how r u, the new slowcore project by Belfast singer-songwriter Thom Southern, unveiled his stellar debut LP moot last Friday.
Ahead of an intimate show alongside lovver and ghoulgirl at the Black Box in Belfast on 31st July, he takes us on a guided journey through some of the tracks that inspired the project, from Duster and The American Analog Set to Grouper and Porch Kiss.
Duster – Inside Out
I first discovered Duster when someone told me my productions sounded like them and when I listened to them it took things to another level for me with new ideas and songwriting arrangements. I think the main thing I love about Duster is the carefree lo-fi sonics, the simplicity of the arrangements and allowing the song to just flow without huge dynamic changes or over thought about lyrics with the vocals sunken into the mix. I find a lot people’s productions so over-complicated today so with my how r u project I’m absolutely loving just taking things easy and uncomplicated. Duster definitely have a big influence on that attitude towards my music.
Grouper – Poison Tree
Liz Harris is just amazing, her music hits you right to the core of your soul and like Duster she doesn’t over-complicate anything in her mixes. Poison Tree has so much emotional pain in it and the lo-fi presentation is perfect. I couldn’t imagine it sounding any other way… it just wouldn’t be the same. My favourite thing about this song is the minor-key synth arpeggio and Liz Harris’s muted vocal performance. The way she layered her vocals is so evocative and perfectly depicts the feelings of depression or sadness for me.
porch kiss – i won’t let go
I only started this project a couple of months ago and have met some really cool underground musicians all over the world because of it through Instagram. porch kiss is a really talented artist from Portland in the US. The first song I heard by him was ‘Stepping Out’ and immediately was hit by the raw drum machine he uses on it. It’s such an iconic way to introduce a song just simply increasing the bpm to get things started. The whole thing is so simple but incredibly catchy the whole way through. From there I dug in and loved all his tunes. This new tune ‘I won’t let go’ is off his new EP, again… listen to the way he’s saturated the drums in real-time and same with the lead guitar riffs. Makes you almost drool and melt away while you’re listening to it. The vocals are killer on this one too, it reminds me of one of my favourite artists Wild Nothing’ – really warm and verby.
sign crushes motorist – cold
First of all, Liam McCay is Irish and only 19 years old… crazy how talented this dude is. Also, it’s so cool someone from Ireland has broken in such a big way through streaming platforms with no label backing and releasing songs that are so anti-industry, completely lo-fi with totally bedded vocals and warm, dead-sounding guitars. That aside considering the way the songs are presented they are actually really cleverly put together and create such an amazing mood for the listener. He’s obviously massively influenced by Duster on this stuff specifically and people can sit there and pull that apart but he’s the reason there’s been such a huge boom in the slowcore genre in recent years so that’s always going to be a good thing. I really dig his side projects as well, like Take Care, using strings, piano etc. Jt’s exciting to see where he takes his career as he gets older. He’s definitely had an influence on what I’m doing especially just with my attitude towards production and not taking it too seriously and keeping things dead and lo-fi sounding.
The American Analog Set – Aaron & Maria
This band are pretty much the reason I became a musician. Every album of there’s has a place in my life. The repetitive drums, guitars and breathy vocals is such a big influence on me as an artist. This sound travels across everything I work on with different projects and how I produce other artists as well. Punk As Fuck is definitely one of the best albums ever created in my opinion.
lovver – highlight
lovver are my good friends George and Elliott, a duo from Clitheroe in North West Lancashire. Some of the nicest guys I’ve ever met and incredibly talented. I wouldn’t have made this project if it wasn’t for them, they’d started their lo-fi slowcore project end of last year and showed me their stuff and other people in the scene and I was totally blown away. Literally as soon as I got home from visiting them a few months ago I spent a long time working on all the music I’ve released so far. Their track ‘highlight’ is so immediate and catchy. I really love George’s voice on this one.
hurts worse – you’ll never notice me
hurts worse are another band I’ve met through the project online, they’re from Nebraska in the US, I genuinely think they’re so gifted not only with songwriting ability but production stuff too. Another act who knows what the hell they’re doing with drum machine sounds. The thing that I love the most about hurts worse are the screaming backing vocals across most of their small catalog they’ve released so far. I can’t wait for them to release a full album someday. They’re seriously funny online too, if you like dark musician and producer memes head over for some laughs. I really enjoy having them in the slow, sadcore underground scene. They’re very supportive of all the other upcoming acts too. They deserve to do really well.
vhs ghost – i don’t mind
This dude is amazing and someone I not only listen to a lot but I love following his life on Instagram too. He inspires me daily to just keep releasing music and not overthink things. This new song ‘i don’t mind’ he put out is gorgeous, the vocals are so sweet too. vhs ghost is definitely an artist you’d love to just sit and watch him in his home studio recording and pick his brain to see how he gets the lo-fi sounds he creates. I’d totally nerd out.
