Ok, on the basis that 2013 has already been a shriek-worthily good year for new music, you may think you have no room for Yet Another Potentially Favourite Popstar in your life but – and we mean this in the politest of ways – think again, for you may have inadvertently overlooked Tove Lo.

Harnessing the heritage of umpteen Swedish musical geniuses before her and adding an extra edgy twist of her own, Lo magics up pop that gets sufficiently naughty to hook you in but is simultaneously classy enough to have self-respect. Her main subject of exploration is love but she doesn’t get shy when it comes to putting relationships under the magnifying glass and observing their slightly less savoury aspects.

Lo’s career began with a rock flirtation in the guise of a band called Tremblebee, which she set up with her then guitarist boyfriend. After separating as a couple they kept the band going for a while longer but Lo then decided that she wanted her musical direction to veer off towards pop. With the remaining band members starting to get involved in other projects, Tremblebee fizzled out and Lo’s reinvention entered phase one. The result was last year’s infectious debut single, ‘Love Ballad’, which is the kind of song that gets A&R people rubbing their hands together as their eyes reflect $ signs and music lovers wanting to start blogs for.

When Lo’s second single, ‘Habits’ emerged and proved to be no less of a triumph, we simply had to corner her for a chat and find out more about her work.

Once you left Tremblebee, how long did it take you to get people to pay attention to your songs?

It took me a long time, I needed to find my expression first. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to just write or be an artist, although I love being on stage. I had a shed outside my cousin’s house where I had my studio. I just spent my days there writing and producing on my own. I guess after about a year of doing that Warner Chappell [publishing] noticed me and signed me as a songwriter.

Were you surprised by the almost-immediate widespread admiration for ‘Love Ballad’?

I didn’t know what to expect, I just released it and hoped for the best [laughs]. So I’m really happy with the attention it got.

What is your all-time favourite love ballad?

Oooh that’s a tricky one! I suppose a love ballad should be a happy one but I’m gonna say Veronica Maggio’s ‘Snälla bli min’. It’s so emotional I can only listen to two bars in and I start crying. Listen to it, it’s in Swedish but you’ll still get it.

I sure will. Now, let’s talk about the new single, ‘Habits’.

Well, after I finished ‘Love Ballad’ and released it, I went traveling and didn’t really think about what the next step would be. But when I was away I wrote ‘Habits’ and it just felt right for that one to be next. I never questioned it. Other people did, but I didn’t.

What are your writing and recording habits?

I write in a lot of different ways, depending on who I’m writing with. But when I write on my own I usually have a lyric and kind of a phrasing that I hear in my head. I then make a beat or just find my way on the piano with chords I like.  I experiment, sometimes change the whole lyric around but the thread is still there. I like having the story in place first. It inspires me… getting the mood of the song and that sort of thing.

How were your connections with Xenomania, Elof Loelv and Alexander Kronlund first forged?

Alex Kronlund is a funny story. When I just got signed to Warner Chappell I went with a producer friend to Alex’s birthday party. I didn’t know that many people but I got really drunk and hogged the stage with the live band. He called me a few days later and asked who I was. We had a few sessions and then he flew me over to LA for the first time. It was pretty overwhelming [laughs]. Xenomania happened through Warner Chappell. I went there on a “test run” first and it went really well so I keep going back. It’s a very cool and interesting way of writing the way they do it. I’ve never seen anything like it still! Elof I met through Icona Pop. I was really nervous the first time we wrote together because I had wanted to work with him for so long! Now we write together all the time and we’re at the point of finishing each other’s sentences!

Of the above three, whose method of music-making do you consider to resemble your own method the most?

It’s hard to say… I never write on my own the way that Xenomania write because that needs a lot more people involved. With Alex it’s all about fresh inspiration and getting our ideas out fast, leave it for a bit and then dive back in. Elof is more of a grinder. We can sit for hours finding the last word to make the song perfect. I love both ways. With every writer it’s a different relationships, you know? So I guess I’m a mix between the two, it all depends on the song I’m writing, what mood I’m in that day, etc.

Can you tell us a bit more about any of the songs you’ve written with these people recently?

With Xenomania I wrote ‘Something New‘. It’s the Brian Higgins way, he makes sure the music or the track is a hit. He brings in melody writers, we sing our hearts out, he picks the best melodies from each of us, puts it together and then gets lyrics on it! That place is all about keeping it inspiring, coming up with your best melodies to a specific track and then letting Brian glue it together. With Elof Loelv I wrote ‘We Got the World‘, which was actually one of the first songs I co-wrote with him. He had most of it already, though [laughs]. I was just excited to be part of finishing it off with [Icona Pop] and Coco Morier. In the beginning with Elof it was a lot of me coming in and finishing up all his genius ideas with him. Now we’ve done a lot from scratch and I can’t wait for it to come out! The best song I’ve written together with Alex Kronlund isn’t out yet so I’ll get back to you when it is. Won’t be too long now…

OK, definitely looking forward to that one. Now, have you done many live performances to date?

Yes, and I love playing live!

If cost was not an issue, what kind of stage setup would you ideally love to have at a Tove Lo show?

I know exactly what I’d want! I’d want Thomas Canto making his “light art” live on stage with me, writing the lyrics with his lights. Everything else is completely dark at first and then BOOM in the chorus and you see me and my band standing on smaller stages in different heights on this big, big stage and we all have our individual “light painter” who draws things around us in the air. Maybe I’ll get two of those, since I’m the artist [laughs].

And finally, can you give us a clue about what your next single is going to be?

Well, it’s the follow up from ‘Habits’ where I’m kind of okay…

Right. Is the video likely to be as eye-popping as the one for ‘Habits’?

Well, step one is that I’ve just sent pieces of my diary to a painter who is going to freely interpret it. That’s all I’m giving away for now!

Bringing a new kind of sexy back, a stark, exposed experience in song form, singer/songwriter, and producer Indiana rips through our understanding of all that is good in the world, and in the process, shakes us to the core.

Through her sparse, and slightly corrupted tales, the young starlet paints a dark, haunting picture of the world as she sees it – she isn’t asking you to come hither or fawn. Instead, she’s doing so much more, she’s baring her soul. Evoking a pain that has touched us all on some level drips through harsh percussion as haunting choir notes writhe and creep behind Indiana’s shrill, sultry cries – a feeling that’s almost too intimate to be sung aloud. Beneath a bassline that speaks to your body in all the right places, the Nottingham singer’s take on soul flirts recklessly with R&B, crawling on its knees towards you ensuring your eyes (and ears) are locked for every move.

The odds that this young starlet has ever been to Indiana are slim, but we can’t be mad – her sexy, brooding music is too captivating to care what it’s called. Best Fit was lucky enough to nab one of the first introductions with her, so read on as we talk inspirations, Frank Ocean, the future, and so much more.

You possess this sense of raw emotion, in your recordings and your live performances, that other artists lack. It’s something that feels very tangible. Can you talk about where that comes from?

I think I’ve learnt to channel my emotion. I lost my Dad when I was 17 in a very traumatic way and my childhood leading up to that moment was pretty tough. It wasn’t until I discovered music that I learnt how to deal with the stuff I’ve been through. I think you can hear the pain in my voice, it’s like a release. I’m not bottling it up anymore and acting out… I use it as a tool. Some people say Dad left me, but he left me with a gift… it just took me a while to discover it.

Your music is soulful and a bit bluesy, with pop and R&B elements scattered throughout. Where do you draw your musical influences from?

I love James Blake, I love his voice and production. The xx, Portishead and Gary Numan have all played a part in creating my sound.

Do you have a particular process for writing and recording songs?

Not really, it can start from anywhere. From a beat in the studio to a chord progression on the piano. It rarely starts with a lyric. Normally I’ll hear something of someone else’s and want to interpret it in my own way.

Your cover of Frank Ocean’s ‘Swim Good’ was completely unexpected but truly brilliant. Are you a big Frank Ocean fan?

Yes. I still have channel orange on repeat in my car. He takes chances with his music, he’s inventive, creative, innovative… I like to think I am too. Hopefully I can pull it off as well as Frank!

What other artists are you currently a big fan of?

I do like Clean Bandits stuff. Their stuff is fresh and exciting.

Did you have any music idols as a kid?

Me and my sister used to make up dances to Michael Jackson songs… but who didn’t?

How long have you been singing and writing music?

About 2 years now.

You were discovered by Grammy-nominated composer and songwriter, John Beck. What has it been like to work with him?

Ha, its funny I just know him as John. It’s been amazing. I’ve achieved more than I ever thought possible. I owe so much to him. But equally, if we didn’t connect the way we do, we wouldn’t still be working together. We have something, he brings out something in me I never knew was there and I think that works both ways.

When you were working with John Beck on your first song ‘Blind As I Am’ were you going by “Indiana”, or another name?

My birth name is Lauren, I was still deciding what to call myself. I had a YouTube page called musicbyl (urgh) which is where John found my cover of Gabriel. Thankfully I discovered Indiana before we finished ‘Blind As I Am’.

You call yourself, a “Raider of Arks”. What’s the story behind that?

It’s just a nod to Indiana Jones, which is where Indiana came from.

Congrats on signing with Sony! What can listeners expect from your debut album?

Cheers! And… All killer no filler!

Any collaborations on your album or in the near future?

No not as of yet,  I’d love some remixes of my stuff though.

What’s the greatest lesson you’ve learned so far in your music career?

I haven’t really learnt any industry lessons, but I have properly grown as a person. Discovering my voice and songwriting has changed so much about me.  I’m so much more creative than I ever thought. I’m now a singer/songwriter as well as producer, short film writer, designer, director… it’s crazy!

What can we expect from Indiana in 2013?

More music, videos, clothes and probably a dozen hairstyles.

Any closing words/shout outs?

I’m part-owner of the clothing label, Some Kind Of Nature. I’m one of the designers, check out my stuff!

At the beginning of the year a track emerged online that whipped-up a gentle, but nonetheless concentrated, buzz. In a world where pop (that tricky word) seems to be dominated by talented, soulful female songwriters, Josef Salvat is quietly flying the flag for the boys. 

Offering-up intelligent, thought-provoking ballads with added punch through warm layers of sound and a voice that packs both power and poise, ‘This Life’ announced the Australian-born Londoner onto the scene, but the track stood alone and relatively little appeared about the man behind the music.

With great interest comes great expectation though, and following this first track, on top of the weight of the male pop saviour tag, couldn’t be simple, but a second song has followed and emphatically justified this buzz – Josef Salvat deserves our attention.

So we heard you’re busy recording?

Busy doing more tracks, for what specifically, I’m not sure. I mean I have a lot of songs – I write them, and then demo them, and it’s about turning those demos into something that’s listenable for everybody else. What shape that’s going to take? I’m not sure. Whether it’s an album or an EP – I don’t know.

How do you go about the songwriting process?

Well, I’ve been writing for 11 years; I wrote my first song when I was 13.

Do you still play that song?

The first song I wrote was actually pretty good! But there was a lot of shit that came after that. I don’t necessarily play stuff from when I was a teen, but I do mine it occasionally for musical ideas, not lyrical ideas, but musical ideas for sure.

‘Hustler’ was written in 2009, so it was a while ago, whereas ‘This Life’ was written last year. ‘Hustler’ is a song that is essentially relevant to me, I don’t feel dishonest reproducing it now as opposed to four years ago – I’m comfortable with it.

It does feel very honest – how did it come about? What more you can say about it?

I guess essentially it was an exploration. Everybody has their self-destructive elements, so I guess I was struggling from that a bit at the time. It was written very quickly, in like 20 minutes, whereas ‘This Life’ was more of a construction, which is funny because I think they sound the opposite.

How has it felt getting all that attention over the Internet? How do you feel about the way the industry works now from your point of view?

Obviously it’s really exciting; it’s great to get some recognition and validation and to go, “Okay I can do this”, but at the same time I do think, it’s a shame.

It’s not gonna change the way I write, or how I think about it, and at the end of the day it’s like as quickly as it’s whipped up it can die, so I’m under no illusions about that; you’re only as good as your next song.

I just think it’s a shame because I think people don’t really get time to develop themselves properly. It seems like you can put one good song out there and then everybody thinks it’s all about that. Maybe your next song isn’t as great, then you’re used goods. Whereas I feel back in the day, you had like two or three albums, you had time to make mistakes and fuck around before you were under such scrutiny.

Do you think that puts extra pressure on your songwriting?

I just don’t know if there’s a one-size-fits all approach. We’ve put out two songs and I think whatever comes next will be something more. I think that’s the only way to do it now, unless you’re picked up by a record label when you’re really young and then they develop you. But I don’t know how that works, because that’s not how I did it.

I feel lucky because I was able to develop a style of songwriting outside external influence. I had to answer my own questions. I’ve never done a co-write or that kind of stuff. I am really looking forward to getting to, but it’s meant I’ve had to rely on my own devices, which means I’m confident with what I have to offer. I’m happy about my situation but I don’t know how easy it is to create it – if you have that luxury, the luxury of time, you should definitely take it!

So are you working with anyone else at all at the moment?

Well Rich Cooper produced ‘This Life’, I’m working with him. He’s produced a bunch of other stuff which is in the live set. I haven’t done a co-write because I guess a sound is developing, but I wouldn’t say that I have one specific sound.

The two tracks are quite different – was that a conscious decision?   

I don’t think I can help it! Once I get one song done I don’t want to write another the same because then I feel like, oh shit that’s done, i’m fucked! So every song is quite different. I do think ‘This Life’ and ‘Hustler’ are darker and more down-beat, which is a word that’s tossed around a lot.

Empress Of finished fairly high on many end of year lists as 2012 finished up, with a farrago of blogs and tastemakers tipping her for great things.

Indeed, tracks ‘Don’t Tell Me’ and ‘Champagne’ were sparkling cuts of shoegaze-laced artpop, glistening with luxurious synths and the sun-bleached voice of Lorely Rodriguez, the brain and talent behind Empress Of. Her debut EP Systems cemented her rapidly accelerating reputation for au fait electronica with cuts like ‘Tristeza’ and ‘Hat Trick’, both becoming swallowed by the hype machine.

She began her writing career with ‘Colorminutes’, an audio scrapbook of glinting ideas and vibrant colours; it’s a project that launched her music, something she used/uses to influence full-length tracks. It’s a unique way of working – instead of bashing out a few ditties in a studio, she records snippets of inspiration and squirrels them away on YouTube for future use.

On the back of her wondrous, flightly electro-pop, she’s been touring with Jamie Lidell. The Brooklynite takes a few spare minutes out of her tour-comedown period to chat her writing habits, sexism in the music industry and her live learning curve.

Did you have a good time touring with Jamie?

It’s been good! It was the first tour for me so it was largely a learning experience. For the most part it was DIY. I did a lot of the driving and dealing with promoters and a lot of other things, but it was insanely awesome.

Was it daunting performing your music for the first time? How did the audience react?

Every night was a new audience. It was cool to see how people in different cities react to my music – none of them were really there to see me because I was the opening act for Jamie! But for the most part people were really supportive. I think after playing 30 shows straight I feel pretty confident now, and have gotten a little better at communicating with an audience, which is so valuable.

Do you think you’re set up for a headline tour any time soon?

I would really love to headline! I definitely think I have the experience to, as a performer, but I would really love to play some new songs first. I’m really excited to come to London for Great Escape, It will be my first time there!

Your EP came out here earlier in the month, how did you write and record it?

The four songs on the EP are from the Colorminutes collection of demos. I chose the four that I connected with the most, that I also felt were cohesive with one another, and I elaborated on those ideas. They each took on their own course to develop as fully conceived ideas – it took me a month to finish the song ‘No Means No’. It’s really interesting to go through and hear the different stages of that song because there are so many different bounces (when I turn them into MP3s from the recorded session). I really like where that song ended up though.

Has the EP got the reaction you were hoping for?

Well its gotten a positive reaction from a lot of people, which is all I can really hope for! I think I’d like to see how people have reacted to the B-side which is in Spanish, but I haven’t really had the opportunity to speak to anyone who lives in Spanish speaking countries to ask them… I just hope that someone in those countries has listened to it.

Will you continue to write and record using both languages, or was it just an experiment?

It was a concept I had to split the EP: divided by language, but cohesive in music and sharing the same sonic ideas.

Was it difficult writing in another language?

No, I speak Spanish! It was really fun. It’s really important to me to write my style of music in the language because I don’t really hear much experimental electronic pop done in Spanish… and sometimes the Spanish speaking bands write songs in English, so I wanted to do it for that reason. I think I’ll do another release in the future in Spanish.

What influenced it all?

Well I wrote the Colorminutes (which then turned into the EP) on a daily basis for thirty days, so the bulk of those lyrics are literally what happened to me that day. There was this one about me and my friends going to this island, it literally is this moment described word for word. We’re at this harbour island in New England area by Boston, and the water is so cold there no matter what time of year, and we were jumping in taking off our socks. Now that I listen to it it’s like a little diary. I get transported back.

Will you do something similar to the colorminutes for further releases?

Totally! I think its my favourite way to work so far. I’m trying to find the space right now to dive into another writing session in New York. I’m going to do a similar process where I write a song every day to find material for my full-length. I don’t know if I’ll show everyone this time around… but maybe someone will steal my computer and upload them on bandcamp…

What about music that’s influenced your sound in general? Do you have any musical heroes?

Well the sound I’m developing into is hugely influenced by female singers. I never really grew up listening to female singers – I always listened to male singers – but recently I’ve gotten into bands that have frontwomen like Broadcast, who are one of my favourite bands of all time, and Deerhoof.

Satomi [Matsukazi] is such an amazing performer, and her style of singing doesn’t really conform to a genre. I guess that’s what I like about these female singers that I’ve gotten into – they don’t really fit into a box. Like Elizabeth Fraser, she just invents the genre or the sound.

Grimes has just released a pretty scathing review of the music industry recently. What’s your reaction?

I read it yesterday, It’s awesome. I think she obviously had a reason why she posted her commentary.

Do you agree?

As a women who writes and produces my own music, I have found it very often that people who try to help me say ‘you should work with this producer or work with this writer’ and I get offended, especially when I come off a long tour, because my involvement in those aspects of the music is what makes it sound like that. I know these people are just trying to help and don’t realize that its offensive, because that’s how it works for the majority of the time. I think there aren’t many female producers/songwriters in the business and that’s why they get treated like that. I’m hoping that changes in the future. I think what Grimes is doing and what a lot of other female producers are doing, like Julia Holter and Laurel Halo, will influence a lot of younger artists to continue on the path.

Do you think that things will change eventually?

I think so. I know that I will continue to work this way, and I feel very obligated as an artist to have a lot of creative control in my project, so I hope that that only influences more female artists.

Do you aspire to be a figure that can make those changes/spearhead a movement/lead a revolution? Will the changes be sudden or do you think it’ll be an uphill struggle?

Well I think in regards to the music industry, I think there have always been some amount of female producers but I think because of the Internet and technology and the ability to record music yourself its increasing more and more. I think its just inevitable. I’m hoping it will not be too much of a struggle, but you know there are always people who judge based on stereotypes. I think the audience I’m trying to make my music for has to be accepting of pushing boundaries.

And a bit of a non-sequitur for the final question: have you got any plans for the rest of the year?

I don’t know what’s going to happen this summer. I always want to play more shows, so I would really love to play some festivals this summer (I don’t have any planned for now though). I’m going to start writing music for a full-length, which I’m really excited about. I’ve never done an album before and I think its going to be an amazing challenge. I’ll be playing some shows in New York with Doldrums, Twin Sister and some other great bands!

Brazos stands for a number of things – the word ‘arms’ in Spanish, as well as the name of a river in Texas. However for frontman, Martin Crane, it’s an idea that came to him in a dream. And despite the fact that they are not a household name just yet, the Austin-based trio got together in college and released their first album, Phosphorescent Blues in 2009.

Now, three years later, Crane has moved up north to New York City where he not only regrouped but also found two new members – Ian Chang and Spencer Zahn – to record Brazos’ latest effort, Saltwater. Best Fit had the chance to chat with Crane to talk about his reincarnated project, his musical roots, the songwriting process and what he does when he’s not playing music.

How did you get started in music?

I grew up in a small town in South Carolina and played piano when I was younger. Then I started playing guitar, and then got a set of drums, electric guitar and bass. So I started making my own records and multi-tracking them. I never put anything out because there was no real music scene where I grew up. There were no bands or anything, and it was kind of before the Internet was just starting. So I kind of just did it for the hell of it.

How did Brazos start then?

I went to college in Austin, and I kept doing the same thing. I’d make an album probably every nine months throughout college, and I would [hardly] play out except for a couple of friends or do a couple of open mics. There were three or four of my close friends who were really into music, and we just kind of had a bunch of friends hanging out. We played in each other’s bands, but people just started telling us to play it out.

Saltwater is your new album, but you released your debut LP, Phosphorescent Blues in 2009. How did you approach Saltwater compared to the first album?

For Phosphorescent Blues, I wrote that really quickly. The recording took a while. But since I write new music every nine months or something, I waited longer on this one, and I took three albums I already wrote and took the best songs from them. It was about a month of work and tends to come out all at the same time for me. But with this one, I wanted to sit back and make the songs that I knew would stick around.

When you write a song there’s that initial thrill of it, you know, where you’re like “Oh man, I just did this.” But then six months later, it doesn’t resonate with me the same way. So most of these songs are ones that do stick around for me and last a couple of years.

Aside from you, Brazos is working with a whole new lineup. Can you talk a bit about what it’s like working with the new musicians? Did that give a different vibe to Saltwater?

Yes, it definitely did. When I moved from Austin two years, I found new people – Spencer [Zahn] and Ian [Chang] — and they’re both really amazing. They just have different ways of approaching things. The songwriting voice is the same, but the musical voice is different. Everybody has their own personalities when they play, and I know the differences in personality. But it’s hard to put a finger on how everyone plays differently. It’s hard to describe in words. We had about 10 practices before the record, and things just kind of naturally happened.

You mentioned how the songs on Saltwater were your best work over a particular course of time. Essentially, how do you approach the songwriting process?

The melody is the most important thing, and there is a certain way that the melodies feel true. And when you have a melody that feels true, it’s really easy to write words to it because there’s a logic to it – there’s an emotional logic to it that’s already there. So it always starts with the melody. When I find a good melody, it’s kind of like when you sit in a room that’s totally dark and never been in before. You have a flashlight and take things one step at a time. Writing a song for me is like working through a thought that just comes to your head; like when you first start thinking about something and you free-associate and twist and turn and then you end up somewhere different… There are characters and ideas, but my ideal song is one that perfectly writes down perfectly what it feels like to be in a daydream, but you don’t even realise what you think about.

Hailing from the welsh capital of Cardiff, and calling upon a wealth of diverse and inspiring influences, it’s easy to see and to hear why up and coming production duo Bodhi have got us excited.

We sit down with the pair behind the operation, Luke Welsby and Olly Howells, to chat about how they took their love of Motown and funk and made it into a new type of ultra fluid house music, as well as discussing their upcoming performance at Bestival, their knack for flipping pop star hooks and much more.

The first we heard of you was your recent Beyonce edit, which originally came out under the name ‘Owls & Bodhi’. How did that track happen?

Olly: Well that Destiny’s Child edit was the first thing we ever did together. Then after that we decided to keep doing stuff together, we dropped the Owls, and it just became Bodhi.

Luke: Yeah we had known each other through playing in different bands, and we one day just got together and started banging out music. This track was the first song that we did and it got a really good reaction, so we decided to keep producing together.

What’s your connection to pop/R&B music? You have done edits of Janet Jackson, Beyonce and Marky Mark, among others…

Olly: Well, I like a bit of cheesy R&B to be honest. It’s just a good source.

Luke: I’m more into Motown, funk, disco, but Olly’s the main influence, especially vocally. He’s got a tendency to lean towards R&B vocals when we chop stuff up. It has that nostalgia factor.
Olly: They are really accessible, and give you a hook to work with.

Obviously your music has quite a bit of house influence, it’s also mood enhancing music. Can you enlighten us as to your influences and where this sound comes from?

Luke: It’s difficult to pinpoint what the sound is. It’s definitely house, you know, it’s got the 4-4 beat running through it strongly. One of the main aspects we like to include in our music is a solid bassline that’s really groovy, something that’s catchy, and that sort of comes from the disco, house and Mo-town background I have. We just naturally end up getting to that point where we have drums laid out and we’d rather just smash out a really sort of groovy bassline and then we sort of build if around that.

In terms of influences, if you want to be specific, we sort of listened to Earth, Wind & Fire, The Commodores, Sheik, just that sort of vibe. Contemporary artists, would be like Detroit Swindle, Medlar, Disclosure, Bicep, we love Ifan Dafydd, Space Dimension Controller, that sort of niche of music really.

Olly: Also if you listen to Giles Peterson’s show on a Saturday, everything he plays is a good influence. Three hours of gold.

Do either of you have music idols?

Luke: Jamiroquai. I think my first cd was Jamiroquai, I just loved him.

Olly: Luke, I thought your first cd was supposed to be something embarrassing, not something good.

Going back to your music, can you expand a bit more on your process of how you go about creating sounds?

Olly: I try to make our music sound a bit more natural and not out of the box. Artists like Maribou State, Space Dimension Controller, Bonobo, even Burial, you listen to their music and it doesn’t sound like it’s straight out of Logic Pro. I think that’s important. It’s finding the balance between that, and what sounds good in a nightclub.

If you are djing a club, what is your go-to party music?

Luke: Inner City‘s ‘Good Life’.

Olly: Any MK dub usually gets the party going.

They’re big fans of snoozing, cats and the outdoors, but Icelandic five piece Oyama are far noisier than their real-life inspirations let on.

The shoegazers have obviously been touched by the wall-of-noise ethic of many early ’90s acts, namely My Bloody Valentine. Like The History Of Apple Pie earlier this year, Oyama inject a gleaming light into the white noise, creating melodic, earnest fuzz-pop with links to the likes of Yuck. Though they’ve hitched their wagon to the hazy aura and kitted out their instruments with shoegaze ephemera (i.e. a buttload of pedals), they bring a distinct Scandinavianity to the fray, with sweeping passages of gigantic sound and, somehow, pastoral refrains of flighty weightlessness. It’s smoky, flame-licked noise from where winter reigns supreme.

Their debut EP I Wanna is out now via their Bandcamp page. It’s been lavished with praise so far, with many commenting on their knack for strident melody underneath quicksand-esque noise-rock. They’re an invasive force, and Oyama have been getting many-a-crowd worked into a tizzy with their effervescent live performances, drowning the audience in an ocean of effects and summertime shoegaze.

We’ve been lucky enough to bag some time with them ahead of their upcoming Ja Ja Ja performance, where they weigh up the pros and cons of isolation, ponder Kevin Shields’ cats and talk about their full-length LP.

Could you give us a quick rundown of who’s who in the band?

Úlfur: We have Kári on guitar, Rúnar on drums, Úlfur on guitar and vocals, Bergur on bass and Júlía on synths and vocals.

Júlía: We are all primarily from Reykjavík, with ties to various other places.

Can you describe your sound in three words?

Úlfur: Sleepy noisy melodies.

Júlía: Hazy, rough, consuming.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Úlfur: Political cartoons.

Júlía: My relentless talents and desire to sleep.

Which artists would you say have been the most influential?

Úlfur: The bands that have been most influential for the stuff I do with Oyama are the bands I listened to the most when I was a teenager and was falling in love with music. Like Pixies, Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr., PJ Harvey and stuff like that.

What’s it like being a musician in Iceland?

Úlfur: Cold.

Júlía: A bit easier than it is in a lot of other places. besides some obvious obstacles like the cold and the North Atlantic Ocean.

Does it ever feel isolated or remote? Has that had an effect on you?

Úlfur: It doesn’t feel isolated to me. There is so much music going on in Reykjavík and a lot of talented musicians to draw inspiration from. I feel that it pushes me to be more active, being a part of such a small community that generates so much good music.

Júlía: I agree with what Úlfur said, except I do feel that it’s above average isolated and remote. It’s a lot more difficult and expensive for us to tour (or to leave at all), but at the same time being part of such a small, supportive community is definitely motivating. There’s a lot of talent to go around here and it seems to just ferment and breed more talent, which is great. It’s very different from being a musician in, say, New York City, where very few people care that you’re playing a show, but it’s no problem to jump on a bus and go play in a hundred other cool places.

Iceland Airwaves was pretty successful for you – how was the aftermath? What’s been happening since?

Úlfur: Airwaves was nice. We got nice reviews and nice people started talking to us.

Are you planning/hoping to return this year?

