Colour The Atlas
Colour The Atlas look set to be one of the bands to watch out for in 2013 as their unique blend of folk/pop is winning fans left, right and centre.
We caught up with Jess from the band to chat about the new EP, the forthcoming tour and what lies ahead for them.
- You are about to release your debut record Colour The Atlas EP so what can we expect from this new record?
It's pretty different to the last EP we made, it's a lot more grown up! We've kept our folky acoustic roots but given it a trip hoppy electrical twist!
The songs still tell a story and the lyrics still mean a lot to us, and hopefully others can relate to them too. We put a lot more of ourselves into this EP, we are still teens but growing up (obviously) so it makes a lot of sense that our music grows up as we do.
- I have given the EP a listen and there are rock elements in there with pop and folk you use a lot of layered synths so how would you describe the sound of record?
Folky trip hop acoustic pop?! There's a lot of different genres going on in there, fusions of each of our personal styles I guess. Folktroppop? That's not a word.
- How have you found the early response to the EP so far?
Amazing!!! Honestly didn't expect this kind of reaction, people are really genuinely liking it which shocked us ha-ha!!
I personally get a bit paranoid about what people will think as its kind of our lives were putting into music and lyrics, but it's been an incredible response, I think the Newton tour really helped us get it heard by the right crowds!!!
- Who has served as producer on the record? And what were you looking for in your producer for this first collection of tracks? Or if you have produced yourselves why did you choose to make the record that way?
We worked with a guy called Malcolm Carson, from a band called tape the radio, he's an amazing guy and we now call him uncle malc ha-ha.
All the songs when we originally wrote them sounded completely different, but they were lacking a bit of excitement.
We've always been into the Portishead and Massive Attack synths and drum sounds, and wanted to bring some of those sounds back in our own way, and Malcolm helped us transform the songs from what they were to something much cooler and different.
He helped us a lot to really find ourselves and break away from the 'cute pop' that we were beginning to be labelled as a while back.
- So how does the song writing process work within the band - is there one main writer or is it very much a collaborative effort?
There's not really a set way of doing it. Alex has a real love for song writing and can sit for hours on end writing songs.
I have to really feel something to be inspired to write something, I write best when I'm upset or full of emotion and it will all just pour out onto paper!!
So I guess it's a mix of us both, and we have been writing together as a band with Andy and Stef a lot more recently, who are both getting into the writing a lot more then before, and are actually becoming pretty damn good at it!
We've also done a hell of a lot of song writing sessions with other writers especially when we first started as a band; it really helped us learn to write better songs.
- So how did the band form and what is behind the name Colour the Atlas
We've all been good mates for years and years!!!! I've known Stef the drummer for about 13 years, and met the other 2 through him about 5/6 years ago when they were in a band together!!!
We took ages trying to think of a name, we didn't want to rush it or force something out. We all agreed we wanted the word atlas in it; I personally have a huge passion for travelling and really want to travel the world and see absolutely everything.
So Colour The Atlas kind of came from that really, kind of like when you set off to travel you map out where you’re going to go and tick it off the list, or colour that bit on the map in!!
Our manager helped us out choosing the right words for the name; we had all kinds of things before hand!!
- You were known as the Jess Hall Band so how do you feel you have developed as musicians and writers during your reincarnation?
We have definitely grown up a lot, and feel more a band then a singer with musicians, which is what we've always wanted! Jess Hall band was literally my name with band whacked on the end... Pretty inventive....
I think having the new name let us escape and create music we may not have been able to do if we carried on as the Jess Hall Band. We grew up (kind of, all still a bunch of Peter pans really), and so did our music I guess :)
- I was reading that you have been inspired/influenced by the likes of Bon Iver, Iron & Wine and Fleet Foxes so what it is about these artists and their music that influences so much?
The core of our songs are partly still influenced by those artists, and they are still my favourites of all time.
Especially Bon Iver, so much emotion and feeling in the songs, what music is all about for me.
But in terms of what we sound like, I wouldn't say we sound anything like any of them, they were influences from a long time ago, and parts of the acoustic side to us are still there, but they were always more what we listened to then what we sounded like.
I'd give anything to be able to write songs like Bon Iver, but it just doesn't come out that way ha-ha!!
- You are now signed to Ugly Truth Records so what was it about this label that really appealed to you?
Yes!! They were always very keen on what we were doing, and have always made us feel what we were doing was worth it.
They'd come to a lot of gigs, and we just felt it was right, really felt we can trust them, and they look after us well, and definitely got us out to the right crowd by introducing us to Newton Faulkner!!
They are all about the music, and James Roberts definitely knows what he's talking about!!!! We are in safe hands.
- You are on the road throughout November so what can we expect from a live gig by Colour The Atlas?
We are ourselves on and off stage, we literally are just a bunch of kids that have a love for music, so I guess you can expect to see us 4 loving every second of it, and hopefully playing music people can really get into and connect to!!!
And of course expect one of us to trip up/drop something/break something whilst we're up there. It's inevitable. Clumsy clumsy people.
- And how have you found the new tracks to be going down with a live crowd?
To be honest people seem to enjoy the live tracks as much, if not more then the recorded versions, we've had a lot of comments about how people prefer us live! Which I like to think is a good thing ha-ha!!
We play the tracks slightly different live, but there's not a massive difference, just get into it a lot more and there's always that gig atmosphere that your not gonna get on a record!!
- Finally what is next for you?
We have the November tour to do, which we can't wait for!!! Best month of my life was spent on tour so can't wait to get back out there!!
And currently writing new material for another EP, then more gigs, then an album!!! Hopefully lots and lots of festivals next year too!!
Colour The Atlas - Colour The Atlas EP is released
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw 25th November