
mysticism delivered straight from the soul. Much like the
mood or a big life event. I like my songwriting to be a bit
clouds she named her EP after, Perry’s palpable vocals
of an outpouring. I hate anything pretentious and I can’t
float weightlessly in the air like incantations, enchanting
write about anything that I haven’t experienced. My lyrics
each and every listener.
are definitely diary-like and I try to be as unfiltered as possible with my music.
Currently based in London, I caught up with Emily on a downtrodden Wednesday evening to discuss all things
I’ll often pick up my guitar and piece a riff together,
gardening, knitwear and writing from the heart.
whereas melodies will come to me a few days later when I’m walking or cooking. Sometimes a song will just fall
Congratulations on the release of your EP ‘Cloud
out and be finished in an hour and a half, but that’s quite
Work’! Can you tell me about the meaning behind the
rare! I often write my lyrics away from the song and my
EP and your use of metaphor throughout the release?
friends always find it funny that I can’t write my lyrics down! I record them as voice notes, so if my phone were
‘Cloud Work’ is filled with a weird sentimentalism, which
to break I have over 3,000 recordings on there!
when I was writing seemed very apt. When I received the news about my dad’s passing, I was on a plane that
Are there any other external forces that drive your
had just landed. I kept thinking about the clouds that had
writing process or influence your music?
surrounded me just moments before, which later inspired the EP’s name.
The environment is a big inspiration to my work. I work as a gardener alongside making my music, which naturally brings me closer to nature.
Words by Neve Dawson, illustration by Gisela Navarro
4
I love being by the mountains or by the sea, which is quite
Time for a really horrible question. Who would your
a nostalgic place for me. I did a residency in Columbia
three desert island artists be?
post-Covid and that was one of the best experiences of my life. My writing tends to be influenced by personal things,
Ugh, that’s a really hard question …. I would say Sybille
although I’m often influenced by individual words I have
Baier as my first choice. Maybe Billie Holiday after that?
heard in conversations with friends or from what I have
I take a lot of inspiration from her work as another artist
read. A word will just get in my head and I’ll run with it.
with an unusual voice. Then Sonic Youth!
What has inspired your music videos? Is there a story
Would you say that your style reflects your music, or
behind them?
vice-versa? Tell me more about your collaborations with Rabbit Baby and other designers.
When I was growing up, I used to live near a park and would always get on a swing when I felt weird or upset
I’m lucky to have such talented and creative friends like
about something. I found the act so comforting and I
Sophie, the founder of Rabbit Baby. I’ve performed at
wanted to use a swing in the ‘awe’ video to represent the
some of her exhibition shows and she always lets me
idea of constantly moving but never getting anywhere.
borrow clothes for my own performances. I was fortunate
‘Grips’ to me is all about escapism and compulsion,
enough to film the ‘gut health’ video wearing Studio
whereas ‘gut health’ is about being submerged in a
Manche knits. With the EP, I’ve also had the opportunity
difficult memory of another’s harm and what that then
to work with Hairy Mary (Rosie Barton), who made
does to the body. I chose to represent this through the art
part of my costume for ‘grips’ and has gone on to work
of dance and the motif of water. I couldn’t have made
with the likes of The Last Dinner Party at Glastonbury.
these videos without the wonderful artistic community
Aesthetics are very important to me as an artist; I love
I’m part of! The dancers, filmmakers, artists and
being creative with what I wear and experimenting with
choreographers were all so generous, helping me to bring
different fabrics and textures.
these ideas to light. I love how they have turned out! Are you currently undertaking any side projects while How did you first get into music? Were you surrounded
you write new music?
by music as a young child? I’m actually writing a book, which I’ve been working I taught myself guitar through learning Elliott Smith
on for the past three years. It’s fictional with its own
songs. I spent a lot of time alone as a kid and music was
characters, however, it is loosely based on my relationship
an escape from school, which was quite a rough time for
with my dad, who himself wrote a few memoirs. I’d say
me. My parents surrounded me with music from a young
the book is almost like a tongue-in-cheek conversation
age. My mum used to play lots of music around the house
between the two of us.
(especially Kate Bush), and my dad played the 12-string guitar.
Finally, what’s your plan for the rest of the summer? Have you got any performances lined up?
I had about three piano lessons when I was 10 but I was rude to the teacher and I hated practising! I ended up
I’m supporting Bess Atwell on her upcoming UK tour in
being self-taught in both instruments, although I didn’t
October and another band in November, but that hasn’t
have a piano at home, so I only played more as I got older.
been announced yet. I have some European shows lined
My musical career is still relatively recent, and it was only
up, including a gig at Left of the Dial Festival in the
when a friend from college asked if I wanted to produce
Netherlands! Apart from that I plan to take it really easy.
some music did I self-release anything.
After a busy couple of years, my main focus is taking some time out to write and really focus on creating new music.
5
Pem
Thomas Spooner Photo by Quin Cunningham
I won’t bother to attempt to introduce a project that is,
Having listened, I can’t quite imagine it live.
as yet, fresh to the world. Why muddy the waters? Most Things is Tom Grey Phillips and Malachy O’Neill. They
It’s different live, a bit more bombastic. The singing on
have one song, ‘Shops!’, which you can listen to on
the record is something I developed over a couple years,
YouTube. Put it on and read on for Tom’s own illustration
painfully smashing my head against the computer, trying
of a project that will soon not only be familiar but much
to get some sort of voice out of me that was pleasant to
beloved.
listen to. Live it’s a lot more...it’s not screamo but shouty, and a bit silly. It’s quite informed by Alex Harvey.
You seem to have sprung out of nowhere. So it seems. We started releasing stuff through this project, Atomiser, got some interest from the industry, and took stuff down to figure out how to navigate that. So when did Most Things start? Three years ago when I was at uni and met the drummer, Mal. We started playing together but when I played guitar I sounded like everyone else, so I started playing bass and Mal’s drumming made it all make sense. If that was your first time playing bass, what’s your background in music? From the age of eighteen I used to rap with mates in parks to kill time and then started making sample bass music. I got an MPC 1000 and would make beats sampling records from charity shops. It was all awful. I got Asha Puthli. That was a sick record, I made some cool beats out of that. So I was doing that and getting into more experimental electronic music. I made an album with this guy Gal Go, the saxophonist in King Krule. And then came Most Things. We started playing and it all made sense. Mal is a very creative drummer, more of an artist than an instrumentalist I guess and a really brilliant guitarist as well. The way he approaches playing with people is very free. We improvise a lot. And this project was born out of that natural conversation. He liked the way I play bass and I loved the
He’s a Glaswegian guy that died quite young but was in the hair rock scene I guess. There’s a couple of videos of him performing that are very inspiring. It’s a bit
way he drums.
tragicomedy – confrontational, surrealist stuff. But the live
And the live setup?
recordings to be listenable, so I tried to dial it back and
show’s a bit more of an onslaught I suppose. I wanted the make it more of an intimate, nuanced sound.
Just bass and drums.
9
Words by Natalia Quiros-Edmunds
And did that come naturally?
How would you describe the sound?
Not at all. We recorded the album live and I just didn’t
It’s pop music, I suppose, but I also see it as outsider
like the way it sounded. I figured we can get away with
music. I don’t know if I can give myself that label though,
this when we’re in front of you pulling faces, but when
you can’t really claim it for yourself. I’m very influenced
there’s just a person alone with the music it’s a different
by alternative approaches to music making and music that
experience. I was trying to find a way to bend what I do to
is a practice that doesn’t come from being practised. I
work in a setting where you’re alone.
don’t know how to play the bass, I never had lessons, so it was like what can I do with this? I’m not trying to make a song, I’m just trying to get a point or a feeling across. All you can do as an artist is be very personal and dig inwards as much as you can until you get to a point that is universal and understandable to everyone. You have to know yourself for others to know you I suppose, or something like that. Sounds lame but universality is a big thing. So it’s not about being weird. Although I feel weird, I feel like I’m not in the main group chat but I want what I do to be accessible to everyone. So that kind of shooting for a universal truth or feeling is a big part of what Most Things does. Who has influenced your approach? Mica Levi is an artist that I’ve always found incredibly inspiring. Building an instrument and making music with something that no one’s ever made music with before. Like what song can you squeeze out of a box with screws and wires? All the early Micachu & The Shapes albums, it’s just pop music but so strange. I think that totally hits a sort of universal note to human experience. There’s also the comedy of Chris Morris which I love so much. He wrote a load of TV shows in the late 90s, kind of political satire. I find the way he talks about what he does so inspiring. And I grew up really into Akala, this rapper. They did a book when I was really young and I loved it. And your lyrics?
I listen to a lot of music in transit, I’ve probably done the most listening to music whilst on a bus, in a window seat, so that personal experience is a massive part of my life. I wanted the music to function like that. And the pure live recording – the shouty, fractious, performative sound – just didn’t sit too well for a personal listening experience.
I think sometimes I try to be a bit literary with the lyrics but that often doesn’t work. It doesn’t make for good lyrics. I like the way words connect, I love giving a rhythm to words so they stick in your head, it’s sort of a game I really enjoy. I think what I write about, especially all the stuff on the first album, is trying to take a very personal feeling or experience and abstract it just enough.
Most Things
10
Where does that come from?
To what end?
I really like pulpy crap. I used to do this job delivering
So although I talk all this talk about universal human
parcels on a bike and found a book at the top of a block
truths, I also just want people to like me, it’s very pathetic,
of flats in Battersea that someone was throwing out. Some
really. I think that’s the core driving engine. There’s a kind
music exec got a bunch of heads in the DJ scene to write
of intellectual layer where I justify it, and it does make
books. I got a bit obsessed with this series of 90s teenage
sense to me, it helps me make sense of my own life but
pulp fiction. They’re very silly but give a real emotional
the core impetus for doing this stuff I think comes from
tether to the time. They’re also just really easy to read,
wanting to make the world my friends, you know?
they’re written for fifteen year olds that smoke too much weed. I like bad books a lot.
And has it worked?
And your love of fitting words together like a puzzle?
