Tell us about the key contributors to this project. Who were the main individuals involved? How did you meet, and how did their contributions help shape the release?
Howsie (SBC):
"It’s a collective driven by producer Howsie and songwriter Joe Stratton. Friends and songwriting together for many years, we get no greater high than that moment of nurturing initial ideas with a drum beat or simple synth line into the full vision. We’ve always bonded over building those melodies, those ideas and sentiments that will give a track soul and purpose.
We always strive to do something original and although influenced by a lot, try to not sound too similar to anyone else.
On this project we’ve been working with some different vocalists, and this track features Burcu Aydin on vocals, enriching the song with her melody prowess and enriching our sound with so much personality and vibrancy - and sass!"
For Slow Burning Memory, we worked again (as we did for debut single ‘Magnifier’) with Burcu Bahar Aydın on vocals. She brings an incredible melodic instinct and personality to the track - enriching the sound with warmth, vibrancy and a distinctive emotional edge. Her presence really helped define the final shape of the song.
Who influenced this release? Are there specific artists who inspired your work on this release? If so, please share how their influence is reflected in your music.
"Whilst this can certainly be considered an electronic music project, we think what may give us a different spin is being compelled to write in a more traditional songwriting vein. Musically there are themes and arrangements that aren’t always common in electronic music, and there’s always something telling me to get some melodic guitar arrangements in there! A guitarist first and foremost, and experienced playing in many bands over the years, I think it feels like the most natural approach to build structures around guitars and bass guitar and the organic character those instruments conjure. This hopefully gives us a warmth and soul not always synonymous with electronic music.
There are too many artists to list as influence but anyone who does it for the right reasons, produces something original and pure, and takes a listener to a deeper place."
What's the story behind this release? Were there particular life events, global happenings, or personal philosophies that influenced the creation of this music?
"I was messing around with some ideas around Covid time - out of work and with the unprecedented oddness but luxury of having spare time to write and craft my skills as an aspiring producer.
As we would do throughout the 2010s in our band West Of The Sun I’d send Joe ideas and demos over WhatsApp and he’d write and record songs back to me. It felt like a really efficient method of collaboration, and we wrote many songs in a short space of time.
I’d wanted to do something more electronic for a while and not work around the confines of a live band so much, and this strange and quiet time in 2020-2021 felt the right time to build towards it. So in short, many of the songs were written then and been tweaked and fine-tuned intermittently ever since! It’s not really until we met Burcu we were moving forward in the way we wanted to. This is the first to get out there but we have at least ten songs already mixed to follow, and plenty more in the works so let's see where it goes."
Tell us what makes this release stand out and why it's significant.
"We honestly believe it doesn’t sound like much out there. The eastern origins in Burcu’s vocal tones are a unique sound in themselves, but the elements of sample-oriented trip-hop and chill-hop, but an underbelly of guitars and curated around more traditional verse-chorus-verse structures and some really enriching lyrics - it feels like a unique blend, and feels to us like there should a place for this kind of music. We also share around the vocals which gives a nice variety in the sound - albeit pinned together but our style of wrting and arrangement. Probably inspired by a different time for music, but delivered in 2025 and with a combination of sounds and genre that we may not have forged in past years.
We have other tracks with other vocalists and some with Joe singing also, but there’s definitely a fluidity and consistency in them all musically - it just feels like us which is a great feeling."
Where did the recording take place? Does the location have a historical or emotional significance? For instance, have other notable artists recorded there, or does the place hold a special meaning for you?
“The vocals we recorded at a studio in Notting Hill, but everything else is recorded at my home studio in Finsbury Park. It’s not much of a set up but it does the job! You’ll have heard a million times how much is available now in just a Mac alone - if that’s enough for Four-tet to produce whole albums with, it’s enough for us!”
What was unique about the recording process? We're interested in any creative techniques or innovative methods you used in recording, producing, or mixing this release.
“I guess what makes the process unique compared to some is how much time we’ve had to iterate and tweak. It’s a bit like we’ve been cooking the same dish (or 10 dishes) for 4 years and tweaked the recipe slightly every time. Now we’re happy enough with the recipe, we want everyone to come over and try it!”
Do you have any recent or upcoming performances to highlight? If you've recently played at a notable venue or have significant shows planned, please share those details.
“No live plans as yet - let’s see where we’re invited to play once everyone hears the songs.”
Could you share a memorable quote about this release or your journey as an artist?
“I’ve been told by one person or another that these tracks are ready for the last 3 or 4 years. But it’s never felt like the right time, until now. One description I've heard more than once is ‘cinematic’ - that's never really been my intention setting out to make music, but it's a really cool interpretation. Finding such a unique voice in Burcu was the turning point really. We really found a soul and texture in the sound. She is natively Turkish and has such a cool delivery in her tone. She’s also a massive fan of the music which helps!”
Any other details that might help curators understand the depth and context of your work would be appreciated.
“We have a conveyor belt of new tracks in the works, and a very busy WhatsApp group with demos and ideas flying around. So whatever happens, there is lots of music to put out there and hopefully be enjoyed.”
