Q: “sinking II” is a new version of a song you’ve previously released. What inspired you to release this song with a new arrangement?
WOTTS: I think the stars just aligned for this one. After we dropped the original version last November, things started to slow down for the holidays, so it just hung over us a little bit. I never try to dwell too much on what we’ve put out, but the more it lingered, the more it started to take on a new meaning. Next thing you know we’re cooking up new parts in the studio. All to say, it was a very natural process and the spark stayed lit the entire time.
Q: Walk us through how the creative process differed in the two versions of this track.
WOTTS: We went in wanting it to sound fresh and distinct enough that it could stand on its own. The OG version had a twangy country vibe to it, which is so far from what we usually do. This time around we decided to go big and retro. We’re huge fans of bands like MGMT and Tame Impala, so we swung in that direction. We brought in drum machines, analog synths and a heck of a lot of reverb. That’s not out of the ordinary when it comes to our overall vibe, but this version ended up being night and day compared to the original.
Q: Did any real-life events occur in your life that inspired the song?
WOTTS: For sure. I lost a couple good souls last year, so the more I processed that, the less the song was about me, and the more it became about them. I guess that’s one of the cool things about music, songs can take on new meanings as you go through life.
Q: Was there a pivotal moment in your life when you decided to follow your path as a musician?
WOTTS: I think it was when I first listened to Lonerism by Tame Impala. I don’t know what it was about that record but it sparked something in me. I had dabbled in music by then, but that album inspired me to learn more about songwriting and production. I think learning that Kevin Parker does everything on his own was the green light I needed to give it a go more seriously. Thankfully that all happened when the pandemic started so I had a bunch of free time to start figuring it all out.
Q: In your own words, how would you describe the music that you typically create?
WOTTS: I always say that we make nostalgic pop. That doesn’t mean we’re out here cosplaying as a 80s act, we just love mixing older and newer sounds. It’s a tough balance to strike sometimes because we want it to sound sincere. It definitely isn’t commercial pop, but we try to bring in some pop elements when we can.
Q: What projects are currently in the works?
WOTTS: A lot! We were toying with the idea of dropping our first full length this year but instead decided to go the EP route instead. First single for that should be coming out in March or early April. New music, new visuals and new collabs, should be a lot of fun.
Interviewed by Taylor Berry
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