Band Of The Week #184 - Thyla
This week’s Band of the Week is Brighton based trio Thyla - who have just released their long-awaited self-titled debut album via Easy Life Recordings.
On their debut album the band makes natural a step onward from their earlier EPs, working in a way that removed outside influence. In the same way that their process allowed them to make their own decisions, the resulting album is also about allowing others space to reach their own conclusions. It asks questions, rather than demands answers, and often zeroes in on the world’s polarized state, knowing when confrontation or walking away is the answer. It is also an album of internal monologues made real, punctuated with regular references to the Lewis Carroll tale Alice In Wonderland.
They took a moment to talk to us about how the album came together.
Hey there Thyla, so how are you? The debut album is finally here, it has felt like a long time coming. How does it feel to have it out there in the world?
Great, thank you. We’re very proud of it, and it’s fulfilling to finally have a full body of work out there. It was recorded two years ago, in January 2020 so we’re relieved that it’s now out. Having a physical vinyl of our debut album is very rewarding.
How does this full debut album compare to your previous EPs?
There are a lot of lyrics that are repeated in different songs, running through the album, mostly stemming from Rabbit Hole. So it’s much more deliberate in terms of creating a body of work rather than just a selection of songs, which the previous EP’s have been.
Where was it recorded? Any behind the scenes stories from the creative process you are happy to share with us?
The album was recorded in Bude, Cornwall in an Air BNB. We turned the lounge into a live room and recorded the album over 10 days with our producer Josh (who is now playing guitar with us.) The interlude, ‘Imbude’ was recorded one evening while we were playing a stripped back version of Kin.
It was recorded with one microphone, capturing the rain hitting the window and the atmosphere of Bude in winter. The title is a play on the word imbued and the fact that we were in Bude, hence ‘Imbude’.
What are the key themes and influences on the album?
A key theme on the album is the quest for knowledge and truth. Rabbit Hole encompasses this, but revealing that the more you find out, the more there is to know, and deeper down the rabbit hole you go.
Do you have a favourite lyric on the album? If so, which one and why?
‘All I want is a little more than I’ll ever get’, from Gum is a favourite of mine, summing up that it’s difficult to be content. There will always be something you desire, in this song it’s mainly about progression and your satisfaction with your achievements.
Now the debut album is out - what next for you?
We’ve already got a batch of new songs together and we’re going to be moving straight on to. the next album. It’s great to have this debut album punctuating our early career, and having it out means we can continue developing our sound. It’s very liberating having the daunting first album out, now we feel freer to experiment.
