terça-feira, 12 de janeiro de 2016

Silhouettes with The Harrow - An Interview


Cold wave moderna, gelada até a medula é o que se ouve no mais recente álbum do quarteto nova iorquino The Harrow. Silhouettes veio ao mundo em Novembro do ano passado através da aufnahme + wiedergabe, cultuada gravadora que já nos apresentou In Death In Ends, Tempers, Lebanon Hanover entre outros representantes do que há de melhor atualmente no cenário de cold wave e dark wave.

O The Harrow é sempre mais dançantes e gélido do que propriamente gutural ou sombrio, aqui a sedução em tonalidades cinzentas e esfumaçadas prevalece.

Silhouettes é simplesmente um discaço.


***** Interview with The Harrow *****


Q. When did The Harrow start? Tell us about the history...
Frank: It's a long tale, with a few misfires and false starts, but mostly it came together with the passing of my grandmother. I had recently given up on music, but felt her passing was the catalyst for me to give it one last go, with the right people involved and the right ideas on the table from the start. It was almost three years ago to the day – I picked up a few drum machines and started making demos, and it gathered steam rather quickly. We solidified our lineup in a matter of weeks, and everything just clicked. We lined up a handful of releases (including immediate interest from our amazing label, aufnahme+wiedergabe) on the strength of two demos, and for a change, it just seemed like all was right with the universe.

Q: Who are your influences?
Barrett: David Bowie, Trent Reznor, Salvador Dali, Anton Corbijn

Greg: Robin Guthrie, The Chameleons, Debussy, Massive Attack, John McGeoch, Slowdive

Frank: Robert Aickman, David Bowie, Francis Bacon, Shirley Jackson, Graham Coxon, Robin Guthrie, Arvo Pärt, Colin Newman

Vanessa: Fever Ray, NIN, Portishead, Bjork

Q. Make a list of five albums of all time…
Greg: T. Rex – Unicorn, The Chameleons – Script of the Bridge, Cocteau Twins – Head Over Heels, Black Sabbath – Paranoid, Suede – Sci Fi Lullabies

Barrett: The Cure – Disintegration, Massive Attack – Mezzanine, Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral, Depeche Mode – Violator, David Bowie – Aladdin Sane

Vanessa: I hate doing these because I can never pick, so I’m going to list the five albums I’ve been listening to the most lately: Public Memory – Wuthering Drum (out in 2016), Phase Fatale – Grain, Pusha T – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude, Rabit –Communion, Helena Hauff – Discreet Desires 
Frank: This changes constantly, so I'll go with current favorites as well: Pauline Murray & the Invisible Girls- Pauline Murray & the Invisible Girls, Manic Street Preachers – The Holy Bible, Felt – The Splendour of Fear, Not Drowning, Waving – The Little Desert, Pieter Nooten & Michael Brook – Sleeps With the Fishes

Q. How do you feel playing live?
Vanessa: At first it was terrifying, but as I’ve gotten more confident, I am really enjoying it a lot more.

Barrett: It's been a fun transition from drumming (I was a drummer in prior bands) to synth. I like to move around and interact with the crowd a bit more.Greg: I really enjoy the electricity in the air and direct audience feedback, as well as the simple physical pleasure of playing music live.

Frank: I used to thrive on stage, but these days, I haven't been enjoying it as much. While it's great to make that connection, there's usually a lot of variables and anxiety involved, and I don't find it to be a worthwhile experience, 99% of the time. I'm much more inclined to be creative for creation's sake.

Q. How do you describe The Harrow sounds?
Barrett: Four friends doing what they feel at any given time.


Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs?
Barrett: It varies. We usually start with beats and then build around them, but sometimes we get a guitar or synth line first. We each supply our piece of the puzzle and become motivated by each other’s contribution.

Frank: Our producer, Xavier Paradis (from Automelodi), has also been a key element, often bringing the songs to life in the mix.

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
Frank: Marissa Nadler, Second Still, Mueran Humanos, Sumerian Fleet, Pinkish Black, and Silent Em.

Barrett: Public Memory, with whom Vanessa will be performing live, made a great record.

Vanessa: I second Public Memory (really excited to be playing live with him), Partisan, a place both wonderful and strange. I also have another project called Synesect that will be releasing an album soon.

Greg: Vinyl Williams, Death and Vanilla, Them Are Us Too, Flyying Colours, Nite Fields, Savage Sister, White Poppy, Star Horse, Shana Falana, Lightning Bug, Fait, La Casa al Mare.

Q: Which band would you love to make a cover version of?
Barrett: We actually do plan on recording a covers EP soon, so we want to keep it a surprise.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
Barrett: See above. We want to do this as an exercise in rearrangement, as well as something to just have fun with, with very little pressure. Part of the joy of being in this band is working at our leisure and under our own rules. The fact that people have been receptive to it is the icing.

Frank: We also recorded a new song, "Dirty Minds," which will be out in 2016 on a split 7'' with Dead Leaf Echo.

Q: Any parting words?
Barrett: Don't panic.
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Thanks

https://aufnahmeundwiedergabe.bandcamp.com/album/silhouettes
http://theharrowmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/theharrownyc