Aged between 15 and 18, the Essex foursome are set to release their debut EP ‘Cousin Sam’ on the 29th of April via Nice Swan Records, a label that have worked with some of the UK’s buzziest acts including Sports Team, English Teacher, Silverbacks, Hotel Lux, FUR, Courting, and Malady. We caught up with guitarist Oscar Ryland to find out how they got together and what the future looks like for the fresh faced band.
Give us a potted history of the band
We started as a covers band for Effie’s dad’s festival he does every year at our local pub in Rowhedge, Colchester. We forced Eleanor to join us because we needed a bassist and knew had just started playing. That was May 2019 and we formed in January 2019. By June, we had a full set of originals.
Then we got onto BBC Introducing Suffolk who have been very good to us and enabled us to a live session and got onto Radio 6 and that’s how we got our name our name out mainly – through national radio.
Who inspired you to start making music
I think a big part of wanting to start a band was also being tied in with the local music scene and getting to know everyone and enjoying their music, it makes you want to be up on the stage too. Also, our parents have always seen bands and been passionate about music, with Effie’s dad being in bands for a lot of his life.
And the one or maybe two records that inspired you artistically
I think a big one for all of us was black midi’s ‘Schlagenheim’ . It totally redefined what music could be and what you could do with it. It was totally mind blowing.
If you’re trying to explain who you sound like to someone that’s never heard you, what do you say
That question is always quite hard because we take inspiration from so much music and throw it all together that it’s hard to pin point exactly what we are. Just come to our gigs and see for yourself.
Tell us about your new track
Our new single Paris Will Be Paid For (out on Nice Swan Records) is a song that merges pop hooks with an off kilter instrumental. It stays the same tempo but the time signature constantly changes. It feels like a really natural song even though it’s arranged and put together like that. It was a very natural song for us in general, it’s what we want to do more of in the future. I feel like we have found something that we can present as a short pop song but still be exciting for both us and the audience.
The lyrics aren’t really about anything but that’s what we like really, as long as they make us laugh and leave people guessing about them, then that’s all we need to do.
It was produced by Tom Donovan and features strings from Jos Dow of the band Fishclaw.
Where can we get hold of it
Everywhere.
Tell us how you write
When we first started, it was very much Luca and I working on something at home and bringing it to band practice but as time has gone on, it’s much for collaborative. It’s always been a democratic writing system though, we vote on choices for songs and what to do with them and what we need to change and all credits are equal – no one’s input or contribution is no more important than anyone else’s.
Our new (ish) collaborative writing system works much better as we can get more ideas down quicker and we can communicate easier about what it is we want.
Tell us about your live show and how much have you been missing it recently
Gigging for me is the best part, it’s what it’s all about. To see an audiences reaction to our music is cool and makes it all worthwhile. It’s also a good place to experiment before recording a song and enables us to road test new songs.
What can we expect from you in the near future
Our debut EP ‘By Cousin Sam’ is out on 29th April which we are proud to be releasing and are very happy with the finished product.
We are holding back on gigs at the moment because we are focusing on writing but the second half of this year, we will get back into gigging much more.
Tell us your favourite records that’s rocking your headphones/tour bus / stereo
Oscar – Enter The Wu Tang (36 Chambers)
by Wu Tang Clan
– Ants From Up There by Black
Country, New Road
– Schalgenheim by black midi
Luca – Made In The Pyrex by Digga D
– Murder Of The Universe by King
Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
– Mustn’t Grumble by Chas & Dave
Effie – Music Has The Right To Children by
Boards of Canada
– Drunk Tank Pink by shame
– Grace by Jeff Buckley
Eleanor – Sinner Get Ready by Lingua Ignota
– Magdalane by FKA Twigs
Find out more about the band via their Facebook
Preorder the EP here
Check out the band’s track ‘Paris Will Be Paid For’, below:
