Boy & Bear – Apex

By starrymag | April 24, 2023

By: Jennifer Vintzileos

 

 

Q) How would you best describe your sound?

 

A) I think our sound is strongly influenced by 70’s pop music, but I feel like there’s also more of a dark undertone to it. I feel like much of the actual tones sit in this vintage world, but we’ve definitely got more synths and drum machines going on than bands like Fleetwood Mac did. So, I think it’s a bit of a hybrid.

 

Q) Who are your Top 3 musical influences?

 

A) I think this would vary across the band but for me, personally, as hard as that decision is to pin down, I’d say: America, Radiohead, Fleetwood Mac

 

Q) Tell us the story behind your current single “Apex.”

 

A) “Apex” began on the synth. Jon [Hart] had a great keys progression that he sent through to me and I just started singing gibberish over it, trying to crack the right melody. This is generally how I work. The lyrics came later, and it really is a song about feeling like you are at the peak of your life but still wanting so much more.

 

Q) You also recently released a music video for “Apex.” How did you come up with the concept for the music video?

 

A) We were about to play a big show at Woodford Folk Festival, and we thought what a great opportunity to play the song for the first time. The concept was a simple one, but we wanted to capture the energy of that performance and use it for the clip. Maclay [Heriot] (our producer) then went on to add his own touches to it with more candid footage and it seemed a nice balance, referencing the past but in the context of some new material.

 

Q) Since the release of “Apex,” what has been the reaction from fans and listeners to the new music?

 

A) It feels like the song has been received really well. It’s always hard to gauge these things but the general response has been a positive one and I feel like our fans have really connected with the new sound.

 

Q) “Apex” is off your upcoming LP Boy & Bear, which is due for a May release. What are some themes you will be exploring with it?

 

A) There’s lots of different lyrical themes, but generally speaking they are all in the context of some on-going health challenges I’ve had. So, there are themes of struggle, determination, and courage. But it’s not all doom and gloom – here’s love songs and songs that are optimistic about the future. It’s all connected to the same thing but with each song emphasizing a different perspective of the journey so far.

 

Q) Craig Silvey mixed the album and he’s worked on releases by Arcade Fire and Florence + The Machine. How did his expertise impact the sound of the final album?

 

A) Craig brought a lot when it came to the mixing. I think it’s hard to deny how good those Arcade Fire and Florence records’ sound.  He seems to be able to capture a real wall of sound at times but always with lots of room to breathe too, which suited us well. It helped that we had done plenty of work on the reference mixes but he was really able to run with that and add his own touches to bring the songs truly to life.

 

Q) With the release of Boy & Bear, you are also set to head out on tour this summer in Australia. Are there any plans to potentially expand that tour?

 

A) There’s lots of plans in the pipeline at the moment. We’ll be touring more of Australia later in the year as well as heading back to Europe at the start of 2024. We’re super keen to get back to the states and that’s still on the table with possibilities of a US tour post the European shows.

 

Q) Which song is your favorite to perform live?

 

A) In regard to the new record, we’ve only played a few of them live so far but “State of Flight” has come up really well. Something about the thundering toms mixed in with the falsetto’s feels good. I also have to sing possibility the highest note I got at the end of that song, and I love the challenge of that. So far I haven’t kooked it.

 

Q) What would you like to say to your fans & listeners of your music?

 

A) I’d firstly like to say thanks. We’ve had so much support from our fans around the world and it’s this that allows the Boy & Bear machine to keep ticking. It allows us to keep writing, touring and enjoying this wonderful carrier. I hope they embrace some of the new evolutions in the sound and ultimately, I hope they enjoy the new record.

 

 

All Questions Answered By David Hosking