“It Looked Like Rain” is a great album! Can you share the inspiration?
Thanks! It took us about a year to get together so we found ourselves sort of being drawn towards a particular sound by the choices we made about which songs to use. I think I had to accept that although I like a lot of different sounds and genres I’m a blues and rock & roll guitarist at heart and give myself some space around that.
The album features a diverse blend of genres such as alternative rock, synth wave, indie psychedelia, and post-punk. How do you approach blending these genres in your music, and what challenges do you face in maintaining a cohesive sound throughout the album?
Good question. With difficulty, is the answer to that one. Or rather, we have to keep our wits about us. I think a lot of the cohesion comes from an awareness of sound in the sense of sound design. But whatever we come up with has to work within our overarching framework of immediacy, relatively simple song structures and a bluesy old school feel.
Working with renowned producers like Thomas Li and Chris Kimsey must have been an incredible experience. How did their expertise influence the final sound?
Chris mastered the songs but he wasn’t involved in the production. That was Thomas. Chris did some great work and really highlighted the songs’ best qualities. He was also very encouraging and complimentary, which was fantastically motivating. Both Francis and I have done loads of work with Thomas and he never fails to inspire. We just see things the same way and we always have a lot of fun together.
The title track, “It Looked Like Rain,” sets the tone for the album. Can you delve into the significance of this song?
I originally thought of it as being about missed opportunities but Thomas thought the idea that when something looks too difficult to deal with you just avoid the issue was political, funnily enough. All the things I like sneaked into the sound as well. There’s some lead guitar, some 12-string acoustic, drone synths and a single-chord outro that I’m particularly fond of!
What else do you have planned for the rest of the year?
We really want to get out and play some concerts. Hopefully some good reviews and a bit of airplay will help with this. We’re also working on new material to play live. So “keep on keeping on”, really.