It’s catharsis isn’t it. It’s very corny to say but we’re all together in our loneliness and that gets back to that
When I was young, I loved rap music. I never thought
universal thing. If you can tie a pretty bow around this
I’d ever make guitar music. I mean, I never thought I’d
dark feeling and present it to the world like a gift that they
make music, but I didn’t think guitar music really existed
can all enjoy, it can turn that loneliness into something
or that it was a thing that anyone listened to. There was
useful. To explain a sad situation in a pretty way, makes
this album by this guy, Big Cakes, and I got this CD from
that sad situation somehow a bit less sad. I’m trying
Chapel Market when I was twelve or something, an early
to manipulate that so I can turn my loneliness into a
UK hip hop rap CD. I listened to that so much. The way
bridge to connect with other people. But all of this talk
the words pieced together, that’s definitely from rap I
is something you project onto it after the fact. It’s never
imagine. Rap music and that scene of early UK rap is
done consciously. I think everything is always a bit more
probably a massive influence on how I write. And then
stupid and complicated than we think it is. It’s a human
writers like Bukowski and who’s that guy who wrote
habit to try and turn it into a thing that could be the plot
Naked Lunch and shot his wife in the head? American guy,
of a sitcom.
did all sorts of concoctions of drugs…Burroughs! William S Burroughs. And all the beat stuff.
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Most Things
Walking the streets of Lisbon feels like a fever dream to
In London I had a broom cupboard and turned it into a
Orlando Weeks - despite moving two years ago, he still
working place. I’d be there as long as I could without
has moments of awe-inspired disbelief when calling the
becoming distant. I could bury myself away and happily
city home. This relationship between realism and reverie
forget everything else. One of the great things about
underpins his third album ‘LOJA’, which translates to
coming to Lisbon is realising how unhelpful that was, and
store in Portugese and alludes to the location of his current
how that habit needed breaking. I’m prone to becoming
studio. The album celebrates this new, warmer, chapter
stuck in my ways and if those ways don’t work for
for Weeks, but by no means abandons the past, especially
everyone else, it becomes sticky.
when considering his background in visual art. In this way, ‘LOJA’ doesn’t just exist as music - it exists on paper, in
How did moving from broom cupboard to studio
print and on film as Weeks literally paints a map for the
change how you make music?
listener to follow. From a very basic perspective, being able to make as much Inspired by Portuguese Azulejos tile painting (where tiles
or little progress in a day and leaving it exactly how it is
emerged as storytelling devices), ‘LOJA’ represents an
now means I can maintain a rhythm with my work. For
amalgamation of conversations and snapshots pulled from
years I was in a shared environment, and even if you’re as
different phases of a life and career spanning songwriting,
conscientious as you can be, it’s still impeding on other
printmaking, curating art exhibitions, writing storybooks,
people’s space. Now I can romanticise the idea of going
scoring films, bringing up a family and becoming a solo
to my studio and making pointless, affirming work. This
artist after great success within a band. Despite making
change also gave me the title and visuals for my record.
music for the majority of his life, Weeks doesn’t sit
From the latter, just getting in there, painting on the walls,
comfortably in this landscape alone - he is most at home
hanging my work, made me feel inspiration differently.
when he can rearrange and re-contextualise music within other art forms. ‘LOJA’ clearly communicates his joy in finding this balance - it’s an album that exudes the triumph of someone rediscovering their stride, encouraging us to join in on the adventure. You’ve noted that ‘LOJA’ represents a ‘new found awareness of things you left behind,’ in London I assume? What did you leave behind?
15
Words by Poppy Richler, illustration by Nurit Gross
You’ve always said that visual and musical arts are
I don’t know why specifically, but I just love their tonality
inextricable. With that in mind, it makes sense that the
and figuration. I originally wanted to call this album Tonk,
cover of LOJA is entirely your own work. It seems as if
making music that sounded like that word. I went to see
many individual snapshots make up a story here.
an exhibition of Helen Frankenthaler’s art, and asked myself how I could make an album that looked like these
There’s a long tradition of tile painting in Portugal, and I
paintings and sounded like that word. I loved how the
liked the idea of vaguely representing that tradition. I like
works had potential to be both enormous and tiny at once.
how this art form matches one’s comprehension of a place.
I was very grateful that I changed the name when Joe
Memory isn’t linear: I had a nice night there, the walk
Talbot showed me the album artwork for Idles’ new album
through that park was nice. With the nature of black and
‘Tangk’…
white colouration and the addition of hard graphic lines, you can sit these various memories next to each other and
Your favoured art methods are print and stamp making
they’ll communicate, even if it isn’t entirely cohesive.
- two analogue forms. Does your music follow this same analogue ethos?
Aside from tile painting, are there any other art movements that inspire you?
100%. It’s not just analogue, it’s uneducated. I know what the keys are on a piano, but I don’t know what the chord
The period of art that I come back to over and over again
is if you put two of them together. When I write, it’s about
is 20s-50s Britain. Artists like Stanley Spencer, Eric
memorising what shape my hand makes, and repeating
Ravilious, Edward Bowden, The Nash Brothers, Barbara
that until it sticks.
Hepworth, Henry Moore, Ben and Winifred Nicholson.
17
Thinking about your whole life – are you someone who
That’s the hope. The reality is, switching between the two
has staple artists on repeat, or do you actively look for
helps me dodge brick walls in both. It’s a convenience that
new music?
has a fortunate knock-on effect.
I’m a narrow church - I definitely just come back to
I like how the two come together in the surrealistic
five or six things. Saying that, I do listen to new music
music video for ‘Dig’ featuring Wet Leg’s Rhian
recommendations. I’ve recently listened to Mabe Fratti a
Teasdale.
lot - maybe she’ll become one of the pillars of my small church. Currently though, I’m listening to Bill Callahan
The video goes back to those ideas of playing with scale
almost exclusively.
- thinking about things that could be so big they could be a universe, or so tiny that they could be cellular. Themes
Do you think it’s possible to separate music from
of scale are common in Paula Rego’s prints - I love the
visuals?
idea of big muscly babies and tiny tin soldiers all in the same place. I felt like I could play with this in my lyrics.
It must be, right? Though it is rare that you listen to music
I was also thinking about Gulliver’s Travels and great
in pitch blackness, only in company with the music. The
adventures. ‘Dig’ extended this because it’s about needing
best is both, right? They help and amplify each other.
to be persuaded to change your circumstances. My original idea was to build an ear as big as a person, sit inside it,
That’s very clear in your world - everything informs
whisper into it, and then the camera would pan out and it
each other.
would be Rhian’s ear. The scale ended up being too much so we settled with me sitting on her shoulder.
Further exploring this world, you recently had a residency at Copeland Gallery, where you showcased
‘Hop Up’ was a quicker process after that - I was working
your own prints and performed songs that spanned the
in a much more streamlined way, but it was during the
entirety of your career. How did it go?
pandemic, which gave the whole thing more of an external pressure. And with ‘LOJA’, it all felt so luxurious:
The exhibition wasn’t far from what I thought it would
I was with a new label, in a residential studio, with
be. That happens so rarely. I knew the space on a surface
incredible equipment, surrounded by amazing musicians
level, and though the size seemed out of my league, I
to collaborate with. I still want to make a better crack
thought I’d go big rather than not at all. I’d made so many
at a record that represents people in a room recorded
prints and pieces that would’ve otherwise never seen the
and captured in that moment - warts and all. The warts
light of day. The real hope was that people would come
are what makes it beautiful and glorious. Whether that’s
and see the work, and that this might colour the way they
stifling is against the point. Just by its nature, that record
hear the lyrics or music. It felt to me like that happened.
will be a better representation of me.
This isn’t a space where gigs often happen, and I don’t Thinking about the future, you noted that ‘LOJA’ is
think that novelty was lost on people.
about optimism and reflection. What are you optimistic Whilst this exhibition gave visitors an opportunity to
about?
experience your music in a different light, it’s interesting how your own perspective has changed over time. You
I think I’m optimistic by default.
described your second album ‘Hop Up’ as a much more freeing experience than your debut ‘A Quickening’.
We’ve looked forwards, now let’s look back. You’ve written music, designed album covers, made prints,
However, with the release of LOJA, you’ve noted how
scored films, and even written a storybook. If you had
stifling ‘Hop Up’s process was. Can you explain this
to give up one art form, which would it be?
shift? I don’t feel this is a very optimistic question…I want to For clarity’s sake, when I was making my first solo record,
make something like my storybook ‘Gritterman’ again,
I was also caring for a very small baby and had had very
where I write, draw and make music. Let me do that and
little sleep.
then I’ll get back to you…
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LOJA Tiles by Orlando Weeks
Peter Doyle in his studio Photo by Eimear Lynch
Staying up late into the night, in pursuit of curating the perfect playlist often eclipses the mundane necessity of sleep. It was, in fact, for one playlist (titled ‘Colorado 2 Omaha’) that led to creation of New York-based duo Sex Week. Liz Phair, The Magnetic Fields, Smog, and Wolf Alice, are some of the many artists that helped bring the deep bond and brilliance of Pearl Amanda Dickson and Richard Orofino together, to start something of their own. While still in their infancy, the Brooklyn band’s work seems to be filled with playing with woollen balls of lo-fi textures, with plenty of little scratches and nips amongst this analogue warmth. Their delicate meanderings stretch languidly by the fireplace as their harmonies curl and purr with sleepy eyes. During the build-up to their self-titled debut EP and the chaos of moving house, Sex Week were kind enough to share insights into their world and the journey that lies ahead.
Could you tell me about Colorado 2 Omaha?
P: Toad’s just so funny. They’re both giant black cats, and Toad will just climb on top of you, get so close to your
Pearl: I moved to Atlanta from LA, at the same time my
face, start purring, and then try to bite your chin.
roommate/friend, Allison, moved to NY. She would do long road trips from LA and back. She got these two
R: He’ll bite all over you.
kittens, Toad and Boo, and when she drove across the country, she’d take them with her. One day I got a call,
‘Toad Mode’ has been stuck in my head all year, and
and she was stressed out. “They’re stuck in this hotel bed.
I’m always wondering to myself the meaning behind it.
I don’t know how to get them out. I don’t know what to
This is all about him, right?
do!” We stayed on the phone until we figured it out, but it ended with me telling her I was going to make her a
R: A lot of people will have their theories about that
playlist for her trip from Colorado to Omaha.
song, and they’re so fun to hear. Toad’s in it! We got him meowing and sampled it.
Richard: Allison was someone I followed; she makes clothing under FemCelebrity. I always loved these sick
P: We played a show with Chartreuse, and they told us
hats and shirts she made. She posted on her story about
they had a whole hotel argument about what it means. On
looking for a room in Bushwick, so I replied, and we
the surface level, it’s about a cat, but it’s also about when
decided we’d be roommates. She would play that playlist
you’re so obsessed with someone and all you want to do
all the time, and every time I was like, “What is this? All
is just be involved with them. Almost that cute aggression
these songs are so sick.” That’s when she told me about
when something’s so cute and you just want to like…
Pearl and that she made it. I became obsessed with it and then finally found it.
R: Beat it up.
