So Young Issue Thirty-Four

Parquet Courts - ‘Sympathy For Life’ by A. Savage

Issue Thirty-Four comes as we wave goodbye to summer

The former Orielles man gave us an insight into his

and to a unique period where we’ve celebrated the return

songwriting and discussed how the pandemic highlighted

of festivals and cautiously made our way back into

his reliance on others. Back in the capital, Honeyglaze

live rooms once again. Touring is back on the agenda,

have been gracing many a stage following the release

but it won’t be until June 2022 that we see our cover

of debut single ‘Burglar’ via Speedy Wunderground. As

band, Parquet Courts on UK soil. The NYC four piece

well as a signature Haiku, the three-piece gave us the

have returned 10 years into the project and with their

lowdown on working with Dan Carey, rehearsing in the

sixth studio album on the horizon. We caught up with

dark and writing songs in their dreams. Rosie Alena has

A. Savage and Austin Brown to discuss the influence of

been relatively quiet since we first spoke in early 2020,

‘Screamadelica’, the NYC hustle and the importance of

although it’s now apparent that she’s been setting up

the party. London crooner, Matt Maltese has just released

the right team to release her debut EP. Recorded with

‘Good Morning It’s Now Tomorrow’, his third record and

Oli Barton-Wood, ‘Pixelated Images’ spans Rosie’s

his first since turning the head of new fan, Doja Cat. It

songwriting career to date and we gave her a call to find

feels impossible not to mention that. Anyway, via Zoom,

out what we can be excited for.

we spent a morning digging into the ordinary inspirations behind the new album and how it was written. Just starting

Tying up this issue are Broadside Hacks and Gustaf.

out in the city are Island of Love, who beyond a demo

Broadside Hacks are London’s exciting new folk

which wasn’t meant to be heard, a show at Jack White’s

collective whose ambition to pass on the English Folk

glossy Third Man store and a Black Metal inspired seaside

songbook has invigorated the genre. With members nestled

video, haven’t had much to show at all. Their latest single

within the angsty underground scene, debut album ‘Songs

‘Songs of Love’ got us excited so we reached out and

WIthout Authors Vol.1’ has proven a popular escape for

found out all that there is to know just now.

the artists and a route into a new world for the followers of an altogether different experience. We jotted down

Manchester’s alternative sounds are thriving once again.

some Qs and sent them over to collaborators, Campbell

New acts Mandy, Indiana and Mewn and two contrasting,

Baum, Naima Bock and Thyrsis to find out how it all came

yet great examples of why we should be excited for the

to be and the process of the group. Brooklyn’s Gustaf

eclectic noise of the city. We got in touch as they both

are well versed in the world of alternative bands, sharing

prepare to release their debut EP’s. Nearby, Liverpool’s

members across many of the city’s underground success

Strawberry Guy is gearing up for the release of his debut

stories, but this one feels different. Gustaf took our call

album.

and showed that beyond anything else, they’re just a group making music and having fun.

3 Island of Love Songs of Love

28 Strawberry Guy Sun Outside My Window

7 Gustaf Audio Drag for Ego Slobs

31 Matt Maltese Good Morning It’s Now Tomorrow

14 Rosie Alena God’s Garden

36 Honeyglaze Burglar

17 Parquet Courts Sympathy For Life

39 Mewn Landscapes Unchanged

21 Mandy, Indiana Alien 3

44 Broadside Hacks Songs Without Authors (Vol.1)

Black metal fans are often assumed to stick to their genre,

L: Production is an interesting way to put it.

but Island of Love are here to change this perception.

Meeting through the hardcore and punk scenes, Karim,

K: I’d say we were using some pretty shifty tricks.

Jimmy, Dan and Linus regularly pay their respects to the likes of Slayer and Napalm Death, yet are musically

J: Working within our means…

inspired by the softer tones of The Pixies and Dinosaur Jr. K: It was a shock that the album came out the way it did.

Island of Love take unpredictability in their stride – their

But for our EP, we recorded that properly.

debut Promo Tape wasn’t even meant to be heard, let alone released. Transitioning from playful experiments

I thought it was intentional! The fuzz is meant to be.

in GarageBand to a full studio set-up for their upcoming EP Songs of Love, the band have crafted a blend of fuzz

J: Happy accidents…

and tenderness that pays homage to their heavier musical upbringing. They may or may not have pissed off a few

Your video for ‘Songs of Love’ is the visual equivalent

black metal fans along the way, but that hasn’t stopped

of your lo-fi sound. Was this a conscious decision?

their lyrical playfulness just yet.

K: We love analogue as an aesthetic. As far as art and You released Promo Tape last year – 7 tracks in 20

sound go, we want it to look crafted – having a clean

minutes! Was this short and sweet mentality something

video wouldn’t have made sense.

you intended?

J: We were holding out on a whim for this video – we L: There wasn’t a lot of thought that went into that tape –

were armed with face paint, a couple cameras and a beach.

it wasn’t meant to be heard…or released. It was very much

By the first take, the speaker was already dying.

us learning how to write songs.

K: Jimmy forgot drumsticks so had to use wind spinners…

Your music is laden with fuzz – what is it about this effect that draws you towards it?

J: They worked well.

J: We love cosy sounding music.

Did the video materialise like you expected?

K: I think this effect makes sense in terms of our lo-fi

L: We started off with a simple idea and almost no budget

heroes – bands like Duster, Ovlov and Guided By Voices

– we just wanted to play on the beach.

are all super tape driven and fuzzed out.

Dan: We also wanted to make loads of Frank Sidebottom So the production process is central to your music-

heads so we bought a ton of glue, balloons and paper. Safe

making process?

to say it was a complete shambles.

3

Words by Poppy Richler, illustration by Julia Klenovsky

K: We got a lot of hate for the video. We love black metal,

J: Even if people don’t have a player, the cassette is a

and as a genre it’s super interesting, both aesthetically

reminder of our music. I imagine half the people who

and musically. We didn’t think much of emulating this

bought it don’t have a player. When you take our music,

with our face paint and fake blood, but it seems that black

slap it on tape and reproduce it through a player, the sound

metal fans take this very seriously. For example, you

that comes out is how our music is meant to be heard.

might be wearing a shirt which represents the member of

Even if you have a shit player, each format of listening

one band stabbing another. We got a lot of shit for it.

has a different charm. That’s why we’ve kept a lot of our music off streaming – we want to drive people to

J: No press is bad press.

physically buy it, listen to it and watch the video.

K: Through loads of angry black metal fans sharing it,

Do any of you own cassette players?

they ended up doing us a favour. It was never meant to be poking fun.

K: Everyone except me.

Do you all write the songs together?

And speaking of physical music formats, you’re the first band to play the basement of Jack White’s new

K: The stuff we write together is a lot more goofy, making

Third Man Records store in Soho after the man

jokes and stupid metaphors. The stuff we write on our

himself. Is there anything on the shelves that caught

own is bummy and sad. Moving forward, we’re writing

your eye?

together a lot more. I usually try and hide what I mean in my lyrics, but the band figured out what I’m singing about

K: Carter Family records, bluegrass roots and country

and now I feel exposed.

stuff.

J: Sorry?

L: The Sun Records re-issues.

What inspires you lyrically?

How did this gig opportunity come about?

K: Love

K: We’re friends of Chubby & The Gang. They’ve been lending us a hand since the beginning and we’ve been fans

J: Lack of.

of all their projects since we were 16.

K: We poke a bit of fun at other bands like Nine Inch

D: Chubby are a band of musicians – they don’t need to

Nails. We never pull from them lyrically but we talk about

prove anything.

them.

You’re still within your first 10 gigs, playing your first Hopefully Nine Inch nails fans aren’t reading this…

show at Oslo Hackney in August. What was that like?

D: We don’t need another fan base coming at us.

K: It was a sit down show which was a bit weird.

K: We’re starting an army.

J: The audience were mostly all our mates so it felt like an open rehearsal.

Your love of analogue is evident in your cassette releases. What is it about this format that keeps you coming back?

5

Island of Love

L: We were so excited to have our own green room – it’s

J: ‘Just the Way You Are’ – Billy Joel, ‘In Dreams’ – Roy

usually cans outside before the show.

Orbison.

D: And we had canned water! That’s when you know.

K: ‘Try A Little Tenderness’ – Otis Redding, ‘Love Me’ – Elvis Presley.

What would be on your dream rider?

J: ‘Garbage Dump’ – Charles Manson.

K: Scampi fries.

D: Korn.

J: A lot of meal deals.

How has your music evolved since your first release?

D: Pork scratchings, kegs of mountain dew.

L: The old music was us playing our influences, but this And your ideal venue to play at?

album is more thought out.

J: Brudenell Social Club.

K: It’s weird because we learnt to play these ‘recent’ songs (which we wrote in the first lockdown) at the same time as

L: America.

our first release, Promo Tape. The songs are structurally different though, for better or for worse.

What’s the hallmark of a good live gig?