Úlfur: Yes, totally. We’ve already been confirmed for this year’s festival actually.

What do you think makes the festival special?

Úlfur: How all the homegrown talent gets to shine and make an impression on the world outside of Iceland.

Júlía: It seems to make everyone really happy. Even people who have never attended the festival and don’t plan to get happy during Airwaves season.

Being gifted a Jimi Hendrix record rather than a teddy bear is an action likely to leave a mark on a child. And this is exactly how today’s Introducing artist recalls his childhood and first taste of the music.

Danish singer/drummer/producer Slowolf has been playing and creating music since his earliest days on this planet, but more recently, has spent his time captivating audiences with a series of pulsating rhythms, fierce melodies and unlikely collaborations. A veritable experimenter, Slowolf – aka Andreas Asingh - doesn’t just blend genres, he finds the most unlikely of pairings and smashes them together, creating powerful, dramatic and completely engaging sounds. It’s this strength and presence of character that has led the Copenhagen-based musician to collaborate with the likes of Wu Tang Clan‘s Raekwon and Anna Stroyer in recent months, and it’s his unique fusion of influences and techniques that has us anxious to catch one of his notoriously energetic shows.

Ahead of his performance at London’s Ja Ja Ja showcase on Thursday, we chat with the multi-talented muso to find out about his musical beginnings, and how exactly one goes about setting up a collaboration with Raekwon.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself – who you are, and where you’re from?

I live in Copenhagen, Denmark spending my time writing and producing music, singing falsetto and beating the drums.

We know that you’re a singer, a drummer and a producer but which came first, and which do you consider to be your main passion?

Ever since I was born music have been a huge part of my life. I got a Jimi Hendrix LP instead of a teddy bear and I started to play the drums just after I learned to walk.

What do you get from drumming and singing that you don’t get from being a producer, and vice versa?

I think it’s a gift for me that I started so early with the drums. I mean, the rhythmic part has always been easy for me and I use that skill every day when I produce and write music.

What or who do you consider to be your main inspirations when writing music?

Personally, right now I find a lot of inspiration in the work of some of the young Nordic architects and chefs. They are totally determined and passionate, and most of all, they don’t give a shit.

What was the first record that you bought? And which has been the most important/had the most influence over you?

My first record was Master Of Puppets by Metallica. I am huge fan of Metallica, both Master Of Puppets and …And Justice For All have been really important for my musical [education].

Let’s talk about ‘Dance Floor’ – what’s the story behind the song?

I was singing a stupid little melody at home when my 7 year old son started singing it with the lyrics: “To The Dance Floor, To The Dance Floor”. I was like, WOW that’s the maddest hook ever and I just went to the studio to start recording it.

How did you come to work with Raekwon? How did you discover his work?

While working on ‘Dance Floor’ I heard Travis Barker’s track ‘Carry It’, featuring RZA and Rae. When I got to Rae’s part I was choked. No doubt about it, I needed that sound for ‘Dance Floor’. A week later he played a show in Malmo – real close to Copenhagen. I called a good friend and photographer Jamil GS who took some pictures of Rae in NYC for one of his solo albums years ago. So Jamil posted the track to Rae and a hour later he texted me: “Rae’s on”. Yeah, the rest is history.

We’ve just seen the teaser for the forthcoming track ‘Bullets In The Sky’ with AC and Anna Stroyer – how did that collaboration come about?

As with Rae I was just blown away when I heard the voice of 13 year old Anna Stroyer. Her sound reminds me of some old R’n’B female singers like TLC and Destinys Child. The perfect and unique match on top of the powerful track. AC is one of the greatest bass players ever and he really added some pure punchy energy to it. TLC meets Queens Of The Stone Age…

You seem keen on collaborations, so if you could record/work/perform with anybody, who would it be?

I love breaking genres and to me it’s all about the sound and not about the name – music first, that’s the thing with my collabs. I mean Rae is a legend and Anna is just a kid but I really don’t care, [as long as] they sound amazing on my tracks.

Is Copenhagen a good place in which to be making music? How do you feel about the local music scene there?

I am happy about staying in Copenhagen for sure but I feel like the time is up for jumping out in the big world.

Which bands from your home town and scene should we be keeping an eye on?

Malthe Lund Madsen he is a genius up and coming producer, keep an eye on him.

What should we expect from a Slowolf live show?

Tons of energy, no backtrack and the biggest sound ever.

What’s been the most memorable thing that’s happened for Slowolf so far? 

It’s less than a year since I released my first single and lots of memorable things have happened since. Pick Of The Week on Danish National Radio, collabs on ‘Dance Floor’ and ‘Bullets In The Sky’, the debut show at Roskilde Festival and the latest spins on BBC is all stuff that I will never forget.

What does the rest of the year hold for you?

2013 is loaded with great stuff and I can’t wait to share it with you!

Slowolf will play the Ja Ja Ja Nordic music showcase at The Lexington on 25 April. Tickets for the show are £5 in advance and available via this link and to find out more about the event, head to the Ja Ja Ja Facebook event page.

Back in 2011, Woman’s Hour caused a ruckus with tracks like ‘Jenni’ and ‘Human’. But the Kendal/Manchester foursome, fronted by the dulcet tones of Fiona Burgess, soon scrapped their first incarnation, and went into solitary confinement to re-evaluate their existence and sonic identity.

They’ve been absent for a long time, but the comeback was worth the wait – ‘To The End’ is a sultry bout of indietronica with finger clicks and subterranean pizzicato strings, smothered in tantalising vocals from the female-r Burgess (Will Burgess, guitarist, is her brother). They had a decent chunk of time to soul-search, and they’ve returned with a fighting spirit and a defiant, zesty drive to achieve all that they can. They’re a muscular, formidable synth-force.

The group originally began by naming all of their tracks after programmes on Radio 4′s schedule (‘Jenni’ was named after Jenni Murray, presenter of Woman’s Hour, the radio show). Remnants of this practice still linger, obviously in their band name, and on the vinyl for ‘To The End’. The band are still enamoured with the medium – Will has a penchant for The Archers – and for them it provides a nostalgic sense of home. Alongside radio, they’re inspired by the finer details of life – snippets of seemingly banal routines or everyday interactions could end up blossoming into fully-fledged tracks. We catch up with the group in the aftermath of their reincarnation to discuss their period of reinvention, the radio and their sensual, minimalist tones.

Can you enlighten us a little on your backstory? Where are you from, who’s involved and how did the story begin?

Fiona, Nick and I are from Kendal. Josh is from Manchester. We began as a three piece just having some fun playing a couple of parties and really bad gigs, feeding off the scraps that came our way. Pretty early on Josh came along to some rehearsals to jam and work on the sound and it felt really good. Since then the band has just become gradually more important for all of us as a vehicle to try and do something beautiful that we believe in.

I assume you’ve got your name from the Radio 4 show – how come? What’s the link?

Fiona Burgess: When my brother Will and I first started writing music, we didn’t know what to call our songs so we used the titles of Radio 4 programmes as namesakes. So, when it came to our first gig with Nick and Josh, we had a set list of Radio 4 programmes but didn’t have a name and Woman’s Hour just felt very appropriate.

Do you enjoy listening to the radio?

Fiona: I grew up in a household with three brothers and we always had Radio 4 on in the background. It was something that provided a lot of conversation and debate, and also sparked a lot of arguments – particularly listening to Woman’s Hour! When I moved to London one of the only cures for homesickness was Radio 4. It still reminds me of my parents house. I still enjoying listening to the radio, and I occasionally tune-in to other stations…

Will: I love it too. I even like The Archers, although the affair between Lillian and Paul is getting a bit tiresome.

Is it an important medium to preserve, or should it be allowed to slowly disappear?

Fiona: No, it’s an institution!

Will: I don’t think talk radio will disappear. I can see how music radio could feel threatened by the Internet though.

Who, what and where inspires you?

Will: Literally anything. An idea, the sound of someone’s voice, the tone of an email…

Josh Hunnisett: Mainly everyday sounds and feelings.

What was the first album you bought?

Will: The Great Escape – Blur.

Josh: Stars by Simply Red.

What was the most recent?

Will: One of those Soul Jazz Deutsche Elektronische Musik compilations.

Josh: Bauhaus – In The Flat Field.

Lukestar alum Truls has finally managed to stow his six-stringer and concentrate on his vocal-centric side project, which is something he’s had brewing inside himself for a while.

Leaving indie and rock in the dust, he’s lunged headfirst into an R&B-tinged zone with ‘Out Of Yourself‘, a sublime cut brimming with electropop hooks and impressive, melodic falsetto. It’s certainly a departure from what we’ve heard from him before, be it in Lukestar or his other side project, Truls & The Trees. However, though it’s unlike what we would be expecting from him, it’s an utterly fantastic floorfiller that makes us salivate with anticipation at the prospects of what’s next.

He’s been tipped in his native Norway as ‘One To Watch In 2013′ by a number of outlets, and it’s easy to see why. Years of songwriting and performing as a lead singer in other genres has sharpened his musical arsenal, and he’s using all that prior knowledge to carve out a fresh persona. What Truls is offering bears resemblance to synth-pop and R&B – it’s wholly fascinating and is home to a hook you’ll never remove from your mind. His natural register is unbelievably high, and maybe it at first seems unreal or even surprising, but after a few listens of ‘Out Of Yourself’, you’ll be sold – it’s part of his charm. We catch up with the Oslo based singer ahead of his slot at the upcoming Ja Ja Ja showcase next week.

You had exposure for Lukestar and Truls & The Trees, but where did you begin with the solo project?

I started working on this when Lukestar decided to quit. I wanted to do something new and different.

What was your inspiration?

My love for R&B and rap music, and the forest that I live in.

The sounds so far have leant more towards R&B than the indie that we’re used to from you, was this tone shift a conscious change?

I just went to the studio with some producers and just had a lot of fun, all the music comes from there.

What music has influenced your work as Truls?

American and English urban music, from The Weeknd to Rick Ross.

How has the reaction been to the new stuff?

It’s been more than I could wish for, people really like my voice with the electronic music. I’m a happy boy nowadays.

‘Out Of Yourself’ is really great – what was the inspiration for the track? How did you write and record it?

One of my producers, Slipmats, showed me a lot of tracks and I fell in love with that one at once. He wrote the music and I did the top line and the lyrics.

Tell us about the video… it’s got some interesting elements!

The video was made by the Swedish crazy kid Mats Udd, we gave him freedom to do whatever he wanted and we ended up with that bizarre universe.

You’ve got a lot of attention for your voice. Is it difficult singing in that register or is it pretty natural?

It’s actually quite natural, that high pitch is something I was born with.

Who would you love to collaborate with and why?

One of my favourites nowadays is Ty Dolla $ign, I just love how he sings and I think we could do a great collab together.

It is difficult working alone compared to the set-ups you’re used to?

There are a lot of new things like what to do when I don’t have the guitar to hide behind on stage. And I don’t have my boys in Lukestar to talk about everything with, it’s more lonely.

Do you think it is better or worse?

It’s better ’cause I could do exactly what I want.

What’s it like performing as a solo artist now?

It’s great, so many new songs and I can focus more on the vocals.

How does a show normally go down?

I have a brilliant band mixed with tracks, my vocals and Lasers.

Are you looking forward to the Ja Ja Ja show?

Very much, I’ve heard a lot of good things about Ja Ja Ja. I can’t wait to show London my new shit!

Are you planning anything special?

That’s a secret…

Have you played London before? How was it/what are you expecting?

I’ve played London a couple of times before, usually been great. I expect beautiful people with their party hats on.

Do you have anything in mind you want to achieve with the project?

World domination. I want everyone in the world to listen to the songs I’ve made for them.

What’s on the agenda for summer? Any festivals?

A lot of festivals in Norway – Øya and Hove for example. Some festivals outside of Norway as well, but they’re not official yet!

Truls will play the Ja Ja Ja Nordic music showcase at The Lexington on 25 April. Tickets for the show are £5 in advance and available via this link and to find out more about the event, head to the Ja Ja Ja Facebook event page.

Formerly Lulu & The Lampshades, the newly renamed Landshapes are a London based quartet who hone in on a playfully skewed sound that doesn’t pertain to one genre.

Their music recalls primitive folk-pop with subtle nods to psychedelia, all atop of ethereal soundscapes of melancholic pop melodies, stomping percussion and layered harmonies, weaving in and out of joyously ramshackle at times and mournful at others.

They’re set to intrigue with the release of their debut full-length Rambutan on Bella Union this June- but they’ve already made harmonic waves with their idiosyncratic take on the YouTube hit ‘You’re Gonna Miss Me (when i’m gone)’. I was lucky enough to have a sneak preview of the long awaited album, and it’s the result of a band who have meticulously taken their time to evolve since their previous incarnation. Best Fit wanted to find out more – so Landshapes kindly took the time out to answer some questions we put to them about their music.

Tell us a little bit about the history of Landshapes, how did the band come into fruition?

The formation of the band has been quite organic, initially it started with Heloise and Luisa who were school friends, I (Jemma) was invited to play bass on very short notice for one gig liked it and ended up staying. We saw Dan playing drums in another band at a gig we were playing and found his creative approach as something that we thought could work well with what we were doing.

Was the name change an indication of a new direction or growth as a band, or was the reasoning behind it far less deep-seated, i.e. was the original name just not working for you/you wanted a change?

The more we played and wrote together the more the original name just didn’t seem to fit. We are definitely a project comprised of four members working together, so a unifying name to represent that seemed like the best idea. We spent a lot of time trying out different things but in the end fate intervened. We played a show in Paris and our name was miss-spelt as Landshapes.  It seemed to evoke a lot of imagery for us and so we have stuck with it.

Your music explores quite a diverse range of soundscapes; it’s quite difficult to pin-point any definitive influences, is your sound inspired by anyone/thing in particular?

We all have quite varied tastes, we are all always listening new music, by which I mean music that is new to us (so it could be old) I think it’s inevitable that these investigations then influence the music that we make. With anything creative I think that the inspiration can often come from the actual act of creating, so in our case practicing together a lot and teasing out ideas. Often the most exciting things happen when you aren’t thinking about them at all which is why it’s important for us to record what we do and listen back, you don’t always realise at the time that something sounds good.

Despite your genre-defying dispositions, it seems kind of inevitable that you’re going to get pigeonholed with other female-majority bands with folk tendencies. Do you find yourselves getting constantly compared to bands like Stealing Sheep et al, and does it bother you when you’re quite clearly doing something that, while it does share some similar qualities aesthetically, still sounds your own?

It hasn’t really happened yet, but maybe this is something we should prepare for. Women playing guitars is not that radical, I guess sometimes its easier to define things by their physical composition rather than their musical content. That said I completely appreciate how it’s necessary to categorise things and I would struggle to know which genre we should put ourselves in.

You recently signed to the wonderful Bella Union; you seem like a good fit for the label, do you feel at home there?

Bella Union are great they are really supportive we couldn’t be happier; we can’t wait for our record to come out. There are loads of bands that we love on Bella, it’s a real privilege to be part of such a respected label.  I’ve heard Simon Raymonde has quite an interesting collection of guitars, I’d love to have a look…

We recently had the opportunity to have a natter with Jono Ma of Jagwar Ma, an indie-dance outfit from down under who have been channelling ’80s and ’90s Madchester vibes in their recent single ‘The Throw‘.

They take inspiration from producers and chopsmiths, but also from classic pop – there’s a heady, nostalgic feel to their sounds. They layer jangling guitars, tribal beats and shredded synth noises, and the music is topped off with dollops of woozy vocals. The haze-merchants aren’t just crafting electronica with a psych twang, Jagwar Ma’s outputs are virulent, infectious bouts of synthpop demanding the attention of dancefloors across the nation. Though tracks often begin simply, the non-stop bundling of components ensures there’s thick, ruffled textures to drown in.

Jagwar Ma is Jono Ma, Jack Freeman and Gabriel Winterfield; all hailing from Sydney, they were originally in other projects making different music. Ma produced and butchered samples and was in indie-punk group Lost Valentinos, while Winterfield (of Ghostwood) and Freeman had rock-tinged focuses together. The collaboration appeared almost inevitable given the condensed music scenes in Oz. This set-up soon attracted interest, helped no end by an acclaimed set at France’s MIDI Festival, which featured Warpaint’s Stella Mozgawa on the drum machine and more than the RDA of fuzz feedback. They’ve been simmering for a fair old time now, but with their debut LP in its final stages, they’re bound to be on the verge of boiling over.

Give us the rundown on Jagwar Ma – who does what?

Gab sings and plays guitar, I makes the beats, play synths, a little guitar and produce the music [and] Jack plays bass and rattles anything he can find.

How did you come together to start making music?

Gab and Jack had a bunch of lo-fi demos of garage rock songs they’d been working on and approached me to record and produce them. I really loved the stuff and had actually been making a bunch of tracks and beats myself that referenced that sort of music but fused with more electronics, so Gab ended up singing on one of those tracks that then became ‘Come Save Me’. That was the beginning.

What would you say is your ultimate plan for Jagwar Ma?
Our ultimate plan is to get Little Richard to feature on a track for us.

Is there a story behind the name?

I had done a remix for an Aus act called the Bumblebeez, and a friend of ours – Gus – was releasing it on his label. I’d been doing things under the moniker Jaguar Ma and he flipped it to Jagwar. We just liked the randomness of the name and it stuck when Gab and I formed the actual band.

What acts would you say have influenced your sound, and the way that you work as a band?

I think the way we write is kinda like how we imagine a lot of hip-hop is written. I’d make a beat or a loop and add some colours, then Gab will improvise over the top, and then I’ll go away and chop it up, and then Gab will layer some more and so on and so forth. So things like Tribe Called Quest and Avalanches and other collage artists influence the way we construct the music. Vocally Gab was listening to a lot of Sinatra and Marvin Gaye while we were writing.

What is your favourite record of all time?

It changes from month to month but at the moment my absolute prize possession in my record collection is a 7″ of a demo version of Michael Jackson‘s ‘Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough’. It’s totally raw without the glossy strings and Quincy magic, but it’s got so much soul and feels like you’re in the room with them while they recorded it. Mind blowing.

Which non-musical things influence you the most?

Technology. I bought a pair of old Neve preamps and whenever Gab sings through them he seems to really respond to the sound of them in an amazing way. Similarly when we sync up the TR-808 and MPC60 to the computer, the ideas seem to fly around like confessions.

Some people have been drawing comparisons between the ’80s/’90s Madchester sound and your own. Is there any truth to that or is it just coincidence?

We like music from all kinds of places and time periods. I guess the Madchester thing was a pivotal moment when rock and electronic music came together. We have that in common. I’ve heard that Primal Scream were into Phil Spector around the Screamadelica era and loads of the Factory stuff was influenced by Kraftwerk and later on Detroit house music. I suppose we’re drawing influence from similar places but I think the comparison has come rather swiftly simply because ‘The Throw’ has a slow house groove. ‘Come Save Me’ is 128bpm and sounds nothing like the Madchester thing in our opinion.

How did you write and record ‘The Throw’?

‘The Throw’ started as a little loop I’d made on an SP-303. I’d fleshed it out into a bit of an arrangement, and when I played it to Gab he immediately started playing these wiggly guitar lines and singing over it. His guitar was tuned way down to C so all the strings were loose and wobbly. I loved it so hit record and the track just grew and grew from there.

Has it got the reaction you were hoping for?

The reaction has been overwhelming. We never thought an 8 minute jam with an out of tune guitar and acidic beats would get played on BBC1 so we’re absolutely chuffed!

How is it being a band in Australia? Do you feel that it’s an exciting place to be making music right now?

There’s so much great music being made in Australia but it always feels restricted by venues and spaces to record and perform. I think it’s exciting how much great music is coming out of Australia but being from there it’s always going to be more exciting for us over here in Europe.

Are there many opportunities to explore local scenes and new musical directions?

Sydney, where we are from, is essentially a pretty small place. So there’s quite a close music community regardless of genre. If you make music, we’re in this together. So people tend to help each other out and share ideas and cross pollinate. Gab and Jack and I were all in different bands before this project but we also all played in various side projects together. The problem with Sydney though is a lack of venues and in particular venues with good sound systems. It makes it tough for bands to connect when spaces are limited and the sound isn’t complimentary.

What do you think the biggest differences are between the scenes in Australia and the UK?

Well there’s a lot less people in Australia and it’s massively spread out. The UK has the rest of Europe driving distance away. I think there’s a sense of geographical isolation in Australia that fractures the musical community between each city and I guess restricts it in a way.

Do you have any touring plans lined up?

Yes, we’re on the road with Foals for most of March throughout Europe, and then on tour with The xx in Australia in April, then we do some of our own shows and then European festivals.

Can you tell us which festivals?

We’re playing Bestival and Field Day and Ibiza Rocks. There’s a few others in the pipeline that we can’t announce yet.

Any news of new material? An album, perhaps?

We’re in the studio right now mixing the album with Ewan Pearson. Watch this space!

What’s 2013 got in store for Jagwar Ma?

Lots and lots of miserable road stops.

Storytelling through song is an art, and adding a visual accompaniment allows the storyteller to guide our imagination; to see hollow synths, soaring vocals and a range of melodic progressions in the particular light in which the artist wants us to experience them. Such is the case with the chameleon-like producer and singer-songwriter, ROMANS.

Opening up a pandora’s box of wonderment with the release of three music videos, all part of a much bigger picture, as tipped off by the title ‘Act I’ which features elements named Chapters I, II & III. With nods to rockstar heroes of the past and a cinematic beauty to his lyrics, we catch up with ROMANS to find out more about his dramatic take on pop music and how he takes the idea of storytelling to new heights.

Your approach to music is very unique. I don’t think anyone else is writing cinematic three act narratives as a way to introduce the world to their music. Can you discuss the concept behind your three singles/EP?

I don’t usually like to explain the narrative itself, I think it’s important to leave room for interpretation. The 3 tracks felt like the right thing to do, there’s nothing I love more than a project and if I couldn’t jump straight into a full album I wanted to do a bit more than just release a couple of random tracks. I see the EP as a kind of modern operetta.

I love that ROMANS is a multimedia work of art. It’s as much about the visual accompaniment as the story being told through the music. Chapter 1 is a car crash, Chapter 2, death, and Chapter 3 a rebirth. ‘This Might Hurt’ hints at an emotional pain, rather than the physical pain already endured in Chapters 1 and 2. Are these three chapters meant to mirror your life, particularly your experience in the music industry?

Haha, good work Sigmund! I actually haven’t thought of that comparison before but it seems to fit too perfectly to be unintentional. I love the art of storytelling and I tend to not try and write about myself too much. Act 1: Chapters 1, 2 and 3 weren’t personal, or at least I didn’t think they were before this question. You’re good. Now, tell me about my mother.

Photographer Charlotte Rutherford directed all three of your videos. How did you know she was the right director for this project?

She’s outrageously talented. Charlotte had actually never worked with video before this project which made her perfect in my mind. I wanted to come away with something that looked completely fresh so working with a photographer instead of a director was the obvious option.

You’ve mentioned in interviews that you are heavily influenced by Led Zeppelin, which of course lends to the fantastic 70s feel to your sound. ‘Ballad of a Figure 8′ could be a mix of Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ era meeting David Bowie, who you’ve also mentioned is an influence…

There are quite a few early 90′s synths in the make-up of that track, so I know what you mean by the Vogue reference. The songs are still too fresh in my head, so I can’t remove myself enough to tell what was really influencing me at the time of making them. I love hearing what they remind other people of though. The fact that anything I’ve written reminds someone of Bowie is incredibly flattering. The man is a Demigod, I think most sensible people would agree on that.

Would you consider Bob Dylan to be an influence? What are your thoughts on him?

Yes 100%. Everything about him influences me. He is arguably the greatest poet of modern time. I remember when I was about 10 years old I had a CD Rom disc, it was some kind of primitive YouTube software with maybe 30 clips of live performances. One of them was Dylan singing ‘It’s all over now Baby Blue’ in a hotel room in front of Donovan. Still to this day I get shivers when I hear it, I actually put a clip of it on one of my last mixtapes.

Your sound is difficult to pinpoint. It’s dramatic and does an amazing job of painting a larger than life picture that acts like a revolving art gallery; moving from one emotion to the next. We’ve discussed concept, but can you enlighten us on your creative process?

Certainly. My process has no method anymore, other than trusting my ears and intuition. On certain songs I’ll write on piano and then program the production around the chords, and on others I’ll program an entire production, playing every instrument and getting a good monitor mix before I even think about vocal melodies or lyrics. I hardly ever set out with a vision of the finished product, I usually just build, layer by layer, making sure that each new element is adding something. I find it’s the only way I can create what I consider to be real music. I almost put myself on autopilot and let whatever emotions I feel on that particular day shape the blueprint of the track.

Your Facebook page was founded in 1948. Is that a reference to the George Orwell’s 1984?

It could be an example of Orwellian symbolism, it could even be a reference to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, but it’s far more likely that I just don’t know how to use Facebook. Far less interesting, but far more likely.

You quoted Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness the other day. “Your strength is just an accident owed to the weakness of others”. It seems you are hinting at pieces to a much bigger puzzle. Can you give me any insight as to what that entails?

It’s a quote I’ve always remembered. I read Heart of Darkness after seeing Apocalypse Now for the first time. I’ve slightly touched on the subject matter in a song for my album (Act 2).

You were signed to RCA at age 16 – what was that experience like?

I was signed to a small London based production company. I left school on the promise of fame and fortune, the reality was somewhat more ordinary. It was a rude awakening to the shark tank that is the music industry but a necessary one.

Was there a catalyst that sparked the beginnings of ROMANS?

It was a happy accident. I’d all but given up on the prospect of being an artist and was producing for a singer (who will remain nameless). Things didn’t work out in the sense that we made about 2 tracks in 3 months but during that process I slowly came round to the idea of making something for myself again. I was creatively starved, I decided to start making tracks to no brief, for no one in particular. I just suddenly rediscovered the hunger and the enthusiasm to put my name to something. Quite like the tracks themselves, nothing was planned, it all just fell quite nicely into place.

What do you hope people take away from your music?

“Take away”! Clever pun, you’re good. I just want to make sure that I’ve done enough to make people stop and listen to it. Without sounding too much like a ranting hippy, music is an art form and like all art it should keep progressing. People are fed up of being numbed by the repugnant drone of the mainstream playlist. I want to have brought something slightly new to the table.

What’s next for ROMANS?

I’m currently rehearsing for my live shows. My first performance is 09 April at Madame JoJo’s. That’s also my first cheap plug. Act 1 is being released online on 26 May. Act 2 will follow when its finished. After that I’m running for President.

Swirling synths in a variety of forms take on chameleon like qualities shaping Aberdeen’s brightest rising star Lockah, aka Tom Banks’ savagely inventive sound. Humming chugs of lofty bass marry with pitched vocal loops cascading into jungle-inspired beats. This menagerie of genres and concept sounds are then swirled together in a steaming pot of thick and chunky beats ready to elevate any mood.

The stalwart label head of emerging bass outfit, Tuff Wax, and playing a large part in the emerging scene in his hometown of Aberdeen, Banks is pushing more than just a new sound in 2013. Lockah’s music unearths new territories, blending an epic movie score quality with forward thinking production and a wildly creative style, landing him on labels like Mad Decent’s Jeffrees, Skrillex’s OWSLA, and most recently, on bass music trendsetting label, Donky Pitch.

One of the fascinating aspects of Banks’ music is his ability to elicit melodies out of heavy-handed synth, sparse techno beats and trembling glistens of effects, all of which create the most strangely fantastic pop ballads. Best Fit set out to find out where the young producer’s influences lie, what his new EP Only Built For Neon Nights is really about and if it’s possible to ever have too much synth.

Your bio says you’re the “Founder of TUFF WAX – music on MAD DECENT / JEFFREE’S / MISHKA NYC / DONKY PITCH / OWSLA / SCION AV / NATIONAL ANTHEM”, but who is Lockah?

I’m a hardworking producer with ambition and a bit of an entrepreneurial spirit. I’m 27, but I’ve lived the life of a 40-year-old. I’m based in Aberdeen, Scotland, where I’ve spent my whole life.

If you had to pick a food or a dish to describe your sound, what would you pick and why?

>Maybe a spicy taco, or a juicy punnet of strawberries. Anything with some mad flavour that you could eat with your hands. I try to keep my music accessible and colourful and fun.

Paul Lester over at the Guardian described your music, saying, “Much of the music seems designed to soundtrack significant sports events or historical battles.” Do you agree?

