Introducing Interview: Hannah Epperson

Having received praise from the likes of Bandcamp Daily and Indie Shuffle, Canadian artist Hannah Epperson is not only a successful Ultimate Frisbee player for Canada’s national team, but a skilled songwriter who creates utterly captivating offerings.

Following 2016’s Upsweep, Epperson is now ready to release the second half of the project – her new album Slowdown. We caught up with her to find out more.

Hi Hannah, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about what you do?
Hey hi and yes! I started playing in 2009 under derelict bridges in Berlin. The band is just me, but sometimes I lasso in a drummer whose style I fancy to rock a circuit with me. I’ve been playing the violin for most of my life, sometimes more seriously than others, always for fun, and largely in collaboration with other inspiring artists across a diverse range of disciplines. But the solo project has been occupying more of my time the last two years, and with a second album release on the imminent horizon, I suspect 2018 is going to be largely focused on touring my solo project.

Your new album Slowdown is out soon – can you tell us what it’s all about? Are there any themes running throughout the album?
Slowdown is Volume II of a two-album conceptual record, the first of which was released in 2016 under the title Upsweep. Together, Slowdown/Upsweep is an expression of two alternate versions of a shared reality, which I’ve characterised under the monikers ‘Amelia’ (side A of both records) and ‘Iris’ (side B of both records). This split structure derives from a screenplay I wrote during an intense period of coming to terms with a deeply challenging and ungraspable personal loss. The narrative follows the psychic collapse of a young man under extreme emotional duress, and his attempt to keep himself intact by suspending himself between two very strong but opposing world orders, embodied by Amelia and Iris. The unusual structure of these two records has also allowed me to experiment with different voices during a period of open experimentation in developing my own sound. Also, the words ‘Slowdown’ and ‘Upsweep’ are names given by the NOAA to “unidentified sounds” that have been detected in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean… The idea of recording sounds without being able to properly identify them is a deeply intriguing theme to me, and seemed relevant to the difficult-to-explain nature of this two-part conceptual album.


You’ve been compared to the likes of Julia Holter, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
It’s really hard to draw direct lines of influence, because I’ve never tried to fashion my music after anything or anyone in particular. But I do know that the incongruent discographies/works of Bjork, Radiohead, Stephen Sondheim, Pete Seeger, The Cranberries, Shostakovich, Bartok and Bach have featured heavily throughout my whole life. An eclectic ensemble, to be sure, and all influential in some considerable measure.

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
I’m currently based just outside of NYC and visit Brooklyn at least once a week, so the local music scene is pretty incomparable. I have periods of seeing tonnes of live music, though this winter has been more about listening to nature sounds, running water and my big wood-burning hearth in the woods. But yes, live music – the only guiltless way to spend money other than organic apples and ethically-sustainably raised meat from the neighbours.

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
I have no idea, hopefully I’ll always be able to surprise the audience or myself at a live show. I’d say I can promise presence, though… Honesty, flubs, nasty jokes. A forgotten lyrical line. Post-show hugs, earnest ones.

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
Yes. How do I begin, because what if I forget someone!? Uni Ika Ai, Ryan Dugre, Taylor Ashton, Alexander F/Toth, Twig Twig, The Westerlies, Really Big Pinecone, Omhouse, We Are The City, Landlady, Ian Chang, Cuddle Magic, Tiny Hazard… Shit, I’ll hit you up with more later!

And how do you feel the music industry is for new bands at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
Of course it is, it’s a fucking zoo out here! It’s devastating. It’s magic. It’s a cess pool. It’s a mythical beauty. I know so many insanely talented, skilled and beautiful artists who are making records that have just fucking destroyed me, and sometimes they never end up seeing the light of day because it just takes so much weird energy to build up enough inertia for them to get out into the ‘real world’. And as much as I love that it has become so accessible for everyone to generate “music” now, there’s just so much fucking noise – a lot of it is so banal, and there’s so much pressure to command some sort of kick-ass dank-ass whoop-ass hollowed out laissez faire/lazy flaring social media presence to support your project that sometimes the actual THING – the MUSIC – figures into the equation as an after thought. It’s a mess, but there’s a lot of beauty and earnestness and discipline to be found in all of it if you care to put in the time to find it.

Finally, what does the rest of 2018 have in store for Hannah Epperson?
Who knows… Lots of hiccups, lots of deep dark under-the-eye rings. Hopefully lots of touring, maybe a sustainable income so I can buy  bread for all my starving brilliant friends. Hopefully some shows in North America. Maybe another record, maybe an electric guitar, maybe drum lessons, grad school applications, true love and lots of massage, mastering fermentation on the road – I’m thinking kimchi, I’m thinking sauerkraut, I’m thinking water kefir, I’m thinking…

Huge thanks to Hannah for answering our questions!