What’s in store for Island of Love?

K: An energy between the band and audience.

L: The EP’s ready to go, we just need someone who wants J: Once you establish a rapport, the momentum builds and

to put it out.

everything starts tumbling.

D: We want to play as many shows as possible, What’s a gig you’ve seen that will always stick in your mind?

K: I can wholeheartedly say these three are the best musicians I’ve met my age. I don’t have to tell them to do

L: We all saw Jack White last night at the Third Man store.

anything, they don’t have to tell me to do anything.

J: Queens of the Stone Age in Finsbury Park.

J: This trust gives us the freedom and comfortability to just get on with it and not micromanage each other.

K: Slayer at Brixton Academy, Napalm Death at Electric

We have an unspoken dialogue based on having fun and

Ballroom.

knowing what we want to achieve with our music.

D: Napalm Death at Boomtown. I only realised I missed

What is it you want to achieve with your music?

part of their set when I saw a stage with dreads flying everywhere.

L: Write good tunes and play ‘em loud.

I’ve heard that your EP Songs of Love is in the works.

What are your parting words?

Before we dive into the music, if you could make a playlist with the same title, what would be on it?

All: Always bring up the goons.

@juliaklenovsky

6

Brooklyn’s Gustaf are your new favourite plunk-

Your debut album ‘Audio Drag for Ego Slobs’ is out

purveyors, from the highest order of “Hey ho, let’s go!”,

tomorrow! What’s going through your heads right

to the gum the streets are lined with.

now?

With a compulsive-narrative that could chew the ears off

Lydia: I’m feeling excited and only mildly anxious! It’s

of ESG, ‘Marquee Moon’ and 315 Bowery combined,

been a long time coming and the timeline of making a

Gustaf, formed of lead-vocalist Lydia Gammill, bassist

record is that you work really hard on it, think about

Tine Hill, Vram Kherlopian on guitar and vocalist /

it forever (probably too much), then forget it once the

percussionist Tarra Thiessen, tackle the universe head-on

masters are in... then when release day comes it’s almost

with their bass-driven Art-Punk-Funk-clunk; with themes

like your sucked back in time to all the things that were

ranging from forgetting you loved someone (until you

swirling around in your head as you were pushing towards

saw their dog), to being whatever you want to be or

the finish line.

even, checking in on oneself and remembering to “watch, Vram: I’m very excited that it’s coming out. I think it’s a

breathe, think, and see.”

fantastic album!

Spewing out some of the sincerest, most dance-friendly notes on life that either side of the Atlantic has had to

A year on from the release of your first ever single

offer in decades, there’s something for everybody in the

and you’re already gearing up to share your debut

company of Gustaf- what more could you possibly ask

full-length record. Does it feel like a long time coming

for?

to you?

7

Words by Al Mills, illustration by Emma Erickson

L: We played out as a band a lot for a couple years

Do you think finding humour within human nature

developing the material before we released any music so

acts as a coping mechanism, form of constructive self-

it does feel like a long time coming but also something

deprecation, or perhaps a bit of both?

brand new. Before we released any tracks, our music could only go as far as our legs could, now the mp3s are zipping

L: Eh for me it’s just how I like to live. If you can laugh

all over the world to who knows where. I’m enjoying

at something the less likely you are to let it take over your

hearing what the world has to think of this little thing

life negatively- it’s about learning to exalt your lows and

we’ve been building the past couple of years.

your mistakes in the same way you cherish the highs and the victories. You can’t put one above the other because

You’re mostly all members of other established bands

they’re all living in the same pool of our experiences and

(The Wants, Ex-Girlfriends...)- how (if at all) does

they all have something to teach us.

Gustaf act as an outlet / creative space for something different?

V: I think both. Being able to laugh, not take yourself too V: I feel like most of the bands I’ve been in are serious

seriously, while also being self-constructive is a really

80% of time, silly 20% of the time. With Gustaf, it’s

good way to keep your stress levels down when living in a

sometimes not obvious when we’re being serious or silly.

stressful world.

From a guitar perspective, I enjoy playing minimalist parts In an interview you did with Ben Hozie of Bodega,

that work around Tine’s bass playing.

Lydia you said (on an emotional level) your songs Tarra: I never thought I would be a percussionist in a band

“come from a place where you want to be as universally

so it’s been a fun new experience collecting different toys

cathartic as possible.”

from rubber chickens to coffee cans to play. I also feel so much more comfortable on stage bantering through a pitch

Why do you think you’re drawn to that particular

shifter pedal than my regular voice.

narrative?’

Without getting too existential, would you say Gustaf’s

L: Because I love catharsis and I am a ham. Something

formation is a fully functioning example of being in the

about the pangs of feeling and longing - good or bad -

right place at the right time?

really scratch an itch in my head and as a consumer of creative media. I want to figure out how to recreate the

L: None of us quite knew what we were starting when we

emotions other artists have stirred up in me and pass that

hopped in Tarra’s van three years ago but I’m glad we did.

hormonal high onto whatever audiences are looking for

We’re five tetris pieces falling into a perfect row.

them too.

T: Yes! I didn’t expect to actually be in the band when I

Would you say that Gustaf is a manifestation of lots of

asked Lydia to help drive to Texas; I’m so happy today to

personalities, characters, quirks, and spectacles of life

still be in the Gustaf van going down the hill in neutral.

that you’ve absorbed along the way?

There’s no doubt that a running theme throughout your universe is an overriding sense of absurdist relatability / decorative realism.

9

Gustaf

V: To me, Gustaf is a group of five folks making fun

V: I feel like I’ve seen nearly every type of music I could

music together. All five of us bring something unique to

imagine in NYC. I don’t know if I can say New York has

the table.

its own specific sound; I think I’d rather say, there are a whole lotta sounds in New York, and the collection of all

I believe that all the shows we played together, and all the

these sounds are what make New York special to me.

time we spent together touring helped us figure out each person’s strengths which is why I think this project is so

T: The sound of New York is constantly evolving since

special.

the landscape of DIY venues, especially post Covidlockdown, is always in a constant flux. Sometimes it feels

L: As a live band we try to make everyone at our shows

like we’re all rats clawing our way out of a sewer during

feel like they are a part of what we are doing and like

a flash flood. New York is whatever you make of it, so as

you mentioned, lyrically I aim for an angle of universal

long as there are still creative people here wanting to do it,

catharsis (to varying degrees of success). So yes, it is all

NYC will always have its own sound.

five of us but if we are doing it right, it is not just us but all of us. And when I say us - I mean us *gestures towards

The B-52’s once played a gig at The Mudd Club in New

all the humans of earth*.

York in which one of the audience members showed up in a giant red lobster outfit. If your crowd were

Back in August, fellow New Yorkers Parquet Courts

to conceptually re-enact / re-imagine any one of your

organised an event in which people could walk around

songs via an alternative medium such as costume, what

Soho “at a Downtown pace” with them. Similarly,

would you like it to be and why?

your track ‘The Motions’ is a self-described “walking around New York song” that acts as a personal

V: I would like it to be a really big guy wearing a money

reminder to stay grounded.

suit, handing out money to everyone!

What is it about New York that lends itself to inspired

L: Maybe for ‘Dream’ people could dress up like angelic

freedom, and why do you think we as people seek

aliens and walk around going “God says you’re doing

sound-tracked escapism in what’s otherwise a pretty

great”

conventional day-to-day activity such as walking?

T: A version of ‘Liquid Frown’ with everyone vomiting V: One of the most amazing things about music (and art in

into pint glasses.

general) is that it can add meaning to conventional day-today activities. Adding a new element to your every-daywalk, like music, can make everything feel fresh again.

Historically there’s no denying the sub-cultural impact of New York across pretty much every art-form. That being said, as a local, would you say New York still has its own sound?

@earthdilemma

10

‘Rainy spell’ by Mattia Guarnera MacCarthy, opposite, ‘Pylons’ by Gavin Shepherdson

Wading through the mud of angst loaded newcomers,

On my recordings I’ve got harp and flute as well but I’m

you’ll find songbird, Rosie Alena entrancing listeners with

yet to try that out in the live setting. I went to Brit School,

a natural ease. Stirringly intricate and lighter than air, the

so many of my friends are extremely gifted and we love

Londoner weaves sonic exploits of sugary delight. Now,

making music together.

with the release of her debut EP in sight, we caught up with Rosie to discuss dancing moss men, the pros of indie

Your latest single ‘God’s Garden’ seems to be rooted

labels and breaking through the glass ceiling.

in an empowering message for those at the blossoming stages of romance? Can you tell us more?

