In Conversation With #186 - Anorak Patch
Age is all but a number, with band members aged between 15 and 18, the Essex foursome - Anorak Patch have just revealed one of our favorite releases so far this year with their debut EP ‘By Cousin Sam’.
Debut EP By Cousin Sam is out 29th April 2022, and it’s about nothing in particular, with tracks that are bold, pretty, and influenced by repetition. It’ll be released by Nice Swan Records that have worked with some of the UK’s hottest new acts including Sports Team, English Teacher, Silverbacks, FUR, Courting, Malady, and more.
It’ll include previous singles ‘Irate’ (here), ‘Blue Jeans’ (here), ‘Delilah’ (here), and latest track ‘Cousin Sam’ (here) - further proof of why Anorak Patch are one of the UK’s most exciting bands to emerge in recent times.
They took a moment to talk to us about how the EP came together.
Hey there Anorak Patch, how are you? So your new EP is out now, how does it feel to have it out there in the world?
It's really cool, especially having it on vinyl as well. I think this EP is our favourite thing we have made so far because it's so diverse and represents everyone in a good and equal light. To have it on vinyl also makes it seem more real almost because you have the physical process of playing records and everything else along with it, instead of just pressing a few buttons on your phone or laptop.
It is called ‘By Cousin Sam’ - what is the meaning behind that?
We wanted it to all be linked together and be referential. All the covers for the singles and the EP are of plants from mine and Luca's house all chopped up and the EP name 'By Cousin Sam' makes it seem like it's a letter. The song 'Cousin Sam' is the main point of the letter and the others are footnotes or something. I think also we wanted the emphasis on Cousin Sam because it's probably our best song in terms of songwriting and when we wrote it we really felt like we had struck a goldmine.
Where was it recorded? Any behind the scenes stories from the creative process?
It was recorded at Tom Donovan's studio near to where we all live. We tried to keep it quite minimal but still make it sound like it's done in a studio, instead of it just sounding like the four of us playing live. There has to be that strong separation between live and studio work, otherwise there would be no difference between seeing us live and listening to us on Spotify.
We also worked at unusual times for this recording process. Because we recorded it during school and college time, we would get to the studio at 5pm and work until 12 in the morning. It was incredibly tiring but definitely worth it.
It is being released via Nice Swan Records - who have worked with the likes of Sports Team, Hotel Lux, FUR and more. How does it feel to be part of their family?
Its nice to release something in collaboration with a label instead of independently, like our first two releases. The difference in reception is really good and makes you feel good because you're backed by such good bands and labels.
What are the key themes and influences on the EP?
I don't think there are any themes, especially lyrically. It's all made up and not about anything. And even musically, apart from a conscious effort to do something we'd never done before, there's not much of a theme.
And in terms of influences because we take influence from so much different music that it's hard to pinpoint what everything is influenced by. One song might be influenced by 50 songs from all over the world and another influenced by three songs from the UK.
Do you have a favorite lyric on the EP? If so, which one and why?
Probably my lines in 'Polly Filler'.
'Don't open the door,
Don't come inside.
Who knows what lies on the slide?'
They're so droney and monotonous and repetitive and meaningless , it makes you lull into the song.
If your EP could be the soundtrack to any film - which one and why?
Maybe 'A Serious Man'. It's weird enough to work with each other and each song could fit with a particular scene. But I'm not really too sure.
Now the EP is out there - what next for you?
We are focusing on writing for now and testing it at gigs later on in the year. Probably the beginning of summer we'll start to gig a lot more then.