P: Yeah, he stalked it.
P: Haha, yeah, beat it up. It’s like that.
R: Pearl came to visit for Allison’s birthday, and we just
I read that you want to create music that can make
hit it off. We definitely bonded over playlists.
people laugh and smile but also make them scream and cry.
What was it that stood out the most from that playlist? P: I think, for the most part, we’re writing from true R: This one song by HIM. They’re a Finnish hard rock
emotional places. ‘Kid Muscle’, I was having such a
band, but they have this song called ‘When Love And
hard day in the studio because I knew in my head what I
Death Embrace’. I just thought it was the sickest song
wanted it to sound like but it wouldn’t translate. I laid out
ever. It’s got this Angelo Badalamenti, Twin Peaks synth,
on the bed so frustrated, until Richard came and said it’s
but in this heavy, epic, verbed-out way.
all okay. I sat in the closet with a blanket over my head and just recorded the vocals that way, and then it came. I
P: For me, it’s the early Liz Phair stuff. I had no idea that
want people to feel it in whatever context they’re feeling.
it’s so good. Oh, and this Weezer song, ‘I Just Threw Out
It was awesome to have friends be like, “I cried to this
The Love Of My Dreams’.
this morning.”
R: ‘Shane’ by Liz Phair was another one. A lot of cool
R: ‘Toad Mode’ is silly and light with that little darkness.
stuff like that. I didn’t really know her at all. That album,
‘Naked’ is funny, sweet, and vulnerable. Having these
‘Whip-Smart’, really good.
moments just feels very important. They’re true to us.
You mentioned a cat called Toad.
Could you then pick two songs each? One that will always make you smile, and another that brings you to your knees every time.
23
Words by Will Macnab, photos by Christian Michael Filardo, design by Josh Whettingsteel
R: ‘Waltz #1’ number one by Elliott Smith. That one gets
R: Yeah, you did a lot of new stuff, and the choices you
me very intensely every time I hear it. Then one that
made were so crazy to me. There’s like this weird phase
makes me smile, ‘Hello It’s Me’ by Todd Rundgren.
Tom thing that’s happening, and I listen to it walking around at night, and it’s perfect. It’s so cool. It doesn’t
P: I’m going, ‘Twisted’ by Johanna Warren. Crazy
sound like anything. I think that’s something that stumps
vocals, crazy lyrics. My friend was cutting my hair the
me. I would go like, “Well, the obvious choice would
other day, and it came on. She was like, “Oh, my God,
be something in this world, and then I can make it less
this is insane.” And then Paul McCartney’s ‘Hope Of
obvious.” But you go immediately to a less obvious thing,
Deliverance’.
which is so exciting and fresh to my ears.
You both have quite different and distinct strengths in
More stuff already? Tell me more on that.
the band. You must have learned a lot from each other? P: I mean, we’re still making stuff constantly. I hope R: When it came to writing, I always had an almost
something new comes out sooner rather than later. But
blueprint style, which came from working with lots
obviously, the EP is out on August 30th.
of different musicians over the years. Structure was something that I learned so much from Pearl because she
R: One song that did make the EP, ‘Bluff’, was in the
writes in this very feeling-based way. Lyrically too. We’ll
newer music sessions we were doing, and that feeling
come up with a little basic chord progression together,
carries over into the newer stuff. We were messing around
and she’ll just start freestyling, whispering, screaming, or
with more synthesisers and more vocal effect choices.
talking. It’s really cool to see that; I find it crazy to see
Sometimes we were like, “It’s really cool; it should sound
someone go for that instinctively.
more like shit.”
P: I didn’t really make music before this. I had just started
You direct your own videos, have had experience in the
guitar lessons, and I would just do the same melody for
film industry, and name Ryuichi Sakamoto as a huge
six minutes straight with different lyrics. It was so based
influence. What dream director would you love to work
on what I was going through and needing to get it out of
with?
the system. Richard taught me a lot in structuring and all the production; having him there and showing me the
R: Right now, I really love Jane Schoenbrun. They did
ropes was so beneficial.
‘I Saw the TV Glow’. I think Alex G did the whole soundtrack for it, and it was really cool to watch. I love
How much do you find yourselves experimenting with
Daniel Lopatin and his work with the Safdie’s.
switching roles? P: The two that come to mind are Luca Guadagnino P: Our newer stuff, that’s not out yet; there’s a lot more of
because he always has such iconic soundtracks. Then the
that there. I’m so excited about some of the new songs.
guy who did ‘Drive My Car’, Ryūsuke Hamaguchi, he’s awesome. I think we just hope we’re directing our own stuff too at a certain point; we’re both such visual people, and we both love movies. If we have a day off, we are praying we get to go to the movies. R: Large popcorn, large drink. P: We get two large popcorns. R: Oh yeah, each. I’ll watch any movie. I just love them. 24
Having drawn as a child as an escape and to lift her spirits,
Through my art, I aim to capture the elusive and often
Taiwanese artist Lulu Lin went on to gain her Batchelor’s
unclear emotions that exist in reality. I also seek to
degree in industrial design at Shih Chien University,
connect and communicate with others through various
Taiwan before doing her Master’s in communication
design and creative forms, striving to bridge our
design at Designskolen Kolding, Denmark. During this
experiences in a meaningful way.
time Lulu Lin officially launched her illustration career. What are you currently working on? “During my one-year exchange at Köln International School of Design in Germany, I had the free time to fully
A collaboration project with a local shoe design
embrace drawing as a hobby, which led me to share my
studio(chenjingkaioffice), in which I translate my
work online. However, it took another 3-4 years before I
illustrations into 3D models, and later turn them into shoe
began taking on commissioned illustrations.”
soles and metal accessories for shoes, some ceramics for my solo show in Tokyo in September, a book, Tokyo Art
Here at So Young, we’ve been following Lulu’s work for
Market in October, and some commissioned illustration
a while. Scottish band Walt Disco have effectively used
projects.
her pieces across singles and album art. Most recently Fontaines D.C. have licensed a series of Lulu’s work for
I’ve recently seen you recreating some of your pieces in
use throughout their new ‘Romance’ album campaign.
physical form, how has that worked?
Producing visuals which are set to become just as iconic as the album itself.
I draw on the knowledge I gained from my industrial design studies and the support of my friends to create.
Having just released a collaborative t-shirt with Lulu we
Two years ago, a friend taught me how to work with clay,
thought there was no better time to dig a little deeper and
and since then, I’ve enjoyed experimenting with it once a
find out about influences and the process involved in her
year.
amazing work. Tell us about a typical working day How do you go about starting a piece of work? Does it start as a pencil drawing? What is your process?
A typical working day for me begins with making a fresh cup of coffee to energise myself for the day ahead.
I draw when I feel confused about what I’m feeling or
Afterward, I take some time to clean the house, ensuring
when I’m eager to vent out my emotions.
my space is tidy and inviting. Next, I take care of my
I usually work on my iPad, beginning with a simple, crisp
plants. I then fit in a workout or some form of exercise to
outline (the foundation of my vision). From there, shades
keep my body active and healthy. Following my workout,
and colours flow naturally, arriving as they wish, adding
I dive into my work, focusing on my tasks and projects.
depth and intensity to the initial sketch.
As the day progresses, I take a break to cook, allowing me
Each layer becomes a spontaneous expression, allowing
to refuel and recharge. After finishing my meal, I continue
the artwork to evolve organically.
with my work until the day winds down.
The creative process serves as a therapeutic outlet for me, allowing a dialogue with my inner self. I view my illustrations as a way to communicate with myself. 25
Words by Josh Whettingsteel
Lulu Lin @ da__h_
You’ve previously worked with bands like Walt Disco
Each of these artists brings a unique perspective and
and more recently Fontaines D.C. What has the process
creativity that I truly appreciate.
been like with the new Fontaines D.C. singles and album artwork?
Does music influence your work at all?
The illustrations for Fontaines D.C. are actually pieces
There is no direct influence, but I do listen to music
I had created previously. They selected a series of my
while I work. Some of my favourite playlists for working
existing work and purchased the licensing rights for those
include heavy, fast classical music and funk from the 70s
pieces.
and 80s.
Who’s work do you admire and why?
Finally, what can we expect to see from you in the near future?
I admire a variety of creators, particularly in comics, such as “Watchmen” and the work of Tatsuki Fujimoto. I’m
I’m not entirely sure, but I definitely hope that whatever
also a fan of anime, particularly the works of Satoshi Kon
comes next will be something that resonates with people
and Masaaki Yuasa. Additionally, I enjoy cartoons like
or that they will enjoy.
“Anpanman” and “Doraemon,” as well as TV shows like “Hacks” and “Bojack Horseman.”
x
Lulu Lin
shop.soyoungmagazine.com
When Wunderhorse first adorned the cover of these pages
After all its success, what are your thoughts on ‘Cub’
in 2022 (Issue Forty), it was effectively a solo vehicle for
these days? Now you are a different Wunderhorse to
frontman Jacob Slater. An outlet for songs collected since
the one that made that record, what’s your relationship
his teens, the resultant debut ‘Cub’ rose to popularity after
with it now?
its release, seemingly overnight, becoming a bona fide cult hit in its own right. With rapidly growing stages, tours
Jacob: [Midas] is the record that I wanted to make from
across America and Europe with Fontaines D.C. and Pixies
the start. I think it’s good that we made it together after
coming in its wake (there’s a headline at Brixton Academy
we’ve made the transition to being a band more formally,
due before the year is out) a new look Wunderhorse has
because with the first record - I like the songs on it and
since emerged: a unified rock band in every sense; a gang
I’m not ashamed of it or anything - I think the production,
of four voices electrified together as one. “It feels right”,
the way we approached it, was quite middle of the road,
Jacob confirms, “It feels the way it was always supposed
quite safe. I think we did things a little differently with
to.”
this record and made the guitar record that I’d always wanted to make. It certainly felt a much more authentic
Decamping stateside to the forests of Minnesota to record
and more accurate expression of how we feel and how we
at the same studio (Pachyderm in Cannon Falls) where
sound live as a band.
Nirvana recorded ‘In Utero’, the result of all this change is ‘Midas’, an album that flies the flag for all of rock’s
Is your relationship with the new songs any different?
most venerated virtues. With it’s compound of triumphant grunge and wounded melody, it’s music that bruises and
Harry: As a player yeah. There’s more of us as players
bleeds for that almighty cause of instinctive, warts’ n’ all,
in this album, personality wise, than there was in ‘Cub’.
body-to-the-limit, Nirvana-at-Reading, Pearl-Jam-at-
With ‘Cub’ there was a lot more referring and deferral to
Pinkpop rock ‘n’ fuckin’ roll.