Your vocals exude a beautifully rich and soulful tone whilst your melodies are more ethereal

This was the most recent song that I’ve written as part

and experimental. What influences sparked this

of a project. A lot my tracks verge on being quite sad in

juxtaposition?

subject matter, so I was trying to think of ways to switch it up. I’d got into quite a specific rhythm of writing, using

One of my biggest inspirations is Tori Amos and her

stream of consciousness and turning that into a song. For

‘Under the Pink’ album (1994). It’s heavily piano based

this one, the way I approached it was different; I’d been

actually - recently I’ve introduced keys into my set

talking to one of my friends about her recent breakup and

up – she’s a very talented pianist so a lot of her music,

how to move forward by setting boundaries and knowing

whilst experimental, is quite classically influenced. Fiona

what you want from a relationship. I started thinking about

Apple and PJ Harvey too. I really aspire to be like them

that in my own relationship and how it’s important to be

because their songwriting is so fluid. Their songs aren’t

independent and maintain your own sense of self when

just verse, chorus and how a song ‘should’ be structured.

you’re essentially sharing your life with someone. The

It feels more emotive; it’s as if they’ve let the music take

verses set out some healthy expectations and the chorus

control of them rather than being formulaic about their

says it’s because we have this amazing love, so let’s make

songwriting.

it the best that it can be.

An impressive list of artists there and a poetic way to

I’m sure many of us could do with taking a leaf out of

put it. Hailing from South London and with a band of

your book on that one. I love the accompanying music

talented in musicians in tow, how has the underground

video with a ‘dancing moss man’. How did the making

scene played a part in shaping your music?

of this visual come about?

My best friend Blossom Caldarone plays cello in my

It was so fun! It was one of those moments when you have

band, although the line-up is more rotating than a set list

an idea and then it all comes together perfectly. I was

of people. Most musicians that I do play with have many

inspired by Björk’s ‘Venus As A Boy’ music video. She’s

other projects going on as well, so gigs can often turn out

in a kitchen, making something with eggs; I really loved

quite different. Sometimes I have two cellists, sometimes I

the simplicity of that and the vibrant colour scheme.

don’t, sometimes I have piano, sometimes I don’t, so I try to keep mixing it up and experimenting with new sounds.

Words by Laura Pegler, illustration by Harriet Yakub

14

I was also inspired by ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ – I’m a big

But whilst there are contrasts, I think that sonically they

musical theatre person – and the film ‘Amélie’, so all of

all work really well together. Rather than there being an

these elements merged into one. I had this idea of making

overriding genre it’s more of a collective sound that runs

things in a kitchen, quite nonchalant, whilst talking about

through. Some of the songs I wrote ages ago, for example

the things that I want from a relationship. It feels like a

the opening track ‘Who Do I Call’ I wrote when I was

dancey number, so it made sense to add a dance routine

still in school but ‘Adore Me’ I wrote during lockdown so

in it and I also wanted the kitchen to be overgrown with

essentially, I’ve picked 6 songs that stretch over a really

plants. I essentially had this massive concept and took

long space of time to create a whole body of work.

it to Max our director (Bingo Fury) who made my ideas come to life whilst adding his own - he was the one who

Sounds like it’s a ‘The best of: your life’ type scenario

suggested the ‘moss creature’. It was my first proper

that’s emerged here?

music video with a delegated team and I’m really happy with how it turned out.

Haha yeah that’s what it feels like! That’s what I should’ve called it.

The first of many, I’m sure! Let’s look to your forthcoming EP ‘Pixelated Images’ produced by Oli

‘Pixelated Images’ is being released on untitled (recs)

Barton-Wood (Porridge Radio, Nilüfer Yanya) – how

who champion underground, alternative artists

did this collaboration come together?

(deathcrash, Horsey). How did you get involved with the label?

I knew Oli vaguely through other people. When I put out my debut single ‘Mixed Messages’ I also put on a launch

Again, it was off the back of ‘Mixed Messages’. Alex,

gig. Oli had heard the track, came to the show and asked

who runs the label and is now my manager, got in touch

to work together as a kind of passion project (I had no

a month or so after the release and it went from there.

financial backing at the time). Then Covid happened, so it

It was a perfect way to be able to have budget to create

was almost a year after that first meeting and after I’d got

something that I’d been thinking about for a long time,

management and a label before we could get started.

but also to do it with people who are supportive of my decisions. I chose all the tracks and I got to make the final

A year in the making - good things come to those who

decisions, which is a definite positive about working with

wait I guess?

an indie label.

Exactly! It was nice that he’d been so passionate before

You’ve been playing the sticky floored gig venues of

there was any money involved. I don’t like the idea of

London from the tender age of 14. Any tips for getting

working with people without there being a true ‘love’ for

that initial foot in the door?

what you’re trying to create together.

You can have so much talent but if you don’t make Out of this relationship came the debut EP. We’ve had

connections, it’ll be hard to do anything in the industry

two singles from the EP already (‘God’s Garden’, ‘The

on just talent alone. I’d say the best way to help yourself,

Light’) but the unreleased tracks seem to be equally

is to go to as many gigs as possible and put yourself in

versatile in their sound, dipping into classic singer-

positions where you’ll be surrounded by like minded

songwriter but also jazz and dream pop realms. Can

people. Be open and try to make friends. I think that’s

you give us insight into what to expect?

how I’ve done it – whilst I sort of hate the idea of ‘networking’, I think the best way to do it is to make

Each song is quite different. I feel like they all have their

friends with people and build genuine relationships.

own genre in a way.

15

Opposite, Eliana Marinari, Pastel, spray paint and ink on paper mounted on panel 40×30 cm

Parquet Courts’ new album ‘Sympathy For Life’ is a truly

Do you feel this record’s come as a result of the last

remarkable listen. Formed out of a series of 40 minute

couple of years being so crazy? The idea of a ‘lockdown

improvisational jams painstakingly whittled down into

record’ has definitely been played out, but maybe there

an easily listenable format, there are elements of dub,

are some more nuanced psychological impacts that

spacey electronica, and funk present across the work, yet

have leaked in.

all tracks seem to maintain that certain indescribable, je ne sais quoi Courts energy that marks it out as unmistakably

A. Savage: We finished [the album] a while ago, and I

theirs. It’s eleven pieces of the most vital, interesting

kind of always view albums as these things that represent

music to have emerged from the past decade, without ever

and articulate a specific time and pace in an artist’s

once disappearing into itself.

life. In this particular case, I think it really represents where the four of us are together when it comes out.

However, this self-sampling of sorts is not where the

So I mean they’re always based on experience and the

tendrils of dance music influence end. We have found the

context we’re in. There’s no doubt that people will see

band on their grooviest, most danceable form yet, leaning

this record through the lens it comes out - it’s coming

into the inklings of a developing sound first seen on

out during coronavirus, but it was finished in this kind of

2018’s glorious ‘Wide Awake!’. With this now their sixth,

peaceful, glowing time of innocence before it all started

they’ve shifted from soundtracking the party into almost

- the last recording session we did was at Real World

becoming the party themselves - the importance of that

studios in the UK, and Austin and I came back from that

quasi-religious communion of human souls which comes

the second weekend of March. It was just such a lovely,

with bacchanalia is front and centre, with the band taking

idyllic countryside setting, it was so nice and such a good

more from the Happy Mondays than the straighter-laced

recording experience - a beautiful moment before the

rock of their previous.

world got super dark and weird.

With Parquet Courts now ten years in (and thus holding

Something I really enjoyed on the album was your

rightful keys to a cultural zeitgeist), they show no signs of

leaning further into the groovier side of life. There’s

being jaded or weary - instead, they appear re energised,

a real ‘homage to the party’ feel to the album, and it

and ready to unlock the higher planes of experience

obviously takes a lot from the culture of dance music.

available to those unwilling to do it any way other than

Why was this the area you felt could be the cornerstone

their own. Whichever way that may be, Just be sure that it

of the work? I think the byproduct of it is that it feels

will soundtrack our collective grappling with the obstacles

a lot fresher than maybe a continuation of a standard

of life.

indie trope.

We caught up with A. Savage and Austin Brown to discuss

Austin Brown: I think our records really reflect where we

their new album, the importance of the party, and New

are presently, whether that’s emotionally, or what we’re up

York’s tendency to permeate the soul.

to at that time - it’s what we write about.

17

Words by Dan Pare, illustration by Cameron JL West

At the beginning of this record making process we were

I find that really relatable, and although our sound is

reflecting on that, and what music and cultural stuff we

always changing, a lot of Parquet Courts’ definition

were into at that time.

does stem from that drive, influencing our workflow and aggression quite heavily. That translates into what you

A record we mentioned as being incredibly important to

were saying about ‘Walking at a Downtown Pace’ - it’s

this creative process was Primal Scream’s ‘Screamadelica’

kind of a love letter to the city, but also a recognition that

just because it’s what they were going through at that

life is really hard here, but when you leave you miss even

time, a rock band being influenced by the rave and not

the difficult and tedious stuff that comes with living here.

necessarily making music for the rave, but through

It’s addictive.

