‘New EP’ is where a band or artist answers some questions about their latest release. Shuedet released an E.P towards the end of last year, and we caught up with Thom from the band recently for a chat about it.
When/where was the new EP recorded?
The EP was recorded in a very haphazard piecemeal way in a couple of different home studio setups during 2018.
Who produced/engineered the EP? How did the tracks come together in the studio, or at home?
Everything was written, recorded, and produced by myself, and then I handed it over to Al Green for a proper mixdown. The tracks usually begin as improvised experiments with guitar or viola and some of my effects pedals, which I tend to loop and begin adding rhythmic elements on top of. The projects get revisited at a later points in time and tend to mutate away from the original idea until I have variations that I can use to form a song structure that I can add detail to. They take a while to marinate. Hardly ever will I finish something in one session.
Did 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?
The shorter EP format does allow me to experiment with new techniques and gear. The way I’ve made the previous 3 releases has been with a different setup each time. The hardware I’m using at present has been the most rewarding – the hands-on nature and immediacy, as well as the limitations have helped me refine my writing and performance. I like the shorter format because it allows me to do a lot of learning with an achieveable outcome to work towards. I don’t get a lot of time to do music so it helps keep the projects regular.
Was there any specific gear you used to capture that?
My pedal board has expanded to a pretty silly size but I’m able to send guitar, viola, and vocals through the chain to achieve a range of sounds but keep whole projects relatively cohesive. The Infinite Jets resynthesizer pedal is all over everything as it’s great at transforming sound sources in unpredictable ways and is super fun to play through. The brains of everything is the Synthstrom Deluge which has allowed me to ditch the computer almost completely. I use it mostly for sample sequencing and manipulation. It’s very intuitive to use and forces you to use your ears a bit more to make decisions. I think you’ve got one in your collection?
Is there a particular track or theme that the EP was formed around?
I wanted to simplify the songs I was making for this EP but maintain the immersive aspects. Trying to reproduce Permutations live was difficult because there was too many parts. I aimed to surround dnb/footwork style rhythms with fewer atmospheric parts that could be quickly produced in the pedal chain and more playable instrumental lines. The track Rawww came first and then from there the projects inevitably became for complicated as I learnt more about the equipment. Lyrically I reflect on my own experiences but try to keep it simple and ambiguous enough so that others can relate it to their own life. Writing is something I need to become more comfortable with – people seem to like words in songs.
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?
In terms of growing an audience: I guess the EP format means there is a reasonable amount of back catalogue material available to listen to and listeners can get an idea of the musical progression I’m making. The type of music I make means it’s very unlikely that a single will blow up on a Spotify playlist or whatever and the majority of my time is spent teaching so to make an album would take forever.
Which digital platforms is it available on?
The Rawww EP is available to stream or download on all the usual sources – Apple, Spotify, Google etc as well as on Bandcamp and SoundCloud.
Are you doing any gigs or promotion for its release?
The unofficial release show was part of a Ball of Wax showcase in a dreamy Newtown garden in January. No other dates locked in as of yet but hoping there will be a few opportunities through out the year!