After spending the last few years churning out a flurry of broad and shimmering releases, LA-based duo Songs For Sabotage are back once again with their latest stunner 'Phantom'.
Channelling the raw and breezy aesthetic of acts like Wolf Alice, 'Phantom' makes for a wonderfully rich and captivating listen. Filled with lofty textures and truly memorable hooks, we can't wait to hear what they have to offer in the coming months.
So with the new single available 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 was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Lina: The guitar! All my idols played guitar and I wanted to be able to play along to whatever I was singing. But my parents thought it’d be too heavy to carry around and convinced me to start playing the clarinet which I did a few years before actually switching to guitar.
Richey: Briefly the alto saxophone when I was 7 or 8, then the guitar… I got a Peavey Predator for Christmas when I was 9 but I didn’t start playing it seriously until I was around 13. After that I gave up all my other hobbies.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Lina: When I was really young my dad introduced me to the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Doors etc. but as I got a little older I fell in love with punk rock and more alternative music.
Richey: Mid-90’s and early 2000’s pop-punk, emo, indie, and alternative. Also some west coast hip hop and ATL crunk from the same era.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Lina: Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream and Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morrisette.
Richey: The first CDs I bought with my own money were the Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack and Ace of Base’s The Sign.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Lina: A female anthem like No Doubt’s “Just A Girl”.
Richey: A cultural road mark one-hit-wonder like Len’s “Steal My Sunshine”.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Lina: The classic cycle of self doubt, excitement, joy, frustration.
Richey: Attempts to reach emotionally inward. If there’s one thing I do regularly, it’s make reference points - whether it be sonic, cultural, indicative of an era, etc. Very helpful when direction is needed.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
The Kills, Glass Animals, Prospa, Little Simz, letherette, Willow, Mod Sun, and the album Sails by Chet Atkins.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Depeche Mode.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Lina: Being completely free to write whatever I want to express.
Richey: Having opportunities to connect with people/places/experiences that I otherwise wouldn’t have had.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Lina: The industry.
Richey: All the time that’s necessary to dedicate towards non-creative pursuits.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Lina: Write for yourself and don’t try to please others.
Richey: That there are literally NO RULES. That it’s all ultimately subjective. That it could never be a competition, despite what pop culture wants us to believe. That if only one person’s mood or perspective is changed for the better, then you’ve succeeded.
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Songs For Sabotage's new single 'Phantom' is available to stream now. Check out the new video for it in the player below.