Andrew Weatherall just channelling this energy into dance music. There’s something about the culture and experience

Beyond that ‘homage to dance music’ and ode to New

of dance music at a party or club that’s very community

York, the record feels quite broad in scope - it’s both

based, it’s about facilitating the health of the party and

very subjectively personal, but also quite universal in

the energy that comes from being present in that moment,

it’s listenability. Could you tell us any more about the

that’s better than what you see in the world of rock,

themes and ideas running through it?

which has a very unidirectional energy transfer from the people of the stage, with the audience all looking towards

A Savage: It’s never so explicitly laid out, what a record

that. It’s a very capitalistic way of experiencing an

is going to be like thematically - those themes reveal

evening, and you don’t have that same vibe from a party,

themselves in the process, they come out naturally. Often

where everyone’s personal experience contributes to the

there’s some synchronicity because you have these four

collective feel of the evening. That’s something I found

people who spend a lot of time together going through

really inspiring, and wanted to bring into our process of

relatively similar experiences, but it’s never really

making a record, and it’s something I want to express

discussed. Collectivism is a big one, community is a big

inspiration from.

one - when I listen back to the record, that’s something I really get from it, but there’s no mission statement.

I think of you as a band really synonymous with NYC, and on ‘Walking at a Downtown Pace’ that’s maybe

Austin: ‘Sympathy For Life’ is about addressing life

made more explicit. What is it about the city that

itself as a predicament, a set of problems that we kind of

inspired it’s suffusion with the DNA of your band?

transcend through our collectivism and community, the influence we can spread by communing around a certain

A Savage: I think that there are so many different

idea like a piece of music. There’s a shared experience of

definitions of New York in our cultural imagination.

love and human connection, and I think that’s something

People tie it to these moments, and it’s got such a rich

we’ve been really missing over the last few years - not

history of culture that it is so many different things to so

that it’s something we necessarily had in spades before,

many different people - but if there was one thing to New

but it’s so important now. This record really incorporates

York that remains, even in its constant state of change,

a lot of grooves, and it was a step outside our normal

is that flux. Once you try and romanticise an era or hitch

bounds, and we’re very proud of all the experimentation

your imagination to an era, it’s done. I will say that I think

we were able to condense into such an accessible format.

the one ongoing feature is that hustle, that desire to get the rent paid and make ends meet. It’s a hard place to be

‘Sympathy For Life’ is your sixth album, but you

an artist - there are a lot of great artists attracted here,

keep finding ways to evolve, and new methods to push

but it’s very competitive, very expensive. That hunger

yourselves with. Is this something you consciously have

really defines all stripes of artists from New York, whether

to choose to do? to ensure things never get stale?

painters, musicians, writers, there’s that sort of constant motion - keep going, don’t stop.

19

Parquet Courts

A Savage: It’s something that happens naturally, but there

Austin: I like that, it feels like we were all very

are definitely things we make sure to insert to make sure.

empowered to influence the songs in real time through that process. Rather than talking about what we wanted

Austin: This time it was about changing the process from

to achieve, or having one person instruct the others on

the beginning to achieve different results. There’s many

what we should be going for, we all did it through playing

ways to evolve, but this time we really focussed on writing

together. As a band ten years in, it’s a strong part of the

in a different way, and changing the way we collaborated.

group, it’s something we do really well.

We’ve always had improvisation and collaboration on our records, but they were more touches and flashes, accents

You mention being ten years in, and you’re at a point

done in the spur of the moment. On this album there’s

of relative success and security within the musical

many songs that have that foundation in improvisation and

sphere. Who are you writing music for? Is it just about

collaboration which I think is the sharpest way to get to

pure expression? Or is there one eye on what will get

really unique results, stuff we can only get to when it’s us

the floor moving?

four in a room, making music in the moment according to the choices we make. Working with Rodaidh McDonald,

A Savage: I guess that wouldn’t be a point we’ve arrived

the producer on these sessions, he gave us a lot of space

at, it’s always been “we’re going to make the music we

with an eye on the end goal, which was to take these 40

make”. You mentioned success - I don’t know if we could

minute improvisations and edit them into an accessible,

have achieved any if that hadn’t been the motto. We make

traditional song structure. The sonics we got out of this,

music that is challenging and fun, but also serves its form

just from spur of the moment impulsive feelings and

of self expression for us - and that’s what people are

energy, I don’t think we could have written into the songs,

into! Like Austin was just saying, there’s always things

it was about capturing that vibe in spurts and then putting

you want to insert to keep the process fresh, because if it

it all together. That feels like a really important way

doesn’t feel fresh in the studio, it’s not going to feel good

in which we were able to evolve our sound, just going

listening at home or at a concert. If we were phoning it

through that process.

in, people would be able to tell, and I’m happy to say that we’ve made what I consider to be our best record. I

You say the album mainly stemmed from

say that about every record, but it’s a fun band to be in,

improvisational jams, is this something that could have

and it’s been a great process evolving and continuing to

only come about as a byproduct of being completely

challenge ourselves.

self-actualised as a group?

@cameronjlwest

20

Patiently honing their sound, Mandy, Indiana have

S: I feel like we’ve definitely been thrown in the deep

emerged as one of the most exciting Manchester bands of

end. Everything sounds as we wanted it to in the rehearsal

the moment. While single ‘Alien 3’ and its Daniel Avery

space and then we get to a venue and it sounds totally

remix already piqued interest, the outfit’s upcoming

different. We need to tweak this, we need to tweak that.

debut EP ‘…’ – set for release November 19th via Fire

It’s still early days, but we’re happy with how it’s come

Talk Records – cement the band as one of the intriguing

together. We got our friend Simon to come in and do all of

new voices on the fertile soil of the borderland between

the low register bass stuff, that’s a big part of the sound.

visceral post-punk and sparse industrial noise. Ahead of

He’s done a really good job with that. It’s just typical with

the EP’s arrival, vocalist (to simply call her a singer would

gigs, especially with festivals, there’s always surprises

do her a disservice) Valentine Caulfield and guitarist/

when it comes to sound. We don’t have a lot of time to

producer Scott Fair provide insight into a band whose

sound check in some cases and it’s a little unusual to

biggest weapon seems to be their unpredictability.

get a live mix for a sound like ours, so we’re learning to communicate that as best we can in order to make it easier

You’ve been making music in this set-up for quite some

for people who we are working with.

time already, but I was wondering: were the shows you I heard you have already experimented with virtual

played recently your first live shows?

reality as well.

V: They were, we played our first one near the end of V: We did a VR set in the second lockdown, around

August.

December. We had shows planned at the end of last year S: Before lockdown, we met Liam, who is now the

and then we couldn’t play them, so we thought the VR set

drummer. We didn’t have a band to play with at that time,

would be a nice way to get a bit more of a live feel into

we were just writing. We had gigs booked in a couple

what we were doing.

of times and they kept on getting moved because of the pandemic, they never happened. Finally, in August we got

S: When we said it, people got excited about what that

to do one. We had a little flurry of gigs, which was great.

might be. People think VR is going to be some really immersive, interactive experience, but it was just our

V: We’ve got one on Friday actually, so we haven’t really

typical grungy, lo-fi, black and white with strobe lights

stopped since we started.

kind of look. It turned out pretty well, but it was always going to be a limited thing that we had up online for

S: It’s so flattering to be asked to play with everybody

people to get a taste of the live show. But we’re certainly

we’re supporting as well. We haven’t agreed to any

interested in doing more visually immersive things in the

supports for artists that we don’t already like. It’s weird to

future.

be asked. We were just like “of course we’ll play with you One of the things that stands out besides your attention

guys, we’re already fans of yours.”

for the visual side of things is, of course, Valentine’s What’s it like to translate the songs that you’ve been

French lyrics. How did that become part of Mandy,

working on to a live setting?

Indiana and what significance does it hold for you?

21

Words by Dirk Baart, illustration by An Chen

V: It was always part of the plan. I suppose it’s been really

S: Traditional songwriters were often telling us how to

fun for me having people come up to me and saying that

feel or telling us how they feel in order to connect to

everything I sing just sounds so nice. Even though I’m

us. Now, our lifestyles are so fragmented in terms of the

chatting absolute bollocks. It becomes more about the way

information that we consume, it almost makes more sense

the lyrics sound than the significance of the words. That’s

to communicate in a way that is fragmented. Speaking

very obvious with the live performances as well, because

in riddles, snapshots and metaphors. Dry Cleaning are

I do a lot of heavy breathing and screaming. Everything

a really great example of this, because they’re using a

I write about is just the way the music makes me feel, so

sound that is very much grounded in music from ten or

I’m trying to translate that into the sounds that I make, so

twenty years ago, but some of the ideas that they are

you should be able to get the message without necessarily

communicating via that are really new and interesting and

understanding what I’m saying.

fresh.

How much do you think your background in opera

Films and film scores are often mentioned as sources

feeds into that? Are there similarities between that type

of inspiration for your music. How do such things seep

of music and Mandy, Indiana’s?

through to the songs? Is that more of an indirect type of influence?