Slowdown, the upcoming album from Hannah Epperson is out on 16th February via Listen Collective. Catch her live:

Thursday, 1st March – Shoreditch Town Hall, London (supporting RY X)
Tuesday, 10th April – Servant Jazz Quarters, London

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Introducing Interview: NÝNA

Having already received support from Huw Stephens and Amazing Radio, NÝNA recently released her latest single ‘Silence’, which pulses with an electronic rhythm coupled with husky, velveteen vocals.

Nyna took some time out between producing, running a music studio and of course writing her own material to tell us more…

Hi Nyna! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about your sound?
I call it dark pop, cinematic. The main thing about my sound is a fusion of different things and it’s mainly my influences. I’m a classically trained pianist, so I put a lot of piano in there. I love heavy drums, so a bit of that as well. It’s a different sound, I like to add drama to it.

When did you initially start creating music?
I started playing piano when I was about six, but I wouldn’t say I started creating music until I was about twelve or thirteen, so about ten years ago. I started writing classical music first, then that grew into pop music and then I started producing. It all kind of grew! I would say that it was when I was at university that I really got into it and started learning how to produce.

We’re loving your new single ‘Silence’ – can you tell us what it is about?
‘Silence’ is an empowering song. For example, in the ending of the song, there’s a phrase – “who do you think you are? Believe you will go far, giving me the hardest time.” That’s pretty much the gist of the song. It’s about letting go of the people and things in your life that you can’t change. The negativity can’t touch me, I’m just going to do my thing. If you can’t change, then fine. There’s so many people in the world, sometimes you don’t agree with them and they’re putting the negative energy on you – you don’t have to take it. When you go through every negative thing, I think there’s always a positive energy because you learn for the future.

 

Who would you say are your main musical influences?
It really changes, two of my main influences are Sia and Lana Del Rey. I love Lana Del Rey – her music and style. The fact that they don’t change for no one, they don’t listen to people around them who are no good for them. They just do what they felt is right. They stand their ground, and I love the fact that their music reflects this. A lot of their music is empowering, especially Lana’s music. I love that about her. I love London Grammar too. I also love classical music – I listen to a lot of Debussy. I also like listening to rock music as well, probably where my love of drums comes from!

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
I really like the Troubadour (in London), I go there a lot. I like playing there too, Bob Dylan and Adele used to play there. It’s a really nice venue and it has tradition. I also love going to Notting Hill Art’s Club. I love going out in Shoreditch as well: The Queen of Hoxton, Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen. I also really love The Bedford in Balham, people really listen attentively there and care about music.

How do you feel the music industry is for new artists at the moment? Would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
That’s a good question! You can look at it in two ways, I would say it’s what you make of it. In this day and age, you have more opportunities which you can take advantage of – like social media. It really depends on how you chose to use that. It’s hard work, but everything worth doing is hard work. It doesn’t have to be hard if you know how to work it. For example, keep doing your social media, doing gigs and meeting people. Eventually certain things will start happening. The industry has changed over the last few years, it’s about going with the times. In my opinion I don’t think the industry is hard as long as you work hard. Use the tools which are available. I truly believe there is space for everyone.

Finally, what does 2018 have in store for you?
I’m not going to lie, I’m really excited! 2018 has already started so well, I woke up and was like “this is happening!” I’ve got the release of ‘Silence’, and after that I have a few more tracks which I will be releasing. ‘Animals’ will be out hopefully at end of February. I also have the release of my debut EP. I’ve got some plans after that as well, so let’s just say that 2018 will be a really good year. I’m super excited, I really am!

Huge thanks to NÝNA for answering our questions! 

 

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Introducing Interview: Megan Henwood

Since winning the BBC Young Folk Award back in 2009, singer-songwriter Megan Henwood has received acclaim from the likes of The Guardian and Uncut, and played played numerous festivals including Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival and Secret Garden Party.

Now, following the success of last year’s album The River, Henwood has released a spellbinding new single. We caught up with her to find out more…

Hi Megan! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a little bit the band?
Hey, thanks for having me! The full band live set up is a four piece; myself, Pete Thomas, Jacob Stoney and Fred Claridge. We have double bass, drums, synths, pianos, electric and acoustic guitars and lots of vocals! It’s been great fun bringing the studio albums to life with these fantastic musicians.

What initially inspired you to start creating music?
I’ve loved words and writing from an early age and as I became more confident in playing instruments and singing, the two sort of melded together and became a powerful outlet for me. Lyrics will always be the starting point of inspiration, but I get really excited about experimenting with production and instrumentation to keep the sound evolving.

We’re loving the new single ‘Join The Dots’ – what’s it all about?
It’s  about how retrospectively we can recall the same story but interpret it completely differently – sometimes in an unrealistically positive light, as if to save ourselves from the honest truth.

