- Big Gipp & James Worthy – Out Of Control (Official Music Video) - December 30, 2023
- SnOOp Dogg Still DA FLyeSt and FreShEST - November 8, 2023
- Sultry and Soulful Songstress Jori Sun Previews Fresh New Track - November 3, 2023
With echoes of dark 80’s pop, soul and folk, London based electronic duo Solomon Grey are making moves with the release of their self-titled debut album. Although predominately an electronic album, ‘Solomon Grey’ is a rich and diverse body of work, which showcases their cinematic production skills.
GroundSounds recently caught up with the pair to talk about their latest project, musical inspirations and more, check out the exclusive interview below.
For those just discovering Solomon Grey, how did you guys meet and start making music?
We met in Oxford a long long time ago, playing in funk and soul covers bands. It was a ten piece, great fun, played all the college balls etc. and ended up being good cash. We started writing together and then a few years later we came up with Solomon Grey.
What made you guys decide on the moniker Solomon Grey?
We were interested in the idea of hiding behind a name, so the duo aspect of it wasn’t immediately identifiable and people would maybe have the misconception that it was one person. Like Gnarls Barkley or Pink Floyd. Solomon Grey just popped in there like the stay puft marshmallow man.
What do you guys enjoy most about London? What is one local spot every visitor should check out?
Go visit Brixton Village for food and drink. There are so many places in London we feel bad recommending one in particular, hmmmmmmm. Ms Cupcake has got us through some times. Vegan and gluten free cupcakes may not sound great but six bucks and my right nut says you’ll love it http://www.mscupcake.co.uk
Congrats on the release of your debut self-titled album, can you tell us about bringing this project to fruition?
Thank you! It has taken so long to get to this point. But to actually have a record out means it was all worth it. We worked over a few years and went through a lot. Moved around, lost jobs, got married, had kids, stopped, started and everything else in-between. We self-produce, we do the whole thing together and it has been emotional.
Can you tell us about the writing and creative process behind you track “Sweet 84?”
It started off in Ireland when we were writing in the middle of nowhere and had the electro section at the end of the track but no song. We blasted it out as loud as we could and was probably a reaction to the solitude of the place we were living. The song went through many different versions and ended up getting finished in Australia on the farm. It represents our childhoods and the experience of becoming aware of the world around you. The news on the TV, falling asleep in the back of the car, being lost in a crowd etc. Don’t want to spoil it for you but there is a rough picture…
What musicians/bands are you guys currently listening to?
Anna Meredith, Jaime Woon, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Kurt Vile, Harry Partch and some Olafur Arnalds
What was the inspiration for “Electric Baby?”
It started off as another song completely and we decided to just turn it on its head. It was probably a reaction to our frustration of not finishing the album but it ended up being a reaction to a lot more than that. We loved working on this tune. It felt like anything could go onto it and it seemed to always give us some adrenaline during sessions. Hope you like it.
What attracts you guys to the sounds of dark 80’s pop, soul and folk?
What’s not to like? We are children of that era and it was a major influence on us whether we like it or not (we do). We are influenced by new stuff, what we loved as kids and what was played in the house by our parents and siblings. These things all feed into the work and I guess those things came up to the surface on this record. Not all of it but some of it. If you listen to our other releases like the Dathanna E.P. or Selected Works you’ll hear some other completely different sides of our personalities.
You guys will be headed on tour in may, what do you both enjoy most about being on the road?
Seeing the world, making some new friends and giving people an experience that takes them somewhere. If we get it right and it connects with people as we play in all these amazing venues its just the best kick and is one of the main reasons we got into it at first. Fingers crossed. Stonehenge!
After the tour, what’s next for Solomon Grey? What can fans look forward to?
We are gonna write some more, probably even start writing while on tour in the States. Gonna hopefully do some more composing work and just try and get a new and improved live show. We know what we want and we have always managed to find the energy to keep working to get there. It’s all about persistence and focus and hard work. Also some good old fashioned family time. We both have kids and home life is the basis for it all. Thanks for the interview and see you soon hopefully.