I’m not into sports or historical battles but I understand what the guy’s saying. I think it’s the love of brass samples or just those brassy, stabby synth sounds – plus I’ve been known to loop crowd noise under things at times so it may even be subliminal. When you can capture that fanfare type sound, I suppose it creates a kind of epic atmosphere if you’re in the right listening mindset.

I personally would have to agree, especially after spending some time with your Mishka release, Lockah – Please Lockah, Don’t Hurt ‘Em. It has this Billy Joel stadium feel to it. Where does that influence come from?

Yeah, that EP was pretty much an experiment in how huge I could go with my sound. The slightly discordant piano stabs are a jungle/rave thing for sure. I was into all that stuff as a child before I hit double figures. Where that interest sprung from, I’ve no idea. And with no friends, older siblings etc. into it, I grew out of it and into guitar music as I got into my teens. Back then though, I used to try and recreate the piano riffs on my toy casio keyboard, so I’m drawing on decades of experience here!

You’re great at creating melodies out of the most unexpected of sounds.

It’s something I’ve been doing since the moment I started producing, but unfortunately it seems to be regarded as a staple of identikit ‘trap’ production now…

When listening to Only Built 4 Neon Nites the first time, I thought, “This is the most epic of video game dance parties I will ever go to.” Where did this concept come from?

Well straight up, everyone picked up on the obvious nod to the Raekwon album title, Only Built For Cuban Linx, but not a lot of folks seemed to give any further thought to where I was coming from. That happens to be my favourite rap album ever, by the way. I had read this old XXL interview on the making of it, one of those fantastic articles where they get a shitload of different interviews then chop it up into a flowing commentary. If you read it, you can really get into the the mindset of the RZA back in those days. It was early, before the movie soundtracks and all that. Instead of just a record he helped Raekwon to make an incredible combination of a rap album, a cinematic soundtrack and even something with the vibe of an actual movie. I wanted to try and capture that same feeling, just simplified and shrunk down – so the main influence is Wu-Tang and classic Hollywood, not computer games as such.

What is Only Built 4 Neon Nites about?

In a real, personal and slightly boring sense it’s supposed to be a soundtrack to a midnight drive. If you live around Aberdeen, especially out in the middle of nowhere where I grew up, most people get around in cars cos of the shitty public transport. I’ve spent a fairly decent amount of time driving places in the middle of the night, often in the interest of seeing girls I suppose. Which kind of brings me into the more fantastical train of thought, that it’s a cinematic nod to movies like Drive, Akira, even Tron… call it Neo(n)-Noir, romance, whatever. The 5 tracks spell out the story – the intro leads into the beginning of the journey in ‘Young Neon Countach’, ‘Guards Red Carrera’ is supposed to sound like a struggle such as a fight or a lighting storm, the calm sets in halfway through ‘Let The Cool Air Breeze’ and sets us up nicely for a little rain ‘n’ romance on ‘Platinum Blonde’.

Kirk Spencer is one of a number of on-the-rise producers in the UK. He’s carved out a niche all to himself by gluing together Eastern melodies and Western beats – his Asian-inspired Enter The Void EP was a critical hit, summoning enormous dubstep lurches and flighty percussion.

His second EP, Wonderland, dropped recently. It’s a trek through his own mind, an exploration into his own feelings of life and his home city – there’s considerably less bass wubberings, and instead of sonic precipices, we’re gifted smooth indie-house. The cultural fusions remain, and while some moments feel Bhangra-flecked, others careen towards US EDM. Whilst being actually rather intimate, Spencer succeeds in creating something with a pulsing soul that makes you want to get up and boogie down.

If 2012 was the year that guitar bands returned en masse into the charts and blogs, 2013 is set to be the comeback of the DJ. We’re not talking David Guetta here, more like Paul Oakenfold, classic Fatboy Slim and Darude invading the charts and causing a raucous rave ruckus. Here’s where Kirk Spencer scurries into the fray. His production skills were tested on his first EP, and with Wonderland, the Nottingham knob-twiddler is set to join the ranks of a swarm of electronic artists on the verge of hitting the big time. He’s proved he has the chops – it’s just a matter of time. We catch up with Kirk on his ascension to greatness to discuss dream shows, yoga music and the city of Nottingham.

How did you start making music? What inspired you?

Going back to the beginning: in the village where I grew up (Radcliffe in Nottingham) there were a couple of local teenage punk bands that inspired me to get a guitar and start a band – so I did with my best mates. The band was called Od Sox. The line up in this newly founded band changed over the years, and it ended up with my little brother of 10 on the drums. It was fun, we did a few gigs, and the band found the community recording studios in Nottingham, which is where I became interested in collaborating with other singers and rappers, and production. I started to learn production there and at home on my Mac. Then I found artists like Flying Lotus and Hudson Mohawke, and I knew from then it would be my goal to start making music that explored new sounds, but also had emotion and feeling.

What music did you grow up with?

My Mum and Dad’s music – CDs for yoga classes that my mum teaches, Pink Floyd, Ravi Shankar, Bob Marley and a great Levi Jeans Compilation CD. They are the ones I remember the most. Other than that, Spice Girls and 5ive was what I listened to.

What would you say are your biggest non-musical influences?

Blogs, Friends, Life and Film. Some blogs I love are Arch Daily, Create Digital Motion and This Is 50.

Which records or bands have influenced you the most?

Local peeps like Scorzayzee, Late Of The Pier, Illmana and Metaphi have been very influential in showing me what’s possible. Musically, Gold Panda, Flying Lotus, Nihal’s radio show, Friction’s radio show, Gilles Peterson’s radio show and, at the moment, Pink Floyd.

When did you decide to start creating music yourself, and what are your main aims for this project?

I’ve always been creating music for myself as it helps me escape from life’s problems. I still do it just for fun, as I have since I got my first guitar. I decided that I wanted to release my first EP at 18, but it wasn’t until I was 20 that I actually did. It doesn’t sound that great to me now, so part of me wishes I didn’t release anything so early, but people from all over the world still listen to that EP (Enter the Void).

The main aim is to create great music that sounds different, that takes you on a journey within your mind, and to have fun and stay musically innocent. To create honest music and push the boundaries with my sounds and live show – which I’m working on with Joe Le Huquet, one of my best friends who also did the ‘Kukcu‘ video.

Madrid-based dream-pop quartet HATEM have been causing a stir om Spain, sculpting woozy, sunbleached pop songs, and with their debut Ultraviolet Catastrophe garnering wads of critical acclaim and commercial praise.

Now they’re branching out into international markets, reaching our shores with music as high a calibre as ‘They Won’t Let Me Grow‘, if they keep it up, they’re likely to fare just as well as they have at home.

HATEM have a passion for the poetic, and their nom de plume is actually an acronym hoisted from a line in a Walt Whitman poem: “Hola A Todo El Mundo”, the Spanish translation of “hello to all the world.” The sounds they create glisten with Balearic synths and melodic guitars, and the smoky noises evoke memories of the similarly breezy El Guincho and Polock. It’s a marriage of neo-folk and electronica; the sweet vocal harmonies and lush, vivid effects fuse together in a fantastic amalgam of the two genres. We catch up with the almost entirely mustachioed foursome to give us the rundown on their favourite music, their journey and ‘Ultraviolet Catastrophe’.

Can you tell us about the story of HATEM? Who’s in the band/ what do you all do?

HATEM is the adventure in which many people are involved, but the main characters are the four of us: Ana, Ari, Josh and Álvaro.

How did you form/meet? Can you remember the first song that you all wrote together?

We’ve been together most of our youth in some way. During that time we played in other bands together, we’ve been lovers, friends and many other things. As a friend thing, we started playing together at home disturbing neighbours and making completely crazy songs with infinite parts on them. We listen to them now and they are like a thousand asteroids falling into your ears, it’s hilarious.

What kind of a music scene would you say that you all come from?

We grew up when indie music started in Spain, a quite heterogeneous and strange scene. We always had our eyes on Swedish and American bands. We can say we mainly have our foundations in the mix that comes when you take punk and emocore from the 90s and other classic indie bands. In this huge amount of bands we can randomly name Texas Is The Reason, Sunny Day Real Estate, Refused, Bad Religion, Built To Spill, Dinosaur Jr., etc. But… much rain has fallen since those days.

How would you describe your music to someone who’s not heard you before?

Some kind of lazy nostalgic dancing pop songs that makes you move your shoulders think of the good old days and the better ones that will come.

What or who has influenced your sound and the way that you create music?

It’s almost impossible to name the exact influences. With that amount of music in our brains, who knows what and from where comes influence or inspiration. Lately we realized that all of the music that has passed through our ears during all our life, can suddenly appear in your music. Something dangerous and scary. 30 years of music listening, conscious and unconscious, means a lot of hidden influences, and not all of them can be cool or nice. That’s why we choose carefully what we listen to lately. Now we love things like Beach House, Ryan Hemsworth, Kurt Vile, Delorean, Chromatics, John Talabot, MMOTHS and many, many more.

Do you have a ‘mission statement’ for the band?.

Lets all meet up where your darks and lights face ours.

How did you write and record your album, Ultraviolet Catastrophe?

Like most bands, we worked a lot on the songs to finally make a demo version for the possible record before going to the studio. In that moment, we decided to add a new element that we think could make the difference in our songs. We decided to work with a producer that came from making quite different stuff – hip hop and electronic music. He is David Unison, the hidden member of HATEM, and our hidden treasure. The result is a collision of both worlds, adding to the work of our other producer Luca Petricca. All of that together is Ultraviolet Catastrophe.

Which moments on the album would you say that you’re particularly proud of?

After so many hours spent on the songs, so many changes, doubts, experiments, good decisions, bad decisions… at the end, all that stuff can make you a bit out of your mind. Quite disoriented. After all those things, ending with the record you want and a record you love is quite an accomplishment to be proud of. We are proud of Ultraviolet… and that’s a lot to say.

What’s the reaction been like in Spain?

It’s been great! The sound is quite different from what we were doing on previous records and people over here embraced the change as naturally as we did. We love them for that. We are happy with the things the record is bringing. The album was selected as Best Spanish Record Of The Year by one of the main music publications in Spain, Mondosonoro. All of that is bringing bigger and more interesting shows.

Why did you decide to not sing in Spanish? Why English?

All our musical influences use English and as a matter of coherence we feel much comfortable in that language. Sounds closer to what musically we want to achieve.

How did you go about writing ‘They Won’t Let Me Grow’? What’s the story behind it?

It talks mainly about the struggle of not following the path that others expect from you. It’s about choosing your own path, your own desire line, and how sometimes everything and everyone can plot to make you abandon the direction where those desires are.

The video is really interesting, can you tell us the idea behind it?

The video was made by Brendan Canty from Feelgoodlost. We like his technique of layered images, the fuzzy and colourful filters he usually uses. We followed his work with bands such as Passion Pit, Sigur Rós, MMOTHS… and we just sent him some guidelines about the concepts that we wanted in the video. He worked using what the song and lyrics inspired him and told a story using children as characters. We liked what the video tells about how the “good ones” can behave in a different way from what is expected from them.

What was your first show like? What’s your main memory of it?

Our first show was as supporters of the Swedish band Club 8. We originally didn’t want to do live shows, but it’s impossible to say no to the temptation of showing your music to others. We mainly remember the huge nervousness and the endless thinking about how “unready” and “unprepared” we were.

How have things changed now?

In essence it hasn’t changed much. We make the music we want, for good or worst. But as for most bands as time passes and more people follow you, you start worrying about making better performances, having a greater sound, enjoy the shows with the people, not making mistakes… I think the main change is that we started HATEM as a hobby and during the last few years we think it is the best full time job we can have. We work in that direction but sometimes you realize how difficult it can be.

What have you got planned for the rest of 2013?.

Making new songs for a future EP, enjoying playing at summer festivals and trying to show our music in other places outside Spain. We want to keep it hectic.

Rina Sawayama seduced us last month with the sultry lullaby “Sleeping In Waking” which arrived alongside a super-luxe black and white video.

The 22-year old Cambridge politics graduate was born in Japan and lived there until the age of five but she’s now resident in London and set to make waves amongst those who appreciate the finer side of complex, shimmery pop.

When did you decide on a career in music, Rina?

When I was little, really. I’ve always known that I wanted to do music and I was singing when I was one. I sang all the way through school. During University I was in a hip hop group called Lazy Lion. We did quite a few gigs and lots of May Balls in Cambridge. We’re all doing our separate things now. The guitarist is now in Wolf Alice. We’re all doing really well. It’s quite freeing to be back in London. Cambridge is really intense.

So how has your sound developed since you went solo?

I think it’s influenced by R&B from the early 2000s, when The Neptunes and Timbaland were all you heard.

I lived in Japan until I was five [and] because I went to a Japanese school in England, I listened to a lot of J-pop. The song writing of J-pop songs is very rigid and structured. So I think I got quite used to that and it has helped me write.

How do you think the Japanese music scene differs to London?

Oh God, it is completely different. J-pop is seriously behind, in my opinion! I don’t find a lot of innovation and inspiration in J-pop unfortunately. There are a few Japanese singers and songwriters – like the girl from Little Dragon – but the J-pop scene is very behind. Great song lyrics but the UK, America and Scandinavia are way ahead.

Why do you think Japanese music fans are so passionate about the music they love?

There’s a culture of idolising there – a lot more than in the UK. There was recent controversy over a huge girl band there, because the tabloids found that one of the girls had been sleeping over at her boyfriend’s and she was so ashamed that she shaved her head on YouTube. The music industry is owned a lot by the mafia, so there’s a lot of concealing when it comes to people’s private lives. In essence, if you get rid of someone’s personal life (which is so blown out in the tabloids in the Western world) in Japan a lot of it is hidden, so the person isn’t like a person, they become an idol. Girl bands have to preserve this image of being virginal. I need to tread it a bit carefully if I’m going to go over there.

How are you dealing with the incredible response online to your debut track ‘Sleeping in Waking’?

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I’ve actually been sitting on that track since I was 18. I’ve just started re-producing my entire back catalogue. “Sleeping In Waking” was a folk arrangement and I re-did it with a producer called Hoost and it was just amazing. He’s actually still at University.

I wrote [the song] when an ex wanted me to write him a lullaby. I don’t know [if he's heard it], I don’t speak to him anymore!

The B-side is going to be released very soon, when the 7-inch is out. I’ll probably release the next single within the month after that. I want each single to have its moment rather than releasing an EP. At the moment I’m working with different producers and seeing what works for me.

I think [my sound] is quite diverse, and I hope people like that. I like anything that’s really catchy. That can go in-between genres. There are a couple of songs that are quite cheeky. I’m just wondering what people will like. In the next year I’d definitely like to put out an album.

The video is very sultry; what made you go with that particular aesthetic?

We worked with a guy called Jack Greeley-Ward and we chatted about ideas and his thoughts about the song completely matched mine. It was a black and white thing, and we took inspiration from people like Feist. The brief was that it needed to look as though I really knew the song inside out and that I was performing it to people. Rather than a typical lip sync.

What inspires you musically at the moment?

There’s a girl called Banks from LA, who is quite big on the blogosphere. Justin Timberlake, obviously. I’m a massive fan. I think he’s great, but him and Timbaland together are golden. I’m really enjoying Beyonce’s new track, ‘Bow Down‘. I’m not sure if she’s having a mid-life crisis or something! But Beyonce’s top-lining is really inspirational.

What can we expect from your London live debut?

I’m really excited [and] nervous too. It will be a really nice live set up and hopefully I’ll be doing my own vocal effects.

Rina Sawayama plays at The Monarch, London on 17 April.

We’ve been keeping a close eye on Iceland’s Pascal Pinon for a while now. From the get go, we were completely enchanted by the twin sisters’ elegant melodies and seamless harmonies, and when they invited Best Fit to film a session in their Reykjavik home during Iceland Airwaves a few months back, they had us hooked.

The pair began making music together at the tender age of 14, and since then have gone on to create two albums, the latest being the sublime Twosomeness, released back in January. They’re now set to take to the stage of The Lexington on Thursday 28 March as part of Ja Ja Ja’s Nordic music showcase and to bring their latest creations to an avid London audience, so we decided the time was nigh to get to know this inspiring pair a little bit better.

First of all, can you tell us a little bit about yourselves – who you are, and where you’re from?

We are Ásthildur and Jófríður, 18 year old twin sisters from Reykjavík, Iceland. We play and sing music together as Pascal Pinon, but we go to school and play classical music in the meantime.

What were your main and shared interests when you were growing up, and have you always made music together?

When we were little we used to write songs and poems and books, all of which were written down by our parents. We used to draw a lot and Ásthildur is still making art work, she just started her own independent art gallery in her bedroom the other day. I [Jófríður] wrote lots of songs when I was a kid, lots of really bad songs, some really good too. Pascal Pinon started evolving when I got an electric guitar as a Christmas present from my parents when I was 11. ásthildur got a keyboard, but we never use it though.

We used to read a lot of books, Ásthildur more than I did. I wrote poetry, and still do. But these days I only share it in the form of lyrics. It’s poetry nontheless.

Being twins, do you feel that you have an extra special connection when it comes to creating music together? (And – out of curiosity – have you ever had interesting or spooky twin moments that you’d like to share with us?!)

I can’t say we have had any of those spooky moments. We are much more like sisters rather than twins. We have an interesting combination of music tastes. We feel free to criticise each other, sometimes more than we should, but that’s a good thing when you are working in creative projects with other people. We are best at making arrangements together, because then we can sit down and think – how can we deliver this song and make it as cool as possible.

Can you remember the first song that you wrote together? What was it about?

I can’t remember the first one, but when we were 12 years old we had this thing we called a radio station, it was us performing a radio program, we did this in cars and when we were camping with our family, where we pretended to be all the bands, the show hosts and the advertisements as well. It was improvisation from beginning to end, but sometimes we made songs that we tried to remember and write down. We recorded two albums on our mum’s computer and we gave them to our dad for his birthday. One was called ’16 krónur’ (16 ISK), one was called ‘þorsti er eins go þorskur’ (þorsti is like a cod) and one was called ‘hugleiðslulagið’ (the meditation song).

Do you have similar tastes in music, and do you consider yourselves to have the same influences?

Some music we both like and listen to, but still it’s quite different. I feel like we listen to the same songs but we hear different things. I can’t really explain it, but it’s a good thing. It makes it fun to create music together, because we have different ideas about what it should be like.

What do you consider to be your main inspirations when writing music?

I like to spend time on good song writing, structure and lyrics. Ásthildur is very good at arrangements and making killer backing vocals. She is also much better at playing her instrument than I am. But I’m better at writing lyrics.

How much has your home country of Iceland affected your approach to making music, holding such a rich musical history itself?

It’s good to have role models in music. You see local bands growing from playing in the tiniest venues all to performing on huge stadiums… or something like that. That’s really inspiring. It shows you that nothing is impossible, even if you come from a tiny tiny country.

It was during the chilly closing days of last year that Gothenburg’s Frida Sundemo well and truly sprung to our attention. Unleashing what would become one of our most listened to tracks of the year, the Swedish singer and songwriter instantly enchanted all who fell into the path of her inimitably catchy single ‘Indigo’ and all of its synth laden charm. Now unveiling her Indigo EP and set to invade the UK for a handful of shows later this week, we catch up with Frida to find out more about her unique journey to musician-hood and what the future holds for this indubitably talented songwriter.

Could you tell us a little about yourself? Where are you from, how would you describe what you do and what are your three favourite things, aside from music?

I’m from Gothenburg, which is the second biggest city in Sweden, located on the west coast of Sweden. I would describe myself as an imagination creator, inspired by life. Also a pop artist. If I got to pick three favorite things aside from the music it would probably be my family and friends, driving a car super fast and taking late summer night baths in the archipelago of the Swedish west coast.

You’ve got a pretty interesting story, having paused your medical studies to embark on a career making music but let’s start further back than that – have you always written music? And when you were growing up, was your dream to become a musician or/and a doctor?

Yes, I’ve been writing music my whole life. I remember getting blank music sheets from my grandfather when I was a kid. I started writing down songs on those sheets based on the very limited (three tones) register I mastered on the piano at that time. I kept on writing whilst developing my musical skills.

I’ve always dreamed of many things, including becoming a musician and a doctor. I also wanted to become a car designer and an engineer for a long time. At this point, it has all come down to those two dreams, though: musician and doctor. I could never pick one out of them that I wanted more. I really love them both genuinely and they stimulate me both in such different ways.

What made you decide to pursue your medical studies in the first place?

I realized that I couldn’t keep on creating music wholeheartedly as the medical studies progressed. I had to focus on one thing at a time, and found it better to choose the artist track now and complete the medical studies later on.

When was the exact moment that you decided to pause your studies to concentrate on music, and how did you feel about your decision at the time? Did you feel conflicted, excited, nervous? And how do you feel about it now?

I have to admit that I was a bit scared when filling the application form for the study break. Being a part of an education is always a safe card, you know what to expect and what people expect from you. I had been postponing this decision for a while and people around me had so many different opinions about whether this was the best thing to do. Eventually, it became quite clear to me that taking the break was the only right choice  for me to make. I would probably regret it for the rest of my life if I never did. You have to take chances to win!

Can you remember the first song that you wrote? What was it about?

The first song I remember that had lyrics was called ‘Glädje’ which is Swedish for “Joy”. I was around 8 years old and the song was about enjoying joy as much as possible. Very clever. And again, I remember writing down the song in my grandfather’s music sheets, not to forget it.

And how about now, how do you go about creating music – who do you work with, and what do you think is the best setting in which to write create music?

Nowadays, I mostly write music together with Joel Humlén, who produces my tracks. We write music in many different ways, there’s no fixed routine for it. Sometimes a newly discovered synth sound is the best inspiration and sometimes just an empty room with a broken piano.

What do you consider to be your main inspirations when writing music?

My main inspiration is probably the driving force of trying to evoke that special feeling I get in the gut when listening to special music. I recall moments when I’ve got that feeling when listening to music of others and I could do almost anything to get it back.

‘Indigo’ is an outstanding (and super catchy) track that we’ve listened to a million times over here at Best Fit – can you tell us the story behind it? How did you create the song, and what is it about?

Thank you very much! ‘Indigo’ is about believing in yourself and what you treasure – no matter what people around you might say or do. Me and Joel first wrote the song on the guitar very fast, like in two hours or something, it was a very inspiring moment. Then Joel’s superb production of the track (which I absolutely love) came to him immediately when he hit the computer. Quite an effective process, I must say.

Some of our favourite bands hail from Gothenburg – Air France, El Perro Del Mar, The Embassy, jj… Is Gothenburg a good place in which to make music? How do you feel about the local music scene there?

Yeah, I really think there’s a lot of great music coming from Gothenburg. I love going to shows with local acts when I’m there.

You’ll be playing in London very soon – what should we expect from a Frida Sundemo live show?

You should expect a great party with a lot of drums and hopefully some magic moments. I’m super excited to get to perform in London!

Do you enjoy performing live? Do you find it an exciting or a scary thing to do? 

I absolutely love performing live, although I actually haven’t done it that many times. It’s a really special feeling when you get to push the songs out of their nest and to get to receive a direct reaction from the audience. Sometimes scary but always a great adventure.

Since I haven’t performed so much it’s hard to tell where the best audience has been. But I remember one very special show I did in Gothenburg together with my sister. We were sitting on the top of an old piano in this tiny club, singing and playing the guitar and the glockenspiel. The room was very crowded and the atmosphere in the room was so intimate. That was very memorable.

What’s been the most memorable thing that’s happened for you so far? Is there a certain show you’ve played, an experience that you’ve had or a place that you’ve been to that’s been particularly special?

Some years ago, I worked with children in the slum areas of Pune, India for four months. I could never really put that experience into words but I’m sure it changed me forever. Singing was a big part of the time I spent with the kids and I got the honor to introduce them to some of Beatles’ repertoire (whom they’d never heard of). The absolute hit song was ‘Twist And Shout’.

If you could have written any one song, which would it be?

I would die to have written ‘Förklädd Gud’ (‘God In Disguise’) by Swedish composer Lars-Erik Larsson. Such a masterpiece.

What does the rest of the year hold for you?

I’m working on a lot of new tracks which are destined for another EP or an full-length album, and I’m really excited to get to share these new babies! I’m also hoping that I will get to do as many live shows as possible. And I’m doing some inspiring collaborations that hopefully will turn out well.

Frida Sundemo’s Indigo EP is available now via Parlophone, and she’ll be playing the following UK dates:

March
27 – Sebright Arms, London
28 – Klub Lottarox @ Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen, London
29 – Coalition (Supporting Dragonette), Brighton

Finland isn’t the first place that springs to mind when you think of dreamy, hazy, even sunny pop music, but four young men by the name of Delay Trees are here to change that preconception.

The quartet have been making music together for close to six years, and have already released two albums, the most recent of which, Doze, was released late last year to much acclaim in their homeland and in other northern climes, and has had a handily-timed worldwide release this month, just in time for their appearance at London’s Ja Ja Ja showcase on 28 March alongside Icelandic twin sisters Pascal Pinon and Denmark’s excellent Fallulah.

Delay Trees’ sound will be familiar to anyone who enjoys a bit of shoegaze or “dream pop” as it recalls the sound of bands like Slowdive and Galaxie 500, but also more modern proponents of that sound such as Wild Nothing. While a track like ‘HML’ might provide the instant shimmering pop hit, the band are also as adept when stretching things out, such as on the eight minute build-and-release motorik groove of ‘Pause’. We like ‘em a lot, so we caught up with singer/guitarist Rami to let him introduce you to the world of Delay Trees.

 Who is in the band and what do they play?

I (Rami) sing and play the guitar, Onni plays the drums, Sami plays the bass, Lauri plays the guitar and synth.

Where did you all meet, and when and why did you decide to start making music together?

We’re from the same group of friends, so when I started to write slow and melancholy songs it was quite obvious I would end up playing them with Sami, Lauri and Onni. This was way back in late 2007.

Can you remember what the first song you wrote together was?

I’m not sure but I think it’s one of the songs on our first EP. Probably ’Replay’ or ‘Coral Wind’.

How did you choose your name?

We love effect pedals and nature, so there you have it. I guess it could’ve been just as easily ‘Flanger River’ or something…

Who/what influences you, musically and otherwise?

In the beginning we were very much influenced by The Velvet Underground’s self-titled album, early Low and some shoegaze bands but nowadays our musical influences are naturally very varied. I’ve always been hugely influenced by films and walking around cities… I’m a bit of a flaneur I’d say. Also I feel most inspired at night time for some inexplicable reason.

What’s the Finnish music scene like at the moment, and did you find Finland an inspiring place to grow up in, musically?

We’re very close to the beautiful nature everywhere in Finland so I guess it is a big part of who we are and what our music is like. But at the same time the long winters can be very depressing so I guess making music is kind of escapism for us. The music scene is tiny and everyone basically knows each other. Especially the indie/alternative scene is really marginal.

Is Helsinki a good place in which to be making music? And can you recommend any bands that we should check out?

Well Helsinki is really expensive, in terms of rehearsal spaces, rent, even basic groceries, so we can’t just afford to live off of our music. But there are loads of nice venues and a quite vibrant live scene. And a lot of cool bands! You should definitely check out all the Soliti bands but also Burning Hearts, Siinai and Kiki Pau are great…

Does the album title Doze reflect the music you play, dreamy, sleepy but maybe a misspelling of “dose”, a medication, Spiritualized style?

We wanted this album to act as a little mental break from everything. There’s even a song called ‘Pause’ on the album. I like the fact that when you’re dozing, say in a bus, the voices from the real world kind of mixes with your mind falling asleep and into your dreams. I guess that’s the kind of mood between “two worlds” we wanted to include in the album. One can think of it as some kind of a “dose” as well, we don’t mind.

Is there, despite being relatively young, an element of nostalgia to Delay Trees’ music?

Yes there is, definitely! For no good reason, I always go back to the past and really don’t mind about the future. Memories always feel a bit hazy and unreal, so they’re a great topic for songs.

Is Finland still the base for the band, and do you enjoy life on the road? What’s on the Delay Trees rider?

Yeah we’re based in Finland, half of the band lives in Helsinki, the other half in Hämeenlinna. It’s been a while since we toured and we actually miss it. We’ve rarely had a proper rider… In Finland we usually just get a case of bad Finnish beer, tastes like reindeer’s piss. Something extravagant would be sweet backstage, like a bottle of champagne or some great cigars.

What should we expect from a Delay Trees live show?

I don’t know really… It’s a mixed affair of pop songs and dreamy textures. Half and half.

Are you looking forward to playing as part of the Ja Ja Ja night?

Definitely, we’re super excited!

What are the band’s plans for the rest of the year?

