All questions answered by Kieran from Ex Libras
Ex Libras
For those who may be new to your music, how best would you describe your sound?
Ambient Breakbeats, mixed in with some distorted swamped guitars over some Post Classical infused / confused keys!
What challenges have you faced in the music industry so far?
Wit the sheer number of amazing artists out there, attempting to get noticed is a struggle. We have always been described as a more left-field act so attempting to share audio space with the more commercial genres out there is quite difficult also... I mean, who has choruses without any lyrics eh?
How difficult would you say this career path is in terms of making a name for yourself?
You gotta work hard, and plug plug plug! Due to various commitments of trying to make a living, you have to spend a decent amount of time getting out there to whoever wants to listen. We're not that hot on the Social Media side of things either so we're continually learning and we're getting better, but you gotta push that hard to make a dent in this game!
How important is it for you to have creative control over the work you produce?
Paramount. We know we all work well together which is and has been a work in progress. To throw in another creative mind... well we wouldn't be making the music we have been. Who knows, it may even be better! It's also great to be in a 3 piece as democracy always wins... well most of the time.
Where do you draw influence and inspiration from for your work?
Inspiration: Everyday, every person, every situation, every mood.
Influences: Anything from Hiphop, Classical and Funk to Progrock, DnB and Pop.
If you could collaborate with anybody going forward, who would you choose and why?
Max Richter: He is neo-classical composer / producer / pianist and is probably regarded as one of the forefront artists leading the charge in contemporary classical music. I've seen him perform a few times and collaborating would be both a nerve racking and amazing experience. Gis us a ding Max!!
Tell us a random, funny fact about you that not many people know.
I once performed for a TV show playing in a band for David Gest on Channel 4! He wrote a musical a few years back and it was quite surreal. The whole band had that 'What's going on here' look.
Do you have definitive aims or goals for your career?
To put a smile on people's faces when they see us perform live or listen to the sounds we make and to be as musically content as possible... and to make a living whilst doing that wouldn't be bad either.
Where do you hope to be this time next year?
Recording and performing as much as possible... we're itching to play festivals, both home and abroad, so that will be cool!
What should we expect from you in the coming weeks and months?
Music and Gigs: We're releasing an ep titled 'Woe' on 16th October through Wirebird Records, accompanied by a launch gig on 20th October at The Barfly in Camden, so we're pretty much gearing up for this. We're also currently working on some new material and remixes so hopefully there is a bit more to come from us before the year is out.