In Conversation With #105 - Chartreuse
Hailing from the Black Country - Chartreuse have just released their second EP ‘Keep Checking Up On Me’ via Communion Records. The band are named after a color that supposedly cannot be seen when printed, however this EP does the opposite of that and demands you take notice as they take a cinematic vibe and blend it with influences of Wild Beasts and Nick Cave. The band took a moment to discuss the EP in more depth with us.
Hey there Chartreuse, so the EP is out now - how does it feel to be releasing music in the middle of a troubled time for music?
Hello! Yeah It definitely feels a little strange but we're still really excited to have it out there and for people to hear it, it just feels a shame we can't get out and play the EP live but hopefully will be able to soon.
It is titled ‘Keep Checking Up On Me’ - does that hold a certain meaning to you?
Keep Checking Up On Me is the title of one of the songs on the EP, the lyric isn't actually in the song which we thought was nice. It summed up the themes of each individual track easily, bringing them together under one bracket. In our heads it's not said with alarm or concern, its said lovingly.
Where was the EP recorded? Any behind the scenes stores from the recording process?
We recorded 3 of the tracks in Tottenham with producer Luke Smith which was amazing and Mike produced and mixed the other 2 in the cabin where we write and record at home. No mad stories, it was quite tame…!
What are the key influences and themes on the EP?
We don’t feel there are many connecting themes in the EP, other than them being a bit sad, but how do you say that really. We didn't set out to make a body of work we just realised these tracks sit together really well, so decided to bundle them together as an EP.
Do you have a favourite lyric on the EP? If so, which one and why?
"They asked me where is your spine? I said I left it on my mother’s bedside" The lyrics to Enemy's Belly actually started out, before the track was made, as a standalone poem written by Mike. It’s the only song on the EP that was written in that way, so we think it stands out for us. It took a rather unconventional route while being created, but it worked out so well in the end and is now one of our favourites to play.
We can feel a small cinematic vibe to your music, do you take any influences from film soundtracks? If so, what are your favourite ones?
Mike and Perry watch quite a lot of films, obviously the soundtracks are a big part of the cinematic experience so it is bound to seep over into our own music making. Interstellar is a big favourite with all of us but you can't fault any film with Hanz Zimmer doing the soundtrack.
A lot of your songs start as scraps of paper, so how does an idea start and when does it finish when it comes to putting a track together?
It changes every time, some of them start off as scraps, some are fully formed and then we finish them together and some we create together in the cabin. It really depends on the ideas and how much work they need.