Elder Island interview and mix

Bristol. It’s a wonderful place. If you’ve not been, and don’t yet have any plans for this weekend, go. It won’t disappoint. Packed to the rafters with idyllic architecture, sweeping views as well as cultural and culinary delights, something about this bustling West-country oasis is uniquely colourful and distinct. Unashamedly different, and proud of it.

The continually flourishing music scene is no different.

From Motion, one of the best clubs in the world, to trip-hop stalwarts, Massive Attack, many enriching musical projects have been conceived here. The diversity of ethnicity, creative young buzz and subsequent mishmash culturally, make it an ideal incubator for avant-garde musical projects. This certainly seems to have been the case for Elder Island, some of the most exciting musicians operating out of the city currently.

From the moment we first heard their single ‘Welcome State’, something about Elder Island’s sound hooked us. It’s not easily definable, as they themselves readily confess, “we struggle so much with genres”. Perhaps that’s a part of their charm, they aren’t trying to be anything but themselves.

This aspect of their character glowed brightest in the interview. As a pot of stew bubbled away on the stove behind them, three smiling, albeit slightly ambivalent faces stared back at us. Katy the lead vocalist in the middle, with Luke to her right and Dave to her left. 

Whilst their responses were open and transparent, there was nothing unduly ostentatious about them. They’re grounded, passionate and notably down to earth when it comes to discussing what they do. This made them good company and easy to talk to. Clearly, they are content with the individual roles they play, and, with each other’s company.

One couldn’t help but feel that they hadn’t done many of these. That they weren’t yet put off by endless press runs and repetitive, insipid interview questions. Given their current success trajectory, it’s inevitable these sorts of interviews become a more frequent occurrence for them. We’re just happy we caught Elder Island early. 

Enjoy finding out a bit more about them below. We discussed everything, from their up and coming album, to their creative processes, live set up, dreams, hopes, influences and experiences. We also covered in depth their propensity for self-releasing, and the challenges and benefits that come with this strategy. No stone was left unturned. We also sought comment from past colleague, now manager, Ross Patel, to discuss how they were discovered and how things operate behind the scenes.

Their debut album entitled The Omnitone Collection lands on the 8th of February.

Is there a central story to this album, a theme or a particular subject matter you were all keen to explore?

“The biggest driving force in our minds was the fluidity of it. Not necessarily having a theme for the whole album, where all the songs had to tell a certain story. Above all, we wanted to make sure it was very fluid to listen to.” (Luke) 

“But, not in terms of similarity, more in the way it kinda takes you on a journey and leads you through.” (Dave)

The artwork is fly, who did it? 

“It’s kind of a collective thing really. So, all of us. We’ve all got different skillsets. Luke, did photography [at university], Dave did graphic design and I did fine art. We had this idea, it started with ‘Don’t Lose’. We were like, let’s just make the objects rather than just using the designs which was the initial plan. It just snowballed into making all of them.” (Katy)

Sound wise the album operates in a similar vein to work you’ve done before. Going forwards do you feel pressure to keep evolving? 

“I think it naturally evolves. I mean, you’re changing the equipment and moving into different styles of recording and they might be different each time, which in turn inspires something different again.” (Dave)

 “Yeah, it is kind of equipment led. Little things start to get introduced and then that adds and amalgamates with the sound, so I suppose it’s evolving in that way.” (Katy)

“I feel there’s a lack of pressure to do it, because we basically evolve through the things and the instruments we have in front of us.” (Luke)

What’s next, obviously you guys have an album landing in a couple of weeks?

 “February the 8th cannot wait, there’s this period between getting it finished and getting it out when you’re like, what are we doing, just sitting around waiting!” (Katy)

Talk to me about the album tour, what’s the live show like?

“It’s all going to be about touring this year. We’ve got a gig in London on February the 1st then a headline tour in Europe and America in March.” (Dave) 

“I’ve never even been to America, I have literally no idea what to expect. We’ve also got a problem where we’ve got quite a lot of kit now, and we’re trying to work out how the hell to get it there and then get around the place.” (Katy)

I read somewhere you guys have your own lighting rig?

“We have our own lighting guy for the bigger shows, but then we’ll use the in-house system live often, and they can just control our light package that we’ve made ourselves.” (Dave)

Has the Bristol Sound had an impact on your music at all?

 “I think so, cos I listened to a lot of it as we were growing up. Portishead and Massive Attack were a huge thing. So, I think only in the way that we’ve listened to a lot of it. I don’t think we consciously said, we’re gonna make this like a Bristol sound, it’s probably more subconscious than that.” (Katy)

 “To be fair, they would have definitely been a massive influence when we were starting to make music though.” (Dave)

“But also, other trip-hops’ like Ninja Tune. Loads of stuff on Ninja Tune, like Wagon Christ.” (Luke)

You guys still have full time jobs apparently, is that true? 