We’re finishing our third album during the Spring and Summer, hopefully getting some new songs out later this year. We wouldn’t mind visiting UK for another show either.

Ja Ja Ja takes place on Thursday 28 March at The Lexington, London. Tickets for the event are £5 and available via this link and to find out more about the showcase, head to the Ja Ja Ja Facebook event page.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my time writing for Best Fit, it’s that we really should pay more attention to the Nordic and Scandinavian pop charts. Whether the artist is Annie, Niki & The Dove, Robyn, Lykke Li or Oh Land, the music is way ahead of most of the stuff that clogs up our charts. And to that list, we can add the name of Fallulah.

That’s the recording alias of 28-year-old Dane Maria Apetri, who has been delighting Danish audiences for the past few years with her retro-modern stellar pop songs, and will soon have us lot swooning over her gorgeous charms thanks to a forthcoming appearance at London’s Ja Ja Ja showcase on 28 March. Part Romanian, Apetri has been immersed in the world of dance from an early age thanks to her father being part of a Balkan dance group but turned her back on a career on Broadway to focus on her music. We think that’s the right decision.

Following 2010’s debut album The Black Cat Neighborhood, Fallulah recently released new record Escapism, and it shot to number two in the Danish album charts. She’s already let us hear a couple of tracks from this release: the girl-group swing of ‘Superfishyality’ and the percussive brilliance of ‘Dried-Out Cities’, and before her London appearance Apetri took the time out to tell us know a little bit more about her music.

Where does the name Fallulah come from?

It’s a name I made up a long time ago, when I was riding my bike in Copenhagen. Then when I created my Myspace page back in 2007, where I put on early demos, I decided to take that name as my own, because I felt like it was a perfect match for the sound. I wanted it to be about more than me.

You used to be a dancer (like another Dane, Oh Land), so what prompted you to concentrate on the music? Does dance have a big influence on your life still and on the music of Fallulah, or is it more a visual influence now?

I’ve been a dancer, but in a very free way, where I would do lots of different styles, and it’s something I’ve enjoyed since I was just two-and-a-half years old. I would always write my little songs on the side, but it was more of a personal thing, so it took me a while to get the courage to share the music with the world. On stage I love dancing around, but it’s never planned, I move differently every time, according to my mood.

What are your earliest memories of becoming interested in music, and when did you decide to make it into your career?

It’s so hard to put a time on it, because I remember walking around singing about things I observed all the time when I was a kid, and my family would be so annoyed with me. I guess it became clearer to me that it was something I wanted to do when I as around 14-15.

You’ve had a lot of success in Denmark and even sung a song written by Bryan Adams and Gretchen Peters, so how did all this start?

I was asked to sing s song for movie once, and it was written by Bryan Adams, but that had nothing to do with my Fallulah project. It was just a one off thing, and a fun experience.

If you could choose someone now to write a song for you, who would it be?

I always want to write my own songs. To me, that is the creative output that brings me the most joy.

Who/what influences you, musically and otherwise?

I like to dig deep into emotions and tell stories from my life. I love creating a cinematic soundscape around the songs, and help create visuals in the minds of the listeners. Often when I write, I see images that fit the song, and that helps me tune into what it should sound like. I’m also sometimes inspired by books, especially my favourite author Haruki Murakami.

Your father was part of a Balkan dance and music group and you toured with them when you were young. Does that have an influence on the sounds you make?

I grew up listening to Balkan music, observing my parents dancing Balkan folk dance all of my childhood, so in a way, I’ve been influenced by that. It’s not something I’m very conscious of when I write songs though, but I think it shines through in the way I build my rhythms and my way of singing sometimes.

If you had to describe the sound of Fallulah, how would you do it?

Drums, flutes, cinema, woods, joy, sorrow, release.

You’ve appeared as a guest on the Danish X Factor, so what are your thoughts on singing competitions such as that?

I distinguish a lot between being a guest on the show, and a participant. As an artist, I think it’s great we can use that as a platform to show what we’re doing at the moment. But I don’t believe the people that participate can win careers. It takes hard work and dedication, and there are just no short cuts. I think a lot of people who’ve been in those shows, have been very disappointed afterwards, and I feel bad for them.

Are you looking forward to the Ja Ja Ja night?

Absolutely; I love playing in London, and have been wanting to go back for a while. I’m very interested in what ‘s going on with the Nordic scene these days, and am looking forward to both playing and seeing the other bands.

What should we expect from a Fallulah live show?

I’m very energetic on stage, and I love putting on a show. I’m so excited, because I get to do a lot of brand new songs. We’ve just played some shows at SXSW Austin, and it’s been great to feel the response from the crowd, and I hope the Londoners will enjoy my set.

What are your ambitions for the rest of the year?

I want to play abroad a lot, and open myself up to new places, where I haven’t spend much time before. I’m crossing my fingers that my new album will be ready to be released in the UK and the US later this year.

Ja Ja Ja takes place on Thursday 28 March at The Lexington, London. Tickets for the event are £5 and available via this link and to find out more about the showcase, head to the Ja Ja Ja Facebook event page.

ON AN ON are a Chicago/Minneapolis crossbreed, formed from the ashes of the now-defunct Scattered Trees. They’ve just dropped their debut record Give In, which has received great feedback across the board – they’ve been widely praised for their dream-riddled smogpop, encrusted with synth glitter and ’80s indie guitar.

The noises they make are wild, with each instrumental line aimlessly drifting into the ether, expanding the sound tenfold to create an all-encompassing haze of bliss. It’s wonderfully uplifting, even though much of the time they appear thoroughly dazed. They burst onto the scene relatively recently, and are already accruing legions of fans – a feat that’s surely a testament to the quality of their output. As we present an exclusive live video of the band’s hypnotic track ‘Ghosts’, we catch up with the band to talk about their story so far.

Can you tell us a bit about the band? Who does what, and how did you guys get together?

We are officially a three piece, but we tour with a drummer. Nate plays guitar, Alissa plays keyboards, and Ryne plays bass. Everybody sings in some capacity. Alissa and Nate have known each other since they were little kids. They grew up together in a small town outside of Minneapolis, MN. Ryne and Nate met each other in the Chicago area in 2003. They ran in the same music scene and eventually got together to collaborate.

How are Chicago and Minneapolis musically? Are there vibrant scenes there? Good places in which to be musicians?

Chicago and Minneapolis are both great, albeit for different reasons. You have to work hard to establish yourself in any music scene, but Chicago in particular is tough. That’s a good thing though. It makes you grateful when good things happen, and our fan base there is very loyal. Minneapolis is known around the world for its healthy support of its local music. There’s a strong history there, where if you’re doing something worthwhile its most likely going to be noticed and helped along by public radio stations and other leaders in the scene. Also, everybody there goes to shows, so word of mouth there is really powerful as well. They’re two of the best cities in America if you ask us.

What was your first UK show like?

It was incredible. We couldn’t believe it when we heard it sold out. None of us had played music in the UK before. So, to have that kind of welcome was amazing. Those are the shows that stand out in the grand scheme of things.

How would you say UK and US audiences are different? Or do you think they’re similar?

There are more similarities than differences for sure. No matter where it is, getting a bunch of people together to have a good time and watch live music makes a room feel electric. It’s like sex. When its good, it’s amazing. And when it’s not so good, at least somebody came.

What is an ON AN ON show like?

Like this,

mixed with this,

and this.

Do you have any gig rituals?

Not really. We try to keep it pretty normal. The most consistent pre-show thing we do is ask each other if we are ready, then we just go out and play.

What’s your best/worst memory of playing live?

That’s a tough one. Well, one time we were playing in Nashville, Tennessee and the sound guys took up our entire sound check trying to figure something out that they eventually gave up on. Right before we started our set, the promoter came on stage and told us we only had time for three songs. But, later in that show we joined the other band in their encore, which entailed us basically going crazy on stage. I’m pretty sure Ryne ended up riding on someone’s back who was wearing roller blades. So, that show was a worst and best experience all in one.

The album is out very soon. How did you write and record it? Was it an easy process?

It wasn’t so much easy as it was natural. When we write, usually someone will bring a strong idea initially. From there we start piecing things together, tearing things apart, and rebuilding them again until we love it. Our individual processes compliment one another well. We finish all the songs together. We wrote some in the studio too. We tracked and mixed the record just outside Toronto, Canada with Dave Newfeld at his studio Stars and Suns.

What would you say the standout moments of the record, and the album making process were for you?

The entire experience was one giant standout moment. One time I went in and tracked a guitar part well enough, but I wanted to do it a few more times. I knew I could play it better. After a couple more takes we listened back. To my surprise, there was a lot more energy in the first take than the last one where I felt like I nailed it. All the notes were there, but you could almost hear that I was a bit hesitant or nervous. That wasn’t the feeling I was going for originally, but we found that the more moments of vulnerability we captured the more interesting the sound became.

If you had to sum it up, what would you say the album’s about, thematically?

Probably love, death, ambivalence, power, and corruption.

What were the biggest influences for the album – both musical and otherwise?

A lot of personal experience influenced Give In. There’s a lot of freedom that comes with starting a new band. There were no sonic loyalties to uphold. We didn’t have any specific bands that we wanted to combine to comprise our sound. That’s not the way we wanted to go about things. We did know what we wanted to avoid and what we wanted to explore. Ultimately, the most exciting thing was the exploration and discovery. So, we ended up going after that the whole time.

Do you have any dream collaborations?

David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, The Flaming Lips.

What’s your take on the reaction to ‘Ghosts’? It’s gotten a lot of attention!

It’s been amazing to meet people who are into what we are doing. We didn’t expect things to happen so fast. The Internet can work pretty quickly I guess.

And finally, what does the rest of 2013 hold for ON AN ON?

It looks as though we will be touring our asses off. We’re looking forward to the festivals this summer and trying to spread the love evenly over the globe.

Give In is available now through City Slang.

There are few artists that are better at making electronic noise music than Fuck Buttons. Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power have been creating confrontational, head-frying sounds since 2008’s Street Horrrsing album but have been silent since the following year’s Tarot Sport.

While Fuck Buttons have been having some down time, these two gentlemen haven’t been resting on their laurels. Power has been off making drones under the Blanck Mass moniker, and towards the end of 2012 Hung unveiled his new project, Dawn Hunger.

While Hung is very much the man behind this new act, he’s taking something of a backseat and leaving all live appearances to the other two people who make up Dawn Hunger: vocalist Claire Inglis and musician Matthew de Pulford. The sound of Dawn Hunger (an anagram of Andrew Hung, fact fans) is not too dissimilar to that of Hung’s other band: there’s an unsettling noise edge to the music, the sound of a broken drum machine and synths falling down the stairs, but what sets it apart are the striking vocals of Inglis. Her powerful vocals rise above the music making this something entirely different to any of Hung’s previous work.

As we find out during a chat with Hung, composing for a vocalist is something he’s long been interested in, and following the release of the ‘Stumbling Room/Billowing Wind’ single we discover that the future of Dawn Hunger is completely undefined, open to leading Hung and his performers absolutely anywhere.

So, how did Dawn Hunger come about?

I knew Claire from quite a long time ago when I used to live in Bristol, and I met up with her again quite recently. She’s always been looking to sing again and I’ve been wanting to work with a vocalist as well so we just got working that way.

Was the choice of Claire as vocalist vital to the project?

I think so! I mean, she wanted to perform it and I knew I really couldn’t commit to that while doing Fuck Buttons, so I was quite happy to write music for her to play with. The process is still actually changing; I’ve only come to realise that recently as they’ve started gigging more and more, and I get to see them quite often, it’s informed the writing process – which is quite interesting actually.

How long have Claire and Matthew been performing this music?

They’ve been gigging for quite a while now, but I wanted the music to develop before they got any kind of attention at all – but the November 2012 gig was the first one Dawn Hunger played for the [single] release.

What’s the writing and recording process like for Dawn Hunger?

The way it’s been kick-started is that I’ve written the music and they’ve taken those parts and reinvented them… but that’s changed quite a lot since we started. Because they’re playing live and adding their touches to it, I think that’s going to come back into the writing process sooner or later. Because I wanted to develop it, I’ve actually written about 350-400 vignettes [of music] which are in varying states of completion… so in terms of an album release there’s a lot of music there! But there’s nothing that I’m ready to release yet.

And do you write this music and hand it over, or does everyone get involved?

Well, we write it together… we had to go through quite a lot of different ways of doing it until one worked. I asked Claire to do as much as she wanted and experiment with it and edit it, but that took a lot of energy out of it. I’m not very experienced with singing so I think it took a lot of energy for her to do that… so then I started writing a vocal line on a keyboard, but that sound clinical, which was okay. But the best way we do it now – because I can’t sing at all – is that I’ll try to sing a vocal line for her and she’ll pick up what I’m trying to do, and then do it a lot better!

Was the vocal aspect important to you, have you always wanted to explore that musically?

Yeah, definitely! I’ve always been a fan of female vocals from a young age, but I’d never entertained the idea of making music as a living… but Fuck Buttons injected, I dunno, a belief or something, and I wanted to try and explore it a little bit more and the obvious thing to do was to do vocals with it.

Is there a temptation to add more female vocalists to Dawn Hunger, or is it built around Claire?

I don’t know what the future holds for this project to be honest with you, and I find that quite exciting. At the moment it’s just about developing it and there are a lot of ingredients waiting to be explored; I’m quite happy with the relationship I’ve had with Claire and the way it’s developed and is still developing.

What’s the thinking behind not being part of the live setup?

I guess the focus is on Claire, or the vocals and the music, and whether I’m on stage isn’t important for those things… but there’s always room for changes. I kind of wanted this project to be very versatile, so I guess it allows for varying degrees of configuration…but the focus is always on the vocals.

It sounds like there’s still not a defined future then for Dawn Hunger…

It does feel a bit like flailing around in the darkness at the moment trying to understand it. I mean, I had a really strong idea of what the whole thing would be like – how it would feel – before the release of the single but to be honest with you, things change and that’s quite important to this project.

Are there any female vocalists that have influenced the project?

I wouldn’t say there are any influences at all, but there’s definitely an aesthetic that I was drawn to when it comes to female vocals. I’ve had to assess what my tastes are and try and identify what they were before trying to get it out of Claire. The female vocals that I like are usually ones with large vocal ranges, and I like nuance and, well, personality! Technicality isn’t important to me; it’s about trying to get a feeling across.

Was having vocals also a way of making sure there was a real separation between this and Fuck Buttons, or was that not important or part of your thinking?

It was really important to me, actually. I mean, if I was going to do music in my spare time it could be anything and I wouldn’t really care about it, so I was dead set on making something interesting that wasn’t anything to do with Fuck Buttons. When I first started writing this music it did sound like Fuck Buttons but with a female vocalist on top of it, and that wasn’t something I was interested in. So it took me like a year and a half to develop something to make it what it is now… like I said earlier it took 300-400 tracks before something interesting happened.

That sounds like a lot of work…

That depends how you define work, I define that as something that you hate – this was fun!

So what’s next, more gigging and seeing what happens next?

I think so; recently they’ve played a bit more and the live show has given me a lot of ideas that I wasn’t expecting so I’m very eager to start writing again and see where that takes us. I’ve always been interested in how DJs go out with tracks that they’ve made that day and then see how it goes down on the dancefloor. It seems like when they’ve [Claire and Matt] played live it’s given me ideas and now that they’re playing more shows it’s going to be nice to be able to road test some of those songs.

If we mentioned Peckham, your brain would be justified in immediately turning to the Peckham Terminator or indeed the lovable Trotter brothers as a first port of call. But Daniel Woolhouse, monikering himself Deptford Goth, looks set to change all that with the release of his near-perfect debut album, Life After Defo, this month.

Proving that South London is the new source of musical force to contend with, Woolhouse has crafted a big, big record hiding behind the guise of a delicate and timid indie release. Life After Defo hits you with melodious quirk, introverted vocals and ear-caressing beats, which ably demonstrate how to harvest the potential uncrystalised by The XX‘s Coexist last year. Tracks such as ‘Lions‘, singles ‘Life After Defo’ and ‘Union‘ and album’s next release, ‘Feel Real’, show Woolhouse’s knack for writing songs that grab you at once and hold firm. ‘Feel Real’ itself is – to our ears – one of the highlights of this year and we can’t wait to see the video for it, which – as Woolhouse tells us below – is coming shortly. Here’s a quick breeze-shooting session we had with the chap.

We’re intrigued about the name Deptford Goth. Why not Peckham Goth?

It was just something I had written down, I liked the words together. I thought it would be a good name for a character in a story. When I put a track up on Myspace to share with my friends, it was the name I used.

So you weren’t tempted to just use your own name, then?

Well, when I put that track up on the Internet, I had no reason to think that ultimately I would release an EP and now the album, so it wasn’t really a conscious decision back then not to use my own name. It just sort of happened, so I kept it.

How did you first start making music?

When I was younger, I had a four track and a guitar and my sister had this little Casio keyboard.

London based Standish/Carlyon helped soundtrack the most sexed up day of the year with their head-swimmingly sensual new drop, ‘Nono/Yoyo’.

Comprising two members of Aussie expatriate rock trio Devastations – Conrad Standish and Tom Carlyon – this new project draws on all manner of undulating bass effects, woozy synth loops and sweetly intoxicating falsetto vocals to achieve states of pure sonic bliss.

It’s fair to say their sound has mutated somewhat from the Devastations days and while this may not appeal to all of their former band’s followers, Standish/Carlyon will no doubt have a legion of new fans queuing up around the block to sample their delicate slow motion dance pop. We caught up with Conrad and Tom from the band to talk about their forthcoming LP, absurdist live touches and shoulder rubs. At least we didn’t need to ask that oh so trite question of, “tell us how you thought up the band name” eh?

Guys ‘Nono/Yoyo’ seemed to arrive on the very cusp of Valentine’s Day; was there an ulterior motive behind that, or was it pure coincidence?

That was just a coincidence, a happy accident.

Does one of you take on all the songwriting duties, or is there a far looser exchange of ideas that comes with being such close friends?

We both take on songwriting duties – we kind of stumbled into a ‘production-line’ method that we are gradually refining, and so far seems to be a good and effective way for us to work together.

Have you had much feedback from staunch Devastations fans reacting to the new project?

None that I’m aware of. Perhaps they’re crying into their pillowcases. The idea that you can only like one kind of sound or feeling is a bit redundant now though, I think. It’s 2013. There will be people who love what you do, and people who won’t. We can’t control that, and it’s not very interesting to try to control that.

Was the idea of changing the direction and aesthetic of Devastations, rather than starting afresh with Standish/Carlyon ever entertained?

No, Devastations had to be put on ice. This was in 2009 or so. When Tom and I first came up with the initial seed for Standish/Carlyon it was clear that we had to make it a new project, and to not attach it to anything from our past. The direction of Devastations was always in flux anyway.

Do you think you’ll rekindle your working relationship with Hugo on another project in the future?

Sure, there’s no hard feelings or anything. We just aren’t in need of a live drummer at this juncture. Hugo’s been doing a bunch of stuff here in Melbourne and also with a band in Phnom Penh, keeping busy. I love that man, he’s a great friend.

You’ve both spent time living and performing across Europe as well as your native Australia: which nation has the craziest gig-going fanbase of the whole lot?

In Melbourne, where we’re both from, there is a very tight-knit musical community. Very supportive. I don’t know how ‘crazy’ it is though. If we’re going down that road I’d have to say that the further south you travel in Europe, the wilder things tend to get. We’re really looking forward to taking this new project back overseas.

We noticed Jonnine [lead vocalist of HTRK and Mrs. Conrad Standish] playing chess in the background at one of your early shows, is that kind of avant garde approach to visuals a regular feature of the live setup?

It’s not regular, but it’s something we like to do now and then. We have a friend called Ying – who has performed with us – painting her nails, playing chess or having faux-Skype conversations. It sounds ridiculous and that’s clearly the point. Our live show is generally very static, so we started to incorporate these things to break it up a little. Not in a performance art way, more an absurdist touch. Interestingly, she has recently been poached by Bryan Ferry, and I believe is now working for him as some kind of intern.

Two of your first shows under the Standish/Carlyon banner were supporting HTRK back in 2011; is there a bit of gentle rivalry between yourselves when you perform on the same bill?

No, nothing like that. We get more nervous for each other than anything – hoping there are no technical issues in each other’s shows etc. We’re family.

We heard that Liars specifically requested you play live at Belgium’s Sonic City festival – which they were curating – that must have felt like a pretty awesome seal of early approval?

Yeah definitely. They’re old, old friends and collaborators. I’ve known Angus since kindergarten. The lineup they put together was amazing. Chris and Cosey, Mark Ernestus & Tikiman, HTRK, Oneida, us, Factory Floor, Sightings – we had a great time. That was only our third ever show though, so it wasn’t the most relaxing of experiences, for me anyway.

You recently performed at The Drones curated I’ll Be Your Mirror along with Godspeed You! Black Emperor, My Bloody Valentine and Swans. Do you still feel nervous rubbing shoulders with iconic acts at those kinds of events, or are they washed away by a sense of pride and accomplishment?

I would be very nervous were my shoulders to be rubbed by Michael Gira. Or his percussionist. Definitely his percussionist.

Your debut album Deleted Scenes is out in May via felte, should we be expecting more brooding atmospheric pop, or do you have even more tricks up your sleeve and layers to the Standish/Carlyon sound?

Always something up our sleeves. More fun that way.

Any plans to take the album out on the road following its release?

Yes, definitely. USA, UK/EU, U-Name-It.

Finally, if you could only be one of the following, would you rather be a kickass live act, or excellent recording artists?

Personally, I would prefer to be an excellent recording artist.

Standish/Carlyon release their debut LP, Deleted Scenes, on 14 May via felte.

The first time I met Mozart’s Sister – or Caila Thompson-Hannant as we were introduced – I cried on her for about twenty minutes. It was last year at SXSW and I’d had one too many tequilas. What can I say? She was pretty relaxed about it.

On returning home I thought it at least polite to give her music a listen, but all I could find online was ‘Dear Fear’, a staccato sweep of darkly intriguing, if not slightly questionable lyrics (we’ll come to those in a bit), and a soaring vocal that brought to mind Cyndi Lauper, side-ponytails, and playing Dream Phone.

Skip forward twelve months and she’s got a four track EP just out via trendsetter label Merok, has spent the last three weeks holed up in a London studio working on her debut album, and is about to support Dan Deacon at Shoreditch’s Village Underground. Oh, and it’s also Valentine’s Day, her stage aptly decorated with helium filled foil balloons, ‘I love you’ emblazoned on the largest.

We decide to head for the nearest, cheap Vietnamese in the hope its speedy, plastic service may mean a table being available on probably the most popular day of the year to dine out.

Seated, talk quickly turns to London, a city she describes as beautiful, but one she’s had little chance to take advantage of due to a heavy studio regime. So what was her thinking in flying over 5000km for something that is surely available in her hometown of Montreal? “A lot of reasons,” she asserts. “Some are just logistical with management and some are just because I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, I really believe in that. I’ve been working on these songs for a long time but I’m kind of at the point where, it’s sort of like a plateau where I didn’t know what I wanted to do with them. It’s opened up a new chamber in my mind for what I want to do, musically, that I wasn’t even that in tune with before.”

We talk about the self-motivation and discipline that’s required to work solo and I confess my own tendency to lose focus should a mealtime be anywhere in the near future. “Food is one of the hugest hurdles,” she emphatically agrees. “Seriously. One of the hugest barriers in the creative process is food. I swear to God. Honestly, when I’m home and having a creative day or whatever, I would wake up and be super energetic, make coffee, work for like, two or three hours…”

A waiter comes to take our order. “Food is getting in the way right now,” she deadpans, before picking back up. “I really find the morning to be productive and then I just get hungry, honestly, and I’m like ‘fuuuuuuck’. I’m just so angry, like why can’t I just drink coffee all day and be satisfied?”

Caila has been working in the 4AD studios in South London with the in-house engineer, even putting in the hours on her birthday, albeit with a little fizzy wine. Working with another person is an experience she enthuses over, as well as the encouragement to keep going for up to 12 hours straight. But how has she found sharing personal ideas? Does she ever feel shy bringing her unfinished work to another set of ears?

“I can be shy,” she nods. “I felt shy at first, being here. I find that when I’m working on a new idea with somebody around, I can sense that my flow is off thinking about them, so usually it’s just easier for me to be like, ‘Let me just go do this myself for 15-20 minutes and then I’ll be back.’ It’s sort of shyness and it’s also, you have to shut your mind off a little bit sometimes, to get into things.”

I offer that she certainly doesn’t come across as being too shy. The aforementioned ‘Dear Fear’ containing the lyrics, “I sleep all day and I crank all night.” I double-check I’m not mishearing and she confirms my first thoughts while I break into giggles.

Caila: Crank? Crank all night. I don’t know what it is. Is it something?

Best Fit: Yeah, a crank is like crying and wanking at the same time.

LAUGHTER.

Caila: No it’s not?

Best Fit: Yes it is.

Caila: Well that sounds great to me.

Best Fit: Did you not know that?

Caila: I didn’t know that.

Best Fit: Well, what did you mean by crank then?

Caila: I dunno, it just sounded cool. I was like crank, yeah crank. I didn’t know what it was I just thought it was, yeah, kind of dirty. It kind of has a dirty connotation, like craaaank. Like, kind of clumsy, like crass. But also sort of badass. But I don’t know if wanking off is badass… Wanking off is pretty badass. Masturbating, while crying. That is pretty hilarious.

And with that I’m crying again in the presence of Mozart’s Sister, although this time it’s for slightly better reasons. Moving on, we talk about comparisons (she doesn’t care who you compare her to) and contemporaries.

There has been a recent explosion of Canadian artists finding fame on UK stereos. I ask whether Caila finds this a trend she’d like to take advantage of, or a hindrance, to be lumped in with a musical group just because of geography. “It would never be a hindrance.” She pauses for a while, “I’m not sure… I think that in Montreal, for me as an artist, it’s very helpful because those guys are always raising the bar. We’re constantly inspired by each other and it feels great to have a peer group of people that are quite diverse, musically. But we all really love each other’s work and are supportive.”

Live, Caila is like a little bit Grimes, like a dirty Mariah Carey with a chaos pad, all sass, effects, and threateningly powerful voice. She describes playing as, “Connecting with some sort of force, some sort of time and energy,” and no longer worries about criticism that it might be a ‘karaoke’ style of playing over backing track, “It’s just more normalised now. It’s like, who cares?”

She’s appearing at this year’s SXSW festival in Austin, Texas and taking a backing vocalist a long for the ride, as well as a few shows in major North American cities, but what about the future? Are there any plans to bring in more musicians? Or even an extravagant stage show, get some distracting food involved?

“You know what I did once?” She leans in, already cracking herself up. “I brought a carrot on stage from backstage and pressed the first pad on a song I was starting to play and then took a bite of the carrot and then was actually chewing the carrot and I was like, ‘Why the fuck did I do that?’ It was so ridiculous. I had to start singing, but… I was just really relaxed that show.”

I can’t imagine any other way Mozart’s Sister could be.

Wasting no time collaborating with the hottest names in music, rising songstress, George Maple draws you into her hypercolour world where the mood can change with the blink of an eye. George Maple’s bubbly charm oozes through her words with this kind of restrained excitement. Her sultry emotion cannot be contained, spilling onto the floor of your bedroom before her only single, ‘Uphill’ has a chance to hit the minute mark.

Best Fit chats with the lovely George Maple about her beginnings in her native Australia, and how one magical night in a bar turned into a hit single and tour with Flight Facilities, to being compared to Jessie Ware, making the move from Sydney to London, her love of Imogen Heap, how she translates experiences into songs, plans for future releases, and of course her collaboration with Flume. What’s more, check out the brand new video for new single ‘Fixed’ directly below.

So many people were introduced to your lovely voice through your collaboration with Flume on the track ‘Bring You Down’, which appeared on his debut album. How did that collaboration come about?

About a year and a half ago, I was driving home from a session in Sydney. Triple J (Which is like the Aussie version of BBC 1) played the track ‘Sleepless’ (which was Flume‘s first radio release) and I was blown away, I almost had a collision trying to Shazam the tune. It turned out I knew his manager, so I emailed him and he introduced us and it kind of evolved from there. ‘Bring You Down’ was written over a few months, some bits in San Francisco, some in Bali, some in Melbourne. We wen’t back and forth over email and only met when we recorded the track in a friend’s basement in Newport, Sydney. It was quite an international process.


You’ve also toured with Flight Facilities. How did that come about, and what was that experience like?