V: I think they are much more similar than people realize. With opera, there’s this theatrical sense, which

S: It’s certainly not indirect at some points. There’s

is something that I’ve always found I’m really interested

samples from soundtracks in some of the songs, others

in doing. The idea is to make you feel something or

are almost imitations of certain scores. There’s parts of

make you understand through the actual musicality of

our music that could probably score a picture, but it’s

everything. I think that is something that I’m trying to do.

removed from that and put into a different context. We

The whole French thing very much plays into that as well.

don’t write based around melody, we write based around

A lot of operas are in Italian or German, but you’re still

mood, feeling, and tone. We’re thinking about tension and

supposed to understand the story if you don’t speak either

narrative, not necessarily about verses and choruses.

of those languages.

You don’t feel limited by the format of a pop song?

S: My grandad loved opera and there was always something haunting and ethereal about it to me because I

S: We’re also huge pop music fans at heart, there’s nothing

didn’t understand what was being said. There’s something

wrong with that. Our latest single ‘Bottle Episode’ is

that transcends communication. It’s a kind of telepathy.

probably the most standardly structured tune that we’ve

We’ve talked about maybe not even using language to

written so far. But in early conversations with our label,

perform the vocals, just sounds. Animal sounds maybe,

we were kind of testing the boundaries of what our album

or sounds inspired by other things from nature. Hopefully

might be. It could just be a 55-minute track that runs all

that’s something we’ll explore in the future.

the way through. I’ve seen other artists do it and do it sensibly. We’ll probably continue to write ‘pop music’,

Initially, it made the lyrics kind of private as well. Some

but maybe we’ll also incorporate stuff that is less linear or

of the things Valentine used were just casual phone

less chopped up like an album of songs would be. I think

conversations with friends, but it didn’t matter what they

bands should take huge left turns. If you look at some of

meant or that they were inconsequential.

the great bands around now, like Radiohead, that’s what separates them. They do take risks. Hopefully we’ll be

It sometimes feels as if lyrics that are somehow

able to keep challenging ourselves and continue making

inconsequential more closely reflect the way we

ourselves feel uncomfortable because we’re not sure we’re

communicate in real life. I’m personally quite touched

doing the right thing. If we develop our sound to a point

by Florence Shaw’s lyrics for Dry Cleaning, for

where it is obvious what we are going to do next, maybe

instance.

it’s time to stop doing it.

23

Mandy, Indiana

Jamie Knee

With his first single released in 2018, Strawberry Guy has

In any setting really! I guess it’s quite an intimate album

covered remarkable musical ground. Previously working

at times, so maybe best to listen alone with headphones.

alongside Trudy and the Romance and the Orielles, the

Could be a nice one for a car/train journey too!

accomplished pianist, also known as Alex Stephens, is The album really creates a distinct sense of space.

now set to release his debut album.

From cover art, to the sound, to the name, lyrics – it’s The new album, ‘Sun Outside My Window’, is due to be

a very consistent piece of work, I can imagine a lot of

released on 29th October. The album plays coyly with

thought and care went into it? Could you tell us a bit

themes of light, isolation with expansively rich motifs and

about the process?

introspective and understated lyricisms. With great care he To be honest everything sort of tied together quite

builds a world easy to find yourself lost in.

naturally really. I never forced anything or felt like I was Ahead of this release, we caught up with him to ask all

‘working hard’. It took about two years, with some tracks

about his new album, his approach to writing and the

not making it onto the album. I was recording on and

dreams of writing a film score.

off really. Sometimes I would go a whole month without recording it. Then record for a whole week straight. I only

Hi Alex, thanks for answering some questions for us, I

worked on it when I felt that need to do so inside of me.

hope you’re having a good day?

How do you usually approach writing, is it very much a Hey, having a good day! Just got back from town to buy a

forced process, something more natural, or is it a bit of

birthday present for a friend of mine.

an in-between?

Firstly, I just wanted to ask about your new album.

It’s definitely a very natural process for me. I only really

Could you describe it for us?

write songs when I’m feeling deep emotions inside me.

I either write when I’m feeling low or am on top of the

Hmm, I guess if I could really narrow it down, I would

moon! I feel this way my emotions can really shine

call it impressionist singer - songwriter… It takes a lot

through in the music. It’s also a really great healer. I

of influence from the 1800’s impressionist painters and

always start with the music first, trying to capture the

composers, mixed with 70’s songwriters I guess! It’s

emotion I’m feeling, then I’ll start the lyrics once all of

ethereal, euphoric, emotional yet uplifting, with a blend of

that is done. Things come naturally; I’ve never written

orchestral instruments, heavy on strings.

down lyrics! I always remember them.

In what setting would you say the album is best

There are references to sunlight in at least four of the

listened to?

tracks on the new album. Recent single releases appear to draw from impressionists (who were famed for their fascination of light). How does light affect you as an artist?

Words by Callum Gray, illustration by REN

28

Interesting question! Well, firstly where I record in my

I remember we were walking back home from a music

room, my desk is right in front of a very large window.

festival once and were talking about favourite drinks,

My flat is in an old Georgian type building which has

which I stated at the time, ‘strawberry milkshake’. Audun

rather large windows that go as high as the ceiling! During

responded brightly saying ‘oh! You’re a strawberry guy’

summer, the sun shines through them. Whenever this

to which I said that’s a cool name. I never really had to

happens it always seems to ‘brighten’ my day (hence the

decide on a project name because I always knew it would

title track ‘sun outside my window’).

be Strawberry Guy since that day!

There’s something distinctly cinematic about some of

On the track ‘Company’, themes of loneliness come

your music, and a lot of people have paired your songs

through clearly. With most people living in isolation

with visual elements before. Do you consider visuals

for a long period of time, I wanted to ask what sort of

and images when writing?

effect did that isolation have on you and your music?

I think there’s a part of me that’s always wanted to

I found it really hard. I’m quite an extrovert really and

compose for films, as my music can sound really

you can find me out and about in Liverpool a lot. I love

orchestral and ‘big’ at times! I don’t necessarily consider

meeting new people and am quite chatty really. To have

any particular visuals or images when writing, I mainly

that taken away from me was quite a challenge at first.

let the emotions be the main driver. I’ve always been

‘Company’ was one track that really helped me to learn

obsessed with film soundtracks though and how they

to love my own company. Something I couldn’t do at

can capture emotions and feelings very well with no

the start of lockdown, I realised I had become dependent

lyrics/words. One soundtrack to note is the ‘Coraline’

on people which isn’t healthy really. I learned a lot

soundtrack. I remember going to the cinema to watch it

through lockdown and feel like I matured a lot through

for my thirteenth birthday and finding the soundtrack

it, especially in regards to spending time with myself. I

so captivating. It’s very ethereal at times, definitely an

think the effect it had on my music was that it just became

inspiration for me.

incredibly intimate. I really felt like it was just me and the music, which to be honest I found it hard to come to terms

You’ve played with groups and in bands before (The

that I’m actually releasing it. Part of me wanted to keep

Orielles, Trudy and the Romance). You’ve participated

it to myself, but that would’ve been incredibly selfish I

in their writing process too. Do you find writing solo

think.

daunting at all?

It’s like the album is a baby I’ve helped nurture and grow, Nope, not daunting at all! I’ve actually always written

and it’s finally leaving me to go to uni. I’m excited for it

music on my own ever since I was a child. I actually find

to be out in the world but also sad in some ways that my

it much easier to write alone. I find that when writing

relationship with the album is now being shared, I’ve let

alone nobody is there to judge, and you’re also not trying

it go.

to impress anyone. It is just you and the piano. I think you can be more emotionally explicit and free when nobody

Could you tell us a little bit about what to expect from

else is around. It’s wonderful really.

Strawberry Guy in the future?

Could you tell us a bit about the name ‘Strawberry

A lot more music! I’ll never ever stop writing songs,

Guy’?

it’s something I simply have to do.. I’m not sure what direction I will go in, but I’m excited to delve into the

I can, but it has an element of sadness. Ste and Audun in

unknown future. I’m also hoping to go to America at some

the band Her’s were very good friends of mine.

point. So hopefully a lot more gigs. I would love to do some film composing too and a song collaboration even!

29

Strawberry Guy

A. Savage

30

When searching for ways to appreciate the small things

Maltese is a contemporary contemplation-crusader for

in life, more often than not a person is faced with two,

old-souls, day-dreamers, and those simply wishing to

potentially even three, clear paths.

navigate the real-world around them, step-by-step, one day at a time.

Step one might be to take to the internet, by which point a mind is instantly hit with a barrage of “66 ways to

With the release of his third studio album ‘Good Morning

appreciate the small things in life”, or obscure quotes by

It’s Now Tomorrow’ a mere week away from the point of

anonymous authors from the furthest reaches of Pinterest.

writing this, Maltese, perhaps more than ever before, is making the most of the small things in life, by turning the

Option two could be to simply roll with the motions, keep

ordinary, into the extraordinarily masterful.

your head forward and take things as they come along the way. This however can be counter-intuitive, when

All that remains to be done is a subtle shout out to Doja

attempting to stop and smell the roses.

