Live4ever recently met up with The Sunshine Underground to talk about the fascinating story behind their forthcoming self-titled album.
It’s been four years since the release of ‘Nobody’s Coming To Save You’, and so much has changed in that time for the band. The new record has been a true labour of love for both them and their fans, who have helped to fund its recording via a Pledge Music campaign. And to repay this support the band have focused on producing their most ambitious album to date. In doing so they travelled to Sheffield to work with widely renowned producer Ross Orton (Arctic Monkeys, MIA), set up their own label and after many hints and nudges, finally fully embraced their long-held passion for dance music.
We spoke to frontman Craig Wellington to discuss how all these changes have impacted on their already distinctive sound, and to find out what drove them to explore these exciting new directions.
Thanks for taking the time to chat with Live4ever. How has using Pledge to fund the album and get it made worked for you?
It was a really positive experience. We’d been away writing this album for quite a long time and going down this route really helped us reconnect with fans. It was great to be able to document the journey of the album with the people who care about it most. This was the first time we’d made an album outside of being on a label and it allowed us to make the record we wanted to make on our own terms and we really enjoyed the process, plus we don’t owe a record company a shit load of money this time either.
Are you planning to continue to work through this forum in future?
It certainly worked for us this time, we’ve come away with an album we’re really proud of and made every decision in its making. We’ve since started our own label ‘Lovers’ because of it too, so it’s done us well, we would definitely consider doing it again.
Going through this route, do you feel it gave you the freedoms you were expecting, or in some way did it offer too much scope and freedom without the outside pressure?
We found making the record outside of any label influence quite liberating actually. We knew we were making a totally different record to anything we’d done before this time around. Making it in this way allowed us to just follow our ideas to the end and have fun in the studio in a way that was a more creative process than ever before I think.
The latest record appears to be the fruition of your ambition to make a pure dance album. Why has this ambition been so important to you all as a band over the years?
It’s always been in the band’s DNA; our first album ‘Raise The Alarm’ was our way of trying to make a dance record in the only way we knew how at the time, I think. This time was the first time we were at a place where we were confident we would be able to pull it off. Most of the time away between album two and this one was down to a desire to learn new production techniques to be able to realise that goal to its potential. As a band we all listen to electronic music before anything else these days so it totally made sense to start making the kind of records that we were listening to these days.
How are you finding the new electronic material is transposing to live performance? Has it taken much adjustment to the live shows?
There is certainly a lot more gear on stage these days! We’ve a got at least a couple of instruments each to play now. It’s been a good challenge though, the music has changed so inevitably the live set-up has with it, but it’s great, we feel like a new band on stage now, and the new songs are loads of fun to play out.
Named for a Chemical Brothers track, it almost seems like a manifest destiny to record the kind of music we’re hearing on the new LP, but now you are here what’s next? Is it further down the dance rabbit-hole or have you already starting thinking of new directions for the next one?
It was a long process of discovery to get to this point and we feel really comfortable where we are, so I don’t think there are more crazy re-inventions on the cards just now, but you never know. We’ve already made a start on writing the next record and it already feels like a natural progression from this one so far…
What do you consider were your primary musical influences on this record?
It’s hard to say because we all write songs together and everyone has their own individual influences that they bring to the table. Songs all start in different ways, by one of us individually usually, and then we all get stuck in and add our own ideas until we’re all buzzing off the track and then it’s job done. We didn’t go into this record directly referencing anyone as influences as such, but they’re obviously in there. Theres a strong 80’s vibe but more than that, some modern DFA records influences I think, some tracks have a 70’s Talking Heads-ness about them too.
Tracks like ‘Finally We Arrive’ and ‘Don’t Stop’ almost feel like early 70s/80s electro, reminiscent of electro pioneers from that time and even some of the early hip-hop pioneers like Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa. Was that intentional or merely a happy coincidence?
Again, I think it just comes down to us all referencing different influences, subconsciously, then working with each other and seeing where it takes us. Those references iyou mentioned are acts we love and admire so I can see the likeness there. We were intentionally making an electronic record for sure but not one that was so focused on direct references I guess.
Some of the new material available feels less focused on blazing vocals and much more about the groove. Was there a decision to ease back on such a distinctive and strong vocal presence and bring the music to the fore, or is this merely how the songs developed?
We changed the way we wrote songs on this album. Much less ‘band in a room making a racket’ and more home studio based. I think the earlier songs had a more aggression in the vocal, maybe something that comes from writing in a really loud practise room, and as the writing process changed on this record so did the approach to the vocal. I think I’ve chilled out a bit. I’m not so ago when it comes to singing now, I guess I don’t feel I need to shout as much and am enjoying using my voice in other ways.
You said back in November 2013 that you always think you can do better with each record you release. How has that driven the new record differently to the previous two?
I think no matter what you do you’re always learning and always striving to better yourself. I think that’s what keeps us hungry and excited about the prospect of what could happen next. This time around it felt like we were entering a new world musically so maybe the next is about how to naturally progress from here.
Did Sheffield’s history at the forefront of electro music in the 70s and 80s rub off / influence you on the stronger dance/electro influence found on the new record? ‘Finally We Arrive’ does almost have a Human League’s ‘Don’t You Want Me’ feel to the tempo and vocals? Is that why you went to record there?
Not really to be honest. We went to Sheffield because we wanted to work with Ross Orton and that’s where his studio was, so I guess it was a coincidence that we were making a record reminiscent in part to the sound of the city. The fact that it was recorded in Sheffield definitely suits the record, so that’s cool.
Has the obsession with hi-hats run its course or is that with you for life?
More Stu and Matt’s obsession that, but pretty sure that’s not going away anytime soon…
Were you in any way worried about working with such a distinctive and influential producer, and how that might impact on your own vision when heading into the studio?
Initially maybe, but as soon as we met with Ross to discuss making the record with him it was obvious that he got where we were coming from. We’d already made some pretty realised demo versions of all the songs and he recognised that and knew how to take it forward. We wanted a mix of live instruments and electronics and he was really good at bringing the band out of us I think. It was all laptops, drum machines and synthesizers before we got into the studio so Ross was key in bringing all these elements together.
Two music videos in to the new album both with a lot of walking, when do you think you’ll arrive at the destination? Are these in any way intended to represent you heading in new directions?
Ha! I’d like to think we have arrived, finally (sorry). I’d like to say this was the plan to represent this new direction because that sounds cool doesn’t it, I don’t know if it is though. Both videos were directed by a long time collaborator Dave Aspinal, he’s done a bunch of our videos, maybe he intended that..?
Which current bands are currently floating your boat?
Saw Metronomy a couple of weeks ago and thought they were great. Loving records by Ibibo Sound Machine and Daniel Avery right now. The Horrors new record is on in the background and sounding very good.
What does the rest of 2014 hold for the band? Plenty of festivals ahead?
Yes we’re just about to announce a bunch of festival appearances over the next month or so and a big 18 date UK tour just announced for October too. So yeah, we’ll be at a venue or in a field near you very soon!