Ha ha yes. I met Hugo (one half of Flight Facilities) in a bar in Sydney. That sounds so sleazy ha, but it’s completely innocent. I think it was around Feb 2010, so three years ago now, a friend of mine had sent me ‘Crave You’ the week before. I was quite shy about my singing at the time but I had just finished performing at a piano bar around the corner. Must have been buzzing from the adrenaline for some reason because I blurted out that I was a singer, he asked to hear some music, a few champagnes gave me the courage to email him a demo later that evening. I was so nervous, but he seemed to like it, and the three of us ended up writing a song called ‘Foreign Language’. The track was released the following year and I was lucky enough (and still lucky enough) to go perform the live show.

It’s been such an incredible ride, the first gig we ever did was in a mining town called Mackay in Queensland. It has definitely come a long way from there, we are like a family now. I’ve learned so much, met so many people along the way. I’m so glad I was tipsy enough to send that demo.


How long have you been singing and writing music?

I was always caught up in my own imagination when I was young (I still am really). I was always drawing, writing or playing dress up. I was probably about nine when I discovered singing and I wrote my first song at age eleven, (I think I ripped off an Alicia Keys song) but I kept writing because I really enjoyed it. I think it was a bit of a natural progression from my childhood fantasy world. Creativity is kind of like a form of therapy or exercise for me, I write and sing, (dance in my living room) and create things every day, just because I enjoy it. I think it’s the excitement of the spontaneous, it’s like my adrenaline rush.

To me, your sound is the most soulful of pop songs meets Imogen Heap. Maybe I’m way off having only heard two songs. Haha.

Wow…that’s so lovely. I love Imogen Heap. This video is such a wicked performance of the track ‘Hide and Seek’. It’s quite funny you mention that, it’s a little random, but when I was at school I had to choose a song and turn it into a 200 girl choir piece, and I chose her track ‘Hide and Seek’. She’s definitely had an impact on my writing, I think using that vocoder was so ahead of it’s time. I seem to find it really tricky to classify my sound, I’m never quite sure what to say. I feel like it will keep changing each day in some small way, so I suppose we’ll see in the next few months :)


If you could pick a food or dish to describe your sound, what would you pick and why?

hmmm…I’d have to say some form of butterscotch ice cream…I think…creamy…but kind all the pieces of butterscotch are slightly uneven and dishevelled.

What are your songs about?

Thoughts, places, people, ideas, obscurity, making sense of the world. Last year I spent a lot of time travelling around. I think I was at home for a total of 3 or 4 months of the year. I wrote most of the George Maple tracks during this time. It was eye-opening to notice how different environments influenced the tone and mood of the songs.

At the beginning of the year I spent quite a lot of time hidden away in my bedroom writing and developing and learning how to produce. It was quite lonely and frustrating at times and you can hear that in the tone of the tracks. Whereas when I moved to London I was meeting so many new people and discovering what it’s like to live in a big city for the first time, I found myself writing more beat driven songs. When I was in Australia touring over Christmas I had a real summer, I met a whole group of new people, listened to a lot of Onra and Rhye, partied, danced and romanced, so the songs were far more uplifting and fun.


Where does the name George Maple come from?

Originally I developed George Maple as a kind of fictional character. I began developing narratives and stories about who she was where she came from, who broke her heart; I was interested in surrealism, the sublime, gothic literature and the power of basic human instinct at the time, so everything was quite dark and villainous. The more I wrote however, the more I realised it’s not in my nature to contrive a persona for myself, it just wouldn’t work for me. I also began to come to terms with being vulnerable and began to enjoy the freedom of being honest with my songs so I decided to make it more of a creative canvas where I could be a little more eccentric and explore ideas that were perhaps a little outside of myself.

From his chilled out wardrobe of t-shirts, backwards caps and shorts (on a warm day) to his laid back demeanour, Niall Galvin, better known as Only Real, could be mistaken for any other kid who just hangs with his friends at the skate park.

However there is more to this 21-year-old West Londoner. Influenced by a plethora of musical styles, Only Real takes all he’s heard, learned and experienced to make music that’s fuzzy yet fluid. His debut single, ‘Backseat Kissers’, which is out now on ASL, is a retro and lo-fi melodic journey that will leave you without a care in the world. Only Real chats with Best Fit about his unlikely introduction to music, what kind of music he’d make with Kanye West and why it’s hard to label his music.

Let’s start at the beginning, and talk about when you first fell in love with music.

I don’t know when I first fell in love with it. But there was a time when I was like 7 that I didn’t like listening to music. It used to make me feel so intense, and I couldn’t cope with it. I didn’t understand why people wanted to feel that intense. Now obviously I love that intensity.

What’s your musical background?

My dad always was playing like Neil Young, Van Morrison and Jackson Brown. I like those guys a lot and I like seeing them live because they have like 20 guitars on stage, and there’s just a completely different atmosphere to other shows you go to there – the real guys like the legit guitar guys. My mum got me in to the Beach Boys. Then the hip hop and guitar music I like comes from skateboarding videos I think, and friends sharing things with me.

What’s the story behind the name ‘Only Real’?

My friend just said it to me one day and I immediately loved everything it made me think about. Everything that goes through my head when I think about it is exactly what I think Only Real is about you know.

How do you go about your songwriting?

I work off sparks so something comes to me and I normally can’t help myself but spending ages developing it. Time goes so fast when I’m doing that, like days and nights just whiz by it’s quite disconcerting. But it’s also where I feel most useful and absorbed, other than that I have a bit of a propensity to float and not focus on things.

What’s the song ‘Backseat Kissers’ about?

It’s about embracing the days. Not sitting back and watching them go by but immersing yourself in the current and the real exhilaration you get when you do that. It’s about youth and it’s about fun.

What’s the inspiration for the video for ‘Backseat Kissers’?

It’s a chance for people to get to know what me and the people I’m closest to are about, what we do and what were like. Only Real, to me, is more than the music it’s everything I am, So I want people to understand what that is and hope they feel it and can relate.

Some have thrown your music into different categories including rap music, but you don’t take the “traditional” approach to rap. What drew you to taking this approach?

Well I don’t think my music is rap music. It has obviously got an element of that, but it’s got so many other elements that have all been mixed in my mind over the years. So I hope it’s just music coming out a mind that has been developed by everything in my life, not just music but experiences and emotions as well. That seems like a pretty honest way to make art.

Has your London upbringing influenced your music? How?

Of course, it’s unavoidable because it’s where I have grown up and where my mind has experienced everything so it’s shaped me in that way. I might be too involved in it to really spot it as much as other people, but I think I’m clearly from London and I’m proud of that. I love London and there are still so many things I discover that I love about the city.

What are you listening to now? Any guilty pleasures?

I have been listening to the Yuck album this morning. I love Yuck so much actually. Yesterday I was listening to Earth, Wind and Fire, Shalamar, The Whispers - all that nice disco vibes.

If you could work with anyone on a song, who would it be and what do you think that song would sound like?

Grimes or Kanye West. Both would sound WAVEY.

So who is ‘Cadillac Girl’?

Well, without getting too specific… It’s just that girl you know? The one where the whole situation/relationship is fucked and tricky but super sexy nonetheless.

If you weren’t doing music, what do you think you’d be doing?

I’d be so sick at Tekken 3, but I expect I would also be really disillusioned and unfulfilled. I wouldn’t really be me in any recognisable way.

What is coming up for Only Real in 2013?

Loads of music in various packages [is] coming and videos, too. I have loads to do before I feel I’m in a position to release the album I intend to release. I want people to know what I’m about more so yeah, just work really hard to make that happen. And I hope i’m lucky enough that it does.

Lying somewhere between the intricate styles of Mark McGuire and the fluid RnB breaks of Shlohmo sits this prolific producer-on-the-rise, Soroosh Khavari aka Soosh. If you’ve been paying attention, you already know we’ve been gushing over his ability to create lush, churning beats, incorporating downtempo breaks with a textural buzzing darkness for months.

Today we unveil the video for ‘Uncertain’, in which wisps of delicate vocals guide you through a world of muted basslines bleeding into watercolor soundscapes. Soosh does more than just create lovely sounds– these digital reverberations paint a peculiar dichotomy, melding familiarity with desire and blurred realities with heightened senses.

Soosh’s video for ‘Uncertain’ gently pieces together emotions through a nostalgic conviction of the senses. The way the sand felt beneath your feet, how she smelled when you brushed the strand of hair off her face. Smart editing tricks and nature at it’s best lend a hand to allowing those feelings to come to life. Be sure to check out our exclusive chat with Soosh and his new video below.

Who is Soosh the producer, and where did he come from?

I’m Soroosh Khavari, a man from Iran.   Born in post Islamic revolution Iran, my family escaped, as they were Baha’is to avoid the genocide and persecution that was going on.  I was a wee 6-month year old kid, and eventually grew up in the more relaxed lands of Scotland.

You’re lived in quite a few places, cities like Glasgow and Vancouver. Has your environment affected the type of music you make?

Well I only started making music when I moved to BC, Canada in 2010.  That was really the start for me, having time away and just enjoying a new pace of life.  Places definitely influence me, and it kind of relates to how much free time I have as well.  If I’m feeling free, then good music usually comes :)  It all helps, and a new place can make you feel more open and take in the smaller details I often take for granted.

Your debut album for Error Broadcast, Colour Is Breathe was mostly written and recorded when you were living in Italy. What about Italy inspired you to create such music?

Well my girlfriend is from Italy, so I went to be with her, which was great.   I think my situation definitely influenced me and comes through on the album in a way.  It was an important time in my life, and I’m really happy that I had the chance to be out there so long.

Did you have a particular audience in mind when writing and recording Colour Is Breathe?

I think, most importantly, I like what I’m doing.  I don’t tend to think about other people while making music.   If it feels right to me, the vibe, I can listen through without cringing and feel some sort of connection then all is good with me.   I want to be honest with what I’m doing, and I have to feel it first!   Audience wise, I hope it won’t just be for the electronic crowd.   I think there’s something in there for others too.

Are you planning to tour or play any live shows to promote this record?

I’m playing a live gig at a festival Italy in May, and there are a few things being planned after that. Just nailing the live set as we speak.  Definitely a tour for later this year!

If so, what’s your live setup like? Do you incorporate any live instruments or vocals?

My live set is some live improv synth-playing on my op-1.  And triggering all sorts of loops and effects with apc 40, and drum machine.  Vocals wise would be good to get my sister playing live with me sometime but not happy using my own voice live yet!

If you had to pick a food or a dish to describe your sound, what would you pick and why?

My mum’s Ghomre sabzi, a lamb and bean stew thing.  Hearty, wholesome and real flavours!!  SO many layers of it haha…

Is a song better if it’s about something that happened to you personally?

It depends; some of my favourite tunes are not based on anything, but a vibe.  I think the vibe is the most important thing and feel of a track.   Maybe you can hear it’s deeper than that but I like to keep things a little vague.   Leave it up to the listener!

What are some of your favourite songs and why?

Portishead – ‘Roads’   Just one of the first tracks I ever heard that really grabbed me.
Fourtet- ‘Rounds/Pause’   Those two early albums really got me into a new kind of electronic music. It was love straight away.  Lukid’s first album way back got me into the whole ‘beats’ side of things.  Listening back it quite simple now but I could connect with it so much at the time.

Elsie Mae- ‘Do You Wanna Rescue Me’ –  Amazing slice of real soul and gospel music.  And possibly my favourite album is a rocksteady compilation called Jamaican Memories.   Just listen and you will understand!!!

What do you hope listeners take away from your music, if anything?

Be good if they can get lost in a world for a sec, take their worries away.   Hopefully feel a connection to the music and not just be sounds!  Enjoy that is all I ask!

What’s next for Soosh?

A remixes album of Colour is Breathe is coming.  Big remixes from the likes of Dels, Synkro, Slugabed, Evenings, Dam Mantle and many others.  Some new kids which are amazing as well.  Working on lots of new tunes just now, all different vibes and I feel my sound is starting to change a lot in a good way.  Excited to share it eventually!!!

Any closing words/shout outs?

Thanks for having me :)  Big thanks to my wee sister for adding some magic to the album. To my girlfriend for supporting my music, to Sven/Flip at Error Broadcast for being cool and making it all happen.   To my granny for letting me stay at her place while finding a flat in Brighton. Thanks!  And to all you lovely people for taking the time to listen, share and buy my music.   The best is yet to come so hang around!  And of course my family!  Excited for the year ahead and share the new vibes!  Peace! Soroosh xxx

Soosh’s Colour Is Breathe LP is out via now Error Broadcast.

Morten Myklebust is a young Norwegian man who does things simply and quietly. On the surface his songs seem standard singer-songwriter stuff, and perhaps they are in a way.

But they’re written and sung with such honesty and sweet charm that it’s the simplicity – of, for example, ‘She She’ and ‘Away’, from last year’s self-titled debut album – that makes them winning songs. With an appearance from Susanne Sundfør and playing with the likes of Fran Healy and Conor Oberst, it’s clear that Morten is in respected company. With a second album lined up for this year, we caught up with the Abildsø, Oslo native to find out a little more about how he got started, and what’s coming up.

What’s your musical background?

I remember my Mom sang and she played the guitar, so we had a guitar but I didn’t really pick it up until I was 16. But I was raised on cassette tapes in the car, mixtapes of mostly 60s and 70s folk and prog… very acoustic music mostly.

You began your musical education by writing for other people, so how did you go from that to making your own music?

It was basically something that happened by happenstance; my ex-girlfriend had a producer, I knew him. He was doing a project and he just called me to see if I wanted to write some lyrics for the artist he was working with, and then suddenly – because it’s such a small scene in a way – I was doing a little bit here, a little bit there, some of it got released and then I got called in on stuff. It’s not something I enjoy doing that much, but I figured I hadn’t released anything myself yet, so the possibility to be in a studio and get some experience was something I couldn’t really say no to.

So, after a home recorded, stripped-back first album, can we expect something different from the second Morten Myklebust record?

It’s pretty different for me, I don’t know how much it’s going to be for other people. It won’t be me recording it by myself; I’ll probably travel and do it. The last record was done in 2008 and it took a long time to release. Some of the songs I wrote in high school, so this time it’s over a shorter period of time.

Were those around you supportive when you wanted to take the songs you wrote and use them for your own career?

Yeah, I think so! I didn’t really share that much of it with people until it was done, and when it was done I didn’t release it for about three years! Generally people are positive but I mean everyone is more interested in what they’re doing themselves….apathetic positivity I guess!

Can we expect it to sound like your debut album?

I think it’s a continuation of that, sort of… well, the acoustic guitar and singing… but the sound is a departure in terms of I wanted it to have some friction, for it to be more sort of noisy without it ruining the record! So it’ll be acoustic guitars, but instead of some sweet romantic strings, I’ll see if I can make some friction with some fuzzy guitar pedals or something like that!

And you’ve written on the acoustic guitar again?

For about the last year now, pretty much all the writing has been on the acoustic, and once that’s done I’m playing over it with the electrics. It’s been 95% playing electric guitar the past year, which is something I can’t really do, but I’m learning!

Are there any records that have influenced the recording?

I was really late to more of the sort of avant-garde guitar players, and I’ve been listening a lot to the Stian Westerhus record. Basically the record is 45 minutes of him playing electric guitar, it’s crazy. I really like those dynamics, it’s like a Radiohead record with no singing…it’d be like a background noise for a whole Radiohead record.

Susanne Sundfør made an appearance on your first album, is she back for album number two?

She’ll probably be somewhere on the record, I’m sure. I might be going to Los Angeles to record the whole thing, and we’ve talked about her coming out and doing some arrangements and probably singing backing vocals. She’s pretty good!

How is playing live, is it something you enjoy doing?

Live playing gets more and more fun. It is still that feeling of terror right before the show but it is not as debilitating as before. Now it is more about exploring the songs, where before it was more about surviving the evening and just getting through the set. I always love the travelling though; I did my first gig in England supporting Susanne at St. Pancras Church a few months ago which was amazing.

Fran Healy of Travis has been very supportive of your career; how did you meet him?

I met Fran at a festival in Norway, Giske Festival; an amazing place. We hung out and then he invited me to support him at a gig in Berlin, then I ended up playing in his trio for the night.

You’ve also played a show with Conor Oberst recently…

Supporting Conor Oberst was surreal; he is synonymous with “singer/songwriter” and is somebody who has had an impact on a whole generation of songwriters. It was sort of the final boss of support gigs, very inspiring and strange just to be there, never saw him in person though.

And if you weren’t making music, what would you be doing with yourself?

If I didn’t play music I would probably want to be an author, or anything to do with language.

Having already spent a few years in the music industry, Kelli Scarr and Dan Chen have had the chance to not only garner much experience to mould their craft, but also to experiment with the sounds that would lead them to create their latest project, Color of Clouds.

Collaborating on music for years under this moniker, this isn’t the first time the Brooklyn-based indie pop duo have worked together, having previously toured in another band, which they admit didn’t let them play the music they wanted. But now, with their recently released Nine of Arrows EP out in the world, Color of Clouds are now finally able to fully explore their love of layered synths and what Scarr calls, “the dark side of nostalgia.”

You two have known each other for a while now, but how did you get together as Color of Clouds? And why now?

Kelli Scarr: I had a few songs lying around that were slated to be released on my first solo record, but I knew that it was going to take a while to finish and I really wanted to get the songs out while they were still fresh. We were also interested in a creative platform where one of the main goals was to get songs on TV and in films, so we re-purposed these songs with that in mind and added more along the way.

Dan Chen: Yup – so we’ve actually been writing and recording together as Color of Clouds for a few years now. As we’ve gone along though, and especially with this new EP, we’ve begun to “find our sound.” The music has evolved into something more tangible, and more mature in some ways – certainly no longer just focused on TV and film (although being part of a movie soundtrack is always nice). At any rate, it’s because of this more cohesive sound that we decided to give the project a little more of a push this year.

So how did you both get into music?

Scarr: I got into music first through church and then started singing the [American] National Anthem around town at rodeos and sporting events. It’s all been downhill from there.

Chen: I grew up playing classical piano, and then played guitar in an indie rock band in high school.

I read that you were in a band together at some point called Moonraker. Can you talk a bit about that?

Chen: Moonraker. Five people in a van, touring the US and Canada, sleeping on floors. We had an indie deal and refused to perform any of the songs that the label put out for us, because we thought they were ‘dated’ (i.e. we were bored of playing our old songs). We were headstrong, to say the least.

Scarr: Half of the guys were studying film at Boston University and playing instrumental music on the side. They decided they wanted a singer, so they posted these ridiculous fliers on the Berklee campus, and I was green enough to respond. But for real, there seemed to be a lot of serendipity that brought us all together to have some really epic musical experiences. We are all still great friends.

What is the story behind the band name, Color of Clouds?

Scarr: I was interested in a guy who was telling me about receiving a text message from a girl that said “Clouds are your color.” I told him how horrendously cheesy she was and then promptly stole the text message and flipped it into our band name.

You both have had your own separate projects (Scarr: Salt & Samovar, Moby; Dan: Nicole Atkins, Eddi Front). How did working on those other things shape the way you make music for Color of Clouds?

Chen: Well, production-wise, I have learned a lot from working with Nicole [Atkins]. She’s been able to hire these great producers – Tore Johansson, Lenny Kaye, Phil Palazzolo; they each have different approaches, but share an ability to execute a grand vision for an album or project. I learned ways to build unique textures by blending instruments together – that’s sort of the way I put together the layered ‘out-of-tune-ness’ that you hear on our synth parts. Working with Eddi Front is always a huge experiment. We’ll record random sounds like the two of us stomping on old road-cases, and the glitchy whir of broken organ components; we’ve created an assortment of sounds from scratch in the studio. Eddi has such an edge to her. She loves mistakes, and loves sparseness. She is a constant reminder to me to keep experimenting in music.

Scarr: I wanted Color of Clouds to be different than all of my other projects. I didn’t want to rehearse or worry about PR or touring. I also wanted to experiment with my voice in different ways and sing about things I wasn’t getting to address in my other bands. This project has been a lot of fun.

How do you go about the songwriting process?

Scarr: Usually Dan builds a track and passes it off to me to play around with lyrics and melody. Sometimes we’ll write in the same room, but it’s rare. I like the alone but together approach to electronic music. Sharing vocal takes and production feedback, etc. via email.

Chen: For the song ‘Nine of Arrows’, we just sat in a room and jammed until a verse and chorus section appeared. But like Kelli said, that’s rare. More often we begin by sending ideas back and forth through email. Eventually, of course, we always end up hashing out the details in the studio together before we record all the final parts.

What song on the EP was the most memorable to work on?

Chen: I liked working on ‘Reaches You’ the best. It went through many revisions, starting off extremely full of instruments and parts, but steadily getting stripped down as we went along. And then Kelli sang this amazing vocal on it that was meant to be just the rough vocal. She sang other versions later, but that first ‘rough take’ was transcendent, so we ended up keeping it.

There’s an 80s synthpop quality to your music. Where did that stem from?

Scarr: Growing up in the 80s, then seeing the movie Drive recently and falling in love with the heavy synth sound all over again. It made me see that this music still works today and I love how it can emote the dark side of nostalgia.

Chen: I love synths. Synths, synths, synths.

What is the song ‘Nine of Arrows’ about?

Scarr: I got my cards read by a dear friend last winter and nine of arrows was my jam. The card resonated so much with where I was at at the time. There are many interpretations of this card, but the one I chose to apply to this song surrounds finding strength in how far you’ve come and not worrying about how much there is left to do. I thought that this theme somehow floated nicely above the sounds that Dan was making.

How has being in Brooklyn influenced your sound?

Chen: Brooklyn’s been home for so long that I’m not sure how exactly it has influenced our sound… I suppose since there is a huge music scene here, with so many little sub-niches of music, there’s a certain energy that can be tapped into here. There have been many times that I’ve gone to check out a band at a random neighborhood venue, and been just blown away by the opening act. Brooklyn is good for inspiring moments like that.

Who are you listening to right now?

Scarr: Iris Dement, International Submarine Band, Angel Olsen, Karen Dalton.

Chen: Prince‘s new stuff, Bat for Lashes, Gambles. That new song by David Bowie!

Any musical guilty pleasures?

Chen: Hmm…does the Prodigy count? I still love ‘Out of Space’, and ‘Poison’. Hah.

Scarr: I love all country music, but the only stuff I feel guilty about is when I catch myself singing along to all the words with Carrie Underwood.

Can you name us a song that you wish you wrote and why?

Chen: Beastie Boys ‘So What Cha Want’. No explanation necessary.

Although your EP recently released, when can we expect a studio album?

Chen: Hopefully next year? We tend to write in small batches, three or four songs here and there so it might take a little while, but we’ll get there.

And finally, what’s next for Color of Clouds in 2013?

Scarr: Touring Asia in September! Finally we can say “big in Japan” for realz!

Chen: Yeah, we’ve recently signed record deals with two indie labels, one in Korea and the other in Japan, and we’re planning to go out there. Probably Hong Kong, too. The Paju Folk Festival is already confirmed, just outside of Seoul!

She’s part of the Smalltown Supersound roster and used to be grace the covers of Vogue covers. Now she’s about to play a sold-out London show under her new guise – needless to say, Carmen Villain is bit of a commodity right now.

The music the enigmatic Norwegian crafts is led by lo-fi psych guitars and frosty vocals, both of which are eventually throttled beneath layers of distortion and affecting effects, off-kilter rhythms and whirlwinds of noise. Bouts of titanic sound reign and wisps of folk-tinged rock filter through. It’s not exactly what you’d expect on first glance; regardless, it’s brilliant.

We caught up up with the Carmen to find out more about her live set and her forthcoming album.

Can you tell us a bit about Carmen Villain and where you’re from ?

I’m from Oslo, born in USA, half Mexican/Norwegian…

Is there a story behind the name ‘Carmen Villain’?

Villain has always been one of my favorite words.

How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard you before?

I would say… psychedelic/avant/rock with a hint of 90s? I’ve heard it described as dreamy, tempestuous, lo-fi, scary yet comforting…

Who/what would you say has had the biggest influence over your songwriting?

Random small discoveries inspire me from day to day, but there is also a lot of personal experience in there. Words, such as writers like Bukowski and Bulgakov, and music has always been a great source of inspiration. Some of them: Sun City Girls for their weirdo world and influence by way of travel variety, Royal Trux for perfect pop songs gone nuts, This Heat, GZA/Wu-Tang and J Dilla for production and beats, Syd Barrett, Moondog…

How does a Carmen Villain show play out?

Loose and noisy!

What have you got in store for London? Have you played London before?

I have never played here before! I have an awesome band; Ottar, Milton, and Paal Espen. We want to put on a good show.

How much did things change for you in 2012?

Shit loads. I’ve completely changed a lot of things in my life, and the music evolved and turned into something even better than I expected when I started experimenting some time ago.

What were some highlights?

I would say recording the album, playing support for Thurston Moore, playing on a tiny island next to the Arctic circle, signing to Smalltown Supersound, and the rad people I’ve met along the way.

What’s it like being with Smalltown Supersound?

It’s great as there is a real passion for music there and all the records are put out for all the right reasons, so I feel that the record is in good hands.

How’s the debut record coming along?

It’s finished and coming out on the 01 April! I’m very happy and proud of the result. I’ve titled it Sleeper.

Could you tell us its story? What’s it about and how/when/with whom was it recorded?

It really started as a secret experiment I had to myself, I would sit and work with extremely limited recording skills, loop guitar and vocal sounds, play with noise, words and effects, and program drum machine beats. Writing lyrics was a great outlet. A lot of it was of course thrown away because I thought it was shit and embarrassing… But slowly things started to take shape. I then started with recording a few songs with Emil Nikolaisen (Serena Maneesh) and the result of that session encouraged me to finish it off as an album. So I kept writing and produced the remaining half, and also did a collaboration/coproduction track with Prins Thomas. A few different but equally inspiring and enriching processes. Thematically it’s about displacement, longing, and a sense of dissatisfaction and detachment. It’s kind of dark, I guess.

Has the record making process been what you expected?

I’m not sure what I expected, but I dare say it has surpassed anything I dreamed of. I have learned a lot, too.

What can we expect from the album?

Hopefully, as a whole, a trip… There are songs, and there’s a lot of crazy little details and layers to listen out for.

What else does 2013 hold?

Play live as much as possible and learn new end exciting things. I’m going to move on to the next recordings as soon as I can, too. And hopefully not get too broke in the process.

Carmen Villain plays the Ja Ja Ja night on 28 February at London’s Lexington, Pentonville Road. Find out more at the Ja Ja Ja Facebook event page.

Mausi are still pretty fresh-faced and new to the big bad world of music. Free from cynicism and unburdened by months of sleeping in cramped Ford Transits, they’re a relentless shot of power-dance, infested with pop charm and infectious electro-indie hooks.

Filed somewhere between Alphabeat and Passion Pit on your record shelf (if record shelves still exist?), the peppy electro-popsters are filled with a glorious youthful naiveté, the same kind you get before embarking on a holiday with mates or the journey of a lifetime. And for these four confident comrades, it is. Their upbeat euro-dance stomper ‘Move’ could soundtrack a thousand pre-drinking sessions; their first effort ‘sol.’ could back sojourns to blistering beaches. Though their songs are few and far between, there are promises of much, much more from this energetic foursome, with the potential to soundtrack the best parties, holiday romances and summer memories of a generation. We chat to Daisy Finetto about the origin stories, their love of Sophie Ellis-Bextor and how Mausi is a woman from the French Riviera.

Tell us a bit about the band – how did you form? Where did you start?

Me and my brother [Thomas] used to live just outside Milan. Five years ago he moved to go to Uni in Newcastle and he played in some bands, straight away he met Ben [Brown]. A year later I happened to go to Uni in the same city, joining in with the band as backing vocalist to start with. I slowly started writing and we eventually all found Benji [Huntrods]. We started playing together and all writing music, and then about two years ago we wrote ‘sol.’, which started the whole aesthetic we have now. A lot of Newcastle music is guitar bands trying to be rock/indie, which we originally tried to conform to, but then realised we were more influenced Pony Pony Run Run, Daft Punk and  Phoenix. We found our sound through those influences and not trying to be the same thing as everyone else. We’re about feel good summers and European escapism.

What’s the band name about?

We were searching for ages! It’s actually the name of one of my best friends. Well, sort of, it’s a nickname. ‘Mausi’ means ‘darling’ in Austrian-German. It’s a term of endearment, but doesn’t really mean anything. We wanted something that didn’t mean anything in English so we could create a brand. We wanted a short, simple word that sounded European.

What have you set out to do with the band?