Cat. She’s a huge fan - ask the internet.

The third suggestion, and the one that’s most pertinent

I know this has been a lockdown project for you.

to where we all meet today, comes from actual real-life

Whilst I don’t think we need to harbour on about

people- seeking guidance and solace from people who’ve

that too much, we are still in a weird subliminal space

been there and done it, lived to tell the tale, and wish to

where we’re better than we were before, and we’ve got

remind us all that life is too short to not make the most of

hindsight too but we’re still nowhere near where we

it all, before it’s too late.

used to be.

Enter Matt Maltese; A twenty-three-year-old crooner

How have you found placing context to the record or

with his head in the clouds but whose feet are planted

headspaces you were in at the time now that freedom

firmly on solid ground. An artist whose goal appears to

has come into effect?

be to face the un-faceable unarmed, but with a heart-full of romanticised retrospect to fall back on in times of

It was a very specific way to write a record but also, in

solitude, or apocalyptic necessity.

a strange way, I sort of made the other ones in the same vein; putting myself away in my room and just writing for a consistent amount of time.

31

Words by Al Mills, illustration by Jonathan Hoffboll

Even with the second record (‘Krystal), I didn’t really see

Do you think conceptualising the world around you

anyone or have a drink for four months. It was the same

helps to normalise the situations and in turn makes

this time around but obviously under extremely different

them more relatable?

circumstances.

I think those two halves speak to what I’m made up of, I guess what was happening seeped into the writing of the

and maybe what a lot of other people are too, which is

record, and since then as well. It’s hard. I don’t really see

a natural cynicism, and realism which comes from just

it as my lockdown record but naturally it is. It definitely

living life; and then also the side of you that still wants to

influenced how much was written and how quickly.

dream sometimes, and still wants to have hope that it’s not all cynical, miserable or even real.

I do think there’s something very human about the entire process of self-reflection during a significant

Everything is always so much less intimidating when

period in history that’s currently still being

someone else is already talking about it.

experienced universally.

Exactly. A healthy level of self-projecting is okay But, at the same time, you could flip that and say ‘well

sometimes.

the average person didn’t come out the other end with I love the album’s title: ‘Good Morning It’s Now

a thirteen-track album to release’.

Tomorrow’- it’s got a lovely sense of reassurance that Why do you think you’re drawn to documenting the

comes from a natural new beginning. Where did it

ordinary?

come from?

I think it’s because of how much it affects us all. There’s

It came posthumously after writing the song ‘Good

not a lot to change from the ordinary to make it as big as it

Morning’- it’s the first lyric and there was something so

is- especially in those times last year.

plain about it which I really liked. It kinda sounds like something your mum might say to you but also Siri?

I’ve always been drawn to making small things really, really big. Ordinary things are life or death and you sort of

I liked that matter of fact-ness but also the strange way of

just need to say things exactly how they are. Often, there’s

saying it’s today, by addressing that it’s tomorrow. It’s so

not much to prod or poke and mould. It’s hard to process

hard titling records, I never know until the last minute.

things.

It’s always quite suggestively cyclical in a sense there’s no real end to the journey as every day is a new

Like making a collage of the everyday?

day. It’s quite ritualistic.

Yeah exactly. I think songwriting is often associated with metaphors and fantasy and as much as I love that, I’ve

To be honest I live quite a ritualistic lifestyle - I’m a

also got a slight aversion to it all. I’ve always connected

creature of habit and routines. Especially at that time. I

to the simpler details of the truth.

hadn’t really thought about it before but there’s definitely something that points to the routine of life.

There’s definitely a deep-rooted sense of realism that can be taken from your songwriting, but I do also think

There’s a line in ‘You Deserve An Oscar’ which I

you’re quite good at romanticising those experiences;

reckon someone’s inevitably going to get that tattooed

the two ends of the spectrum amalgamated together in

that goes: “Kiss the season on the mouth.”

a really nice way.

33

Matt Maltese

It’s quite befitting to the time of year we’re

Ahhh I’ve always been a huge fan - ‘Dusty Eyes’ is one

transitioning into now - summer is over and

of my favourite songs ever. I’d just written this really

everything’s getting more melancholic and wistful.

shoddy second-verse idea for that song and it wasn’t right.

I wanted someone to write and sing that verse and she was

It’s definitely my favourite time of year, but also

one of the first people I thought of.

everyone’s most existential. There’s so much reflection whilst also looking forward which the album does a lot.

We’ve never even met - it was all an email thing which is crazy. I’m so honoured to have her on my album.

Is it a weird time to be releasing a record? Or is it quite grounding?

Aria Shahrokhshahi directed the videos for ‘You Deserve An Oscar’ and ‘Mystery’- he’s another artist

Yeah... Releasing a record at any time is always quite a

with a very distinctive personal and creative identity. Is

focusing thing. Consistently putting out music for me is

that an on-going partnership you’ve formed?

absolutely what keeps me intact.

He’s amazing - we actually just shot a third video together.

I’ve just remembered it’s only 10am... it’s perhaps

I’m so lucky to have crossed paths with him. He had

quite early to be digging ourselves into existential

some back-catalogue footage of some random nature stuff

wormholes.

which I’d tried to use for the second album and it never happened. He’s a beautiful man and also a bit nuts in the

I’m ready for it!

loveliest way. He absolutely captures the balance between serene melancholy and silly realness. It’s been great.

There’s two people you’ve worked with on this record that really stood out to me as special. The first being

I’m obsessed with making music videos and concepts. I

Bedouine, who features on the track: ‘Oldest Trick

always do stuff I’d never do in real life and I love that. I

In The Book’. I’m a big fan of hers, how did the

often think I’m quite boring but in music videos I’m not

collaboration come about?

boring - I get to be the most ridiculous person for a day which is still an extension of me.

@jonathan.hoffboll

34

Three days before a solo show, Anouska Sokolow decided

Anouska: It was very random – our friend filmed one of

she wanted to play with a band. Flash forward a couple

our sets in a garage, sent it to Dan and he apparently loved

months and Honeyglaze have played Green Man, multiple

it.

independent venues across London and are set to go on tour next month. With bassist Tim Curtis and drummer

Y: That set was all over the place – it was so sweaty, we

Yuri Shibuichi in the mix, the trio released their debut

used cups and cushions to hold the mics up and the camera

track ‘Burglar’ in September. Marking the band’s first

battery died halfway through. I guess that went a long

concrete sonic statement, ‘Burglar’ is honest, explorative

way?

and beautifully unsettling.

T: Speedy gave us so much support and Dan’s so friendly.

Honeyglaze put a real emphasis on the emotive experience

We’d come into the studio and he’d be like: You need a

of live music, so it’s no surprise they gelled so well

synth? Try this one. You want a pedal? Here’s 10.

with Dan Carey and his label, Speedy Wunderground.

No door is left unopened in this trio’s mind – inspired

I’ve seen photos of Dan’s studio – the stacks of keys

by surrealism, transgressive fiction, and experimental

and wires almost form the wallpaper.

investigations into the English language, the band enjoy meddling with audience expectations. Let’s see how they

Y: It’s chaotic.

fare below.

This way of recording seems so unique and personal.

‘Burglar’ is your first release on the internet – why did

Did you get to record in the Carey signature style with

you choose this song as your debut and what do you

dark-room smoke machines and lazers?

want it to relay about you as a band?

T: We did. Even though we practice a lot in the dark, it Yuri: It represents a mix of the songs on our set list – it’s

made us a bit anxious!

not mental, but it’s not very pop heavy either. We like the Would you ever consider doing an entire pitch black

honesty behind it.

set?

Tim: When people ask if we have music out, it feels right to be represented by this song alone.

Y: We’d love that! I can’t imagine what the audience would feel like after half an hour though…

Speaking of sound, you’ve signed to Speedy Wunderground – the epicenter of genre-bending acts

T: We actually asked for that once, but perhaps our music

that dominate the underground and beyond. How did

doesn’t have enough of a trance element just yet.

this come about and how do you feel being part of this family?

What’s one bit of wisdom that Dan imparted on you and has stuck with you to this day?

Words by Poppy Richler, illustration by Chelsea Waites

36

All: Longer songs.

T: I find a lot of our lyrics are surreal – dream-like, a bit abstract…

A: Capture the essence of live music.

Y: Burglar isn’t about a dream, it is the dream.

Those are great guidelines – just look at jazz and old rock records whose final products were mistake takes!

Have you ever had dreams that became songs?

Y: Yeah exactly – it’s great to record based on what feels

T: I hear songs on the radio in my dreams.

right, rather than what’s actually right. How you play the track in that moment should act as a document to that

N: Melodies often pop into my head when I’m asleep and

specific musical period in your life.

I’ll wake up with a voice recording of a strange murmur in the morning.

I’ve noticed that haikus make a reappearance in both your live and online presence.

