Getting To Know... The Flavours

After cementing themselves with a wealth of rich and shimmering delights these last few years, Irish outfit The Flavours look to kick off their 2023 in style with the vibrant new single 'Other Song'.

Capturing more of that warm and illustrious direction they have built for themselves since their earliest beginnings, 'Other Song' makes for a wonderfully rich and alluring listen. With its sweet and soaring atmosphere layered against some beautifully passionate vocals throughout, they are continuing their rise as one of the more soulful names doing the rounds right now.

So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with them to find out more about their origins and what has inspired them most over the years.

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What kind of music did you love when you were younger?

Julian: The Beatles’ Revolver lived on the turntable at home and was forever being played. Also loved Simon and Garfunkel, but really listened to a lot of everything. My dad was a great music curator.

Ella: Growing up my dad would have influenced my music taste a lot with artist such as Stevie wonder, Pink Floyd and Steely Dan.

Jordan Roche: From the age of about 6 I was listening to an album each from Green Day, Linkin Park, Slipknot and Trivium in rotation, then I discovered YouTube and got to discover what else the music world offered.

Jordan Devlin: I was a big fan of Lou Rawls, most of my musical influences were from my dad but I also listened to a lot of rap and rock that I got from my older brother.

What was the first album you remember owning?

Julian: The Royal Scam by Steely Dan. In my opinion greatest record of all time.

Ella: Lily Allen - It's not me, it's you.

Jordan Roche: American Idiot by Green Day. Still one of his favourite albums ever.

Jordan Devlin: Evil Empire by Rage against the Machine/Linkin Park’s Encore.

What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?

Julian: Cosmic Girl by Jamiroquai. One of my favourite tracks off the album Travelling without moving with Jamiroquai at the peak of their powers. Iconic bass playing from Stuart Zender on it too.

Ella: Yebba- my mind. There’s a live version of this on YouTube that I love, she sings it with so much emotion, it almost sounds like she’s crying.

Jordan Roche: Jesus of Suburbia by Green Day, off the album American Idiot.

Jordan Devlin: The song I wish I wrote was Love of my life by Queen. Beautiful piece of music with so much emotion and heartfelt. It never fails to bring me to tears, I have a lot of personal integral memories that I have tied to it too.

Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?

Julian: Our best tracks always seem to come from something organic – so a good healthy jam session is usually something we do before we write songs! By myself I like to play long endless drum and guitar loops on the loop pedal and see what ideas come out from it.

Ella: To be honest no not really, if I’m ever writing myself, I usually just do it when it feels right. I suppose when we write as a group usually one of us will come with an idea and then work it out from there.

Jordan Roche: I keep ideas I have between a notebook and the notes app in my phone, adding to them whenever something worthwhile comes into my brain.

Jordan Devlin: One of the main habits I have when writing new music is working on a motif or idea to build the song around. It helps me to establish what I want the song to be about and the overall theme of the song.

Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?

Julian: Khruangbin would probably be up there with my favourite artists at the moment, alongside Tom Misch, Jungle, LEISURE…could probably name for days and never be able to pick a real favourite!

Ella: At the moment I’m listening to a lot of “Men I trust”, “Blondeshell” “Anne Mieke” “Slow dive “the Brian Jonestown Massacre”.

Jordan Roche: At the moment I’m listening to a mix of Silk Sonic, Viagra Boys, Polyphia and Daft Punk, but that’ll all change next week.

Jordan Devlin: I’ve fallen in love with finding iconic music that’s been used as samples for new popular songs, and delving deeper into the artist’s repertoire. For example Labi Siffre’s discography is phenomenal, really easy listening with intricate arrangements for all of his songs.

If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?

Julian: I’d love to open for Steely Dan, a band stacked with gold standard musicians playing incredible songs.

Ella: I would love to open up for Khruangbin or fellow Irishwoman CMAT.

Jordan Roche: I’d love to open for Anderson Paak but that’s just so I could see his kit set up in person!

Jordan Devlin: I would love to open for someone along the lines of The Hot House Flowers or The Frank & Walters. It would be phenomenal to share the stage with such a high calibre of performers.

What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?

Julian: The feeling of achievement when something you’ve written is enjoyed by a complete stranger.

Ella: The most rewarding part of being a musician would have to be just the general feeling of performing or when we’ve created something that we all love.

Jordan Roche: Creating music and having people resonate and connect with that music, especially seeing people enjoy it for the first time, be that at a gig or showing them our recent recordings.

Jordan Devlin: The most rewarding part of being a musician, is being able to have an impact on people’s lives through our music, and having a shared experience with a crowd at a gig is so enriching and encouraging as a musician.

And what is the most frustrating part?

Julian: Dealing with rejection.

Ella: Has to be when I’m struggling to think of things creatively, I’ve gone months before without writing anything.

Jordan Roche: The enormity of the odds that are stacked against us and every other up and coming band in the world.

Jordan Devlin: The most frustrating part of it all is not being able to share the music and experience with everyone in the world. I think we could all do with a bit of The Flavours in our lives.

And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?

Julian: If you take yourself too seriously, nobody else will.

Ella: Always sing from your heart.

Jordan Roche: Pack spare sticks and wear ear plugs!

Jordan Devlin: The best advice I’ve received is to never give up, regardless of the circumstances, the art of making music is a privilege and a blessing, even when it feels like the total opposite!

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The Flavours' new single 'Other Song' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.