We couldn't get enough of last year's 'Dilate' - the sound of a group of highly talented musicians evolving, experimenting, re-inventing. The album, from the first second to the last, is an exhilarating listen - showcasing Vessels' masterful adaptation of electronic-based instruments to achieve their sonic aspirations with aplomb.
The album is now getting a re-release as a special edition, so we took the opportunity to fire over some questions to band member Lee Malcom. He duly obliged.
Vessels support Battles at Electric Brixton on March 24th
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Tell us about this special edition of 'Dilate' and the artists you've collaborated with on it.
This record celebrates our new home on Different Records (PIAS) which we're all very excited about. It features 4am and an amazing remix by FaltyDL.
Was your transition from guitars to electronics a natural progression due to changes in personal taste?
Yes and no. We've all been fans of electronic music through the whole previous life of Vessels but it took us a while to make the change. This was due to a number of reasons. One being that it's a logistical and technological challenge. Another being that we just didn't quite know how to perform it until we tried to make a 'techno covers' EP that forced us to figure it out. Unfortunately only two of the five tracks made it into our live show. Those being Sky Was Pink and Blue Clouds. Also, there was the whole 'alienating our fans' thing to think about. It's not that any of us dislike guitar music anymore it's just that we didn't think we were adding anything to the scene that we thought was significant enough to justify the time we all spent doing it. Others may disagree and I understand that but at the end of the day, to us it's about exploring music. The moment it becomes laboured and trite it's time to move on. Otherwise stagnation sets in. So in conclusion I would say that our understanding of realising our musical goals caught up with our collective taste.
To get geeky for a moment - do you feel it's possible to achieve a greater level of widescreen/panoramic sounds with electronics than guitars?
It depends on your approach. I think you can get anything out of any instrument if you get creative with how you use it. I know there's a much larger timbre available to the electronic musician and to be fair we did spend a lot of time and money trying to make a guitar sound like something else, but at the end of the day you slap a reverb on it and it's all just noisy weft isn't it? What I like about electronic instruments is the ability to go in the other direction and really appreciate the detail and minimalism of a well crafted sound that sits just so in the mix. Not saturating the space and allowing sounds to breath so they can be fully experienced seems to be where my head is at more often than not. Don't get me wrong, I still appreciate guitar heavy noise bands and more considered acoustic stuff and all the bits in-between, it's just that I seem to gravitate towards sounds I haven't heard before as a source of inspiration for music making. Something that in this day and age is very difficult. My friend Rich always says music will be finished/illegal by 2020! I really hope not…i've just gone modular...
Post-rock - a genre many would have put you in previously, is a genre that perhaps hasn't progressed or re-invented itself in the same way that electronic-based musicians have. Would you agree?
To be honest I haven't kept up to date with modern post-rock bands so I wouldn't be able to comment accurately but I would say that one of the main reasons why electronic music evolves so quickly is because of the speed in which it can be created. This coupled with new technology augmenting what is already there creates such a fast paced scene that it's very hard to stay 'current'. Because of the nature of post rock (or indeed any more traditional band set up) there is a longer process to it's creation. Four or five people in a room jamming it out and finding ideas takes it's time. I'm not saying one process is better than the other. They're just different. I value both just as much. In fact I love improvisation. It's really important to keep those skills sharp.
I saw you live at Village Underground and it was a special, cathartic experience in a venue like that. What venues have you got your eyes on for the future?
Difficult to say as I don't really know what's on the cards yet but i'd love to play The Oval in London for sure. I guess for me it's all about a great sound system and a great atmosphere. That's all you really need for the party :)
Who are some other UK artists you feel are doing interesting things musically at the moment?
Well there's so many! I mean some of my favourites are Four Tet, Clark, Fuck Buttons, Maya Jane Coles, Jon Hopkins, Nicole Moudaber, Luke Abbott, Kito, Rival Consoles, James Holden, Wesley Matsell, Mountain Range, Will and Held, Aneek Thapar, Worriedaboutsatan, Wife, Lone, Lukid, Leon Vynehall, Andy Stott, Blanck Mass, Imogen Heap. There's so much coming from so many places though. It's an amazing time to be involved with music and it's a constant joy to discover new people and new ideas.
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