‘New EP’ is where a band or artist answers some questions about their latest EP release. Up next is classically trained vocal virtuoso Rose Blake (Ida Lune, Pales), who has stepped into new territory with her exploration of the electronic music world with new musical project Blaek.

When/where was the new EP recorded?
The EP was recorded in a few different places. The vocals were recorded in my home studio, while the strings were recorded in a larger space at my friend’s house. Other elements, including the analogue synths, and computer-generated sounds were recorded at home. I worked on the songs throughout 2015 and 2016.

Who produced/engineered the EP? How did the tracks come together in the studio, or at home?
I worked with a good friend, Al Green, who co-produced the EP with me. I went to him with the written tracks and had some good sessions working through the sounds I wanted to create. It was a very honest process and if I didn’t like something he did, I felt comfortable to say so and vice versa.

Does the shorter format of an EP give you the option to experiment in any way with your sound or with different forms of song-writing?
Definitely, it was my first venture into creating this kind of music. I think writing in this format gave me the opportunity to play around with different sounds and take risks to find out what I wanted to create without it being too overwhelming.

Was there any specific gear you used to capture that?
I was lucky to have access to some exciting synths such as a Juno-60 and a few other gems such as several Dave Smith synths. I was very excited to be able to manipulate the timbre of the sound to fit with the different moods of each song. I was also interested in manipulating my voice. This is something I’ve never done before and I found it fascinating to experiment with all the different ways you can manipulate such a personal instrument.

Is there a particular track or theme that the EP was formed around?
I never settled on a specific theme for the EP but I think there is a personal and restless quality throughout the work. I really wanted the listener to be able to make their own connections with the music without spelling out the meaning of each song directly to them. At the same time, I also wanted to express more personal and specific feelings or things that I have experienced in my own life.

Where do you see the EPs place in growing an audience online? Do you see it as a progression towards an album or a separate entity?
The EP has been released purely online, as this is my very first release under the name Blaek. it’s a crucial step in getting my music out there and making it available to a wider audience. I think this is a step towards an album or another EP. I feel like this has been a great way to find the initial sound of Blaek and now I can explore it further. I have also been working with a new local Wellington label called Ball of Wax – they have been great at helping my release and promote the EP!

Which digital platforms is it available on?
The EP is available to listen to or purchase on Bandcamp, Soundcloud, iTunes and Spotify.

Are you doing any gigs or promotion for its release?
I have now done a release gig but I’m planning to perform more gigs in the future!