“Not full time, it’s all starting to wind down.” (Dave)

 “We’re at that time where you either make the plunge, or you just keep it as hobby, so I think we’ve all decided that we’re all gonna sacrifice a little bit of money and be penniless musicians” (Katy)

What are these jobs?

“Better Food Company, they’re a fully organic shop, and I work as a delivery driver between all their shops.” (Luke)

“I do many different things, I’m self-employed, so I’ve been a decorator, a builder and maker for many years” (Dave)

“I just gave up my job, I work for Ardaman Animations [Wallace & Gromit], making small things and I gave that up as it’s quite hard trying to do everything” (Katy)

It’s harder if you’re backing yourselves, if you don't have a label chucking cash at you isn’t it? 

“Well that's why we’ve built a lot of the stuff ourselves, because instead of paying someone else to do it, it’s like, well let’s not pay them and just figure out how we can do it. I just had to hand in my notice actually” (Luke) …“I didn’t know you’d done that!” (Katy, says grinning)

Your music is notoriously quite difficult to pigeonhole. What have you commonly heard people wrongly describe your sound as, and what would you like it to be described as?

 “Excellent question, but it's difficult.” (Katy)

“What's this techno one which keeps on being bounded about…?” (Dave) … “Yeah I like techno, but I wouldn’t say we make it .” (Katy) 

“We struggle so much with genres and trying to get it. We transcend genres.” (Katy says cheekily, laughing)

We talked about the self-releasing briefly earlier, is that mainly because of the freedom it provides. Is that the central reason along with money?

“We had a bit of trouble with ‘Welcome State’ and ‘Bonfires’, a few slip ups along the way.” (Luke) 

“Cos the first ones were done as low-key label releases. It was a way of seeing how it all works, and we were like, why are we giving you fifty percent of the share on this when you’re not really working for it.” (Dave)

“And we wouldn’t get the money back because of the way that they pay, so you try and push forward on money that you could have made, it’s just impossible. Plus, you have to give up some of your creativity, and creative freedom, for us it’s not the one.” (Katy)

Are you keen to stick with this model? or, if someone or a big label approaches you with a proposal?

“I think it’s all down to what the proposal is and the label as well. Currently, fortunately [with the internet] we’re in a position where it is very easy to release music, and if you find yourself a good distributor you can just get it out there and start getting paid immediately. But, when we come to do the next album - say we got the right offer from the right label - there’s so much promotion and work, all of that is done for you, so yeah it’s something that we’d probably consider.” (Dave)

Inspiration can often be fleeting; many musicians often feel their best and most popular pieces of work are written in a sharp wave of creative consciousness. Does this ring true for you, or given the complex nature of your music is it slower?

“I’d put us more in the slow camp” (Dave) They all laughed in agreement. “You say that but some of them are quick, like ‘Kape Fear’ was done quickly. ‘You and I’ [below] came out real quick.” (Luke)

“It often takes a while to get it to the point where we’re like, yeah it’s a finished track. But, the writing and the feel of the production kinda just happens immediately, and it’s like wow that’s it, we’ve got it already.” (Dave)

Were you guys able to predict which of your tracks would be the most popular?

“If you think about, ‘I Fold You’, we released that pretty low key over Christmas, and we just had such amazing feedback. We all knew it was quite an emotive, strong song, but for it to kick off way bigger than ‘You And I’, which we put some money behind releasing, shows it’s quite unpredictable.” (Katy)

“Yeah sometimes it takes time, for example with ‘Black Fur’ we really enjoyed the song, but as the year and a half has gone along, it has shot up in popularity and people have really enjoyed it. Over time it’s got really popular, it’s lovely really.” (Luke)

“The way we perform it live also has an impact on what’s popular, because with some tracks we go quite heavy, expand on them and push them further, which then increases the excitement around the original track as well.” (Dave)

How does it work live, do you change the tracks a lot, do you have big instrumental solos etc.?

“Because our music is electronic, this means you can elongate it some more, and take it on a bit more of a journey. We’ve had it with a few tracks like ‘Black Fur’ and ‘Big Unknown’ where we’ve been playing it for so long, it's second nature, so we can just mix it up a bit more, how about you go there a bit longer, or a bit shorter there.” (Luke)

Lyric wise, is that a lot down to you Katy? Or do the other two have a decent say as well?

“Most of it’s down to me, but sometimes the other two get involved. I mean Dave does NOT sing, no singing for Dave. ”(Katy) They all laugh in agreement.

“Yeah, but she asks us for advice, and what we think about this line or that line, and we’re like let’s listen to it, let’s hear it, let’s feel what it’s like.” (Luke)

“Yeah, I need the help.” (Katy) Laughs

“Katy has such a good idea with her melodies, and they way it sounds. Often, she’ll sit back and take a long time over it. It’s about trying to fit those words around that melody.” (Luke)

Have you ever had classical training, or vocal coaching, or anything like that?