Jacob’s vision. This one particularly is more us pushing our personalities through our instruments in a much more
From the outside, it’s an album fizzing with the creative
natural way.
renewal that inspired it: an indirect commentary on the pitfalls of modernity, digital alienation and the relentless
Did you find it more liberating, Jacob, to have less of
quest for glossy perfectionism; a testament to the
an onus on it being ‘your project’.
timelessly authentic allure of an artform that doubles down on trusting guts, following hearts, and revelling in
J: I don’t know about liberating but it was definitely more
life’s vital imperfections.
fun. Sorry, it’s a crappy way of saying it, but it reminded me of how you feel when you’re playing with a bunch of
But as we take shelter from the diluvian rain to catch up
mates when you’re like 15/16. For a long time, I’ve put
with Wunderhorse in London Bridge, it quickly becomes
a lot of pressure on myself, like it’s all gotta come from
clear that, from the inside, they aren’t too interested
me. Then when other people start contributing their ideas
in judging themselves against any pervading musical
- things that I wouldn’t necessarily have thought of - it’s
climate. More on their agenda is the bloody-minded urge
like,“this is how it’s supposed to be”. And everything,
to make something rough, ready and raw that doubles
everyone’s ideas have become entwined to make
down on the thrills of their increasingly ecstatic live
something bigger than the sum of its parts.
performances. Leave all that pretence to the journalists, I guess.
29
Words by Elvis Thirlwell, illustration by Melinda Ureczki
Jamie: Jake was still very much the prime songwriter on
H: There’s a guitar that was still knocking about when
this record but it definitely felt like a stepping stone to
they were there. A really old beaten up guitar that you can
there being more input from everyone. We all got stuck
see in the photos when they were there.
into it and I think more could come in the future. J: We didn’t realise! We were playing and someone Did you feel any sense of pressure given the fact that
showed us a picture and we’re like sitting in the same spot
all of a sudden, you’ve got a lot more riding on this
Kurt was sitting in…
album? H: …same sofa…same carpet. H: Initially, we had a handful of songs going in, and an idea of what we thought the album was going to be. But
J: It was quite weird, to be honest.
80% of it didn’t end up being on the album. Harry: That novelty kind of wears off. I feel like we made J: It was scary! We had all these songs that we thought
it our own place pretty quickly, but initially it was quite
were going to work and then they didn’t and then when we
intense.
ditched them there was a moment of panic, a limbo state, like “we’ve not fucking got anything!” But once the ideas
What did you do to switch off when you were there?
started coming… We wrote over half the record in the studio, which was quite unusual, definitely for me. I don’t
J: Turned my phone off for a month, which was great!
think any of us have done that. Jamie: We got really stuck in. H: It was the first time we ever had to have some faith in ourselves. I think there were some doubts going in,
What did this space away from online distractions
and the fact we were able to go in almost entirely empty
provide to the process?
handed and come up with something, it gave us a bit of confidence.
J: Time, I think. In the evenings when you stop [working], you have to sit with your own head. I feel that’s where
J: It almost ended up being our secret weapon, the thing
your imagination starts to actually work because you
we were most afraid of.
create a world to disappear into. If you’re always being drip fed with endless stimulation, it’s very hard for your
You’re talking about when you went to record in
brain to get to that spot where the magic happens.
America, right? I was looking up the studio, and it’s like buttfuck nowhere in the middle of the woods.
P: We were playing for a lot of the day. And the last thing
Whose idea was that?
you want to do after your brain is already fried from doing so much music is to go online and see more people doing
Peter: It was [producer] Craig Silvey’s idea. We came to
more music. Also, there’s the distraction element of it as
him with an idea of making a raw record, and that we all
well. The fact that you could be coming up with an idea,
wanted to play as much as we could together in a room.
and suddenly your phone dings and you’re completely out
And he strongly recommended Pachyderm to us.
of your headspace that you were in. Why would you want to encourage that to happen?
How did he sell it to you? J: I think you’re a lot less likely to see an idea through to J: He said it’s where ‘In Utero’ was made and we all went,
its conclusion if you’ve got your phone on you. I don’t
“all right then”!
think they’re conducive to creativity at all. Maybe I’m an old man.
Is there any Nirvana memorabilia in the studio?
31
Wunderhorse
When I listen to the album - its influences, its sounds,
J: If you’re going to play to someone else’s strengths, you
its styles - it feels like it’s harking back to this quote
will fail because that’s their strengths. Even if it’s not ‘the
unquote ‘old school rock’n’ roll’ It’s a bit messy, it’s
flavour of the month’, or whatever, you’ve got to be like
really loud… ‘Midas’ seems to go against the grain
“this is what we do. This is what we’re good at.” And so
of what we might currently define as ‘modern’, like,
we’re gonna hone that to the sharpest point possible. To
I don’t know - super clean productions, synthesisers
subvert what we’re doing to make some sort of artistic
or everything to a click. I wonder if your intentions
statement… that’s not really our prime aim.
behind making the music you do is as a revolt against something else?
The band has developed so quickly. I saw you play a couple years ago, and then again earlier this year,
H: I think it’s just a style in itself. We wanted to make the
it was kind of crazy how much you’d moved on in
best possible rock album. I didn’t think it was necessarily
terms of your performances. There was so much more
a revolt; if it was anything it was a doubling down on a
movement, more energy, more nastiness. Have your
rougher, rawer sound. We were getting away from the first
priorities as a live band changed more through playing
album - if there was any revolt at all. With synths, clicks,
together more?
stuff like that - we’re not against that. It’s just more that there’s a time and place to use whatever you want to use. I
J: The ‘Cub’ songs were more complex to play! You
definitely don’t want to feel like we’re trapped in the box
gotta concentrate! With the Midas stuff, we tried to make
where we can only make rough and raw albums.
it as simple as possible and inadvertently, that’s led to performances where we can give a lot more energy and
Jamie: It just felt right didn’t it? These songs, it was what
personality to what we’re doing. I think what we want to
they were calling out for.
do with our live shows is just make it as real and visceral as possible and invite mistakes to happen. I feel like a lot
J: I was raised on that kind of music. It’s just what I like.
of people aim for this idea of perfection, it’s like “we’ve
I’ve always wanted to make one record that really hit that
got to nail everything!” I think the magic’s when shit
mark, and I feel like this one did.
blows up or falls apart and you have to improvise on the spot.
It’s so easy to be like, “these guys are doing this and they’re doing great, maybe I should do that.” It’s like fuck
What has gone really badly wrong during a show?
that! Music’s supposed to be a raw expression of who you are, not some timid reflection of what someone else is
J: My pedalboard falling apart. When we did Isle of Wight
doing.
I had to sing ‘Cathedrals’ without a guitar, which is the main instrument. But there’s thousands of people out
Do you think that’s hard to avoid, though, comparing
there. You have to look them in the eye and be like “this
yourself to other bands like that?
is how it’s gonna fucking go now”. You’ve got to make something of it. Also, amps blowing up. Amps Failing.
H: Sure, it can be. But you have to remind yourself when
Throwing a mic stand across the stage and being like
you’re doing it that it’s just bullshit. When you do that,
“fuck I haven’t got a mic stand”...
you’re just stunting what you could possibly do. P: We’re looking for ways to keep it interesting. We do Jamie: We’re not infallible. We look at other bands who
that through jamming a lot on the night. It’s a nice way to
are doing really well, and we think, “We’re not fucking
keep ourselves on our toes, experiment a bit and see if we
there yet.” But I think you’ve got to remind yourself that
can throw each other off!
music is just so broad. You just gotta be happy doing what you’re doing and stick at it.
@@ureczkimelinda
32
That’s when it’s really fun, when you feel like you’re not
Jamie: With Pixies, we’re touring with living legends
just rehashing the songs you’ve rehearsed over and over
really. They’re an amazing band sound-wise so there’s a
again.
lot to gain from them. With Fontaines, we definitely saw what they could do with a few chords, which was inspired.
P: I think people feel that as well, if you’re just watching a
It maybe had an influence on how we approached the new
performance that has been done the same way 50 times…
record.
H: We grew up watching Pearl Jam live at Pinkpop;
H: With Fontaines, we were watching them every night
Nirvana play live at Reading. We’re watching these rock
more or less. You just believed them every time you saw
bands at their best, playing the best rock shows that have
them.
ever been played on earth, and being like, “that’s the bar”. P: The first tour with Fontaines in America, most of Has playing bigger stages affected that at all?
us hadn’t been on a tour that long, especially not in the States. It was interesting seeing how they carried
H: The bigger the stage, the more confident I feel. I think
themselves and got through that, in their own way, on and
we belong on the biggest stages possible.
off stage.
Given that you’ve toured with Fontaines D.C. and
Big tips for touring America?
Pixies, did you learn anything playing with these bands night after night that you took on board for
H: Don’t go in a splitter.
yourselves? J: Don’t follow a band around flying everywhere and you J: They’re at that level where they’ve been through the
have a fucking drive like 17 hours a day!
motions. We’re thinking, “we want to do this”, so we’re watching how the process works and how best to utilise an
Jamie: I mean, do do it. If the opportunity is there!
environment like that to do the best show possible.
33
Wunderhorse
Presents
GradList
2024
We are excited to partner with the Arts University Bournemouth for a fifth year and to select and show off some of 2024’s graduates from the Illustration course. The work chosen ranges from ceramics to children’s books and character design. We caught up with the selected illustrators to get an insight into their work and highlight some of our favourite pieces.
Millie Johnson – @mill.ustration
Erin May Cooper – @erinmaycooper
Dominika Leszczynska – @dleszczynskaa
Heidi Teremetz – @heidi.teremetz
Arthur Gnivko – @gnivko_art
Tom Filer – @thelostoctopus
Denisa Ailenei – @pixi4rt
Freya Relfe-Dacey – @freya.rd.illustration
Maisie Barr – @maislecakes
Martin Samways – @leckuth
Alastair Shuttleworth of LICE provided the answers,
So, he had been keeping an eye on us from the shadows.
yet I was left with only more questions. Who am I? Are
Then we made ‘WASTELAND…’ and we released that,
my thoughts mine? How should I critique my everyday
managed ourselves through most of that campaign, doing
existence? Thankfully, some resolve regarding this despair
everything off our own backs. It’s one of those things as a
towards the possibilities of determinism can be found in,
new band, as we were at the time; obviously we’ve been
‘Third Time At The Beach’, the new album from LICE. A
going fucking billions of years now, but you never know
radically adventurous album that sonically crashes through
who’s keeping an eye on what on what you’re doing. We
time, shattering the illusions which we did not initially
are all massive fans of AD93; Moin especially, Valentina
recognise, enraptured by the journey of becoming free.
