A few weeks ago we debuted the subtly striking single by British indie band The BlackWhite, and today we present to you the stripped down acoustic version of the catchy track. It’s fittingly filmed in black & white, and this gray-scale styling elevates the song’s seriousness while not distracting from the lyrics.
Its simplicity and the close proximity of the band members make it all the more emotive and magical. We loved the track before, but now it’s like “All Of Your Voices” has been made into a classic, before even being released (it’s officially out October 13).
Because we wanted to meet the masterminds behind the music, we chatted with front man Josh Bray about this song, their creative processes & what makes them tick.
EARMILK: You all have a very unique sound that we imagine comes partly from the diversity of the band members. Tell us a little about how you all came together.
Josh Bray: Our formation was down to luck as much as judgment. I had been touring the solo circuit for a couple of years as a one man act, when I met Guy, who was sharing the same bill with me as his then band. We exchanged details as mutual appreciation of each other’s playing had flowed freely. Guy knew Ed from the scene and we recorded some stuff with Ash, in his engineering capacity, as a three piece. We eventually met Harry at a gig after a series of crazy bass players had to be jettisoned to the cruel wind of rejection.
EM: Ah, the cruel wind of rejection – separating the good from the bad, a concept that is very black and white. Speaking of this concept, what was the inspiration behind your name?
JB: ‘Blackwhite’ is a term from George Orwell’s dystopian oeuvre 1984. It is an example of ‘newspeak’ and ‘doublethink’ whereby an individual is able to, as the example goes, be presented with something black, whilst being told that is white and immediately exercise ‘doublethink’ and forget that it was ever otherwise. It is a metaphor for indoctrination and thought control, processes, which we see very much in existence in the world we live in.
EM: It sounds like you all have a very unique scope of the world that I’m sure lends itself to your creative processes. How does that affect your song writing, and specifically this track “All Of Your Voices”?
JB: This song was one of the easiest songs to write that we have written. For some reason it came from nowhere to be conceived, arranged and written in one day, though from the leftovers of a previous song. It just came together, for once, as we usually torture ourselves over the songwriting process and agonise over the minutiae of the music.
EM: Yeah you can kind of hear the different pieces of songs that meld into one – the changes in melody/rhythm making it attractive and surprising. If this organic way is atypical, what is the more typical writing process?
JB: The band writes as an equal mechanism. Someone usually comes in with a seed of an idea and we all set about trying to bring it to a finish point. Usually though, we end up slightly hating each other by agonising over the detail and ruining any idea for ourselves before it gets to that point! For every BlackWhite song actually written, 10 have probably not made it through the quality filter.
EM: Well being a perfectionist is certainly better than the opposite, and we can tell that you all take time to put out a quality product. What else do you want people to take away from your art and you as a group?
JB: We would like people to primarily just get off on the melodies, the rhythm and the tune itself. Beyond that we hope to promote positive messages of thinking critically for yourself, not succumbing to ignorance and superstition, questioning authority and reject materialism where it infringes on personal happiness and fulfillment.
EM: Great message – we can definitely get on board with that. So while you’re wanting your audience to get off on your tunes, alternatively, what fuels your fire?
JB: Music. All the music we grew up listening to. All the music we were young adults with and all the music we are discovering daily. We are largely influenced by alternative music but aren’t arrogant enough to dislike other genres in a generalised way. We want to write the best music we can that gets people grooving but also challenges their preconceptions about timing, melody and lyrical content for example.
EM: Speaking of influential music, are there any dream collaborations? What’s in store for the next year?
JB: Deftones. Radiohead. Mew – hopefully touring with any! Loads of touring would be ideal. We have been mostly concentrating on writing and making great content. We’re talking with some great agents to get on the road as soon as possible and want to go to the US as we have lots of support there.
EM: Yes, you definitely need to come over our way. While you’re not living/breathing music, where can we find you – say on a Saturday afternoon?
JB: We all do weekend jobs to pay for the band so we’re probably working hard somewhere polishing glasses or playing Bon Jovi covers!
EM: Product you can’t live without?
JB: Pork.
EM: Anything funny happen recently that you’d like to share?
JB: We are obviously hilarious but we can’t think of anything that has ever happened……we hate each other…..
EM: Well we’re glad you could all get in one room long enough to record an epic video! Thanks for your candor – and we look forward to your EP and that forthcoming to trip to the US.
