Band Of The Week #312 - Still Blank
This week's Band Of The Week is rising transatlantic duo Still Blank - who have just released their self-titled debut album via National Anthem / Capitol Records.
Formed by Hawaii-born singer/multi-instrumentalist Jordy and Manchester guitarist Ben, Still Blank emerged from a chance encounter in Liverpool’s music scene in 2022. What began as an impromptu basement collaboration with a broken nylon-string guitar quickly evolved into one of alternative music’s most exciting new partnerships. Still Blank’s songwriting draws from both introspection and their surroundings, echoing the mood of artists like Yo La Tengo, Big Thief and Cat Power. Their genre-shifting sound touches on shoegaze, psych-folk, and post-punk.
Working closely with producer Joel Pott (George Ezra, Shura) and later Flood (PJ Harvey, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds), Still Blank crafted their debut album through an unfiltered process of exploration and experimentation. Recorded between London, Los Angeles, and a remote cabin in Wales, Still Blank captures the duo’s restless curiosity and cinematic soundscapes, ranging from the dreamy introspection of previous single ‘What About Jane’ to the feverish motorik pulse of ‘Ain’t Quite Right’. Speaking on the album, Jordy explains: “This was a transformational period of our lives, which is reflected throughout the entirety of the record. Some of the songs were written when we first met, some on other sides of the world while navigating separation, and others born into existence in less than a day, after we initially thought we’d finished the record. With a record written before we’d even conjured up a name, the whole creation of this album felt serendipitous – from a chance meeting between ourselves to magically finding likeminded collaborators who took a chance on 2 kids and allowed us to experiment without any pressure from outside sources.”
Despite a whirlwind journey, including Jordy’s unexpected deportation during the album’s creation and a move to Los Angeles following their signing to National Anthem (HAIM, Chvrches), Still Blank have quickly established themselves as one of the most compelling new voices in alternative music.
They took a moment to talk to us about how the album came together.
Hey there Still Blank, how are you? So your album is out now – how does it feel to have it out there?
Hi, thanks so much for having us! We’re honoured to be your artist of the week:) It feels incredible and strange to finally have the album out. It’s crazy to think we were writing some of these tunes a few years ago for fun, with no intention of ever putting them out or a clue what could come of writing together, and now it’s living in the big world and the ears of others.
Where was it recorded? Any behind the scenes stories you are willing to share with us?
We recorded most of it in London with Joel Pott, but used a lot of the original recording stems from the demos we’d made in Jordy’s dingy basement flat in Liverpool. That’s why a few of the songs are in-between hertz rather than accurate tunings - we weren’t trying to be clever, just lazy in tuning by ear while making the demos. We also wrote a few of the songs, like Dead & Gone, while at Joel’s sleepy cabin in Wales and kept the demo vocals. Mid-way through making the record, Jordy got sent home from the UK after having some post-grad visa issues, so our original plan to spend about 2 months in the studio had to be crammed into 3 weeks before she left. We’d be in the studio from around 10am-1am most days, living off of soup and bagels.
What are the key influences behind the album?
Everyday at lunch while making the album, we’d choose a record from Joel’s CD collection and find our new favourite artist to keep us inspired. We discovered a lot of the back catalogues of Sparklehorse, Grandaddy, Yo La Tengo, Cat Power, PJ Harvey and more. We’ve also continually been inspired by artists such as The Durutti Column, Sonic Youth, Radiohead & Elliot Smith/Heatmiser.
If the album could be a soundtrack to any film – which one and why?
Twilight
R patts vs T lauts
Do you have a favourite lyric on the album? If so, which one and why?
I have a couple. One is “hung out like a rabbit in a fish tank” from Cut Slack, as it encapsulates this feeling of being completely out of place. Also the lyrics to Rainman have a special place in my heart, emerging from a nostalgic tantrum of being home on Kauai and laying under the stars at night, finding comfort in the notion of being but a small speck in the universe. Nothing matters, yet everything does.
“Watching as the moon eats the sun
Lying in the hands of the world, we’re turning
Rainman started beating his drum
Oh and so I’ll wait, got no hurry now”
Now the album is out there – what next for you?
We’re currently on tour with Royel Otis through Europe and are having such an amazing time. Hoping there will be many more shows next year:)