Magaletti particularly for me. I’m given to hyperbole, the word genius is one thing I do hold off on deploying a lot, I
We discussed our shared love of Valentina Magaletti,
do think Valentina’s a genius.
inspiration for lyric writing, their tendency towards extremity, the issue of London-centricity and the potential
How do you understand this album with respect to
of existing in the periphery. Plus, everything in-between
‘WASTELAND: What Ails Our People Is Clear’’?
and more; history, economics and philosophy – but, to hear that, listen to the album. LICE desire to be constantly
In one respect, the approach follows on conceptually
curious, that curiosity has flourished in this project. An
in ‘Third Time at The Beach’ from what we did on
introduction to ways of thinking, critiquing our common
‘WASTELAND’. ‘WASTELAND.’, we called it a “satire
sense to understand the complexities of our times. Yet, as
about satire”, which we thought was a pithy thing for the
much as this interview was, ‘Third Time At The Beach’ is
press release. It was looking at how ideas are formed,
a conversation about the process of learning. The album
about how political ideas are formed, about bigotry and
requires mutual recognition between the makers and
punk music. The stuff that we were surrounded by as an
the listeners, a project of continuous becoming through
erstwhile punk band. How in turn that politicised music
consciousness-raising. It is sincere – together we learn.
went and lived in the world. It asked questions about the way that we process information and think about
It is clearly an active decision, what drew you towards
information. With ‘Third Time at The Beach’, it’s the
creating a concept album?
same spirit but we are thinking about basically all of life: economics, language, history; things we started to get
Well, it’s a question of why you make an album as
heavily into around the completion of ‘WASTELAND’.
opposed to shorter projects. It’s one of those things
In one respect we were able to make ‘Third Time at The
where it has always appealed and made sense to us that
Beach’ because we wrote ‘WASTELAND’ in such a
if you’re going to write a group of songs that are going
weird way. But, this album was also incredibly different.
to get released together. There should probably be some
‘WASTELAND’ was done as you’d expect a record to
overarching clear idea or theme that you’re dealing with.
be done, basically completed in one hit in a studio. This
It’s an opportunity, the scope is there to really dig into
album, ‘Third Time at The Beach’ was recorded in various
ideas and change your opinion. It was clear to us from the
places over years. Some of it was done in a studio, some
start that we wanted this record to deal with one big idea.
in the basement of the Louisiana, a brilliant music venue in Bristol that has been very important to us, bits from the
Signing to AD93, an amazing label, why and how did
road. What makes this record different is it’s a collage of
that collaboration come about?
recordings over time. That also extends to the writing, I think you can tell when you listen to the record.
Honestly, we are still pinching ourselves. I believe the way that we were initially put on Nick Tasker at AD93’s
The lyrics are about our experience as beings, self-
radar was that he had heard about us from a friend of his.
realisation, and our relationship with social forces. Where did you find these feelings from?
41
Words by Teddy Maloney, illustration by Tommy Brentnall
Around the time that we were finishing ‘WASTELAND’,
There’s this amazing community around Bristol, that is
Silas got interested in reading philosophy, especially
interested in extremity, experimental music, putting on
where philosophy interacts with economic theory. He
nights that were the craziest thing anyone has ever seen
started introducing me to literature that dealt with,
and that having a kind of magnetism. Extremity in music
for example, the way that political commentators and
and the arts has a kind of mysterious pole to it.
politicians talk about the economy. Silas is responsible Do you see yourselves a Bristol formed band?
for introducing me personally to all of the music that really inspired me going into my 20s, because we all met at University, such as early post-punk, industrial music,
Yes. We relocated to London, but we are still involved
noise, minimalism; all the things that fed ‘WASTELAND’.
in the community there. We do a monthly radio show on
He introduced me to Lukacs and the theory of reification.
Noods Radio. In our time coming to Bristol, it’s one of
We liked the idea of an album that dealt with this arc of
the best things to happen in the city culturally, and Micky
thinking about how we are kids, hammered into a certain
Zoggs where they broadcast from, which thankfully has
way of thinking and as you grow up you get to this point
just been saved from developers; which we know doesn’t
where you realise, so much of my worldview is built on
get to happen that much.
things that I’ve just assumed are correct, or the correct modes of thinking. We thought it would be great to do
Electronic music is thriving outside London, but bands
an album about life, the way that we understand it and
do tend towards London. Do you see that as an issue?
explain it each other. The lyrics were written from a place of gradually getting to grips with that.
Totally. I think that the centralisation of the British music scene in London is not only destructive for people trying
What do you believe to be the dominant genres or
to get into music living in the provinces, the North, as
sounds in your music, are labels necessary?
another barrier in an already incredibly unfair industry. That is awful, because it makes you think about how
It’s interesting isn’t it because when you think about genre
much music we are missing. But, it also breeds this thing,
labels, that in itself a tool developed to explain music
talking about the experimental sensibility of cities outside
to each other. We have however, about since the time of
of London, since the London scene is so saturated with
writing ‘WASTELAND’ thought about our sound very
people, not just A&R’s but people acting as proxy A&R’s
largely in terms of industrial and minimalism, even if only
– radio plugs, PR’s, music lawyers – all these people are
in terms of their kind of the spirit. The spirit of the cold,
they trying to find musical talent first and bring it into
alien, modern world and this thing that’s all to do with
their stable. As a result of that, if you’re a new artist in
change, funnelled through this very crude, simple guitar
London and you’re doing something vaguely interesting,
band.
you’re being snapped up before you’re able to develop. Whereas in Bristol there are so many acts that go for ages,
Where does that desire or tendency towards extremity
us included, before anyone in London pays attention them.
come from?
As a result, they get to mature and, in many cases, develop into increasingly weird shapes.
In a word, Bristol. I think that we formed in Bristol, certainly at a time when it felt like it was trying to shrug
There’s a lyric that sticks out to me, “A labour of
off the albatross of trip-hop and all the stuff that had come
constructing knowledge”. Is that then what you see as
before and carve out this new sense of identity. Young
the project of LICE, at least for the moment?
Echo had just recently established themselves as a big, important cultural force in Bristol; Howling Owl records
That’s what LICE is, it’s about curiosity, trying to carve
coming through releasing things like Silver Waves; a
out some understanding of the deceptively complicated
brilliant industrial label called Bokeh Versions which then
structures and systems that we live our day to day lives in,
expanded into a circle of experimental noise artists called
and the way we explain it to each other.
the Avon Terror Corps. 43
LICE
Cork based photographer Emilyn Cardona was born in Venezuela, and moved to Spain when she was 6 years old. Living between Panama and Spain until she was 22. Emilyn studied photography for two years at St. Johns Central College, Cork, taking her first step into the darkroom, film processing and studio lighting. We came across Emilyn’s photography while working with Cardinals (So Young Records). Emilyn has a great eye for capturing the band and has produced some incredibly intimate portraits of each of the members providing a window into their world. As well as some special live photography. We spoke with Emilyn about her aspirations and career so far. What’s your main inspiration while creating work? My inspiration is just to seize the moment. To be present. Document something bigger than me, I guess. I always keep in mind Henri Cartier Bresson’s way of capturing the world. He said basically that there is a creative fraction of a second while you are shooting, your eye must see a composition or an expression offered by life and you need to follow your intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment, when you miss it, it is gone forever. I try to not be haunted by the missing ones. 45
emilyncardona.myportfolio.com
What first drew you to photography? I know it sounds simple but, when I was a teenagerI I would say at the beginning for me it was not forgetting important moments since I only have a handful of pictures from my childhood. Then after growing up it’s a tool to connect with people, I think I make friends easier when I am carrying a camera. You’ve formed an amazing creative relationship with Cardinals, what’s it like shooting them? Shooting them is comforting in a way, I have been shooting them for a bit, on and off the stage, so they are used to the camera. I feel safe travelling to cities we have not been to together. I feel we all look after each other. They are used to me because I was around them even before working together, and because I am the coolest person ever to work with. They trust my creative process, communicate clearly what they want, and I think that’s why I it’s easy working with them. The fact they are all gentlemen also helps. In particular you took the photo for the cover of their EP, what was the idea behind that shoot? The band was invested in paying tribute to The Pogues, especially the ‘If I Should Fall From Grace With God’ album cover. So I took that as a guide and tried giving it a twist. I shot that on 120 film and I was amazed by the final work, and that look only comes from what film has to offer. What are you currently working on? And what can we expect to see from you in the near future? I will say, something my mum has always told me is, don’t tell strangers about your plans or projects before they are done. Especially when the big new starts to circulate, it can protect you from bad energy.
It’s been a long road getting there, but the road that London’s DEADLETTER have travelled down on the way to releasing a debut album has been one full of constant surprises, exponential growth and staggering achievements. To think that a band that feels as established as they are has only existed for four years and are yet to put out a full-length record kind of beggars belief. And yet, here we are on the cusp of being presented with ‘Hysterical Strength’; a bold statement of a record if ever there was one. Though it wears its emotions on its sleeve and never holds back from displays of raw intensity, the album still manages to find opportunity to slip into moments of rapturous joy, and at times is simply downright fun. Speaking to the core trio of frontman Zac Lawrence, bassist George Ulyott and drummer Alfie Husband, the full story of how the band reached this landmark moment in their career was revealed, alongside tales of busking in Yorkshire seaside towns and winning over fans from disparate genres.
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Words by Alicia Tomkinson, illustration by REN
In the bio for ‘Hysterical Strength’, you say that “it’s
Z: We had a bit of a realisation last year - we were playing
punishing, but there’s also fucking beauty out there”.
a festival in France called Pete the Monkey, and it was
Could you delve into what you meant by that and how
mainly electronic music. What really struck me was that
it applies to the themes of the album?
the whole crowd were dancing, but not in a way which we were used to at our shows. People tend to mosh or
Zac: It’s an acceptance that life is not a straight road -
push one another about, and it was quite an eye opening
there are constantly bumps, but there are also a lot of
moment to see people dancing like they would at 3am in
reasons to wake up in the morning and have a lease for
front of a DJ.
what’s in front of you. I think there was a point when I would have regarded myself as more pessimistic in tone,
How much has the expansion of the band had an effect
but I don’t think that’s the case now. I think that I’m
on that as well?
probably a realist, which means that there can be a steady balance of misery and glee. There’s still cynicism in there,
Z: I think it definitely has, I don’t think we’ve really
but I would say that the realistic undertone throughout
worked with someone who plays guitar quite like Sam
is “this is a fucking travesty, how can we make it sound
before.
appealing?” Could you see the pessimistic outlook change after the ‘Heat’ EP? Z: It’s quite hard to put a time a timeframe on it, and I don’t think it was particularly the most conscious of changes. It just seemed to happen the more I was writing, and perhaps lockdown did have an impact on it because a lot of the lyrics on the EP were written then. Alfie: Personally for you during that time you were still drinking and now it’s a different story. It has quite a profound effect on one’s life getting clean. You definitely see things clearer. Z: Yeah, my own clarity has inevitably come into the way that I operate the creative plane. Something I’ve noticed throughout your development as a group is you’re progressively moving towards being a lot more danceable. What has pushed you in that direction? A: George and I have drums and bass set up in our living room. The stuff that makes us click when we’re jamming is often just really simple grooves with a punchy bass drum that you can connect to and start dancing to, whether that’s hip hop or dub.