I guess were trying to make credible pop. A lot of people were like ‘you might be offended by this… but it sounds like pop,’ but we wanted to do that and make people feel good! We’re not scared of that label, but we want it to be credible and reach audiences and make people let go. We have a lookbook of imagery for band meetings, full of songs or brands or pictures we like. Everything we do stems from an image, starting with buzzwords and creating playlists from that image, and then we write what comes from the strong visual aesthetic.

So what does Mausi look like?

Mausi looks like a sophisticated French woman from the non-touristy part of the Riviera.

What was the inspiration for ‘Move’?

The lookbook for the song was similar to the video. It’s about going to a European city for the night, going with the flow having a good time, dancing like you want to dance, letting loose by running around in a city you don’t really know. We went to Lisbon to record the video, and in the end it is just us meeting random people and dancing around on a night out!

How about ‘sol.’, what’s the story behind that?

It was the first song for Mausi. Songwriting takes a while to find the sound you want, and ‘sol.’ was when we discovered our sound. Me and Thomas were in Newcastle, we decided to go home to Milan with the guys, and we just filmed everything. We came back to the UK and made a video of the footage we had. We then thought it would be great to write a song to it, like a soundtrack almost. It was inspired by driving in the car and going to the beach and having no commitments and the summer haze. It’s about having a nice time in the sunshine, but it’s not a cheesy Ibiza video. It’s quite personal, showing a different side to an Italian summer. It’s very much a foundation in our journey.

Have you got anything concrete for an album yet?

We’ve started recording a few songs. We’re almost finished, there are a few more songs we still want to write, but it’s all coming together. At the moment we’re just about getting the right people on board and getting some cool people to produce. We’re really happy with it, and hoping to release it this year. It will be exciting! There are a few songs that are, as our manager says, bangers.

Which artists influence your music?

We listen to a lot of French pop – Phoenix, Daft Punk. Talking Heads are great, we love old school pop. We like a little of the Kanye, we’re not afraid to admit it! Breakbot is great. We take inspiration from a lot of different places… recently it’s been Sophie Ellis-Bextor. A bit of Justin Timberlake is always nice too!

What song do you wish you’d written?

‘This Must Be The Place’ by Talking Heads – it’s a damn good song. That, or anything by Phoenix.

What was the last record you bought?

Solange’s stuff, I’m loving her. It’s super ‘80s stuff. You know her ‘Losing You’ video in Cape Town? We love that vibe.

What was your first show like?

The first one we did? We were reminiscing about it recently! We went for drinks there last night, the place is called The Head Of Steam in Newcastle. Our first show was us still finding a sound, playing covers with a few of our own tracks thrown in, but we were unsure of our own music. It was funny. I remember we tried to do a cover of ‘Hide And Seek’ by Imogen Heap… Thomas sang it with a vocoder and it just went horribly wrong. The room went silent. We didn’t realise how bad it was to start with, we thought it was a good, stunned silence!

What’s a show like for you nowadays?

Full of energy! There’s lots of imagery to everything we do. We bought a projector to project images onto us as we’re dancing and singing on stage. We have two slower songs at the moment, and we like to bring the crowd in there. Our shows are like a journey with movement in some parts and chilling in others. We like to see the crowd dancing! We love playing live, and we’ve got lots of gigs coming up.

What have you got lined up for the rest of 2013?

Playing lots of gigs, finishing and hopefully releasing the album. I guess just playing more. We’ve got supporting slots with Chad Valley and The Other Tribe, hopefully a few more support slots might come up, or even our own tour! We’re doing Great Escape too, hopefully. We shall see what 2013 brings us…

Catch Mausi live on their upcoming UK tour. 

Okay, you may give a resigned sigh when we tell you that Kate Boy are yet another Scandinavian-based electro pop act, but you really shouldn’t. Here at Best Fit, we only ever bring you the music you really need to hear.

In this case, Kate Boy are one part Australia (singer-songwriter Kate Akhurst) meets three parts Sweden (Hampus Nordgren Hemlin, Oskar Sikow Engström, and Markus Dextegen) and they take the blueprint laid down by The Knife and add their own dancefloor pop twist. ‘Northern Lights’ and ‘In Your Eyes’ are wonderfully hard-edged pop songs with killer melodies and, in the case of the former, a soaring chorus that’s not just gloriously sing-along but also a powerful and confident statement of intent: “Everything we touch turns to gold”.

Here, we speak to the band to find out just how an Aussie singer ended up making music in Stockholm, and we unveil an exclusive Houses remix of ‘Northern Lights’.

 Given you’re one part Australian and three parts Swedish, how and where did you meet?

We met in Stockholm; it was kind of like a musical blind date. Having heard no previous work from each other before we just met up and had a drink, after talking a while we couldn’t even wait until the next day to write our first song. We went down to the studio and wrote ‘Northern Lights’ that first night. We went “all the way” for a musical blind date.

Where’s the base for recording songs, and how often are you able to get together? Is it easy then to write songs when you do?

We have our studio in Stockholm and we work every day together. We all live in the city now so it’s as easy as it gets.

Kate, you’ve released solo music before, so how does Kate Boy compare to what you’ve done before, and is what you’re doing now truer to what music you want to release?

I’ve always been writing for other artists as well as finding a more personal creative outlet through my own music. I wrote my first album on my own, so this is the first full album collaboration I’ve ever done. I really believe four heads are better than one, not only for the sound but also for protection against my own self doubt. When I listen to something alone on repeat, it’s like I lose my ears after a while, deaf to what is good or bad. So I love having a team to pull out the best in each other.

There’s always talk of The Knife and other Scandinavian acts when people write about your music, but is it fair to say the sound of that band in particular has had an influence on Kate Boy?

We think it could be due to us being from Scandinavia, but we love The Knife, and we love anything that is twisted yet still has a pop sensibility. Maybe that is a Swedish music thing, yet Kate is from Australia and feels the same so maybe it’s just the style we love. Either way, it’s a huge compliment.

Influences – what music (or art/literature in general) has influenced the band over the years? Do you share an affinity for certain acts?

We are very inspired by the electronic sounds from the 70′s and 80′s and how they would mix organic and electronic, almost robotic ingredients. Electronic music pioneers like Kraftwerk, Peter Gabriel and Jean-Michel Jarre are very important components of the Kate Boy inspiration box. Also a lot of inspiration comes from things other than music. Film is something we all share a big passion for. There’s something about the concept that inspires us more maybe than specific sounds or words; that feeling when you enter a world and you want to stay there. We want the same feeling with our music.

You’ve taken the decision to do everything yourself, production, ideas etc – does that make it more difficult for Kate Boy, or does it free you up creatively?

Sometimes it can take longer this way, but it’s also so much easier to do it ourselves since it is our vision. We don’t fall into any misunderstandings or creative clashes. So it means we can keep it all in-house, clean and tight. It definitely helps that we are a team of four, we all sit in the studio and work video/concept ideas while producing, mixing and writing… it all happens simultaneously.

Can you tell us a little about the singles we’ve heard so far, ‘Northern Lights’ and ‘In Your Eyes’? What influenced the writing and is there something that links them thematically?

‘Northern Lights’ was the first song we ever wrote together, so it was symbolic and it made sense to release it first.  It was written about a connection you have with somebody, when that feeling is something rare and precious. It’s all about never letting go of trying to turn things positive and to capture that moment.

‘In Your Eyes’ was one that needed time to grow to fully understand how we should treat it. It slowly opened up like a kaleidoscope, seeing the layers, colours, depths and facets, almost like an eye…It related to the song itself and to the human aspect in it. Both songs are tied in with the concept of connection. For us it’s important that we are able to connect with people through these songs and hopefully they can connect to us.

You’ve got a Taken By Trees remix; how did you meet Victoria and was she happy to remix?

Iamsound actually hooked us up with her. Victoria sent us her version which was such a fresh take on the song and we all loved it.

There seems to be a strong style aesthetic to Kate Boy: from the promo pics, the photo that goes with the single (an almost Grace Jones-style stance that suggests power) and the videos. Is this important to what Kate Boy is and does?

Absolutely. Our vision is clear and we know what we want. We never intended on it coming across “powerful” as such, but maybe that is a subconscious key. Knowing what you want can be a very powerful thing, the ability to be clear and focused. It’s so much easier to create that way. We’ve been lucky that we all share similar taste in aesthetics, so together we try to make something seamless and strong.

What’s next for the band? Can we expect an album soon?

We’re working on the album, and are going to release more singles and videos very soon. We are also booking in some gigs and festivals around Europe in the coming months.

Best Fit invites the intriguing Brighton trio into our hearts with their soulful warmth and transformative take on bass music. Fusing dark fluid breaks with a creativity that spans beyond any one genre, DrDr will no doubt be making waves in 2013 with the release of their debut EP on Champion Records.

As an extra special treat, in addition to speaking to DrDr about their recording process involving countless hours holed up in a studio, while consuming massive amounts of sweets and caffeine, their upcoming shows with Dark Star and T. Williams as well as their favorite acts to check out when you’re in Brighton, we also have two of the group’s new tracks debuting here today.

Get to know DrDr while listening to their deep and twisted take on the Robin S classic ‘Show Me Love’, as well as the smokey lead single, ‘Addiction’ off their forthcoming EP. Our infatuation grows deeper every time we press play.

I love that DrDr is made up of not just one, but two producers, and a singer. That’s got to change the dynamic a bit.

We work more like a band in the sense that we all have our own individual part to play which makes DrDr unique.

What I really like about your music is that you have a bit of that future garage and house sound that is gaining more popularity today, but you also incorporate darker, dubstep and even drum&bass elements. It’s a quality that sets you apart from other acts. Can you talk about your production process?

It normally starts with a very excitable Joe who has been sitting up all night with an 8 bar loop and telling us that he’s done it!! After calming him down with a few cups of tea we start to work out how to make a song from it. Chris then constructs the basis of the song adding his own MBK twist on it. A lot of bouncing back and forth happens before vocals are introduced. The magic happens when the vocals meet the track and we can see exactly how we want the song to sound. Nothing is put out to the world until we all agree that is the best we can do and we are all up dancing around the studio.

You have described your sound as ‘Future Bass’, can you expand on that concept?

When we started making music together we found it hard to place ourselves into a category. There was a stage from 2010 – 2011 where producers were coming out with pioneering tracks but, like us, didn’t know how describe it. Most of what we were listening to had been labeled “Bass”. The term “future” wasn’t some Sci-fi rant, it literally meant the future of Bass Music…hence Future Bass. It seemed to give us a genre that we could be artistically free to develop in without genre restrictions. We hate genres.

If you had to pick a food or a dish to describe your sound, what would you pick and why?

We sound like Sausage, Mash and Gravy. Because individually those things are rubbish but together we taste fantastic.

Donna, you have a really soulful, almost R&B, dare I say, gospel sound to your vocals. When did you discover you could sing?

I have always loved music and as I was told I was not allowed to pick up guitar by my friend and after trying out Drums for a while, singing became the only thing I seemed to able to do without having my neighbours hate me. It took me a while to get the confidence to perform to anyone but my mum but once I did, I found the huge adrenaline that came from performing to a club full of dancing people.

How did you all meet and decide to form DrDr?

(Donna) Joe and I have been writing music together for years and decided to move out of Norwich to the wonderful town of Brighton. There we met Chris through our wonderfully insane friends and started bashing out ideas. The first track ‘Wrong’ that we collaborated on got such a great response that we decided to carry on and a year on here we are.

Why the name DrDr?

Honestly, someone told me a knock knock joke and I though we could call ourselves KnockKnock? No.. How about a DrDr joke?

You guys are great at putting your own twist on cover songs. Do you have a favourite cover you’ve done so far?

I think its got to be Justin Timberlake ‘Cry me a river’, no matter how much you deny it everyone loves a bit of JT.

Your forthcoming EP, No Compromise is out in March. What was the creative process like for this release?

Coffee, Sweets ….and a lot of dancing. It was intense. Only the other day we were discussing how Diplo makes music production look so glamorous! HOW DOES HE DO IT!!!!????? In reality its 3 of you in a tiny studio, off your face on coffee and Haribo, hunched over a laptop at 3 o’clock in the morning just praying that you didn’t move that last piece of automation that took you 30 minutes to get right. Or maybe that’s just us..

Thinking back to your self-titled 2012 EP, what, if anything, has changed from that release to No Compromise?

No Compromise was a lot more fun to write, all coming from a live band background we decided that we wanted the songs to not only get the audience dancing but ourselves. Our first EP gave us a great idea of what each of us could do and how we could work together to produce tracks. From that we ran with it and wrote our single ‘Addicted’.

Plans to tour/play live shows this year? If so, what’s your live setup like?

We have big plans to make this year jam packed with as many gigs as we can handle. We are hoping to hit the festivals such as Outlook and Sonar
We took our live band background and applied it to electronic music. We wanted to be as exciting visually as it is sonically. Best described by Chris our live set up is like ‘ Two nerdy blokes bopping up and down behind a table covered in geeky light up gadgets while a sexy woman sings and dances out the front.’

You are based in Brighton. Has living there influenced your music, and if so, in what way?

We love Brighton! It has a really diverse music scene and has helped us to write and perform the music we love. Plus there’s a beach.. Our No Compromise EP was made for hot sunny evenings on the stones.

Any insider tips on music to check out if we’re in Brighton?

There are some fantastic up and coming artists coming out of Brighton such as Capsun, Time for T, Bolger/Charlie Traplin, Cave d’appelle, Dan Bradley, Trams and a great promotion company called ENK who have some huge DJs on board.

What does 2013 hold for DrDr?

2013 is gonna be a big year! We are excited about our No Compromise EP coming out on 24th March through the new Champion label, and working with a host of exciting producers such as Bwana, Polkadot and Aaron Lipsett who’ve remixed our lead single ‘Addicted’ . We are already working on our follow up EP due out in summer and hope to cement ourselves in the scene with our forthcoming planned releases. We’ve also been working with Kissy Sellout so keep an eye out for bonus DrDr content with his new single in the next few months! We also have several gigs lined up in Brighton and London in the near distant future one of which includes playing with a big favourite of ours, Dark Sky. We hope 2013 is gonna be a big year and we’re excited to see how it all turns out.

And finally, just for you guys at Best Fit Music we have an exclusive cover of ‘Show Me Love’ by Robin S – we hope you enjoy our take on an all-time 90′s classic.

Any shout outs or closing words?

A big shout goes out to Bwana, Polkadot, Aaron Lipsett and Maths Time Joy who’ve all loved our track ‘Addicted’ and re-worked their magic, our label Champion who are set for amazing things this year following on from their success of their MadTech imprint, Kissy SellOut, MixMag, Anthony Lee, our brilliant manager Sarah and of course our beautiful friends, family and fans who continue to support us.

DrDr’s single ‘Addicted (Radio Edit)’ is out now and No Compromise is out 24th March on Champion Records.

Lay Low is described as “a rich chocolate sound with a sweet cinnamon rasp and a sip of whisky to take the edge off” on her Facebook page – an extended metaphor to challenge all extended metaphors –but which actually isn’t far wrong.

Still, it’s testament to the bi-partisan way of the commercial music industry, that A&Rs only gander in seedy New York bars and deserted British pubs looking for the next Strokes or Libertines. Through this double-vision conquest, they miss out on the very choco-cinnamon, whisky-mist that whets our appetite, coming from Iceland’s Lovísa Elísabet Sigrúnardóttir – and all 3 of her albums that have gone unduly without parade in most country’s bar her own.

Best Fit caught up with her for a little chat ahead of the show to discuss how she rose from dreaming about a career in music to actually having one, all with the help of pre-Justin Timberlake MySpace. Also discussed is her love for Icelandic poetry and her very diverse musical interests – PJ Harvey and Whitney Houston feature, for the first time, in the same sentence.

We’re here to talk about Lay Low – your alter ego. What inspired this name? Does it say something about yourself and the project as a whole? 

The name came as a suggestion from a friend. This was right before I was asked to perform my first show as a solo artist playing my own songs so they needed something to put on the poster. I wasn’t sure I was going to be performing this music as a solo artist or as a band so we quickly found a name to put on the poster. Been stuck with me ever since.

How did Lay Low begin? From what I’ve read about your musical abilities – it seems that music and learning about music is something you have been passionate about for a long while? 

I’ve been very fortunate to get the opportunity to learn music since I was young. First taking piano lessons and then going on to the bass guitar when I was a teenager. It wasn’t until later that I started singing and performing my own music. I never planned on the singer/songwriter career but i’m happy that I’ve ended up where I am today.

I read that you were born in London, to Sri Lankan and Icelandic heritage. All of this seems such an incredible mix in term so how it may influence your creative output – does it at all? 

I consider myself very lucky to have such fine family mix. And yes I guess that somewhere in my songs you can find influences from all this mash up.

What kind of music did you listen to when you were growing up? 

I’ve been through many stages of music through the years, from Whitney Houston to PJ Harvey, from gospel to rock and digging into many genres along the way…

You got you record deal by being discovered on MySpace some time ago and you’ve already released 3 albums. How would you go about describing the evolution of your music from your first album to your latest release? 

My first album was an album that kind of came very naturally. I got this record contract in Iceland and started writing, and a few months later the album was out. Quick and easy, raw and simple, that album was Please Don’t Hate Me.

On the second one I wanted to try out something else. So after getting recommendations I found the perfect guy to help me with this, he is Liam Watson and I went to work at the Toe Rag Studio in London. There we captured the smooth sound that I was looking for, and out came Farewell Good Night’s Sleep.

On my last album that came out 2011, Brostinn Strengur, I was working with the theme of finding poems by other Icelandic women that I liked and writing songs to them. I’m really happy with the outcome.

What I found interesting about your third album Brostinn strengur, was sung entirely in Icelandic and based on 150 years of Iceland’s poetry. What influenced this decision? 

I started reading a lot of Icelandic poetry books and found so many gems. After reading a lot and getting influenced from the poems the idea came to just do a whole album with these precious poems. Brostinn Strengur is the outcome of that.

Following from the last question, is there any pressure being an artist bred in a non-English speaking country (by that I mean it’s rarely anyone’s first language) to sing in English in order to get more attention outside your home country? 

I don’t think that you have to sing in English to get attention. It just depends maybe on how you want to express your music. If you want everyone, or at least more than just Icelanders to understand the lyrics, English helps. I like doing both, so I’ll probably keep making albums in English and Icelandic.

Your latest single ‘The Backbone’ seems very earthy and natural sounding. Is that something that is integral to your creative process – natural sounds? And if so, what about the world around you influences this? 

I’ve recently moved out of Reykjavík to the countryside. This was the best decision of 2012, I think. Plenty of space, not much around… just mountains and volcanic hot springs. I love it!

What can you tell us about your upcoming LP? Will it be different to your other records, perhaps more experimentation with sounds, producers or lyrical content…? 

I’m still finding out which way I’m going for sound and for the production of it. But like I said before I’ve just moved to the countryside of Iceland and I feel like that is having an effect on me and the songs that I’ve been writing, let’s hope it is in a good way.

Which artists would you recommend to us that will be making the best music of 2013?

I’m pretty sure that there will be plenty of good music coming out in 2013.  I know Benny Crespo’s Gang is working on some new stuff hopefully ready in 2013.

Lastly, can you express Lay Low in 5 words or less!

Please Sleep Strengur.

Lay Low performs with  Burning Hearts and Carmen Villain at the UK capital’s regular Nordic music showcase Ja Ja Ja, which takes place on 28 February at The Lexington, Pentonville Road, London. Tickets are £5. Find out more at the Ja Ja Ja Facebook page.

Burning Hearts make gorgeously-crafted pop songs that more than live up to the their name. Consisting of Jessika Rapo and Henry Ojala, this Finnish duo channel themes much greater than their influences, as they seem intent on making music out of the raw elements of life itself.  We catch up with Burning Hearts ahead of their forthcoming performance at London’s Ja Ja Ja Nordic showcase to learn a bit about what fuels them.

You guys started out as a two piece.  So Jessika and Henry, how did you cross paths, and what prompted the expansion?

We both played in bands that toured together in Sweden, and that’s when we got to know each other better. Eventually, the idea of making music together as a duo came up. We wanted to try something different, but most of all, we wanted to explore new ways of creating music with less compromises.

What is your songwriting dynamic; is the output equal to the sum of your (four) parts?

So far, we, Henry and Jessika have been writing all songs. On Extinctions most of the song ideas have started from Jessika’s demos that we’ve worked on together and arranged. Henry plays all the instruments and is in charge of the technical aspects.

What are the most important albums in your record collection? ‘Into the Wilderness’ begs the assumption that A-ha must be in there somewhere, amongst other 80s new- wave delights…

Jessika: ‘Take On Me’ is a great pop song, but I don’t think it has inspired ‘Into The Wilderness’… at least not directly. My record collection (that consists mainly of Stereolab, Broadcast and Suzanne Vega albums) hasn’t really been updated since 2005 or so, since I don’t listen to music that much anymore. The more I get involved with my own music, the less interest I show towards the music others make, it seems.

I also hear some David Bowie influence (e.g. the intro to ‘I Walk Among the Trees’). What impact, if any, has he had on you, and how are excited are you that he’s finally come out of retirement?

Henry: I’d say Bowie has had an impact on pop music in general. In the song you mention, the synth riff just ended up sounding quite a lot like ‘Ashes to Ashes’, so we decided to make it even more obvious. The new song was a nice surprise, and I hope this means he will do live shows this year.

Are there any concurrent synth-poppers you admire/would like to work with?

Henry: Feels like “admire” isn’t necessarily the same thing as “like to work with”. We admire many current pop musicians who use synthesizers – The Radio Dept., Ariel Pink and John Maus, to mention a few. We’ll work with anyone, as long as all parts can gain from the co-operation.

How would you describe the music scene in Finland? Is it a good place in which to be a band?

Jessika: The music scene is growing and about to flourish, I hope. It’s been undergoing some changes and lots of development has taken place under the past years. It feels like there’s space for all kinds of bands, and there’s definitely a growing audience for less mainstream bands. I’m glad that there’s a lot of creativity going on.

Can you tell us a bit about your influences, and being a music fan growing up in the Finnish music scene?

Henry: We were teens in the nineties, which obviously meant a lot of grunge and indiepop. As a result of growing up in the Swedish speaking parts of Finland, we listened to a lot of Swedish music. Alternative pop music shows like 120 Minutes on MTV were important as well. The, in comparison, tiny Finnish music scene has offered some unique and experimental bands, and I think that the attitude of these musicians have been an inspiration to us.

Your lyrics are in English, and not Finnish or Swedish; do you feel breaking through to a US/UK market is the only true path to success? 

Jessika: Our mother tongue is actually Swedish. But apart from the language you speak, English still seems to be the ‘natural choice’ for pop musicians from any country. Apart from that, you don’t necessarily want to limit yourself (or the people who will understand the lyrics) if you have a choice. Breaking through in a market isn’t something we have done any calculations on so far.

You’ve played a few different countries outside your native, which countries have you felt most welcomed by?

We want to mention Estonia, because it was lots of fun. The concert was in Tallinn, in an old Soviet factory that had been transformed into a center for urban culture and where the atmosphere was amazing. The audience was extremely shy, but at the same time very welcoming. Germans are also really eager gig attendees, and it’s always fun to play there as well.

The name of your second album is Extinctions, and much of the album meditates on tragedy. Why such morbid focus? 

Jessika: Well, we had been surrounded with quite a few tragedies both in society as well as among friends and their families. It wasn’t really intentional to write about tragedies, but as always, I write about things that touch and affect me. It’s not that I’m a very dark person and fascinated by death, or anything. I guess I’m rather emotional and empathic.

Animals also seem to be thematically important – in song titles, lyrics, and Darwinian cover art – is there a personal significance, or some way in which you feel particularly connected to wildlife?

Most of the songs were written and recorded in rural surroundings close to nature. We wouldn’t exactly call it wildlife (not by Finnish measures). But still, open landscapes, the closeness of the sea and the dark forests might have had an impact on us. In addition to this, Jessika has a degree in biology, and that’s where the zoological and botanical vocabulary comes from.

Is there anything in the future you are particularly looking forward to/wincing at?

Feels like there are all kinds of exciting stuff happening this year, like concerts in interesting places lining up. For instance we’re doing a small tour in March, starting in London and ending in Rome. We’ve also started recording new music that we’re very excited about. So, we have a lot to look forward to.

The first Ja Ja Ja of 2013 will take place on 28 February at The Lexington, Pentonville Road. Tickets are £5 and available via this link, and to find out more about the event, head to the Ja Ja Ja Facebook event page.

William Doyle took his fate into his own hands when he placed his homemade debut solo record, created under the moniker East India Youth, into the hands of The Quietus founder John Doran last year.

Unbeknownst to him, that record would become one of the respected music site’s albums of the year, and eventually lead to the site creating a record label for the London based musician’s new EP.

All of the attention is very much merited, as Total Strife Forever, the self created album which Doyle put together over the course of two years, is an absolute gem. We caught up with Will to find out more about his past, and what to expect from his undoubtedly very bright future.

Let’s start at the beginning, you grew up on the south coast – was Southampton a good place to surround yourself in music?

Well, I’ve got some pretty set ideas about that. Although, at the moment Pale Seas are doing really well, there are a lot of bands there but that doesn’t mean that it’s good. Same could be said for London I guess, but there are so many more [bands] that you get more quality. In Southampton, the ratio’s rubbish. There are a lot of venues there, but they’re not very well connected to each other – there’s not really a scene going on… A few years ago there was a big metal thing happening down there, but other than that, it’s just an odd city. I never really clicked with it. I think the town helped me to develop in some ways, but I think London’s where I’m best suited.

Musically, how did you start out?

I was in a band called Doyle and the Fourfathers for the last three years, and we were vaguely successful. Only vaguely, and I really stress the word ‘vaguely’ ! We never had a deal but we released some stuff on our own label, we had some tracks played on 6 Music and within a few months, we had our first Marc Riley session. From there, things kicked off a bit. We were gigging a lot, went on tour twice with The Undertones, funnily enough. We ended up meeting the guitarist, and kept in touch and he invited us out on the road with him. We were really busy for two years, so I haven’t been working as that took up all of my time.  I wasn’t making a lot of money from it, but I was busy all of the time. We released an album, a couple of EPS and a single, but nothing really kicked off.

Through that experience, I’ve learnt a lot about the industry but it’s really interesting now because people are almost discovering me backwards.  They know Total Strife Forever, then they see that I used to be a guitar player as well. Most people see it the other way around though, they’ve seen the massive jump. [My previous band] was making pretty poppy, indie stuff, but overall I wasn’t happy with it. My interest in electronic and dance music was becoming more and more my focus, and I got a bit bored of playing in a guitar band and playing with other guitar bands.

Your latest work is a big departure from the sound of your previous project – what would you say are the biggest differences?

It’s a bit reductive for me to say this, but the difference that I’ve found so far between the electronic music that I do and the guitar music that I used to do is huge. Guitar music is sometimes – and I stress ‘sometimes’, I’m not putting the whole thing down – but it can be very backwards looking and based in nostalgia all the time. If you consider yourself an artist at all, you should be forward looking and after a while of being ingrained in this culture that was a bit rubbish, playing with hundreds of Oasis-y, laddy, pubby rock bands, it’s boring. So I reached a point where I didn’t want to be in Southampton anymore, we weren’t doing particularly well at that point, it felt like a good time to cut my losses and uproot myself to London.

Thumpers were forged from the broken shards of Pull Tiger Tail. The London-based duo – Marcus Pepperell and John Hamson Jr – met at school aged eleven and have been playing music together since they were about fifteen. There’s a big emphasis on rhythm in their sound, with booming drums taking the limelight and providing ample opportunity to get your limbs a-flailin’.

Their single ‘Dancing’s Done’ is a demonstration of pop done right, with layers of sublime vocals duelling against eye-widening synth and faintly bluesy guitar volleys – an example of a repertoire that contains genuinely affecting, infectious dream-pop with tribal beats and honeyed effects.

Do you remember the first song that you wrote?

John Hamson Jr: Unfortunately yes, and I’m sure its on a dictaphone somewhere at the house I grew up in. I think it was an ode to wanting to drive my dad’s car…

Marcus Pepperell: Thee first songs I wrote were pretty much instrumental piano songs. The first song with lyrics was one heavily indebted to Smashing Pumpkins. I think I wrote a few songs about the moon.

JHJ: Me too. If you’re asking about Thumpers though, it was ‘Sound Of Screams’. Before we named this band, we’d been writing for about year and had about six songs in total, all just still experimenting and trying to find a sound that we were happy with. ‘Sound Of Screams’ was the seventh song and it was clear when we made that that we’d found something that excited us, and from then came all the other songs for the record.

