Experimental wonk-pop duo Spacey Basement Cult based in the thriving music scene of Leeds. Born out of the basement recording culture of Hyde Park, and with a taste for exploration, they set out to blur the lines between slacker pop and jazz, humour and melancholy.
See our exclusive interview with them below
Describe your sound for us. What do you want people to feel when they hear your music?
We like to call ourselves ‘Wonk-Pop’. In other words, experimental beat-making with the tendencies of lo-fi rock.
Which 3 artists have influenced you the most growing up?
Mac Demarco, Radiohead and Jimi Hendrix.
How did you discover your particular sound?
From spending long nights tucked away in a cold basement in Leeds. Exploring how far we could push the boundaries of the music we liked listening to – mainly through improvising and using old pieces of half-broken music gear. Recently we’ve been taking apart pedals and rewiring them to sound more broken. We then try to make sense of all these things through the mixing process with the help of our dear friend Harry.
What are the most important pieces of equipment to you?
We have this old battery-powered 4-channel analogue mixer called the ‘Realistic’ that we use loads. It sounds best when it’s nearly out of battery. Harry lent us a speaker from the 70s that belonged to his grandad which we really love. We also have this Squier Telecaster that had the headstock sawn away and then was horrifically spray-painted pink – but for some reason, it sounds amazing!
What outside of music inspires you to create?
The natural world. Especially the sea. Also Adam Curtis documentaries. They are amazing and brutal pieces of art.
Do you have a favourite memory of your career so far that you will take with you forever?
The first night of recording we did together was a very special night. George invited me into his basement where he’d been creating these strange little tunes on his own. I had this crazy idea for vocals which George was initially tentative of, but by the end of the night, we had a finished track. It stands alone stylistically (it is really weird), but we know we’ll find an excuse to release it someday.
If you could work with, or perform alongside any artist living or passed, who would it be?
Jimi Hendrix would undeniably be mind-blowing. Also, J Dilla would be great.
Most artists say that if they weren’t artists they would be mailmen/women… what would you be?
George would love to be involved in the film. I would probably gravitate more towards theatre.
What can we expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or gigs in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?
We have a debut EP titled “George Eats” coming out on 28/02 which has been in the works for over a year. We’re very excited about it and it features some of our favourite musicians from the Leeds music scene such as B-ahwe and Jed Holland. We also have big plans for the rest of the year so don’t expect it to end there.
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