Archer & Light launch their new single, Shake. I Said Shake!, this Friday, October 10, at the Astor Lounge with help from Bedouin Sea, Antelope and Delaydelay. Vocalist/guitarist, James Luscombe, fills us in.
Who are Archer & Light? Give us a potted history of the band.
We are a septet playing epic indie-electro-folk-pop tunes. We’ve released two records thus far, and in February, 2015, will be releasing our first album. We’ve toured over East, and supported such bands as Van She and The Love Junkies here in Perth.
What’s your sound? Who are your key influences?
We find this question incredibly hard to answer as we draw from a lot of different influences. Our best summary is indie-electro-folk-pop, our influences range from Wilco to Brian Eno, Bon Iver to Phoenix and Radiohead to Bright Eyes. With seven people it is always going to be an eclectic mix of influences, but we have always had a common goal for our sound… even if we find it hard to explain.
Where’s the name come from?
Our name ‘Archer & Light’ comes from another big influence of ours: Chris Walla, the now ex-guitarist of Death Cab For Cutie. I’m a big fan of Walla as both a musician and an engineer/producer, and our name is a variation on his song, Archer v. Light, from his solo album, Field Manuals.
Tell us about Shake. I Said Shake! What made it stand out as a potential single?
Shake. I Said Shake! is a bit of a dark anthem. It’s about living your life to the absolute fullest. I personally have some anxieties and fears, so it’s basically, for lack of a better term, about shaking you up and reminding you to take every opportunity. We felt it really stood out as a potential single because it’s got a pretty catchy hook, and it’s fun to dance around to!
How does the single fit into the upcoming album? How representative is it?
Our new album is a lot bigger than our last, gaining two new members and a few more instruments our sound has evolved to be just a bit more epic than it already was. Shake. I Said Shake! is definitely on the dancier end of the spectrum in the scheme of the whole album, but it’s a good indication of what to expect from the rest of it.
Where did you record and who with? How did it go?
We went down south to Bunbury and recorded with long time friend, James Newhouse. He had just finished building his new studio and we were one of the first big projects that he had through there. It went really well, and we really enjoyed it. Getting completely away from our normal everyday lives back here in Perth and concentrating solely on making music. We also had the opportunity to track the whole record live together in one room, which just made it that little bit more exciting for us.
What’s up next?
In the near future our single launch at the Astor Lounge, and then after that finish off mixing the rest of the album, and then start planning the national tour to release it.
Any last thoughts?
Hope to see you at the Astor Lounge on Friday!
