IYABE
DARK, EXPERIMENTAL QUINTET
Creating a singular and atmospheric mix of punk, noise, R&B and ambient electronic music, Iyabe have been a celebrated presence in Bristol’s music for many years. While Iyabe is now a full band, complete with two drummers, I understand that it began early in the decade as the solo project of vocalist Sophie Dawes. What originally inspired this project, and what were your chief influences when you began writing the songs that, years later, would appear on your debut EP Biology, Biography, Culture? Sophie Dawes: Before Iyabe I was briefly playing in a hip-hop band as a bassist. I was encouraged to leave the band and work on my own project. The drummer and I had played in other bands previous to that, but I had never written my own music, only lyrics. I was given a copy of Ableton Live. With no knowledge of the software I had started experimenting with found sound. I am not sure if anything directly influenced the project, as I did not know how to write. I was able to be completely free and open to create something unique. How did Iyabe become the full band we see today, and in what ways do you think adapting these songs to be played by five people has changed the nature of the project musically? In writing your new material as a full band, how can we expect it to be different to the stuff Sophie originally wrote by herself? Hannah Layhe: I don't know how the others joined the band but I had always followed the band and loved the music. I did that dep gig and then became a permanent member. I think doing the music as a 5 piece not only allows us to recreate the recordings live, but build upon the foundations of the original songs and expand the sound. We all bring our own creativity and experiment with layers, bringing a different feel and power to the songs. I understand that you employ elements of ‘found sound’ in your recordings. How do they find their place in your music, and what do you see them as bringing to it? SD: At the early stages of writing, the foundsound samples were actually where most of the songs started. ‘Stranger’ and ‘Plastics’ were written by making a one-minute loop. Rupert, Dan (ex-member) and I would then arrange the loops into songs. When I was first using Ableton I used a lot of the VST instruments. I started to hear them in other songs. A lot of drumbeats would sound like the 808 kits. I decided I wanted to collect and use my own sounds; I always wanted to study sound. I want to combine nature and culture as well as technology into my music. In late 2016 you released your debut EP Biology, Biography, Culture; I always meant to ask about that title- what themes do you see this record as exploring? What inspires you lyrically? SD: The title of the EP came from a music philosophy lecture I attended at college. My lecturer was exploring the influences of musical taste, these being biology, biography and culture. As my lyrics are usually biographical I thought this title would be perfect. My lyrics are about the usual things that artists write about; love, loss, family and trauma. They are honest account of things that happened to me in my life.
Members: Sophie Dawes, Rupert Irving, Ben Harris, Oliver Baldwin, Hannah Layhe Illustration: Sophie Dawes
Having- as I understand it- sat on some of these songs for years (fans can find a video of Sophie and Rupert performing ‘Stranger’ as a two-piece as early as 2013), what was it like to finally release this record? Is there a song on it of which you are especially proud? SD: For me personally it was a huge relief to release the songs. When I started the band I became very unwell. It takes me a lot longer to complete a project so when I do it feels like a huge achievement. The EP launch was a massive success and was dubbed the fifth best Bristol gig of 2016, with Massive Attack’s Durdham Downs performance at number 1. I find it hard to choose which song I am most proud of. ‘Tell me do I’ was a vocal idea that started the band. It used to be just an interlude in our live set that has developed into arguably one of the strongest songs on the EP. Working with Olly as a producer has been amazing because he is extremely talented but also because he has given the songs the care and consideration they deserve. My favourite song from the record is ‘Stranger’; could you tell me about the inspiration for this song? Ben Harris: That’s my favorite too. SD: Whilst I was writing this song I lived in a very strange flat on The Durdham Downs. It was massive, I spent most of my time there on my own. I remember it being winter. The rooms had very high ceilings and massive windows, stain glass of figures like Newton throughout. It was freezing and isolated. You would have to cross the downs to get to the local shop, which I was too anxious to do in the dark. I was struggling with terrifying dreams at the time. I wanted to explore fear and innocence, which was a common theme in my life. Even at the most dark and strangest times in my life I managed to find comfort. The original choral lyrics were ‘you will have to see it for yourself, stranger things have happened’. In EP closer ‘Metacroc’, Sophie sings about ‘progression, progression, progression, progression’; how far do you see yourselves as an experimental project? Do you think your sound has been particularly influenced by the wealth of leftfield guitar music that exists around you in Bristol? Oliver Baldwin: I think the term ‘experimental’ is often coined when music really just takes on a bunch of different influences. We all have very different backgrounds and bring lots of flavours to the band. I would say that while our songs definitely have experimental approaches in some areas, we also have bits that are really accessible, for instance, ‘Plastics’ is really just a four chord pop song, with a bunch of weird stuff over the top. BH: The songs we're currently playing have in themselves progressed with the addition of Oli, Hannah and I. All of us have added our parts to the songs and have helped them to develop into their current form but I think they still retain their original character. They just sound bigger and fuller. I'd say we like to experiment insofar as we all have pretty varied tastes and are all open to hearing and trying out new ideas. Nothing gets ruled out until it's been tried out and if we all like it, we use it. It's hard not to be inspired by all the great music that's happening in Bristol right now. There is such a wealth of talent that we're really spoilt for choice and it's got such a strong musical community that people inevitably rub off on each other.
Members of Iyabe have also pursued side projects, including x.Fleshbarbie.x and Ogives (who will be releasing new music around the time this magazine is released); how do you see Iyabe’s music as relating to these projects? SD: I don’t think Iyabe directly relates to the other bands at all. I personally have collaborated and worked with many musicians in Bristol, so obviously I sound like ‘Sophie, which you can hear in Fleshbarbie, but it is very different. In the same way, Ogives sound like Ben Harris- you definitely will not hear another guitarist like him. You can hear that in the record, but again its different. BH: The setup between the two is pretty different so the relationship for me is usually in terms of sounds. Whilst playing with my solo setup I often find new sounds that I think will translate well to Iyabe. Guitarist Oliver Baldwin is also a successful producer, and has worked with artists including PJ Harvey; this is a question I’ve also always meant to ask Velcro Hooks/Spectres’ Dom Mitchison, but how far do you think working as a producer has influenced the way you approach your band as a musician? OB: Well I originally co-produced the band with Sophie, before joining as a musician, so it’s hard to say. But I’m infinitely more interested in the song as a whole over my own musical input. If stuff doesn’t fit together then I step in, for instance if it needs a bass line that isn’t there. If the song needs no changes, I can step out for a bit. I love that I don’t play a note in ‘Tell Me Do I’. Good production is about creating a great song, not about reverbs and delays. So the writing and arrangement is always the priority. How far do you feel as though you are part of a community in Bristol? SD: I feel as though Iyabe have been accepted into the Bristol music community right from the start. I think there is always the question of ‘where do they fit?’ Promoters and venues struggle to find us support slots sometimes because we are unusual. This has opened up some interesting gigs for us, It wouldn’t be weird for us to play a commercial pop festival as well as a independent noise gig. Our first support slot was at The Louisiana supporting electronic dance DJ Ulrich Schnauss. I do feel that marketing the band has been difficult, it does feel good to not be pigeon holed into one genre. I hope that’s a sign we are doing something unique. You’ve taken a very long break from performing, but I understand you have been writing new material; what aspirations do you have for the next year in this band? SD: Iyabe have never really played outside of Bristol before, I would be interested to see how other cities receive us. There are things I have never experienced as a musician; touring playing big festivals etc. However, my ultimate priority is the music: writing, experimenting, new songwriting and recording techniques. I just feel very grateful to work with the people I do. If I continue where I am years from now I will be happy. Whatever comes from that will be a bonus.