What made you decide that music was what you wanted to spend your time doing?

JHJ: Buying records and getting into bands as a teenager was what did it for me. I kind of couldn’t understand how anyone could listen to music and not want to make it, or want to know everything about it.

Have you tried to do anything different with your music to stand out from the rank ‘n’ file?

MP: I wanted to write songs that I thought had to be recorded in something other than a conventional band set-up. The way we approached the recordings was to give ourselves some freedom from thinking about how we would perform the songs, and to focus especially on the
arrangements.

JHJ: Yeah, and we wanted to use a combination of harsh sounds and lush sounds. Our production focuses on drums, with a pretty raw feel to them, and then combining them with the dreaminess of the layered vocals, especially female vocals. I suppose it seemed like not many British bands were going for that.

Have you deliberately distanced yourself from Pull Tiger Tail?

JHJ: Well, no, but we did want to give Thumpers a clean break from anything that we’d done before. Pull Tiger Tail was our art school, indie-rock band that came from three people playing in a room together. These new songs are more born out of experimenting in the studio and with our songwriting.

Has it been easy to lose the shackles of your former band, or have people not paid it any attention?

MP: I think we’ve been surprised by how often it’s been mentioned again.

JHJ: Especially considering how short the amount of time the band was together for. I guess that our only concern there is that that might influence how people approach listening to Thumpers.

What do you make of guitar music?

MP: People are making more interesting music with guitars now than they have done in the last five years, I think. whether or not they’ve been heard by the mainstream. Simply because guitar music may have been in the charts more back then doesn’t necessarily mean that it was any better at the time. What I’ve heard of Savages has been great. they were intense on Jools Holland.

JHJ: Haim we love. It’s great that band like Peace and Palma Violets are getting so much attention but I think we’re more into other new stuff like AlunaGeorge and Kwes.

What’s the best guitar riff in history? Who’s the greatest player?

MP: ‘Cherub Rock’.

JHJ: Graham Coxon.

News broke recently about the demise of HMV. What’s your take on it?

MP: I remember while at school we replaced every Britney Spears ‘Hit Me Baby…’ single on display at the top of the chart with copies of Blur CDs. Embarrassing now, but important at the time.

JHJ: Yeah, it’s definitely a shame. A place to buy music is needed on every high street. It’s a shame HMV developed a bad rep in the last five years. It made some pretty big mistakes but the need for everyone to be able to buy music is more important than that. I hope it stays.

You’re releasing your new single ‘Dancing’s Done’ on cassette and vinyl – why those formats?

JHJ: I love vinyl and still buy it, and I think it’s exciting for any band to release their music on it. Plus, the double release fit well with our artwork concept.

What about cassettes? Do you think we should be prepared for their comeback?

MP: Only if you mean C-90s! I want the mixtape back in my life.

How did you go about writing ‘Dancing’s Done’?

MP: I wanted to write a song that was front-loaded with verses and then had only choruses from the mid-point onwards. I wrote an early version of the drumbeat first on this song and then recorded the other riffs as competing vocal parts until one of them stood out. The rest of the song was formed out of the parts that were left – but recorded on different instruments.

What’s the video about? What did you set out to achieve with it?

JHJ: We wanted a dream-like video which dealt with adventuring friends. There’s an element of the characters making a den and imagining this journey. We wanted to make the last shot feature something that was so prominent in our memories of a childhood spent in cars.

MP: Lyrically the themes of this song – and the record in general – deal with youth and the intensity of doing things for the first time. The people in the video are real life childhood friends and I think their easiness in each other’s company fits in with the narrative of the song really well and the band’s atmosphere as a whole.

What’s it about? Are there any hidden themes?

MP: It’s about not wanting to tell someone to move on from a fantasy.We made a conscious effort to produce songs with a cohesive sound and the record we made does that both musically and lyrically.

Have you got a game plan for 2013? Anything on the horizon?

JHJ: We need to find a home for the album and then get it mixed. Ideally we want it out for late summer. We also have some collaborations in the works with other artists this year, as well as producing tracks for other people too. Obviously touring and playing as many festivals as possible.

‘Dancing’s Done’ is out now on 7” and cassette, via paradYse records. 

Hailing not from the small Welsh town of their namesake but the leafy suburbs of Hampshire, the trio – aged between 16 and 17 – make tightly wound, instantly accessible alt-pop that soars in all the right places. Massively intuitive for such a young age, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re listening to a band three albums into their career. Oh, and there’s not a single navel gaze or reverb pedal in sight.

We caught up with Blaenavon fresh from signing with rising boutique label paradYse who are set to release the trio’s debut single ‘Into The Night’ next month. In this, their first published interview, the boys reveal their early influences, why they’d never be able to shake The Edge’s hand and why Beavers are “useless bastards”.

Hello Blaenavon. As far as we’re aware, this is your FIRST EVER INTERVIEW. As flattered as we are about this, it basically means that the world doesn’t know a single thing about you. Let’s rectify… Can you give us FIVE fascinating Blaenavon facts please?

Hello Line of Best Fit. We hate to accuse you of being ill-informed but this is our third interview. One was Portuguese and the other was discarded.

1. Our Dad used to want to be a King-Edward potato (A very grand type of potato)
2. Our Dad is from Pontypool.
3. Two of us and our mum are in the video for Take That’s smash single ‘The Flood’.
4. We’re all feminists and anarchists.
5. There are four of us in the band but one of us had to take the press photo.

How would you describe your sound to somebody who’d never heard you before?
ABD 2009.

You’ve just signed to paradYse, one of the most exciting new labels in the country. That’s pretty amazing. How did the whole thing come about?
Label owner Mike Hasselhoff (real name: Mike Harounoff - ed) came to all our early gigs and we used to hang out him and our manager Koso. We then met Tim (of Transgressive Records) and he insulted us a bit.

Cool story bro. Without playing the obvious “you’re all so ugly yet your music so advanced and mature” card, I’m fascinated by how focused and intelligent your songs are. How long did it take to ‘find the Blaenavon sound’ ?
It took about 2 years.

Fascinating. What music did you all grow up listening to?
The Proclaimers (until they got shit). Cardiacs. Free. MGMT. M.F DOOM, Achsel Wichsel…. Many a reckerd.

More ‘getting to know you’ questions…. Would you rather have a runny nose for the rest of your life, or constantly have the dust from a bag of Wotsits stuck to your fingers?
A runny nose can be taken care of with a tissue or flannel or something. You wouldn’t be able to shake The Edge’s hands with wotsit crunt everywhere.

I’m a big fan of emoticons. My favourite being the legendary ‘sup son’ ———–>¯\_(ツ)_/¯.  Isn’t it great? If you could use just one emoticon to describe the sound of Blaenavon, what would it be and why.
>:|

“I’m quite upset about all that radiation that’s around.”

If the internet disappeared for a week, what would you do with all your free time?
There’s no internet in Pontypool anyway; I doubt anyone would notice. What do we do in our free time? Go to lessons, sit in the refectory for a bit, go to the cage, go back to the ref and then go home.

Who would win in a fight between a Badger and a Beaver. And WHY?
A badger. They don’t really feel fear and could easily chase away a wolf or tractor. Beavers are just useless bastards and wouldn’t be a problem, especially for a honey badger – they’re quite angry.

What does 2013 hold for Blaenavon?
Hopefully Josh Dalton will increase our fanbase some more and also get a bloody job or something. We’ll cook up some big bullshit and unleash it on the blogosphere when it’s ready. Frank’s new year’s resolution is to lose 10lbs, so we’ll see how that turns out.

Intriguing electronic producer, Ross Tones, aka Throwing Snow has had an incredible 2012, with two EPs, the launch of his label Snowfall and a ton of gigs He invited Best Fit into his world of complexly layered concepts to talk about the current music scene, lamb stew and the busy year ahead.

The description of the 2007 EP Footnotes is, “a cross between folk, electronica, breaks and world music that strives to bring field recordings and instrumentation together in pleasant disarray.” Would you describe your music the same way now?

I think all the same influences are there, maybe some more on top of that. I think if you’re a producer and you’ve got a certain way of making your sound, it’s not necessarily related to the music you write or the sounds you use. You can switch that to any kind of BPM, or any different type of music. I don’t think it’s necessarily limited to one type of music, or one genre, you use the same ideas, and then change them up. It’s the same use of the sound, it’s just moved with the times a bit more. I strive to make everything different. That’s one of my main motivations, for that to happen, so I don’t really get worried about that too much.

Do you still use field recordings?

Yeah, all the time. There’s lots of crackles and pops, and weird sounds I find, or have been given by people. Like the one in ‘Brook’, there’s a little loop, a lady talking to some old people. Will Plowman’s sister was using the recordings for some project at Uni, and Will gave me those recordings about six years ago, and I reused them. So it’s using sounds as memories as well. I try to include a personal memory in every track.

Do you have a favourite sample?

I try not to sample too much of anything really. I use certain samples, but they’re always things I’ve produced, or that have sort of come about. I think resampling stuff, mainly from different projects I do more of.

So is that where the textural, distorted feel to your music comes from?

Yeah, I like things not being perfect.

Throwing Snow is more than just a witty name. Pretty much every write up of your music will include the word, ‘icy’, or this winter element. But when you listen to Aspera, or any of your EPs, there are songs that are not wintery or icy at all, so I’m curious what’s behind the name.

I don’t really understand why people describe my music as ‘icy’ or ‘frosty’, because they see ‘Throwing Snow’ and they automatically imagine themselves cold, and surrounded by white. So I think people just automatically assume, “oh glistening harmonix” or something like that.

The name actually comes from the guy that did the art for Footnotes, he’s one of my best friends, and we grew up in a farming area, quite remote, really beautiful, lovely place. We were up on a really remote fell, and in northern culture, you can call your friend the worse thing in the world, but mean it in an endearing way, that’s a bit like throwing snow. It’s a violent action, but it’s snow, a snowball’s going to burst and it’s not going to hurt anyone. It’s sort of an analogy for insulting somebody, to show your kind of close friendship thing.

If you had to describe your sound as a food or dish, what would you choose and why?

It’d have to have lamb in it, ’cause that’s just a personal preference. Some sort of lamb stew. [laughs] Which is the most bizarre answer. Because it’s a mix of deep flavors together. I like the malcabation of sounds, so kind of all in one dish together, and quite deep.

In an interview with XLR8R, you mention you heard a lot of great music this year that didn’t get the recognition it deserved. 

I think the 1991‘s album was amazing. Anything on Astro:Dynamics has been amazing this year. I think they are one of the best labels. Everything by them has been really good. Then there’s been lots of world music that I’ve really enjoyed. Releases on Honest Jons, and things like that.

Sometimes you can hear bits of the rhythms in modern tracks. There’s something really nice about music from a particular place. Taking folk sounds and mixing it with more Western sounds. I think it’s far more interesting to hear things produced in other countries and influenced by Western sounds – when it’s the other way around, it’s a bit lacklustre.

Chlöe Howl made a rather fine first impression back in the closing months of 2012 with ‘No Strings’; her teen angst ode to one night stands that combined everything we used to love about the social commentary pop of Lily Allen and Kate Nash, pinned together by a shameless rip off of Foster The People’s ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ and a throaty “do. not. fuck. with. me.” delivery that has had everyone from Pitchfork, The Guardian, and indeed Best Fit, up in raptures.

Here, in her first ever interview, Howl is exactly as we expected. Not pandering under major label pressure nor weighed down with the pseudo ‘serious artist’ nonsense that many a teen pop star falls into, Chlöe is still a kid – and quite rightly – acts like one too. As charming and witty as her songs, she reveals what it’s like to be a teenager in 2013 (“I don’t think it’s any grimmer now than it’s ever been”), why she wouldn’t want to be called “Cheesy Finger girl” and why she’s already broken all her new year’s resolutions.

Listen to brand new song ‘Rumour’ below. Another slice of deliciously addictive synth pop that chalks up yet another win for Howl’s campaign to be the new voice of the teenage pop revolution. Viva la Howl!

Hello Chlöe. As far as we’re aware, this is your first ever interview. As flattered as we are about this, it basically means that the world doesn’t know a single thing about you. Let’s rectify… Can you give us five fascinating Chlöe Howl facts please? Go go go.

I’d love to!
1. I hate mashed potato. If you try and feed me it we probably won’t be friends.
2. When I was six years old, I used to tell people I was from Holland (which I’m not) and used to talk to them in “hollish” (I didn’t know the correct term was Dutch). One day an actual Dutch girl spoke to me in her lingo, and I made up gibberish in response. She wasn’t fooled.
3. I live in the village next door to Bray, where the Fat Duck is, and sometimes Heston Blumenthal walks out of my butchers and I say: “oh look!”
4. I can dislocate both my hips.
5. I once licked my kitten cos I thought it would give us a stronger “mother and son” type bond.

Like me, you have freckles. My mum used to tell me that they were ‘fairies kisses’. What bullshit lines did your parents feed you when you were younger?

FRECKLED HIGH FIVE!! So, when I was younger, kids in the playground told me the C word was the worst word in the world. I asked my dad about this and he told me that actually, there’s an even worse word: the X word. For at least two years he kept me wondering about the X word, and told me that he couldn’t tell me what is was until I was older. He forgot about this, and five years later when I just started secondary school, I confronted him about this X word that my friends knew nothing about. He laughed in my face. The X word didn’t exist.

Alright. On to the musics. Assuming your debut single ‘No Strings’ is autobiographical, its subject matter is pretty heavy going for an 17-year old. Is being a teenage girl in 2013 really as grim as it sounds?

I don’t think it’s any grimmer now than it’s ever been, but I guess people don’t expect 17 year olds to own up and say: “Oh hey guys! Yeah I drink alcohol and fool around”. I didn’t really see the point in pretending this kind of stuff wasn’t going on and acting as though everything’s like ‘Glee’. ‘Cos that’s not normal and no one wants to hear that it is, because it’s just not real. I’m my age so I’m gonna talk about how gross it is to be my age, ‘cos otherwise I’d be lying to you.

You’ve just signed to one of the biggest labels in the world. Just to put that into context: the same label as Bob Dylan. That’s pretty amazing. How did the whole thing come about?

I always feel really cool when friends ask me who else is on my label. ”Ah, y’know. Just Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. No biggie”.

I was just working with a guy called Danny near where I live. We started writing, for fun really, then a few years in we were like: this is actually not bad.
He introduced me to Martin at Heavenly Records who loved it and helped me find my management and now here we are! I’m ridiculously lucky to be honest!

You’ve joined Columbia at a time where the label has had a sort of resurgence of bright young things… Peace, Little Nikki, Lucy Rose, Rita Ora… A mixture of massive commercial success and genuine critical acclaim. Do you feel any pressure being on such a big label at the start of your career?

I really don’t. I actually genuinely think I’ve lucked out with the people I get to work with. Everyone’s seriously lovely! They’ve always let me do what I do and there’s never been any pressure on me really. It’s all rather chilled out. Lots of tea and biscuits.

What music did you grow up listening to?

Im sort of still growing up so it’s changing all the time! But when I was really young, my dad used to play us a lot of his music on long car journeys. And that’s how I ended up falling in love with The Smiths and The Cure. ‘Age of Consent’ by New Order was a big road trip tune too. And from there I began discovering music for myself. Then when I was 10, Demon Days by Gorillaz came out and I was literally obsessed. There’s one summer holiday where every time I think back to it all I can hear in my head is ‘Last Living Souls’.

I remember being at school one day when I was 12, and my friends discovering I had somehow managed to never hear ‘Wonderwall’ and the shock on their faces spurred me on to properly educate myself and try to listen to as much music as I could possibly get my hands on so I’d never have to go through that again. So I have gone through a LOT of phases.

More ‘getting to know you’ questions…. Let’s get down to some serious business. Would you rather have a runny nose for the rest of your life, or constantly have the dust from a bag of Wotsits stuck to your fingers?

That wotsit stuff is actually disgusting. There’s nothing worse than your hands smelling weird. I’m always like: ”Ew. Where the fuck have I been?!”

I don’t eat wotsits, and that dust is to blame. People would call me ‘Cheesy Finger’ girl and everything I touch would be tainted orange. I’ll have the runny nose please. Then everyone will think I’m fragile and adorable.

Who would you rather spend the day with? Taylor Swift or Harry Styles.

Taylor Swift would have a lot to bitch about. And that could be great. She has a lot of guys to hate on, so there’s probably no awkward silence she couldn’t fill with a relationship rant. However, that could get dull and I’d way rather hear about how weird Taylor was from Harry. And… He could tell me what makes me beautiful and I’d love that.

If the internet disappeared for a week, what would you do with all your free time?

A lot of pizza would get eaten.

Who would win in a fight between a Badger and a Beaver. And WHY?

Badgers are always getting run over. Ever seen a beaver by the side of the road? No. They know the green cross code. Plus, beavers can swim so they have more places to escape to.

And finally, what does 2013 hold for Chlöe Howl?

Hopefully lots of really exciting stuff. Definitely more music on the way. Also… The breaking of all my new year’s resolutions. Because I have eaten like a pig and I spent all of yesterday in my pyjamas.

LA based Leopold Ross and Ioanna Gika, better known as Io Echo, are gearing up to release their highly-anticipated debut record. By day, Leo plays bass for The Big Pink, but by night, he and kimono fanatic Ioanna are weaving neo-oriental ‘goth-grunge’, a potent concoction comprising macabre shadows, grinding synths and gossamer vocals.

They’re ushering in a mystical new style, splicing the Far East and the nostalgic West, to create something exotic; something that is being heralded as the dawn of a new genre in itself. Maybe they aren’t reinventing the wheel, but they’re definitely redesigning it – it’s fantastically exciting music. They’ve wowed crowds supporting major acts like Nine Inch Nails, Florence + The Machine and Hot Chip with their early ’90s industrial influences and sublime visual aesthetic, all without releasing a proper album. Now, with the debut looming, this twosome are on track for a bumper year.

Tell us a bit about Io Echo. How did the band first start, and who takes care of what with regards to the music?

Leopold: We were introduced by a friend. We bonded over a mutual love for the Velvet Underground, in particular the song ‘Venus in Furs’. I was named after Leopold Von Sacher Masoch, who wrote the book on which the song is based. Both Ioanna and I write the songs. Ioanna sings, plays guitar, piano, and Koto Harp. I play guitar, bass, and do programming. Live I play guitar, she sings, and our friends hop on bass, drums, and keyboards.

Where does the name come from?

Leo: Io is short for Ioanna, and Echo we chose for its sonic compatibility.

You’re based in LA, how would you say that setting has affected the group and the music that you make?

Ioanna: We recorded our album in Laurel Canyon, which as an area has a rich musical history. Every evening while we worked, the fog would roll in over the hill and completely envelope the studio. That definitely contributed to the mood.

How do you think things would be different if you were from somewhere else?

Io: I’m from the east coast in the US and Leopold is from London, but we live in LA. We write from personal experiences and if we were in a different landscape it could give it a different texture.

How would you sum up the last 12 months for Io Echo?

Io: Super exciting! We curated a music festival for the Museum of Contemporary Art, recorded our first full length album, and contributed music to some great films.

What are you looking forward to for 2013?

Leo: Releasing our album, touring in support of it, and playing our first festivals.

Leo: I thought the world was going to end in 2012, so I’m just going to focus on enjoying this extended lease on life.

Io: I didn’t think the world would physically end, but it ended for me in some personal ways so I am exploring the new space with a fresh lens.

What’s the news on your first full-length record? 

Leo: It’s called Ministry of Love and its coming out later this year. We wrote and recorded it at home in LA.

Do you have any surprises in store that you can tell us about?

Leo: We have a great video for the song ‘Ministry of Love’ coming out soon. I can’t ruin the surprise but I think it will be something everybody can get their teeth into.

How would you describe an Io Echo show to someone who’s yet to see you play live?

Io: We like to examine visual details that can translate our sonic landscape as clearly as possible. It’s our chance to connect with the fans that own the music, so we want to make it an encompassing experience, one different to listening to the songs on a stereo. Lights, projections, the song we walk on to, are some of things we pay attention to for the live production.

How did your first show go? What’s your resounding memory of it?

Leo: It was a Halloween party in a warehouse in downtown LA, so I remember a lot of weird costumes, but that’s about it.
Io: I had stage fright and puked. But the show went great.

Can you try to describe your sound in three words?
Io: Future Space Forest.

What’s the plan for 2013?
Leo: We are currently on tour with Bloc Party, and we will be continuing to tour and make new videos in support of the album.

Io Echo will release a self-titled EP through Luv Luv Luv on 25 February.

What does Babs Johnson, famed drag queen from Pink Flamingos and ‘filthiest person alive’ have in common with a two piece noise pop band hailing from London? Nothing, you’d imagine. Yet the description on Crushed Beaks‘ Facebook page contains one of the many famous quotes from the infamous film. You remember; the tasteless quips about running baby rings, selling kids off to broody lesbian couples and uneasy alliances with drug pushers who target ‘inner city elementary schools’.

But with latest single ‘Breakdown’ and the garage-rock sounds of ‘Grim’, there is something very gritty about this band. As though their music would be the perfect soundtrack to the illicit adrenaline-fuelled events that occur on murky London streets, post-watershed. The main attraction to this band is their primal urgency. They speed it up and even slow it down on some tracks, but they remain intuitive, and in doing that, appeal the listener’s intuitions also.

In Best Fit’s interview with Crushed Beaks, we come to discover that the glorious noise we’ve heard from them thus far is unsurprisingly a very organic creative process. In fact, the band’s entire existence seems to be the result of the shady workings of fate and natural timing.

Hello Crushed Beaks.  How are you?

Very well thank you, we just released our new single ‘Breakdown’ and it seems to have gone down really well. We’re over the moon.

I’m led to believe you guys went to the same secondary school but were in different bands, then ended up going to the same university and formed the band from there. It’s almost like Crushed Beaks is the work of fate…?

It’s true, we have known each other since school. Alex was in this heavy psychedelic jam band and I used to play in a band with the guys from Torches. We didn’t see that much of each other at Goldsmiths though – we were in separate bubbles. I played some demos that I’d made that didn’t really fit with my other projects to Alex one hazy night after we hadn’t seen each other for about three years, and asked him to play drums. He was reluctant at first – the quality of those demos could be described generously as atrocious. We were both pleasantly surprised and impressed at how it sounded, even during our first rehearsal.

Of the groups you’ve been in prior, I’d imagine this is the one that works the best. In what way does it do that?

Logistically, it’s a million times easier. Organising a practice is as easy as calling Alex and saying ‘do you want to practice later?’ When there are five or six people to think about, that kind of spontaneity just isn’t possible. The minimal setup also keeps the songs much more focused, there are no superfluous parts floating about.

Who are your collective influences and what’s one record you couldn’t live without?

We both listen to quite different things, so it is quite hard to pin it down to a couple of specific influences. I don’t really have the one and only record I couldn’t live without.

What’s the one record in the world you wish you’d written?

Rumours by Fleetwood Mac.

Despite being a two-man band, Crushed Beaks still sounds organically loud and messy (in a good way!) How do you manage this?

We never really planned to be a two-piece, but at the same time, we’ve never made any moves to expand the line-up. It seemed to work, so we stayed that way. Also, there’s no bass player or lead singer to tell us to play quieter…

What’s the creative process of the band? Does one take charge of lyrics and the other production or do you all just intermesh your skills?

There’s nobody else to teach the chords to, so the song-writing process is quick, sometimes stream-of-consciousness. When we come across an idea we’re into, we kind of feel our way through the song until it comes to a natural end. Then we play it again, but better.

…also, how important are lyrics to the band or is the instrumentations that you have more of a passion for?

Everything is important. The whole thing has to be cohesive otherwise people see straight through. If the songs didn’t mean anything to me then I don’t think they would for other people either.

What’s your view on rock music at the moment? Is it degenerating or on it’s way up? Or are there a lot of shit bands that aren’t giving people good enough reason to explore the genre?

The Internet has given musicians the chance to reach more people and to interact with a wider audience than was previously possible but at the same time, because it’s available to more or less everyone, a lot of these avenues do become saturated to a certain degree.

What can people expect from a Crushed Beaks live show?

We always try and incorporate new material into our set, if you play the same songs in a set for too long, things can get a bit stale. Playing new songs injects life into the older ones, like a blood transfusion.

From international fashion campaigns to independent label releases, Hampshire born, Brighton resident Marika Hackman released her incredible single ‘You Come Down’ via Trangressive imprint paradYse records last summer but has been busy crafting songs under the watchful gaze of Led Zepplin and Steely Dan since her teenage years, even though you wouldn’t necessarily guess that was a part of her musical education.

Upon hearing about her acoustic offerings you might be forgiven for thinking Marika was just another folksy singer-songwriter but everything changes when you actually sit down and listen. As someone who effortlessly channels Nico and Syd Barrett she is here to set the record straight. We catch up with the unassuming yet fiercely confident songstress to talk about the trappings of modern pigeon holes, Jilly Cooper and her forthcoming mini album That Iron Taste, which is due out via Dirty Hit on 25 February. You can also check out the premiere of her brand new video ‘Mountain Spines’ below.

Your debut mini-album That Iron Taste is due to drop in February. Can you give us a little insight into the writing process and what we can expect from the record’s seven songs?

My writing process is pretty boring really. I sit in my room and play my guitar for hours, and something will click perfectly and that’s the beginning of a song. Then I play it over and over again to get the measure of it before recording a demo on garageband where I experiment with harmonies and arrangement and stuff, before working with a producer. A couple of the songs on That Iron Taste I actually wrote when I was still at school, and they haven’t changed much since then, except in arrangement. The rest of them were written last year or when I was on my art Foundation, so there’s quite a time lapse between them.

I really wanted to have fun when making this record. I wanted to try and do something different, so there are some quite experimental tracks on there. On ‘Retina Television’ we decided not to use any instruments and only get sounds off my body, from humming and stuff. It’s good to set parameters like that, I think it results in a more creative outcome. I hope people listen to it with an open mind, rather than being like “woah that wasn’t the nice little folk track I expected.” Mind you, if someone was expecting a nice little folk track then I hope thats what they think!

How would you describe your sound to somebody who’d never heard you before?

I find these questions quite hard to answer, I always feel like I’m being arrogant! Hah! I also find it very hard to describe my sound. I guess ‘folk at the inner core, Kurt Cobain for the outer core, whimsical dark madness for the mantle, and Marika Hackman for the crust.’

Critics and fans will obviously make their own links as to who your influences are when they hear your songs – but in terms of your own perception of the music you make, what do you feel has influenced you as an artist?

I think all the stuff I used to play when I was growing up has influenced my music but cant probably be heard, stuff like Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder - all those crazy good song writers. I read a lot, and was encouraged to read loads at an early age, mum used to read us a story every night before bed up until a ridiculous age, then we’d stick on a tape of the Hobbit and go to sleep to it. I think all of the books I’ve read must be influential in some way, maybe not Jilly Cooper though.. actually yeah even Jilly because she’s got that fun side, which I definitely like to bring to my music! I guess everything goes in somewhere and comes out somewhere else.

There’s an almost whimsical sensibility to your music – at times spectral, almost psychedelic – and it’s all tied together with a timeless quality way beyond your years. How do you rise to the challenge of translating the sound that’s created in the studio into a live setting?

Thank you! At the moment I play on my own when performing live. I play on electric and acoustic and keep it pretty simple. I think it’s important that a song can still be stripped back to its rawest form and be captivating, then when you’re in the studio you know that you’ve got really solid foundations to build on and can’t really go wrong. It also means I feel comfortable performing solo. There are plans to have a band and I can’t wait. It’s going to be so much fun translating the recorded parts across to a live performance. Nice to have a few more people around on the road as well.

What kind of stuff are you listening to at the moment? What were your greatest musical discoveries in 2012?

Right now I’m listening to Fleetwood Mac but thats because I raided my mums record collection last night and I am now reaping the benefits. I tried listening to Port of Morrow by The Shins but I was getting too distracted and couldn’t answer the questions. My greatest musical discovery from 2012 has to be Alt-J, I think a lot of people would agree. I still listen to that album on repeat. Apart from that I’m really awful at finding new music, maybe I should make that my new years resolution – listen to more new stuff.

What do you think is the greatest misconception people – whether they be critics, fans or industry – might have about you as a solo artist? Do you feel pigeon-holed as ‘just another female singer-songwriter’ in an arguably, already overcrowded market? What do you think makes you stand out from the rest?