 

You’ve been compared to the likes of Daughter, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
I am flattered by this comparison! I think my most prominent influences tend to be more lyrically based music – Elliott Smith has always been a huge inspiration to me, as well as Joni Mitchell, Sixto Rodriguez and Anais Mitchell. Musically, I listen to a huge range of genres which I think has filtered into the production of my own material.

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
Oxford is pretty great for live music. There are some good venues and an eclectic mix of events and gigs going on. The standard of local bands/musicians is really high and audiences and communities are supportive, so it’s been an inspiring place for me to settle over the last few years.

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
I always try and play as honestly and sincerely as I can. Also, because a lot of my songs are pretty dark I try and lighten the mood a little in-between tunes! The band show is so much fun, and we draw out some of the arrangements which is something I’m not able to do on solo shows.

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any other new/upcoming bands or artists you’d suggest we check out?
You must go and listen to Be Good right away. Stop reading this and go listen. You’ll thank me later! Also – check Jack Harris out – beautiful songwriter.

And how do you feel the music industry is for new artists at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
Well, there are pros and cons to the internet and how it opens up the world and audiences – it makes for many more opportunities for independent artists to get their music heard, but it also can be overwhelming. I fully recognise that it’s a powerful tool, but it also terrifies me.

Finally, what does 2018 have in store for Megan Henwood?
More gigs and touring with the band and the new album – more writing and also a few mad projects!

Huge thanks to Megan for answering our questions! 

‘Join The Dots (Ash Howes Mix)’ is out now via Dharma Records.

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Introducing Interview: Moviestar

Ready to put the feeling of danger back into rock ’n’ roll, ‘intergalactic architects’ Moviestar are more than just a band. With their live shows encompassing performance, art, storytelling, fashion and music in a whole new transcending form, they are now set to release their debut, sci-fi infused, album early next year.

We caught up with them to find out more…

Hi Moviestar, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about the band?
Thank you! We are glad to meet Get In Her Ears to let her know that we come from the distant future to prevent the Metal Wars from happening and save the human race from extinction.

How did you initially all get together and start creating music?
We were given this holy task by The Future High Commander of the universe, President Supremius XIII. He sent us back in time to retrieve “The Stone” and spread the word of love through the cunning use of Rock N Roll. Our next single ‘Chosen Ones’ is all about this and in the music video you can see real footage from this holy ceremony.

Your new album Stupid People / Happy Days is out this February – can you tell us what it’s all about? Are there any themes running throughout the album?
It’s an anthem. It’s also a metamorphosis kind of record, where you will be transposed into a better human after listening to it. It’s about us, our mission, our arrival on Earth, and the goals for the human race.

You’ve been compared to the likes of LCD Soundsystem and The Cramps, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
In the future we are lucky to have some remains of the holy documents which derive from this time in age. Your so called vinyl albums are kept in our The Great Gallery of Records where Supremius resides on his throne, watching over the remains of our future planet Fenris. In The Great Gallery of Records we have copies of many Gods of music like LCD soundsystem, Van der Graaf Generator, Elvis, Robert Wyatt, The Kinks and The Cure. They are all our heroes from an early age. We are taught the Holy Documents in school and each record is as important as the rest. And we know a lot. Since we can do telepathy and emotional transfer through our hearts.

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
We just got here. We landed our spaceship in Norway in 2016. That was a dreadful year, and Norway was the safest place to land. Plus we are huge fans of Thor Heyerdahl, The Great Explorer. We owe our language to him. He taught us that curiosity and exploration is the key to communication. He has a statue in the Halls of Wisdom on Fenris. A Great man. Nevertheless; yes. We do get to see Holy Ceremonies of other artists. Here in Norway where we live there is lots of good traditional music that dates back many hundreds of year – very good stuff. Plus there is this band called Virus, who are extremely good. But that is very dark and hard music. Not for fragile persons.

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
Expect to be emotionally teleported into the future where we will cuddle with your souls for decades before sending you back to “reality”. Snap! What was that?! It’s all good and safe, but we seek to put some danger back into rock n roll.

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
Square Bomb, Oscar Vilcrow, Dan Reeder, Maesa, Fable, Rosa V Pullman, Noemie, Porridge Radio, Seldom Wright and The Blue Rays, grasshopper.

And how do you feel the music industry is for new bands at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
The music industry is just like any other industry; companies seek to make a profit, on the art of musicians. Say what you will, but the music industry is just a business, and business is what business is and always will be; bound to fail and collapse. But art never will. Art will go on. Greed fails. Hope and love wins. That is the divine plan.

Finally, what does 2018 have in store for Moviestar?
We have made a broadcast which will air very soon. It will feature real news, and not that fake stuff going around the airwaves at the moment. So it will be a breath of fresh air in these colluded and misleading days.

Huge thanks to Moviestar for answering our questions! 

Stupid People / Happy Days, the upcoming album from Moviestar, is out on 9th February 2018 via Oh Yeah!

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