Isla Rico – Wavelength

By starrymag | November 11, 2024

By: Karen Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) As a band we’ve always struggled with this question. Obviously, we would fit definitively under “Indie-Pop,” which we’re proud to do. But compared to the other artists in our genre, typically bands, we’re also proud that Isla Rico doesn’t shy away from genres and styes that might not seem obvious to others. We love pop and all the rich styes it has to offer! It led us to explore and incorporate hints of RnB, funk, even Hip-Hop into what is at its heart a guitar band. So, Indie-Pop yes, but we’re proud of the ways we differ to make Isla Rico, Isla Rico.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) When we first started, we were obsessed with Easy Life (aka Hard Life), Peach Tree Rascals and Alfie Templeman. Every time we’re in the studio though we discover new ones, most recently Earth, Wind & Fire, Jamiroquai and Stormzy.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Wavelength.”

A) “Wavelength” was a light bulb moment when we first heard it come together! The song in essence was everything we had spoken about Isla Rico standing for since the beginning. We want to offer people an escape from dreary everyday grey skies. And preach a moto of relentless optimism, everything will be okay. The lyrics “I aint sweat the small stuff in forever” and “get onto life’s wavelength and you’ll be fine” perfectly vocalized the message we want to spread to people.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) Absolutely no idea, we’re shocked they give us the time of day! But if we had to guess, without ignoring life’s hardships and falls, through the song, much like our interactions with people, we and it offer a much-needed light heartedness and reassurance we’ll all be okay. Maybe.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

A) Naturally, as soon as the lyric “Wavelength” came about we knew it was a chance to get in the water. And what’s not fun about that? We got to spend the day in the Lake District throwing guitars into the water and swimming. Also, it just made a nice change of pace from typical city alley way shoots. Taking it back to an easier chilled wavelength of life.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

A) In all honesty, they all come in every single way and order you can imagine! We wrote our song Naranja just because we thought it’d be cool to have a song called Naranja and then the rest followed. “Wavelength,” like many songs though, the main hook and sentiment were always there from the start. And that’s how you kind of know you’ve got something good. You’ll figure out the details, but the meat is there from the beginning.

 

Q) Andy Gannon lent a hand with the production on “Wavelength,” but how much of a say does the band have with the production of your music?

A) We love the relationship we have with Andy creatively. It’s very collaborative and for the time we’re in the studio he’s a fifth member of the band. “Wavelength” like many songs we’ve done started with us throwing ideas at the wall in the room and Andy like the rest of us has to feel confident before we go into it. After that we all huddled around the instruments and computer together and hope we weren’t wrong!

 

Q) With this new single out, is this a prelude to a full album or EP coming in the near future?

A) Actually, yes! An album is still a little further down the road for us. But we’re not sure when this is being published or if it’s okay to put out there yet but maybe it is. “Wavelength” and our next single are all very much a part of a collection of works you can expect to hear in the coming future.

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

A) Great question! For Manchester, The Deaf Institute is up there as one of our best headline shows we’ve ever done and that’s going to stay in our memories for quite a while still. Recently, Lafayette in London was just one of the coolest rooms we’ve ever played in! And one for us we’ve not played yet but have always wanted too is Chinnery’s in Southend-On-Sea. It’s got a list of amazing artists that played there at their starts like Oasis and Arctic Monkeys, so we’re working on that.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) Easy! Elephant Kind, Daydreamers and Tungz we’re calling you out let’s make some sick songs.

 

Q) What artist/musician are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

A) We’re always ahead of ourselves release-wise. We got really into Jamiroquai last time we were in the studio, but at the moment we’re loving Blossoms and Bleachers. We think they just do a great job of making pop music actually cool as Indie bands! So, we’ll see where that influence takes us on our next studio session.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) Quite simply, thank you! We’re only here and being asked to do this interview because you’ve all decided we have something to offer you. We know we’re the members of this band, but Isla Rico is ours to share together. Thank you for being a part of it with us and we won’t stop doing what we do for you. Hopefully, as we grow the stages get bigger! But we know it’s going to be the same people in that room with us. So, thank you all of you, we’ll see you on Tour.

 

 

 

All Questions Answered By Jasper Whitehead