Amarionette have been busy since we last checked in with them last August. They steadily released singles, music videos, and then a brand new album, Sunset on This Generation last month.
The band has always been known for flawlessly blending post hardcore, funk, and pop styles of instrumentation and vocals.
This album finds the group experimenting with new styles and overall showcasing their strongest music to date.
Guitarist Nick Raya took a few minutes to talk with me about recording during quarantine and upcoming plans:
TC: How long was the writing process for the new album?
NR: “This process took a lot longer than we expected. We started recording this album officially back in November of 2019, and we didn’t finish vocals until May of 2020. Some of the guitars for this album were recorded as early as 2017 that we didn’t think would make an album, but eventually came to fruition.”
TC: Was the recording done before quarantine? If not, how did you deal with that?
NR: “We finished all of the instrumentals and a couple of songs with vocals before quarantine, but 90% of the vox were done during the national shutdown. It was a really cool process recording during quarantine because Issy and myself were able to dive deep into these songs and do a ton of experimenting with different harmonies, layers, etc. Issy and I would FaceTime 4-8 hour sessions, 3-4 days a week from March-May, and that’s how we finished. It was a really cool experience to see everything come to life.”
TC: Does it feel strange to have a record coming out and not be able to tour for it?
NR: “It’s a little strange to be completely honest, but at the same time it’s cool to be able to interact with fans on the internet more than we would while on tour. We definitely miss playing shows.”
TC: It sounds to me like the sound has matured a bit. What do you think that could be attributed to?
NR: “We are finally comfortable with the process that we have created for writing music. I would also say we have been continually working with each other over last 3 years, and are a much more cohesive team than we ever were. It’s really just a natural progression and we embrace that.”
TC: You got 3 great features this time around. Who would you like to get on the next record?
NR: “I think Andy Cizek is a great vocalist and he would be a good fit for a feature. AJ Perdomo of The Dangerous Summer would be one of my picks if we could pull it off. Or Anthony Green, but that’s a stretch.”
TC: Is it safe to say you’re all getting more comfortable as a band and more willing to try new things?
NR: “Absolutely! We did a lot of experimenting on this album. Several song styles, more auxiliary tracks (keys and synth), and ultimately the partnership between Issy and myself collaborating on the lyrics and melody.”
TC: Do you have any plans for if playing shows isn’t possible for the first half of 2021?
NR: “We plan to do some acoustic versions of these songs, and hopefully a vinyl release before the end of year. Maybe some cassette tapes?
Also, we will continue to put together play through videos, music videos, IG live sessions, and any other virtual live streaming that we can put together.”
TC: I feel like this is the band’s strongest work. Where does Amarionette go from here?
NR: “Well, we are currently 5 demos deep into a new album and I head back into the studio in a few days to do another two songs. The plan is to track another album before the end of the year and we are going to attempt to work with the same crew as the Sunset album. It was a ton of fun and we want to keep riding this wave.
Expect a cover or two, maybe a new single, some acoustic tracks, and another record next year.”
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