I definitely already feel pigeon-holed, which is ridiculous as I’ve only had three songs out. People see me playing an acoustic guitar and hear that I have an untrained voice and are so quick to try and compare me to other artists. I get ‘you remind me of Lucy Rose’ all the time, and I sort of stand there and think “Is that just because I’m a girl playing guitar?” Apart from that I think we have completely different sounds. That’s just people not listening to the actual songs properly though. It’s hearing me sing and watching me play, making a judgement and switching off, safe in the knowledge that they’re listening to a ‘nice’ bit of folk. Hopefully when people listen to That Iron Taste they’ll see that I’m trying to take my stuff in a different direction. Somewhere a bit more mad perhaps..

What does the rest of 2013 hold? Can we expect a full length debut?

I don’t know where 2013 is going to take me, but to start it off I’m supporting Ethan Johns on his tour in February which is crazy! Don’t tell anyone but I didn’t actually know who he was when my manager told me, then I looked him up and I was like holy shit I’m going on tour with a legendary producer. Pretty wild. Then I’ve got my own little headline tour at the beginning of March. There are definitely plans for an album, working with Charlie [Andrew, Alt-J's producer] again because he’s awesome. I’m writing with an album in mind at the moment so we’ll see..

Majical Cloudz began life as the solo project of Devon Welsh. Welsh has been an intrinsic part of Montreal’s Arbutus Records scene since its inception. One of the burgeoning collective of artists bestowed with copious talent all funneled into idiosynchratic yet unfailingly bewitching releases of varied shapes and sizes.

Welsh brought on a collaborator Matthew Otto earlier this year to help realise his ideal sound. The resultant Turns Turns Turns EP is imbued with an abundant, amber glow that floods the voluminous spaces between artful, earnest beats, all underscoring Welsh’s rich, melancholic vocals. The subject matter though oft tinged with sorrow and regret, when wrapped in these delicious compositions, and told in Devon’s beguiling timbre, is unfailingly compulsive. The bittersweet has never felt so comforting.

A full length is expected to be released on Arbutus in a few months. In the meantime Welsh is heading to SXSW to further cement his nascent reputation as a darkly charismatic and truly captivating performer. One that doesn’t allow the fact that he has a gorgeous voice let him give himself a break. Welsh is as deeply immersed as can be in each and every second of every set, as he told me recently.

It must have been reassuring to be part of the traveling Arbutus family on your first tours as Majical Cloudz last year?

Yeah, totally. It’s mostly all the people that have been playing music in Montreal for the past few years. A group of friends that are now luckily able to tour and whose music is getting more attention, so that’s really fun.

Why did you chose Matthew Otto to join Majical Cloudz?

I’d known him for a long time. He studied electro acoustics with a friend and recorded some music for an old project of mine. At the time that I was writing a lot of the music that we’re doing now I was living in Ontario at my Dad’s house and I was really cut off from the Montreal scene, so I was just emailing him things. He’s really good at understanding what I’m talking about and working with me to make it real. It’s been a really awesome creative partnership.

Acts from Montreal seem to strive that little bit harder to engage the audience on stage, and in your bio it describes Majical Cloudz as an event, so I was wondering if you meant that in the theatrical sense?

The bio is a slightly jokey way for me to refer to the idea that when we play live, just like when you’re doing a theatre performance and you’re sticking to the script, ideally when you perform those lines it should feel new every time. You should be interacting with the dialogue in a way that’s genuine. We try to actively feel and be sympathetic to what the audience is looking for. Sometimes I’m trying to make them laugh and sometimes we engage in a really serious way, but every time we play it respects the dynamic of that moment and we don’t try to force anything. We try to make it as emotionally spontaneous as possible.

Your tracks are very personal and all written to actual people in your life. Do those people know who they are?

Most people know about them. Some people that I write songs about I don’t really talk to anymore, so writing the songs are a way for me to feel like I’ve communicated with them without saying anything to their face.

It seems like you need a slight sadomasochistic streak to go through all that fully on stage every night? Do you truly enjoy it?

Yeah, I do. I lost interest in a version of performing where I’m not 100% invested in what’s going on. If what I’m singing is what I’m actually feeling and I’m trying to communicate that to the audience then I just feel that’s the heart of good entertainment in a positive sense.

Have your audiences been as engaged in the shows as you hoped for?

You shouldn’t expect people to pay attention just because you’re on stage performing. That’s not good enough. You need to actually be able to prove yourself. It’s so much more rewarding when you turn an audience from being really distracted to being really engaged. It’s fun to go into an environment like a late night party and people are super loud, drinking and partying and then focus people’s attention for that short bit of time so you can play that set and get people to listen.

By reveling in such melancholy material, are you trying to reach a collective catharsis of sorts with your shows?

It’s about making songs about things that are sad, but trying to own up to it and find something healing about performing this music. So that when we play the audience leaves with a feeling of having experienced something that they wouldn’t normally experience in their day to day life. That’s what I hope anyway.

Have you seen many other artists who achieve that on stage?

It feels better for me, and I respect any artist that attempts to get to that point where the audience and the performer are sharing something beyond a set list and a cover charge. Any kind of moment that an artist generates that somehow breaks through and becomes more of a real event, where people don’t really know what the script is or how to follow it, is close. So in that respect that can be anyone.

Elite Gymnastics, who you’ve just been touring with, seems to try a similar thing.

James Brooks (Elite Gymnastics) does that type of thing successfully. He tries to shake up peoples’ expectations of what performance is. At times he’ll just stop and he’ll start talking to the audience. It’s not just a spectacle, but it’s a real person on stage who is going through his own struggles and I think that’s a really interesting part of his performance.

Doing away with the fourth wall and all that. For anyone who is yet to see you, what do you think is the key element that elevates your shows into being events?

I think what we do is more bound up in the theatrical. I think it might be closer to someone performing a monologues on stage and the monologue is semi-scripted and there’s the opportunity to change the script and go beyond how a performer would normally interact with his audience.

Photo Credit: Matthew Acton

The release of Embers‘ video for ‘Hollow Cage’ in November prompted a kind of miniature Kony Effect among initial viewers gobsmacked by what they were witnessing. Two thousand-plus views of the video in the first 72 hours might not seem a lot in a wider context, but for an unsigned band from Manchester that’s not bad going.

The video itself is a beauty, featuring Embers performing live amid a sublime backdrop of crisply lit neo-gothic stonework in Manchester’s Gorton Monastery. Credit must go to the band that such surroundings couldn’t distract from the performance itself, which over seven and a half minutes unfolds from a minor chord piano line into a multilayered symphony of strings, pealing guitars and choral vocals. Ironic that a song called ‘Hollow Cage’ should fill such cavernous surroundings so emphatically.

It seemed almost natural to watch the video and wonder: How are they doing this? What’s really going on here? Unlike the Kony video’s creators Invisible Children, however, research into Embers revealed no shady figures, only a young Manchester four piece who have been quietly but steadily building a following over the past year or so, helped by a handful of videos showcasing the band’s ambitious – and already stunningly accomplished – cocktail of post-rock scope and Hans Zimmer-esque theatrical assault. If they are eventually outed as some sort of Invisible Children-style collective, we’ll at least be able to come back to these early videos and say “Yeah, but aren’t they incredible?”

Before getting too carried away though, it seemed wise to speak to the band. They had a lot to say for themselves.

Hello Embers, how was your 2012?

2012 was kind to us – it was our first full year together as a band and we feel we developed a lot. We’re very proud of what we’ve achieved and we stand by everything we’ve put out.

On your website you describe yourselves simply as “A band consisting of four people. We write music we like.” Is there an intentional move on your part to stay out of the limelight and keep the focus on the music?

I don’t feel it’s a case of us intentionally avoiding the limelight. It’s more the case that we feel the music and all the art that we create around it will always be held in higher esteem then anything we could lead with on a personal basis. As a band we put so much of ourselves and our time into the music; the focus is on the music because there’s very little left over from us as people worth presenting beyond what we create. All of our influences, be it Sigur Ròs or Arcade Fire, put the music first beyond the personalities in the band and that just makes sense to us.

In that case, could you elaborate just a little bit for us?

Embers are Will Clutton, Nathan Howard, George Agan and Steven McInerney. We’ve been together for around 18 months now. Three of us had previously been in a band together but it fizzled out long before it went anywhere. We had a few months out while we gathered our thoughts and we decided to start again and set out to be everything as a band that we weren’t able to be previously – be that down to lack of experience or perhaps not a clear enough vision. So about 2 years ago we started talking about the new band that became Embers, Steven was working with Nathan at the time and the band formed from there.

A lot of people will have discovered you as a result of the two phenomenal live performances recorded in Gorton Monastery [the ‘Hollow Cage’ video preceded another, ‘Part of the Echoes’]. The effort that seemed to have gone into filming those videos demanded a reaction, which you certainly got. Were you surprised at the extent of their impact?

I think we were all very taken aback and flattered by the reaction we got from the videos. We poured everything into creating them and it took a lot of time and an extraordinary amount of effort and patience so we were delighted with the reaction. We had absolutely no idea how they’d be received so it was certainly appreciated to see it made a genuine impact on people.

With those videos in mind, you come across as a very accomplished live act, even though you only played your first gigs a few months ago.

Three of us were in a band previously, which no doubt helped us. We’d already developed a pretty good understanding between ourselves as individuals, and we already had a vague idea of how we were planning to push forward with this band. We were pretty lucky really, as things just seemed to click for us as a band pretty early on, which gave us a good starting point. We’re also shameless perfectionists – we spend a huge amount of time talking over our parts and really trying to make sure everything we do is as good as it can be. It feels like it’s mainly all this time and effort that we’ve put into our music that has brought us on most as a live act, which is great I think.

How did those recordings come about?

We knew that we wanted to do something very ambitious and we wanted to try and contextualise the scale of music that we try to make in an environment equally as grand. The Monastery seemed perfect, and through a lot of hard work, a little bit of luck, and some very kind people willing to let us use the venue, it all fell into place.

Photo Credit: Matthew Acton

It’s rare to find a young, unsigned band that can afford to create such beautifully elaborate videos. Have you got a shady benefactor? Are you the Manchester City of cinematic post-rock?

Ha, sadly not, though that would have made things a lot easier. We organised and financed the session completely within the band, which wasn’t easy. We’re just lucky to have some very talented friends who were happy to help us make the video, be it filming it, capturing the audio or performing with us, who shared a vision of what the session could be. We were aware when trying to set up the session it could have all fallen apart at any stage because of our limitations. Thankfully though, through a lot of hard work and support across the board, it came together.

Can we expect epic stage sets and additional musicians at all Embers gigs?

Perhaps not at all Embers gigs but as many as we can, yes. We worked exceptionally hard to create visuals that accompany all of our tracks when we perform live, and that aspect is something we want to continue building on as a band, combined with additional musicians. The bands we admire do this incredibly well – they create a great atmosphere live and it makes the gigs they do genuinely memorable experiences. We want to do that too.

The two key influences that have been linked to Embers are Sigur Ros and, more generally, film scores. Would you say that these are fair enough?

I’d say that is fair. Within the band our influences vary but the type of music that we feel we want to make at this stage is anything that draws the listener in and moves them emotionally – we just want our music to be as cinematic, grand and adventurous as it can possibly be. We’re drawn to music like this, hence the love of Sigur Ros, Arcade Fire and composers such as Hans Zimmer or John Murphy – they’re all masters at what they do.

Are there any other artists that you would say are important to you creatively?

You can do anything these days from your own bedroom, and in many ways you have to. It’s creative Darwinism in a way – to survive and stand out in the early stages you have to have a vision of what you want to be, be able to contextualise your music and out of necessity take influence from other sources. It just so happens that comes instinctively for us, and it’s something we enjoy doing. With our influences on recent projects it’s ranged really; be it the film Heima when creating our projections, or Phillip Glass when writing a string part, right through to the production of Eno or the films of Adam Curtis. There are a wide variety of reference points that go into anything that we create and we like to think it makes our music all the better for it.

What sorts of themes drive you as songwriters?

There isn’t a consistent theme with the songs and I don’t think there ever should be. We try and keep our music as diverse as possible – we like the idea of a collection of songs being like a film score, constantly changing and shifting from one little world to another, providing contrast and mood, and appealing to different thoughts and emotions. Diversity in sound and context adds to the experience you get from a band, and we certainly enjoy playing the songs more too. We’ll never understand how some bands can just play variations on the same song style or mood. We can’t imagine anything more uninspiring or mundane.

You’re still unsigned – is that your own choice? Surely you must have had offers?

We’ve been lucky to have had a lot of interest around the end of last year but at the moment we are unsigned. We’re a new band, and we’re not really concerned with these things. The focus will always be on what we’re creating, and that’s our priority. We realised the importance of being completely self sufficient during our first few months as a band and we decided to put it on ourselves to make whatever we could make happen, happen. Undeniably life would be easier if we had a good level of support behind us, but we’re very aware of the pitfalls of relying on that.

What have you got planned for 2013? Is an album in the works?

It would be nice to have our first album finished by the end of 2013. As far as where we’d like to be, I guess it’s just a case of continuing to build on the momentum we’ve gained up to this point. We’ve got some plans for the start of the year that are pretty exciting and hopefully all will be made clear within the next few weeks.

You have previously tipped Halls for success. Is there anybody else you think we should be looking out for this year?

Two fellow Manchester bands, PINS and MONEY, should have a very good 2013.

Winston Yellen has zero expectations. Yes, the man behind Night Beds happens to have created Country Sleep, one of the most gentle and soulful albums we’re likely to get this year, but it still feels like a novelty for him to speak to journalists or for anyone to show any interest in his music. He has no presumptions as to how the album is likely to be received, despite the already plentiful accolades seeking to break the dam of his modesty. Winston Yellen’s just pleased people are listening to his songs and, seemingly, he’s happy enough to leave it at that.

Back in 2011, Yellen – who hails from Colorado Springs – rented Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash’s previously owned pre-civil war house in Hendersonville (outside his current home of Nashville) and spent almost a year writing and recording the songs that eventually made up this impressive debut album. Clocking at just under 35 minutes, Country Sleep is dominated by Yellen’s beautiful, sometime devastating, voice. There are also first-rate harmonies set to hummable melodies and simple, effective orchestration, which draws you in and keeps you captive. Tracks like ‘Wanted You In August’, ’22′ and the single, ‘Even If We Try’ are what repeat buttons are there for.

And you know what? On top of all that, Yellen is such a nice chap to chat to. Open, humble and funny. We speak to him ahead of the forthcoming release of Country Sleep to discover a bit more about this talented-but-doesn’t-know-it 23 year old.

When did you start writing music?

I guess when I was about 17 years old. Ummm… 16 or 17, sometime around then. Writing really bad songs. But I tried to keep up with it and stuck at it but I never really thought of myself as a songwriter, I just kind of stumbled into it out of sheer boredom. I didn’t really have anything to do after classes, you know?

Did you play any instruments at that stage?

No, not really. I would sit in my basement trying to figure out how to play the piano but I’m still kind of not very good.

Growing up, who were your musical influences?

I would say Stevie Nicks. I loved Fleetwood Mac!

How did the whole process of writing and recording Country Sleep come about?

Oh, man, I’ll try to give you the short version because there’s a long, long version [laughs]. Ummm… I don’t know, I guess it’s about having the need, having the want to create something. The desire to make something that is of value to yourself, you know? You know when you’re kind of aimless, lacking direction but a series of events – some of them fortunate and some of them not so much – leads to you ending up where you do. And I just wanted to write songs, to say something. I didn’t know if it was going to be good. I was terrified. But I just wanted to have the opportunity to make music. It was daunting but hopefully it worked out. I had a publicist that I hired – I didn’t really know what I had. The stuff that I’d recorded, I wasn’t super-stoked on it but I figured I just wanted to get a reaction about it, I was curious to hear what people would think about it. I knew it was kind of a weird record. So I had a little bit of money left from a loan that I took out and I spent it on a publicist who did it really cheap and sent it out to blogs and stuff. He also emailed the record out to a bunch of labels and no-one liked it. But then one label did [Dead Oceans] and here we are.

Do you remember the moment of being told that a label was interested? How did that feel?

It’s funny because everybody didn’t like it. I got feedback like ‘this label really didn’t like it’. A lot of doors being slammed on your face and then just one person, Chris Swanson, for some reason, god knows why, liked it. The feeling was just kind of… well, just like talking to you now, it’s all very surreal. Never in a million years would I have thought to myself, yeah you’ll be talking to journalists overseas and not work in a bowling alley. That was the card that I thought I would be dealt, you know? So when I found out they were interested, I was terrified. I was nervous that I would fuck it up [laughs].

Let’s talk about the single, ‘Even If We Try’…

You know, I haven’t really listened to that song in a long time. I think the chorus melody came from about five years ago. The “Ooohs” part of it. The melody for the verse came during the recording process. And then some fragmented lyrics came together. It was all very jumbled. I kind of consider myself to be a ‘mistakist’ artist [laughs]. I’m not pro. I’m pretty much an amateur.

To be fair, the song doesn’t sound very amateur at all!

Thanks, man! It’s just that it kind of happens, the process is all over the place. The one thing I do remember is that the chorus is something I had been sitting on for a while and I just couldn’t get away from it. It all gradually segued.

One of the striking things about the video for the song is your performance in it. Have you had any previous acting experience?

No. Well, I did some pretty bad high school plays like The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe [laughs]. But, to be truthful, I didn’t want to be in the video. I had the idea for the story, I wrote the treatment and I couldn’t find any friends that were prepared to do what I wanted them to do in it so I ended up getting stuck with having to do it myself. I knew I wanted someone to go all the way with it. None of my friends wanted to be subjected to that and I don’t blame them.

You did three gigs here in London at the end of last year. Was that an enjoyable experience for you?

You know what? It was great. It was kind of a juggernaut… I played with Sharon Van Etten so I got to play in front of, like, 3,000 people and then the next night you’re playing in the basement of a pub for 20 people but that was just as mind-blowing.

How did you find the London audiences?

Amazing! I mean, for someone who is not used to have anyone listen to their music… you know, we put shows in the States, we’ve played some terrible shows. So it’s very humbling to have people listen. Even though there were just two of us, I didn’t have the full band, people were listening and were so polite. It was mind-boggling. You feel spoiled. I was very grateful. And then I come back here to playing the noisy bars and it’s like, oh man, fuck.

What are your memories of your first live show as Night Beds in the U.S.?

You know, there was never a kind of official thing. We played a liquor store in Tennessee [laughs]. We played in a small, small place in Tennessee. It was a brown-bag kind of liquor store and they also had a bar with a stage but no PA so we brought our own speakers and there were four people there. That was our first show, I think. That was probably a year and a half ago.

How many of the songs that ended up on Country Sleep did you have at that point?

Almost all of them but we didn’t actually play for very long because I don’t think anybody really liked it. People were not really paying attention. But, yeah, I think pretty much all of the songs were written at that stage and we played about 5 or 6 of the tracks.

Are you planning to come back to Europe for some more live shows?

I’d love to! It’s not really up to me, unfortunately. I’d really love to do it but I guess if the album tanks, it’s not really going to happen. That’s how it goes.

Finally, do you have a favourite track on the album?

For me… I don’t listen to it so I don’t really know.

So, you haven’t listened to the album in a while?

Oh, man, it’s been a long time, a long long time. You don’t wanna know how long it’s been [laughs]. But I think it sort of changes. Playing live has something to do with it. I would say… ‘Lost Springs’, probably. I just like playing it a lot. It’s very easy to play and it just feels good. It feels good right now. But it might change, you know? But as far as listening to the album, I’d much rather listen to someone else’s work. Once it’s mixed and done it’s not yours anymore, why would you want to go back to it yourself?

Night Beds will release Country Sleep through Dead Oceans on 04 February.

Listening to Gabriel Bruce, you’d be forgiven for believing he was a man much older than he is.

This deep voice comes from the mouth of a man who is a mere 23 years old. He was born and raised in west London, he briefly had an angry goth band called Loverman, but now he’s forging a career as a solo artist and releases his debut album ‘Love In Arms’ in 2013.

His voice suits all manner of musical styles, on ‘Perfect Weather’, he builds to a climactic wail; he’s a seductive sleaze on album track ‘Zoe’ and tortured crooner on ‘All That I Have’. Whilst his inspirations are clear (he cites Iggy and Bowie as people he “stole from”), he works hard enough to have made an album that is distinctly his own. ‘Perfect Weather’ for example, is a flawless pop song accompanied by a suitably dramatic video.

We talk to Gabriel about the creation of the record, his influences and about how he maintains such a crisp, low singing voice. Fans of baritone read on…

Where did you record ‘Love In Arms’, who did you work with and how long did it take?

I made the record at the Garden, a studio in London, with Craig Silvey. We spent two or three weeks recording and two weeks mixing.

Were the songs all written beforehand or did some last-minute inspiration occur in the studio?

The songs were all written before the sessions except for ‘Sermon on the Mount’, which had existed as an acoustic ballad of sorts, I then rearranged it to be played on the organ as there was a nice Hammond in the studio and it deserved a place on the record. I wrote ‘Greedy Little Heart’ at home during the sessions; I’d wanted to save it for the next record but had a lot of pressure from my label to include a more accessible song.

Was it recorded as a full band?

No, mostly I play the instruments, we had a great set of horn players come in and I got my friend Adam Predergast, who’d previously play in my old band with me to play bass. In my opinion he’s the best bass player around.

Your album ventures down many different musical paths, ‘Zoe’ is a dark disco song, ‘All That I Have’ is a forlorn piano ballad. How do songs of such different styles take shape to you?

I try and allow each song to wear the clothes that best become it. Once I’ve written the song it’s usually pretty clear which way it wants to be played and with my limited skill, I do my best to serve its needs.

What did you listen to when you were making the album?

I don’t listen to other people’s music when recording; obviously I had some references for sounds that I would play to Craig and vice versa. We stole some ideas from Iggy Pop and David Bowie, a bit from Dave Sitek. I’ve always liked Julian Casablancas‘ vocal sound so we compressed and distorted my voice quite a lot and cranked up the high end. Craig played me Steely Dan and Talk Talk for the first time. I also remember that ‘Apocalypse’ by Bill Callahan had just come out, that’s a great record, beautifully mixed, the vocals are very dry and prominent, Craig would keep reminding me of it every time I tried to put more reverb on my vocals.

How do you know when you have a song that you want to record?

These days I record at home so most songs get recorded before they’re fully written. It makes me a lazy writer though, so many songs remain unfinished.

Loverman, your previous band, had moderate success with ‘Human Nurture’, what happened to make you split up?

Many things happened.

They had a very theatrical, sinister sound (the video to  ‘Crypt Tonight’ is pretty terrifying). You have carried some of this over in to your solo work, do you think you have unfinished business with Loverman?

Yeah, I think that side of my writing will always be there, I’ve been able to explore different avenues as a solo artist, which would not have been possible with that band. The problem with being in a band like that is you’re confined to one sonic vernacular; you’re a heavy rock band and so you have guitars and drums and you bark and roar. I couldn’t see past the image we’d created and I think maybe it was those constrictions that suffocated the band.  That said, I listened to some Loverman recordings the other day and was pleasantly surprised, it’s a shame it ended, we were a good band, I considered putting the music up online but no one cared then and no one would care now so I thought better of it and tucked the songs back away in obscurity where they are destined to be.

Have any unused Loverman songs been used on the new album?

No.

How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard it before?

I wouldn’t. Or couldn’t. Sorry.

Your voice is in a very low register, is that natural or is it something you’ve tried to affect (Tom Waits used to smoke copious amounts to achieve his gravelly burr).

Nero drank leek soup. It’s no coincidence that the Welsh are such magnificent singers and their emblem is the leek. Leeks, onions and garlic all improve the timbre and extend the range of your voice. That’s the trick. The cigarettes help too.

Your recent single ‘Perfect Weather’ is accompanied by a video of you dancing wonderfully on the white cliffs of Dover, whilst bleeding heavily from a cut on your body. Did you enjoy making the video? Was it choreographed or improvised?

It was choreographed by Nando Messais, he and I worked on the movement together drawing heavily on once piece of dance by Pina Bausch. Jacob Perlmutter, a good man and talented filmmaker, directed the video. We made it for very little money but were able to get some hold of some 35mm and a good camera for free as well as a very accomplished and talented crew, I’m indebted to them all and proud of what we made.

In October you completed a short headline tour, and you played with Peace in December. Do you have any plans to tour more extensively? Maybe in larger venues?

I’d like to go on a more extensive tour but don’t think it would be a good idea to play larger venues, there’s no demand for it. It’s demoralising enough to be playing to three people a night in small rooms, I think it would be uncomfortable for my small audience to have to stand in big halls with all that extra space.

I have to support these young bands to try and leech a little blood from their audience, people really like them, they go to their shows in their hundreds, my hope is that someone will get confused and buy some of my merchandise by accident.

Gabriel Bruce’s debut album Love in Arms will be released on 11 February through Mercury Records, and you can catch him playing at Hoxton Bar and Kitchen on 05 February. 

My first introduction to Flume was sitting in a bar in Brisbane, Australia at the BIGSOUND music conference, chatting to two guys at the table opposite. “Flume – he’s gonna be Australia’s biggest export next year,” they informed me with absolute certainty. I’d like to pretend that I replied with something witty, “What, bigger than Neighbours?”, but in reality I just took myself to the venue he was playing that night, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Flume is Harley Streten, a now twenty-one year old from Sydney who makes the kind of Gold Panda meets gold pop music that’s gained him a million plus plays on Soundcloud and an ever–growing, ravenous fan base down under. But how does he feel about having his art labelled as export?

“It makes sense to me,” he replies as matter of fact, from the other side of the world through a Skype screen window. “With how it works over here, being so far away from everything, it doesn’t really sound strange to me. I guess it’s because people here – because we don’t have as many big things going on, especially in the electronic music world whereas somewhere like the UK – we all look for a flagship electronic artist to represent Australia, so it’s cool from that perspective. We’re sending someone from our home territory off into the world, so something like biggest export is kind of nice.”

Looking back a few years, with the explosion of Modular People it seemed that electronic-pop Aussies were everywhere, but having only just turned 21, it’s not a scene that Flume has grown from. Instead he aligns himself with a new wave of producers. “These days, what I’m seeing a lot from Australia, promising stuff, there’s a huge beatsy scene brewing, more like down tempo stuff. Have you heard of a guy called Chet Faker? There’s kind of a wave of dudes like him and Hermitude who are doing hip-hop or less dancey sounds. There does seem to be a wave of young producers coming up.”

Chet Faker, probably best known in the UK for his cover of Blackstreet’s No Diggity, also features on the track ‘Left Alone’, a forthcoming single from Flume’s debut record which sees the producer collaborating with two more vocalists, both given freedom on the track by Steten, “I always say to vocalists is, this is your thing, this is what you’re good at, this is why I’m working with you – you’ve got all this talent so I really want you to be as creative as possible and just send over a whole bunch of ideas.”

Flume’s debut is a lesson in modernity, first reaching audiences online, his album was for the most part created in headphones, on the road as he took a three-month trip around Europe with his portable studio, writing in cafes and hostels. “I wasn’t doing any gigs really,” he defends. “I did start doing a bit of DJing but I got really sick of it really quickly because it was all just about being a promoter, essentially.”

Hardly surprising when initial online reaction far outweighed the live arena. “It’s been a bit insane seeing all the, just the stats basically. It’s been a real crazy stat thing that’s happened to me. It’s been really exciting though, just waking up in the morning, checking the Soundcloud – oh right, cool. Got another x number of plays. And it’s always really exciting to see the Facebook jumping up. Yeah, it’s been a real online thing that’s happened to me.”

However the live sets have been catching up, with Streten getting his first boob flash at a recent show in Melbourne. “That was pretty awesome,” he grins. “Right now, it’s been absolutely mental. I’ve played like, a huge amount of shows around the country in the last few months and they’ve all been sold out, just kids going mental. What happens is, all the girls will get up the front at the start of the show, and the front row or two is just these girls, and then I’ll start playing the first song and about ten seconds in just all these dudes just crush them, and then in that instant it’s just sweaty dudes at the front.”

And it’s the perfect analogy for Flume’s music, a sea of beauty followed by a crushing blow, but open to all. And perhaps it’s this broad appeal that took his debut record to the top of the Australian charts, beating One Direction for the number one. “I beat them in the iTunes album sales,” he affirms. “I was beating them for about a week, which was pretty awesome. It was cool to see the energy that fed off it coz it’s a completely different beast to One Direction and to say something like that, all the people on Facebook and stuff, get really behind you when things like that happen.”

So does this make Flume bigger than One Direction? He declines to answer, before half-jokingly conceding, “Maybe in Australia.”

Well, just wait until they start exporting.