Contirbutor
August marks the release of Brecon’s latest offering ‘Calyx’ – a four track collaborative collection which welcomes a flurry of artists each offering their own unique sound alongside the ever explorative plethora of Brecon’s work. We spoke to Brecon to get a deep dive into what went into such a sublime release.
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Your upcoming EP, “Calyx,” features collaborations with Aparde, Lake Turner, Haelium, and Arthur Hnatek. What inspired you to create a collaborative EP rather than a solo project?
The main inspiration behind this collaborative project was mirroring the creative process I’ve enjoyed through developing the live band. In this set up, whilst I bring the main musical idea to the band, there are always exciting and surprising musical ideas from the other band members that really excite me and take the music in a new direction. I wanted to take this more natural musical cross pollination from the performance settings into this production setting.
What made you choose to release this on With Bells Records?
I’ve been working with Jay at With Bells for the last few years and I love how his passion for each project excites me and inspires me to push the creative boundaries of each release to its maximum. We have a great working relationship which is really important to allow for the music and creative direction of each release to be prioritised.
Each track on “Calyx” showcases a unique blend of styles from both you and your collaborators. How did you approach integrating these diverse musical elements into a cohesive EP?
I think one of the one of the interesting things about this project was that while there’s five different artists involved in this release and therefore 5 different stylistic inputs, I am the common thread throughout each track. This has enabled a release that is full of variation but also with a solid stylistic foundation.
“Gnarl” features a dynamic interplay of electronic and live drums with Arthur Hnatek. Can you elaborate on how your backgrounds as drummers influenced this track’s creation?
Mine and Arthur‘s background as drummers is something we wanted to really tap into, particularly the more organic and expressive nature of live drumming. We decided that we would record almost too many layers of live drums, both of us using a variety of drum kit and percussion sounds, and then pick the more fitting elements and weave a tapestry of rhythmic textures to give the track a constantly evolving, expressive feel.
In “Rive,” Haelium’s melodic sensibilities complement your intense drum patterns. What was the collaborative process like for this track, and how did you balance these contrasting elements?
Similarly to how we approached ‘Gnarl,’ we decided to prioritize quantity over quality in terms of the different layers in this track, and then to go through these layers disregarding any unnecessary layers that weren’t serving the main musical concept. I think that contrast that you’re talking about between the intense drums and the intricate melodies is what makes the track work so well for me, as each contrasting element stands out strongly against its counterpart.
“Glide” is described as the most dancefloor-ready track on the EP, combining Lake Turner’s emotionally engaging production with your melodic style. How did this collaboration come about, and what was your creative vision for this track?
This collaboration went in a very unexpected musical direction which I found really gratifying. I wasn’t expecting a 4 to the floor drum kick drum pattern and the drums I’d previously written were much more light and complex, but as soon as I heard as Lake Turners drums, I knew it was going to create a more solid foundation for the melodic elements to thrive against.
The final track, “Ecstatic,” features Aparde’s intricate piano, synth, and vocal work against your rhythmic foundation. What was the creative journey for this track, and how did you achieve its awe-inspiring and joyful moments?
Again, these more human elements, such as the piano and vocals, were integral in breathing life and expression into this track, giving it a really expressive feel. Knowing that Aparde often features his vocals in his tracks meant it was such a beautiful and welcome addition.
Collaborating with four different artists on one EP must have been a unique experience. What lessons did you learn from working with each of them?
I decided early on to send over bounced stems, thereby limiting flexibility and inviting commitment early on, adding a much-needed finality to the creative process. This meant that every time we took the next step in the creative process each collaborator need to be totally committed to what had been done before.
How did you manage the logistics and creative coordination of collaborating with artists from different locations and musical backgrounds?
The logistics were straight forward once we’d decided on a format of transferring stems. The most important consideration is always the creative decision, but we all agreed early on that we all had to forgo an element of perfectionism and only progress with ideas that both parties were absolutely happy with. Whilst this slowed the process, the quality control was maximised and ensured the creation of music we could all really be proud of.
Your music often blends emotional depth with technical complexity. How do you ensure this balance is maintained, especially when collaborating with other artists?
As a musician, I always aim to prioritize the true feeling and emotion of the idea above all else, particularly technical complexity. I always strive to use all of the technical tools at my disposal as just that, a tool, to enable and best serve the tracks main musical feeling and emotion.
With “Calyx” set for release, what are your plans for the rest of the year? Are there any upcoming projects or performances we should be excited about?
I’m hugely excited for the future of Brecon – there are lots of things in place for this year and next. The live band is developing nicely; we’re now a four-piece playing in a more traditional live band set up with live drums throughout. We’ve recently added a bass player which has moved the whole project in a more dynamic direction.
We’ve got a gig coming up at the amazing RE:SET festival in the beautiful coastal location of Bedruthen Steps in Cornwall at the end of August, playing alongside some other great artists. My next EP wil be quite different to previous EPs as I’m working with a vocalist to create a melodically and harmonically rich EP; creating a standalone EP with a single vocalist is new territory for Brecon. I’m really excited to share that with you when it’s wrapped up in the coming months!
Calyx is out now in full and available here.