Words by Reuben Cross
We always say that if for whatever reason he were to
G: It seems quite a brutal way to work, but I think it’s the
ever walk away, none of us will be able to teach anyone
way to do it. As long as the lyrics still exist, they can be
the parts. Poppy’s saxophone parts on the record are
used again, it might just be that we go back to old things
phenomenal, I hadn’t quite realised just how great they
a year later. As much as it sounds disposable, we won’t
were until we were in the studio and I heard her playing
ponder on the same thing for the three hours in a rehearsal
them on her own.
room.
George: The recording process is a great eye opener to see
What do you recall about bands and venues in your
how much everyone adds individually in their own right.
hometowns growing up in North Yorkshire, and what can you tell me about your first musical experiences
I know that you have an approach to writing rapidly.
playing together?
Do you find yourself throwing a lot away because it just doesn’t immediately feel right?
Z: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a band in my hometown. Whitby perhaps is a bit more culturally rich and likewise
Z: Yeah, there are moments where you all look at one
Robin Hood’s Bay; the fishing village where Alf’s from.
another a few minutes into doing something, and you’re
Alfie spent a lot more time there than I, but every Tuesday
like “this isn’t a moment”, and they only ever would have
night there’s a band called Steve Phillips and the Rough
existed for those three minutes.
Diamonds who play in a pub called the Grosvenor. They do blues standards and old country songs. A: My dad took me to that pub in Robin Hood’s Bay every Tuesday from when I was about 14. The drummer was immaculate, and would never overplay anything. I still think about him quite a lot. When we first started playing together we were just busking. Although we were playing covers, we learned to play loud which I think is quite an important thing to do at that age. Z: I’m convinced it’s why we don’t suffer from terrible stage fright because you’re going out on the streets playing to people who aren’t here to see you. For some reason we were able to get people to stop and pop money. We haven’t really seen cash like that since. A: One weekend in Whitby, we earned £600. We used to go to this milkshake shop on the corner with all this change and the owner was like “I can’t help you today boys, I don’t have enough notes in my till”.
49
Photos by Daniel Delikatnyi
Deadletter came to be in 2020, but at what point would
Because the album is called ‘Hysterical Strength’, I
you say that your personal tastes and the things that
just wanted to ask each of you - what do you think is
you were creating together began shifting in that
the biggest animal you could take on in a fight and
direction?
beat?
Z: Probably when we were 16, when we were a three
Z: I’m going to go straight in with a crocodile. I often
piece.
have a pen on me, and apparently there’s a little hole somewhere behind the crocodile’s eye where if you shove
Musically it was nowhere near as established and lyrically
a pencil or a pen shaped thing in it, it cuts off its oxygen
it definitely wasn’t, but I think even in the early days there
supply and stops it from being able to get at you.
was always a harshness to what we were doing. Even then you could move about to our music, you know.
A: I probably couldn’t take on anything much bigger than a medium-sized dog.
G: This is what I was thinking with the answer to the question before - I do feel like the dance element has
G: I mean, it depends - you can get less dangerous big
always been there, I just don’t always think that’s been
animals, can’t you? You can get a Shetland pony that’s
things that we’ve released.
bigger than a dog, but it’s not going to attack you. I don’t know, what do you do, slowly strangle it? That’s a horrible
What would you say has been the biggest pinch
thought.
yourself moment of the year so far? G: Down the Rabbit Hole was probably one of the wildest things I’ve ever seen, and Glastonbury in the last 18 months, that was special. I guess putting an album out; it hasn’t happened yet, but it’s something we’ve been looking forward to, since we were 16 really. A: The first week of recording, there was a moment where I thought “this is fucking weird that we’re actually doing this”. Z: For me, I really make sure to never take for granted what we’re doing. Every weekend in one way or another can be a pinch yourself moment because it was beyond our wildest dreams at one point to imagine that we’d be able to go not only up and down the country, but to other countries and play in front of crowds. Every single time we do it, I have to remind myself that we’re fortunate to be doing this.
Design by Josh Whettingsteel
Since their inception, LA-based trio julie have beckoned
That’s true! I’ve never really thought about how that
people into their multifaceted creative world through
could extend to a live audience. So, you’re about to put
their compelling sound and conscientious exploration of
out your debut album ‘my anti-aircraft friend’, how
different mediums. Previously hailed for their part in the
did you find putting together an album compared to
rejuvenation of shoegaze, julie have a way of melding
your previous projects?
dark instrumentation and soft vocals into addictive K: It was really difficult, that’s for sure.
showcases of their expansive skillsets, something they’ve achieved better than ever before on their upcoming debut
D: It was definitely a really lengthy process, we spent
album ‘my anti-aircraft friend’.
more than a year trying to hammer out certain songs, it Having moved from their hometown of Orange County to
taking so long was the right thing though because we
the historically artistic hub that is Los Angeles when they
got to sit with everything and make sure it was what we
were only teenagers, Alexandria Elizabeth (vocals and
wanted to make for our first album.
bass), Keyan Pourzand (vocals and guitar) and Dillon Lee (drums) absorbed the creative freedom of their new found
A: Sonny DiPerri produced this record, who we’ve done
peers and dove into their artistic pursuits. Now years down
a couple singles with before, that process showed us a lot
the line, and with a dedicated following in tow, julie’s
about how to prepare properly for recording. The way we
‘my anti-aircraft friend’ is a celebration of the band’s
work is we write and rehearse for months before we even
comfortability and fluency in their craft.
step foot in a recording studio.
Where in the world are you right now? Are you mid-
K: The songs are made to be played live so we never even
tour?
touch a computer until it’s time to press record.
Alexandria: We’re in Ohio - we just had our last show
Do you think that impacts what you make as well? Are
with Faye Webster last night.
you expecting a certain sound from it if the live show is at the forefront of your mind?
I feel like I wouldn’t match your sound with Faye Webster, how has it been? How did you find the crowd?
A: It’s not necessarily a priority, but because we’re so well rehearsed and we play the way that we do it has a
A: We’ve gotten that a lot!
certain feeling, tempo, and energy that’s unique to us three as individuals coming together. That’s preserved in
Keyan: Surprisingly, for how different the music is, the
the recording - or at least we try to preserve that in the
fans seemed pretty receptive which was really nice.
recording.
Dillon: It’s been really fun, we’ve done about six or seven
Would you say you approached the album trying to fine
shows with her, last night was the last one.
tune what you’ve done to date or did you find yourself trying to do something new? I feel like you can take
I always see Faye Webster with a huge range of artists,
either approach with a debut…
it seems like if she likes someone she’ll just work with them, even if they aren’t a perfect match with her vibe
D: I think it was a little bit of both. We honed in on some
- it’s a really cool thing to do!
of the things we already do, updating it or taking a better approach, but we also tried some new things. We used
A: Yeah, for our generation too, people are listening to a
some ideas that have been simmering in our heads for a
lot of different genres because of the internet and such, so
while, but tried to do it in a way that sounds cohesive so
I’ve noticed a lot of artists are really open to that.
nothing is super out of the ordinary.
51
julie
K: We don’t necessarily go out of our way to reinvent the
Seeing those bands for the first time was a nice change of
wheel, we’re just kind of having fun, but I think the last
pace from what we grew up with in our hometown.
song ‘stuck in a car with angels’ may be the most different thing we’ve done. We’ve never really tried having Dillon
It was cool to have new peers who were doing music of
play guitar whilst I was also playing guitar, it’s a really
their own - music that was kind of in the same vein of
interesting change of pace with that one I think.
what we would listen to anyway. It was interesting though, the whole ‘shoegaze revival thing’ wasn’t fully in fruition
A: Yeah for sure, having an actual lead guitar and rhythm
yet, I didn’t feel it when I first came to LA, it slowly
guitar.
started to surface online and then it became this big thing.
Way back at the beginning of the band you moved
So you caught it right at the beginning of that revival…
to LA, it was also around the same time that things started to pick up with julie, how did being in LA
A: Yeah, I also think moving here meant we met a lot of
change what you were doing? Did it?
other creatives, we’ve befriended a community of really talented fine artists in the area. That’s been so inspiring
D: Yeah I think so, absolutely. It’s funny, when we moved
for a lot of different reasons, meeting people who are just
to LA we were getting really inspired by a lot of the local
working really hard on their art, it’s been inspiring for our
bands who had the same influences and tastes as us.
physical art too.
Words by Amber Lashley
Seeing as you’re all artistic in so many other ways,
I’ve never been to a house show! I wouldn’t even know
how do all of those ventures play into each other and
where to start but I would’ve loved to have that when I
interact?
was younger.
D: They’re definitely intertwined. Even before we moved,
A: Some people’s parents were just like “yeah lets have
we wanted to function as more of an art collective, moving
hundreds of teens over”.
to LA helped us to focus on that. Being surrounded by a lot of visual artists, there was a little more encouragement,
K: I have a feeling the parents didn’t know.
and we could do things that melded those worlds together. Last year we did a little noise set in one of our friends’
When you tour, do you ever get a chance to look at
warehouses, that’s something we’ve wanted to introduce
local scenes in new cities?
into the band for a while, our art desires definitely meld with the band.
K: Sometimes, I mean we try to as much as possible! When we look for support acts we try to find bands that
It’s a bit chicken and egg to ask which came first, but
are local to that scene if we can. Unfortunately we don’t
in an attempt to understand which process you started
usually have much time between the dates to be able to
with, were you already involved in other kinds of art
explore, which is really sad, because we wish…
when you started making music? D: We definitely would want to, if we knew what show K: It happened at the exact same time. The importance of
was happening or what the scene was like, but sometimes
art and music were one in the same to us and still are. So
just coming into a new place you don’t really know where
from the very beginning we were thinking about both I
to find a show or if it’s even happening. I’m definitely
guess.
always thinking about that.