People keep telling me to keep a dream journal…

A: We like having fun on social media as well as having

T: I do that by texting dreams to my friends. If you don’t

some staged banter.

get a message from me about a dream I had, it’s because I consciously refrained from telling you.

T: Haikus are a classic creative constraint – you know the structure, you know you can’t say what you want to say

A: Sometimes I have boring dreams like waiting for the

and because of this you have to change your wording into

bus – I didn’t think I had to do that in my dreams.

some weird phrasing. I usually recite haikus on stage – they don’t often make sense, are unfinished and result in

T: That’s modernist theatre, no? Last night I dreamt that

people responding like: what? Continue? From there, we

Anouska had a viral video with 50 million views. She was

just launch into a song. It seems to entertain people.

dancing with a blanket.

In your performances, you tend to recite ‘7 Disturbing

Perhaps that’s inspiration for the next music video?

Facts about Honeyglaze’ – are you at liberty to reveal them here?

T: I’ve always wanted to make a video made up of scene by scene recreations of dreams.

A: If we tell you we’ll have to kill you…

What can music do that film and poetry can’t?

T: It started with 7 disturbing facts about Dan Carey but we couldn’t find any.

T: You can be profoundly affected by reading or watching something, but music affects your whole body. Emotion

Do haikus make an appearance in your lyrics?

is often seen as something mental, but with music it becomes physical. When you read, you have to understand

A: They’re not very rhythmic – 5-7-5 is kind of awkward.

something actively and somatically, but with art and music it’s more passive – something happens to you because it’s

Your influences are multi-medial – the lyrics of Burglar

less cerebral. Unlike words, I don’t think music conveys

are based around a Charles Bukowski poem and the

anything specific – it’s more about associations and

video is inspired by Maya Deren’s ‘Meshes of the

feelings.

Afternoon.’ With themes of hypnagogia and anxiety, it seems like the surrealists have imparted a lot of inspiration on you.

37

Honeyglaze

That relates to the idea of a pitch black gig – no

Speaking of movement and progression, what’s next for

distractions exist and the darkness fully immerses

Honeyglaze?

you mentally and physically. Speaking of playing live, you’ve built up a significant reputation over the past

A: We’re going on a UK tour with our Speedy label mates

year through gigging, in both socially distanced and

The Lounge Society. Green Man was our first show out of

full capacity settings. From a musician’s perspective,

London so we’re really looking forward to it.

how would you describe the difference between the two settings when watching and playing shows?

Y: I want to stop in the middle of nowhere and just walk for ages. See some alpacas.

T: With moshing bands, you almost realise what you like more about the experience. When I saw Black Midi

Who did you see at Green Man?

socially distanced at The Windmill, I could see them better and focus more on specific elements of their playing.

Y: Vanishing Twin, Caroline, Tiña, Squid, Katy J Pearson.

Y: Our music changes dynamic a lot, so it fits in either

T: This is The Kit, Broadside Hacks.

context well. People don’t really dance when watching our music though.

Do you have anything else in the works?

I remember dancing…

Y: We’re starting to write new songs…

Y: I would dance for our songs too.

Finally, returning to your fondness for haikus, could you come up with one for us on the spot?

T: It’s interesting when people instinctively fixate on the stage even when it’s a DJ and not live music.

A goat is kinder Than a man in a goat suit.

A: It’s our natural instinct to be curious.

More honest, at least.

Y: It’s a memory thing too. You want to visually remember what the performance was like.

Another memorable element of your live set is your guitar, Anouska.

A: It’s an aluminum body Longfellow guitar. I co-designed it with a phenomenal metal worker to make the lightest guitar possible.

Y: But it’s metal?

A: But it’s hollow!

What would be your ideal walk-out song be?

Y: ‘Silence III.’ by John Cage.

@chelsea_waites_

38

Manchester’s Mewn, pronounced (myoon) as opposed

The songs for your debut EP were written before the

to the official pronunciation (mown) of the Welsh word

pandemic. Did the songs take on new meanings over

from which their name was inspired whilst standing at the

the time that they were recorded due to what we were

entrance to Green Man Festival in 2019, craft songs with

all collectively witnessing going on in the world during

such warmth and sincerity that their name could stand as

lockdown?

an open invitation just in itself. I mean this by way of an induction to the band because once translated from Welsh

I don’t think we were conscious of the songs taking on any

to English, it very simply means ‘In’.

new meaning, especially not anything directly linked to what happened. Obviously there were huge implications

The sessions for the quintet’s debut EP ‘Landscapes

for everybody which no doubt would have led to changes

Unchanged’, which was written pre-pandemic but then

in the way we relate to the music. I wrote a lot of lyrics

subsequently could only be recorded whenever lockdown

during the pandemic and it would be foolish to suggest

conditions would allow. Ended up, by default becoming an

that it would not have bled into that process, but I was just

exercise in preserving mental sanctity as the band utilised

responding to how I felt in the moment and how the music

the last vestiges of a social life to hone this body of work’s

made me feel, with the obvious mental backdrop of the

six tracks of tension and release to staggering effect.

world imploding.

Across ‘Landscapes Unchanged’, twinkling anthemia

‘Landscapes Unchanged’ is rife with dichotomies of

in the form of a Bolan-esque wink also comes morosely

light, darkness, and tempo changes that are borne out

cloaked in an unshakeable melancholia that could well

of the same primordial musical motifs that make up

be subconsciously shaped by Mewn’s repurposed mill

each song. These contrasts are illustrated well within a

of a rehearsal space. A building whose architecture first

nutshell of a song title such as ‘Dull Paradise’. What is

served as a grand gesture toward the myth of infinite

a Dull Paradise to you?

industrial growth only to be hollowed out by the faltering machines that juddered to a halt and eventually replaced

To me that phrase was a bit of a description of how we

by machines that offered up a new kind of ‘up-beat’ that

are told to perceive things and how it contrasts with my

came to define the fresh wave of optimism that epitomises

own impression. A lot of things are presented as attractive

the fabric of an uncanny ‘Manchester Sound’ that Mewn

but have very little real value or benefit. It’s a bit like the

seem, to us, to be a part of.

image that Thom Yorke created in ‘No Surprises’ or in a David Lynch film. Everything is supposedly perfect, but it

Ahead of the release of their debut offering, we talked to

doesn’t feel so beneath the surface.

Mewn about what often lies beneath the curated surface of the seemingly perfect, their place within Manchester’s socio-political history and conversely the moments of beauty or euphoria that can also be found in the seemingly ugly with a little bit of digging...

39

Words by Sammy Clarke, illustration by Izzie Walker

Do you think that finding beauty in the drudgery is all

When we were able to re-enter the practice space we had

a part of an artist’s work?

to keep ourselves to ourselves really given the situation but it was definitely vital for our sanity to come back

I think we all have to experience beauty at regular

together to socialise and be creative. During one of the

intervals to thrive. I don’t think we could claim that to

slightly more open periods of the year we were also able

be our job, but you can certainly find beauty in the more

to recruit our bassist Daniel Johnson which was and is

difficult aspects of your daily life, and it’s important to do

still such a boost for us both musically and personally.

so. The Smiths were pretty brilliant at doing this, Leonard

We managed to spend the time we did have with quite a

Cohen comes to mind also.

singular focus as we were lucky enough to not have to go into work for large periods. So yeah being there definitely

Your rehearsal space is a repurposed mill which is

meant a lot to us.

set in Manchester’s former industrial heart. Do you feel that this repurposed environment impacts your

‘Landscapes Unchanged’ is being released by Simonie

songwriting? Perhaps subconsciously at least, the

Records which is the label from Blue Bendy’s Joe Nash

spectres of working class melancholia seep into the

- how did your paths cross?

process?

We had spent all of our time and energy on the creative Manchester does feel like a place that is very conscious

aspects of the record and didn’t have a massive plan for

of it’s shared history and politics in a really good way.

what we wanted to do with it. By chance I came across the

And we’ve definitely had conversations about the mills

Blue Bendy track ‘Glosso Babel’ and loved it. I saw it had

themselves. In some ways aspects of that past continue

been released by Simonie and sent over an email. I cited

to be played out, we’ve recently been told that they will

Portishead, Timber Timbre, Big Thief, Neutral Milk Hotel

be turned into flats despite being very important for the

and Leonard Cohen as influences and we spoke at length

music scene in Manchester. Financial interests continue to

about that and other things; we clicked straight away.

take precedent. But yeah we definitely feel the culture and

Since then Joe has been nothing but a joy to work with, we

history of the city and have been inspired by the music

honestly can’t speak highly enough of him.

that has come out of that, Joy Division, Durrutti Column, What is next for Mewn now that live music seems to be

The Smiths, Irma Vep.

back on the cards for the foreseeable?

Do any other bands from Manchester’s music scene share this space with you? If so, which ones?