“No, I need to get some at some point, because I’m nervous about doing a lot of gigs in one big chunk. Plus, maybe, in terms of keeping my voice healthy. But mostly it was self-taught, and I have books and stuff on techniques.”

Favourite places you’ve performed in the UK and abroad?

“Well, we all loved Dublin.” (Katy)

“Dublin is awesome.” (Dave)

“The way they absorb music in gigs is amazing. The last gig we went to was the day after a bank holiday and we were like, everyone is going to be haggard! But, as soon as we started the whole place was up and down, everyone was shouting and having the best time and it was really, really fun.” (Katy talking about The Grand Social in Dublin)

Have you guys done much touring outside the UK?

“Not really. Supported Glass Animals on tour in 2017, and that was the first time we had actually done more than two shows in a row. When we supported them it was a baptism of fire. We learnt a lot, really quickly.” (Luke)

“Yeah, it's good cos it laid down some foundations for us going back to Europe, and we’ve had messages from people saying I saw you in Berlin, can’t wait for you to come back.” (Katy)

Strangest Hotel Experience?

“We don’t do no trashing of hotels.” (Katy) Not yet, anyway.

Favourite song made by Elder Island? 

“It’s like choosing a favourite child!” (Katy)

“Mine changes. It’s always based on whichever one I’m playing live because we never want to listen to our stuff again after we’ve made it.” (Dave) They all laugh in agreement.

Umm…. Why don’t you want to listen to your music again?

“Because you get critical about it.” (Dave)

“You know, you start to pick holes in the production.” (Katy)

“Like the ‘Big Unknown’, the production on that is so amateur, I just don’t get it. I mean I like it, but now I just listen to the production of it and I’m like… what!” (Luke)

So, back to the previous question. Favourite song? 

“I guess it’s the tracks you listen to where you’re not cringing all the way through. So, I still really like ‘Welcome State’, it’s a lovely song.” (Katy)

“My favourite is ‘Black Fur’.” (Dave)

“My heart wants to say, ‘Today Is Your Day’.” (Luke)

Where would you like to be in three years time? 

“Playing Glastonbury, just fucking getting a slot.” (Luke)

“Getting a free ticket to Glastonbury.” (Katie)

“Sunday afternoon slot at the Park Stage.” (Dave)

“Another album.” (group consensus)

Dream gig?

“Royal Albert Hall.” (group consensus)

Who are your favourite contemporary musicians?

“Alex Cameron, just cos he’s a concept artist which I quite like, and he’s a real showman, great style.” (Katy)

“Been listening to a lot of Jazz lately, so someone like Ashley Henry.” (Luke)

“I’ve been smashing a lot of Ravyn Lenae. It’s all branching off that LA hip-hoppy, Thundercat sort of stuff. It’s like R&B vocal led stuff. And Steve Lacy or Jonti.” (Dave)

WE ALSO SOUGHT COMMENT FROM ONE OF THEIR MANAGERS, ROSS PATEL. As he himself aptly put it, “you’re only as good as the team you have around you”.  

How did you meet?

I used to work at a venue in Bristol called Motion. I was managing the venue operations there and Luke was one of my bar managers at the time. Over the years we would have times where at the end of the night, when everything was done around 7am, some of the security and bar staff would gather on the terrace for a cider and watch the sun come up. During that time, Luke and the band were making music and eventually put out their first EP in 2014. I was an avid fan, and always tried to support however I could with my limited connections at the time.

What made you and Jamie want to work with them?

On setting up Whole Entertainment with Jamie, I met with the Elders to see how things were going. I asked them to show me what music they had. It was rough to say the least but we both loved it. It was undeniably unique, and I could clearly see the huge potential to carve out their own space in the music landscape. The beauty of the tracks was that they weren’t trying to be anything in particular. It was a very honest offering from the band. They have grown a loyal following for exactly that reason.

Why did you decide to go down the self-releasing route? Do you think it’s an effective model for other artists to aspire to?

The band are incredible visionaries when it comes to the creative aspects of their work. Their creative control is paramount to the authenticity and subsequent success of the project. I have to say it’s a lot of hard work for the artist and as management you inevitably end up with far more responsibilities at your door. This allows them to be as freely creative as possible. It’s absolutely possible for artists to successfully take the independent route. All the tools are available and now you have platforms such at the UMAs which could act as a fantastic spring board for new and emerging independent talent. The one thing I would say and I’m sure many artists would agree, you’re only as good as the team you have around you. The music industry is a crowded and ever-changing landscape. You need people that understand it and can guide you through it, avoiding the pitfalls and spotting the opportunities. 

Pre-order The Omnitone Collection

30/01/19
Interview: Chris Shenkman