A: Dillon grew up with a heavy background in illustration, drawing and painting. Keyan was always into design and architecture growing up and throughout highschool. For me, I had more of a musical upbringing, but I’d also do stuff with sewing and other art as well. So when we met each other we all had these distinct artistic interests that meshed together really well. You all grew up in Orange County, earlier you mentioned the difference between the scene there and the scene in LA, what was the scene in Orange County like? D: At least when we were growing up, like 2016 and a little before, the scene was made up of local punk or indie bands. It was sort of all over Orange County which was really cool. It would be really small venues and a lot of house shows, there were four or five major spots that everyone would frequent. It was typically a lot of punk, hardcore and indie.
53
Photos by Silken Weinberg, design by Josh Whettingsteel
Melbourne’s Gut Health have done the rounds of
The love for music in both locations is very strong and
Australia’s underground scene for quite some time
everyone seems to be willing to give new music a try.
now, notorious for high energy and balancing multiple
But coming to practically the other side of the world and
musical ideas and genre. The character and energy of
seeing people who love the kind of music that comes from
Gut Health has only built with time and two years after
our town is quite surreal.
their formation, they prepare themselves for their biggest venture yet; the release of their debut album “Stiletto”.
A: Seeing a music scene which aesthetically is very
Their record is as intense as it is marvellous, an epic 10
resemblant of the Egg-Punk scene back in Melbourne
track album jam packed with 80s Post-Punk, Folk, R&B,
gives us great gratitude from the community that we’ve
Jazz and, in their words, “B-Grade Sci-Fi Films”. Lead
come up from. We’ve played places where no one ever
singer Athina Uh oh is the ultimate representation of the
heard our name before and everyone’s always open to
bands sound packing the character and charm to lead
enjoying themselves, nothing tops when everyone in the
their performances. Making a gap in their busy schedule,
audience jumps along.
I called Gut Health from outside their hotel in Lille, the morning of the band’s last show of their European tour, their third tour of the year! Hello Gut Health, sorry for the early start: still drinking my orange juice! Athina: Don’t sweat it, it’s all sweet, we have to checkout at 12 anyways. How’s the EU Tour been so far? Dom: It’s been good! We toured over May/June with our first run of shows overseas. We went around Australia at the start of the year so it’s actually our third tour of the year! Mostly around Germany. Athina: We’ve performed a wide range of shows from Festivals to Smaller DIY venues which have been super fulfilling. We’re feeling very grateful to have the opportunity to come over and explore these cities. If you had to pinpoint one difference between playing in Australia and Europe what would it be? A: I think it’s entirely dependent on the specific city D: We might have a skewed perspective because the Melbourne scene is connected and similar to the European one.
55
Do you think the surroundings of Melbourne have inspired you musically? A: Environment plays a big role in our music, we’re lucky to have such a supporting music community here which has given us a lot of inspiration. It’s informed by the venues we play and the people around us. Because we’re descendants of settlers we don’t have as much of a deeper connection to Melbourne though. D: I think specifically our places of practice have influenced the sound within our recordings, we used to practice in a shipping container. Definitely more so on the wider more spacial songs we have. Like the sound is bouncing from one side of the container to the other.
Words by Peter Martin, photo by Celeste de Clario, design by Josh Whettingsteel
Are there plans to come to the UK?
A: I think we’re quite visually driven and try to draw up these large images in our sound, all of that is reflected in our choice of words.
A: Not at the moment but hopefully, after the release of our debut album we’ll be able to do an Album tour.
When album’s have a Titular track, the whole album D: Hopefully people like the record, it’s a very nerve-
tends to revolve around that song thematically, is that
racking feeling anticipating the reception and whether or
the case here?
not it’ll be positive. A: We’ve had this song since the beginnings of Gut There seems a big demand for expressive and fun Punk
Health and we’ve played it live a lot but I wouldn’t
in the UK at the moment…
say its the pinpoint for the whole record because the songs are all quite varied. It’s always been there and it’s
A: There’s some great music coming out of the UK and
hugely important to the album but the whole album isn’t
it’s been great to play alongside them here in Europe!
foregrounded by it.
That leads nicely onto your debut Album ‘Stiletto’.
D: We pretty much still end all of our live show’s with that
First of all, how did you land on that name?
song. There’s definitely kind of an unconscious drawing to the song’s experience of building up and tearing itself
A: It’s one of the tracks off the record, it’s the final
apart, I’d say the record has snippets of the idea’s of that
track on the album and the word sort of ties into the
while ‘Stiletto’ feels like them all coming together. But
theme’s we explore throughout the album and is a perfect
that wasn’t intentional from the get-go.
representation of our sound. There’s lots of performance, power dynamics and reality and the word Stiletto
A: We made the record first then the name and what the
exemplifies that. I’d specifically draw inspiration from
singles were gonna be came after.
cut-outs of punk magazines sort of mimicking a Stiletto and that introduced me to Punk and Hyper Femme scenes
Did you have a hunch when you recorded it that the
from across the world.
title track would end up being a single?
D: There was something cool about the image of a Stiletto
A: We definitely did know that for a while, it was quite
on a record and that object’s representation of beauty and
a risky choice as it’s such a long song and we wondered
power. It’s also just a cool word in general.
whether or not it would be possible but I’d always wanted it to be like that.
Gut Health
56
D: To be honest, everytime we write a new song we’re in
All prior releases and this album have felt like a journey
the headspace of “This is the next single guys, this song
of realisation of what we’ve wanted to make and getting
rules!” when in actuality it’s just because it’s fresh and
this album out is only the first step.
new to our material. But we’ve always liked that track and we’ve wanted it to be one of the singles for a long time.
D: Initially our first EP was going to be the album but that ended up not coming together. Two of those tracks are
With a Debut Album, it tends to be a long process
now on the record.
with lots of drafting between old songs and new songs throughout the life of a band, but at what point did you
A: We’ve been learning as we go as none of us have ever
as a band decide it was time to make an album?
made a record before and its been a long time coming.
A: We’d been gigging relentlessly coming out of lockdown
Does the studio recording of the album represent the
and that was the best way to rehearse the idea of the sound
sound of your live set?
we wanted for the album.
A: I’d say no, we’re definitely still trying to find a way
A: We’d definitely get some fun lighting in, we’ve talked
to reflect the energy of our live performances onto tape,
about our friend who’s a stage designer getting some stage
that’s also a matter of not having the resources to do it, if
plots into the show
we could we would’ve just recorded all in one take in a studio.
D: We’d have every synth imaginable, some full on church organ shipped around on tour with us, I’d get on a trapeze
D: There was an intention to make it as live as possible
mid show P!NK style and have tunnels underneath the
but as the process went along we just couldn’t achieve
stage
that. I still think we give off the aesthetic of a bunch of people playing their music to you in a room and the
A: In terms of short terms goals we’d talk about changing
environment and space around that.
our stage plot and making it feel more slick but tunnels would be fun.
Last question, if you had unlimited resources what would the ultimate Gut Health stage show look like?
Tooth might just be the best band you haven’t heard yet.
There are songs we want to be totally proud of when we
Consisting of four members - Tom (vocals, guitar), Ben
play them - we put a lot of pressure on ourselves in terms
(guitar), Charlie (bass) and Roy (drums) - the band are
of writing, so that’s what summer’s been up to so far.
yet to release any music, but if you’re lucky you may
We’ve kind of been gigging loads over the past eight or
have caught them making a name for themselves through
ten months so it’s nice to just have a little break from it
gigging around London in the past year. Having only left
and focus on why we’re really doing it in the first place.
education recently, the group are ready to let their music career take its course whilst not rushing the process.
Linking to that, what are you guys working on right now?
I spoke to Ben and Tom in Central London where we found ourselves discussing their live shows, American-
B: In terms of writing and recording, we haven’t made any
rock influences, and how they started to develop their own
concrete decisions on an EP or songs, and I think that’s
sound.
just allowing it to grow really naturally. Making decisions really early on, it just wasn’t helping - being so structured
Who is Tooth?
and not being open minded to where something could go, and I think we’re just learning how to step away a bit and
Tom: Tooth is formed of four of us - there’s me, Ben
let it take its own natural path.
plays guitar, Roy plays drums and Charlie plays bass. We started playing in Roy’s basement practising songs -
T: That’s definitely from experience where we’re trying to
eventually things started taking shape and we started off a
take this more organic approach, it’s really nice and we’re
residency in Soho which lasted about 2 months before we
just letting it happen. We’re looking to record, so once we
got kicked off. We felt that really got us tight and shaped
get some funding we’d like to release our first single.
how we gigged because it was a tiny room. We became friends with loads of people in the scene so we just started
What’s a venue that you guys aspire to play?
gigging with loads of bands that we were mates with and it started taking off from there, really.
T: I really want to play King Tut’s in Glasgow, that’s been a venue that’s been creeping in the back of my mind.
How’s summer been for the band?
Being in London’s quite comfortable because there’s such a demand for it and there’s such a market for it. The
Ben: We’ve had time to write, recuperate and feel more
venues are so helpful and great, so you get wrapped up in
relaxed with where we are. I think the last three months
London and forget about the rest of it.
we’ve started really growing into not being anything but ourselves which has been a really nice feeling for
B: I really want to go to Leeds, so Brudenell Social Club -
everyone, it just gives us more freedom to write. It’s been
it would be a good night out.
a nice writing environment for Tom and I, and it gives the other boys, Roy and Charlie, more space as well to write
You’ve shared before that you take inspiration from
and get involved. It’s been really healthy at the moment.
American rock like Sonic Youth - what draws you to those bands?
T: Definitely this summer we’ve tried to focus on writing and really solidifying what we’ve built so far, and it’s
T: We really connected to American bands a lot in their
really trying to iron out so when we do come back to
lyricism, but they pushed guitar music in a way I don’t
gigging we’re really confident with all the songs in the set
think British bands did.
and how it flows.
Words by Mia Lambdin, illustration by REN
62
If you look at Oasis, they’re a good band but I don’t think
B: It was nice going on first, I feel like if we were further
they did much for rock music other than create mini Oasis
up the bill it would have been more pressure. We just took
replica bands that just formed and plagued the industry.
it as usual - tried to think of it as any other gig.
American bands were always just more interesting to us, to be honest.
T: Like Ben said, we opened the night and at the end of the gig we looked out and the whole place was full, there
B: They have so much more freedom, Sonic Youth in
were like 200 people there - which for us is crazy.
particular, in their production and songs they write, there’s
I don’t think they were necessarily there to see us, but it
so much more you can do. As musicians trying to find our
was crazy to see because we’ve opened up bills before and
own sound it’s a lot more avenues to go down instead of
had like, three people and a dog in there. It was really nice
just sticking to really generic structured pop songs that
that there was an audience to see new music.
a lot of British bands tend to follow. Not that it’s a bad thing, we do incorporate that as well - you have to to get
I got to listen to a demo of your song, ‘Age Of
songs that really resonate with people - but I think it’s also
Innocence’, what was the backstory behind that song?
having that freedom sonically to experiment a bit more, so we definitely want to take that influence.
T: So that was one of the few ones that I’d written all the way through, because we tend to collaborate on all of our
T: It was definitely the guitar playing in bands like Sonic
songs and that’s been something we’ve embraced much
Youth and Smashing Pumpkins that really drew us to
more and more as time’s gone on. I wrote that when I was
them, it was tones and pedals that we’d never seen with
seventeen - I was finishing school and it felt like a turning
British bands. That’s not dismissing British bands, there
point in my life. It’s a very angsty song, it felt like a
are obviously ones that we adore - like The Stone Roses,
homage to my youth.
they’re one of our favourite bands of all time and we still draw inspiration from them all the time.
B: It was a real turning point in the sound, I think Tom’s lyrics for that song really progressed into moving into a
You recently played your first headline show at The
new kind of songwriting that we’ve definitely tried to take
George Tavern - how was it?
forward for future songs. It felt really genuine lyrically, so it’s just kind of the perfect start for what we’re trying
T: It was great, it was for this promotion company called
to do.
Far From which is run by the singer of Blue Polar called Jake, and a guy called Dan from the band Cardboard who
In your personal opinions, what are some of the best
are good friends of ours. They put us on and it was our
songs ever written?
first ever headline. It was really nice, it was the first time people came to a show to see us, we weren’t really used to
T: Currently my favourite song of all time - because I’ve
that before. It went really well and the crowd responded
really been trying to focus on what I want to say lyrically
well - and it’s The George Tavern, which is our favourite
in our songs - is ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’ by Bob
venue in the world.
Dylan. It’s literally just two minutes of beat poetry, it’s amazing.
And how was your recent We Are So Young gig at The Social?
B: I think maybe something from The Smiths to be honest. Every time I listen to ‘Still Ill’ my mind is torn. How can a
T: That was our best show we’ve ever done, we were
band sound that good? Their songwriting is so unique, but
very lucky because the sound at The Social is notoriously
everyone is showing off at the same time - it’s so coherent
amazing and it really complimented our songs and we
and Johnny Marr is a genius.
played well - it sounded really good and we were really pleased and chuffed.
T: We’ve kind of twisted and turned in every way to rip off that song and we will forever. That song’s been a big part of our inspiration, everything about it is genius.
63
Tooth
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For those in the know, Jake Lenderman has been central
To be a young person in the 2020s is to be
to some of the most exciting releases of the last few years;
hyper-aware of yourself and everything
as the namesake and frontman of MJ Lenderman, the
around you, and Lenderman’s teetering
guitarist of Wednesday, a collaborator of Waxahatchee
between self-deprecation and self-
and Kevin Abstract, and previous drummer for Indigo de
acceptance alongside his particularly niche
Souza, that credit is rightly bestowed. Previously branded
anecdotes are the perfect reflection of that.
with umbrella terms such as alt-country, indie-rock and
‘Manning Fireworks’ will place you firmly
slacker-rock, what is clearer is that Lenderman’s music to
in the shoes of someone in a situation so
date is vulnerable, lovably cynical and pretty captivating.
far from your reality, yet somehow in its specificity it manages to address universal
‘Manning Fireworks’ marks MJ Lenderman’s fourth
experiences, from materialism and
album, and from the stomach-dropping melody of
loneliness to grief and love.
‘Wristwatch’ to the ‘You Are Every Girl to Me’ drum machine reprise that leads you into the blue of ‘You Don’t Know The Shape I’m In’, the record is everything you could want it to be.
M
65
J L end
n a m r e
MJ Lenderman
How have you been, what have you been up to
Definitely, having that much time to listen back to stuff
recently?
you’ve made can be dangerous for some people I think, but I actually found it helpful in a way I wasn’t expecting.
I was on vacation in Italy with my family for the
It was nice to let the songs breathe a little bit and come
last week - I’ve been on the road a good bit too.
back to make whatever adjustments were necessary, I try not to be too precious with it, if you get too caught up in
I saw that you’d been on tour for basically the
adjusting then it’ll never be finished.
whole first half of this year! Where have you been?
I guess if you were away so much doing something other than music that could take you out of it, but you
Well Wednesday’s been to Europe twice since
were away playing so many shows, did that bleed into
last April and we’re about to go back in August.
it at all?
Both bands I play in went to Australia and Japan, and then Wednesday did a week in New Zealand
Possibly! Most of that tour was with Wednesday so I was
before that too which was really cool.
playing a lot of guitar. I think I maybe even became a better guitarist over that time.
Oh wow! Were you finishing the record during that run?
When you were able to come back to ‘Manning Fireworks’, were you able to try anything new or
I finished the record before that run - I think the
experiment at all?
last session I did was in December. On a couple songs we focused a lot more on acoustic You hear stories of people being in a bubble of
based instruments, I brought my friend Landon in to play
time where they can sit and record a project in
the upright bass and the fiddle on a few songs, it was
one go, do you think the album was impacted
really fun for me to have that come in. My friend Shane
by you going away and coming back to it so
played clarinet too, I didn’t really have any idea of what
much in between touring?
I was gonna do on those songs, so it was fun to build that together.
Words by Amber Lashley, photo by Karly Hartzman, design by Josh Whettingsteel
66
Do you collaborate with those friends a lot?
That’s interesting, I don’t know, I didn’t really realise how much I used that! First of all, I guess I just like the sound
Well those two in particular were interesting actually
of the word, it’s a nice force, and it looks nice on grass.
because I hadn’t really before, Landon has joined the band since then too. With Shane, I just ran into him the day
Well, I don’t really know much about the different
before at the studio and he was holding a clarinet, so I told
States, but is it quite green where you live?
him to come join me. Yeah! Asheville – where I spent most of my life up until a It’s underused! It’s an under-appreciated instrument I
couple of months ago – is in the Appalachian Mountains.
think…
They’re old mountains so they’re way smaller than the ones on the West coast. It draws a lot of people there when
It has a really cool texture, I really love how it sounds.
the leaves are changing but this time of year it’s very green.
What would you say were the major struggles in the making of the album?
I wonder then, maybe it’s not a conscious thing! Maybe it’s in your language so much because you’ve been in
Mostly the downsides of having to split it up so much, and
nature more than most people.
just a lot of life changes happening throughout the whole thing. I was feeling a lot of doubt. I wasn’t really sure if
I guess if you’re in the city you have to choose to go see
anything I was doing was any good, and I wasn’t even
grass, where I was living there was a big field in front of
totally sure of what I was doing, especially in the first half
the house, I’ve never been a huge nature person but I did
of trying to make it.
like to be able to sit on my porch and see it.
I can imagine there must have been a lot of pressure.
The other words I wrote down were ‘birds’ and ‘ghosts’.
I had to try and recognise whatever pressure I felt and learn how to not care about it so much.
There’s something similar about the three of those…
Was there anything in particular that helped with that?
There is definitely a through line - where did you tend to pull from when you were writing ‘Manning
I think just time? That’s the weird thing about the pros and
Fireworks’?
cons of having the album take such a long time, by the end of the recording I felt a lot better about it and I had
I usually keep random notes down but I was kind of out
mentally gone through a bunch of different phases.
of practice in writing, in the past I’d try to make myself write everyday, whatever came, even if it was bad! I guess
I was also relistening to a lot of your projects this
it got harder for me to interact with my own bullshit if that
week and I noticed you use ‘the wind’ quite a lot. The
makes sense? But I’d have random notes written down and
opening line of the record is “birds against a heavy
would build the songs off of that.
wind, that wins in the end”, your band is called MJ Lenderman and The Wind, it’s also personified in
By interacting with your own bullshit, do you mean,
your lyrics quite a lot - what is it about ‘the wind’ that
rereading your notes?
makes it a good vehicle for you?
67
MJ Lenderman
Yeah, like having to write and then come back and remember that you wrote something embarrassing the day before. Even though no one else has to see it. That’s a big hurdle to get over and I’ve been able to do it in the past, but sometimes it’s exhausting! I guess in more than just writing, interacting with your own bullshit is a lot to deal with. I was reading some past interviews where you had said that you felt like you were still learning how to write a song, do you feel like you’ve learnt anything since then? No I don’t think so! I think it’s just starting over every time. I feel confident about the form of a song, what it can be, what feels good to me. That’s maybe something that’s easier to learn, but as far as staying inspired, collecting ideas and keeping that organised, that’s something I’m still trying to figure out. I mean, it’s not like the method so far hasn’t worked, so arguably this could just be the way that you do it? That’s a good point! Like with anything though, I couldn’t come up with a set of steps to write a song, I think that’s what I mean. Every song starts from nothing, and every song is different, so you have to relearn how to do it every time. That’s sort of a theory in itself… you guys are coming to the UK this year, have you done an MJ show here before? No but I played one show in Dublin. Wednesday was on tour there and our opening band got sick so I opened the show, I had members of Wednesday be my band. So that happened but it wasn’t planned. That’s fun! How did you find being in Dublin? Dublin was one of my favourite shows of all time. They love music over there - very cool. They’re a lot more fun than us… They’re a lot more fun than most.
68
Artists
Josh Whettingsteel
Editors Sam Ford
Josh Whettingsteel
Writers Sam Ford
Neve Dawson
Natalia Quiros-Edmunds Poppy Richler Will Macnab
Josh Whettingsteel Elvis Thirlwell
Teddy Maloney Reuben Cross
Amber Lashley Peter Martin
Mia Lambdin
Printed By Ex Why Zed
Lulu Lin
Gisela Navarro
Thomas Spooner Sam Nowell Nurit Gross
Orlando Weeks Peter Doyle
Melinda Ureczki Dominika Leszczynska Millie Johnson Erin May Cooper Heidi Teremetz Tom Filer Arthur Gnivko Denisa Ailenei Freya Relfe-Dacey Martin Samways Maisie Barr Tommy Brentnall Emilyn Cardona REN
Cover Photos
Website
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Christian Michael Filardo Celeste de Clario Silken Weinberg
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