The EP is due for release on the 7th October and we are currently organising headline shows in Manchester and

There are a lot of Manchester bands in there, it’s a very

London to celebrate this which we are very excited about.

affordable and accessible place for artists to practice

Beyond that, EP2 is on the way and we will be continuing

but we might struggle to name anyone from a particular

to get back out there for shows. It is the most enjoyable

scene. We share our room with a prog band called Legs

thing I can imagine doing, very cathartic and we don’t

on Wheels who are talented and nice people. The room

take it for granted.

is split 50:50, our side is very plain and austere whereas theirs has lots of gold and looks a bit like a buddhist temple.

Did being a part of that community within a rehearsal setting during the pandemic help you to maintain a level of sanity when we couldn’t go out and socialise like we normally would?

41

Opposite, ‘It is what it is’ by Mattia Guarnera MacCarthy @mattia.guarnera

London’s Broadside Hacks are a quote-on-quote

The fact that English folk song does not have to be (and

‘supergroup’ of folk-enthusiasts who’s meticulously

shouldn’t be) nationalistic is important, given the blood

curated fusion of Folk-tradition-meets-contemporary re-

that England bares on its hands. However Folk song

interpretation, has seemingly appeared out of nowhere, yet

allows for the voices of the working classes to be heard as

remains inspired by the songs of folk from days gone by.

they never were or are.

Founded by Campbell Baum (Sorry) and featuring

Can you tell me a bit more about how you all came to

members of a wide-variety of pre-established artists

find each other?

including, but not limited to Brigid Mae Power, Goat Girl and Katy J Pearson, the collective / label / Camden

Campbell: The majority of us knew each other in some

Folk night promoters, despite their size and scope, are an

capacity before this project started. A lot of us were

extraordinarily intimate sight to behold and to be heard.

playing in bands that all came from or played in the same venues of South London, ones mostly devoid of anything

Having just self-released their debut record ‘Songs

you would classify as ‘Folk’.

Without Authors: Vol 1’ back in September, following on from a prosperous festival season - which saw the

‘Songs Without Authors’ was a product of lockdown; it

group showcasing their collective-charm everywhere

involves very little live takes, and was mostly recorded

from the misty bewitchment of Brecon Beacons ‘Green

remotely. While pubs and restaurants were shut still,

Man Festival’, all the way through to End of the Road,

we held a folk club on Friday nights at Print Village in

Broadside Hacks delve deeper into the humanity of

Peckham in Oscar’s room; the live group now is mostly

culture, custom and creativity itself; consistently

formed of people that passed through there.

remaining tirelessly curious, and wonderfully unexpected.

What was the process of delegating roles within You’ve been described as a project in which its

Broadside Hacks, and how collaborative are you when

members “share, above all, a passion for honouring our

it comes to finding the songs you play / record?

heritage in song.”

Campbell: I guess when it comes to the label and What does the sentiment of honouring your heritage in

promotion side of things, I tend to pick up the work as it’s

song mean to you?

an area that I’ve had experience in before. When it comes to the live band, it’s definitely one of the more democratic

Naima Bock: For me it is to honour the kind hearted and

projects I’ve been a part of, I don’t think it could operate

hardworking faceless ancestors that we all share, wherever

any other way. In the initial folk club sessions, we took

they are from. Folk music allows for an ever changing and

it in turns to pick songs that the rest of us would learn in

anonymous love to be carried and conveyed throughout

preparation for the following week.

the centuries.

Words by Al Mills, illustration by Josh Whettingsteel

44

In an article for The Guardian titled: ‘Folk - the ‘music

Campbell: I think it’s important that people find new ways

of the people’ - is now hip again’, journalist Rob Young

to play these songs. My avenue into traditional music

states “Interest in folk music and other buried aspects

was through the bands of the 60s that were upsetting

of national culture tends to be reawakened at moments

the purists. From being exposed to them, I eventually

when there’s a perceived danger of things being lost

traced back the songs they were playing, and found other

forever.”

variations/interpretations.

Given that Broadside Hacks was a project formed

Traditionally, a way to keep Folklore alive was by

in the depths of lockdown- where all sense of ‘what

travelling around and sharing songs and stories with

we once knew to be real’ appeared extinct, would it

the people you met on the way.

be fair to say that this project is in parts, born from a subconscious desire to return to the safety and

Given the current state of the world, where free-

familiarity of your roots?

movement is still for the most part an environmental / circumstantial luxury, did you ever envision translating

Thyrsis: I’d agree that “safety” might’ve been a factor

these songs to a stage / in front of a live-audience?

for some of us. Much of the contemporary popular music in London is quite abrasive (usually in a good way),

Campbell: I don’t think we did at the start, no.

while Folk distinguishes itself by being (usually) tonal, harmonically consonant, and emotionally uncomplicated.

Everything up to this point has happened quite organically

There is also a sense of safety and stability that can

and that’s what’s nice about it. When playing in bands like

come with something being as old and persistent as folk.

most of us have, the music can quite often fall secondary

However, I’m not sure that “familiarity” or “returning to

to the egos of those that are playing it. The balance

our roots” played a significant part in bringing us together.

between having the artistic freedom to take these songs wherever you’d like them to go, paired with everyone

Folk music was really quite unfamiliar to many of us

being equal to have their opinion and play what they’d

before lockdown, and ironically, part of its appeal was

like, is something that I think is quite rare for lots of

likely its novelty. It was somewhere new for us to escape

us who’ve previously played in more ‘traditional’ indie

to, rather than somewhere familiar to return to.

bands.

Why do you think people seek comfort in tradition?

Bob Dylan’s ‘Rolling Thunder Revue’ was a yearlong concert tour in which Dylan took numerous

Thyrsis: I find that there’s something appealingly self-

collaborators and folk-musicians (Joni Mitchell,

effacing about engaging with tradition. With traditional

Joan Baez and Allen Ginsberg to name a few) around

music, for example, I’m not singing my own melody or

America in a bid to “play for the people”, whilst

my own words, and I’m only one of many musicians to

donning costumes to reinforce the meaning in the

have performed any given song; after all, the convention

words, as opposed to drawing attention towards the

with folk music is not to draw attention to one’s own self,

performer. The tour was also released on vinyl.

and I rarely enjoy doing that.

Naima: Safety, nostalgia and curiosity for a past not taught at school.

How does that translate to a contemporary audience in our current society, that (at times) strives to breakaway from tradition and cultural norms?

45

Broadside Hacks

‘Songs without Authors Vol.1’, whilst on a smaller

Given the overriding theme of anonymity that runs

scale, draws comparisons to the ‘Rolling Thunder

through the personal backstory of the songs you’ve

Revue’ because of its on-going desire to honour a

picked, how, if at all, do you honour artistic- obscurity,

particular movement in time, through a contemporary

when a lot of your members are already relatively

lens.

well-known within the DIY and underground music circuits?

Do you think comradery, collaboration and trust in artistic longevity are essential components to the

Thyrsis: There’s a difference between “honouring artistic

longevity of Folk music?

obscurity”, as you say, and “honouring artists who are obscure.”

Campbell: Folk lends itself to collaboration, both in a musical sense (there’s usually one tune that both singers

We don’t fetishize obscurity: indeed, to some extent, I

and instrumentalists play together), and in the way it was

think it’s quite regrettable that we know so little about

shared.

the people from whom we’ve inherited these songs. In the booklet that Broadside Hacks have published as a

It’s worth remembering that before the middle of the 20th

companion to Songs Without Authors Vol. 1, credit has

Century, Folk songs could rarely be heard on a commercial

been given where possible to collectors such as Cecil

scale. Before that, songs would be passed down through

Sharp, and singers such as Joseph Taylor.

families and communities. In that sense, collaboration is inherent to Folk and one of the ways it stays alive.

Since anonymity is not the goal, but something—where possible— there’s no contradiction in many of the

‘Songs without authors’ features a wide range of

compilation’s artists being well-known.

traditional interpretation- some more identifiable than others.

@joshwhettingsteel

46

A. Savage

Artists

Josh Whettingsteel

Editors Sam Ford

Josh Whettingsteel

Writers Sam Ford

Poppy Richler Al Mills

Laura Pegler Dan Pare

Dirk Baart

Callum Gray

Sammy Clarke

Printed By Ex Why Zed

Email

info@soyoungmagazine.com

Website

A. Savage

Julia Klenovsky Emma Erickson

Gavin Shepherdson

Mattia Guarnera MacCarthy Harriet Yakub

Eliana Marinari

Cameron JL West An Chen REN

Jonathan Hoffboll Chelsea Waites Izzie Walker

Photos for Collage Felipe Torres

Through The Eyes Of Ruby Pooneh Ghana

Art Direction

www.joshwhettingsteel.com

www.soyoungmagazine.com

Special Thanks

News

Harley Cassidy

@soyoungmagazine (Twitter)

SoYoungMagazine (Facebook) soyoungmagazine (Instagram)

Al Mills

Jamie Ford

Cameron JL West Jack Reynolds

Previous spread by A. Savage