Meet new duo on the block Pale. They’re captivating our attention for all the right reasons.
One of the most captivating and intriguing bands of the year, Pale have been attracting global attention for their melancholic sound. Whilst this September saw the duo self-release their EP entitled “The Come Back”, this evening sees the boys perform live at Shoreditch House.
Consisting of Alan and Lee, the duo state themselves as polar opposites – quiet and confident vs. loud and insecure – but the crux of it is, it works. Their latest EP built of four tracks produced by Adam Jaffrey with visuals coming from a collaborations with artist Christopher Orlando Page, servers a sound reminiscent of 80s synth greats Tears for Fears. Of course, following on from the arresting video for their 2012 offering ‘Too Much’, the duo are no stranger to the realm of impressive visuals. Their sound is infectious and their aesthetic is endearing. We catch up with the boys to find out more.
How did the two of you meet?
We shared friends and were both drawn to the same things aesthetically. Our union was inevitable. Lee is quiet and confident, I am loud and insecure. People like me need people like him and people like him need people like me.
You come from very different backgrounds, what do you think each of you bring to your music from that?
We bring what we have to our music… We try and leave our backgrounds in the background. I can see why it interests people… I am fascinated by Lee’s background. But like most people, I see my own background as dull and ordinary. Our upbringings were surprisingly similar tough. We share a lot in that way. We are damaged people and that’s where we connect and understand one another creatively.
Your music has been described as ‘unsettling’, do you take that as a compliment?
Yes.
What do you think of the comparisons of Pale and The XX?
They are a wonderful band. Its always a pleasure to be compared to a bands that you respect and admire.
This time last year you were making music in a shed, where were the new tracks created?
We’ve had some time away so the songs you’re referring to were probably written in the same shed. We moved into an artist residence not so long ago where we wrote some new songs but we got evicted so we’ve been recording in a studio on Hackney Road which is where we finished our EP with Adam Jaffrey.. Its all been a bit scattered this last year for one reason or another. We are looking to get out of London and settle. Next year we’ll be more focused.
How does it feel to put on sell-out shows?
Playing live is overwhelming for me, I find it quite difficult at times. I think I spend much of my time subconsciously/consciously looking for attention, and when I finally have it I don’t know what to do with it. Playing live frightens me – I often want to leave through the back door before a show…
So tell us, why did you decide to release your ‘The Comeback’ EP for free?
We wanted people to hear it. We thought that was the best way to get it out to as many people as possible.
It makes sense. What are your aspirations as a band?
Our current aspiration is to afford ourselves the privilege to keep doing what we enjoy doing. If that means we might one day make some kind of lasting impression that would be cool. And then later perhaps we’ll be rich and famous enough to take our therapists on tour. To be honest. I’m not going to bullshit you with false modesty. We’re very proud of what we’ve done. There’s no limits to what we can achieve as a band. We’re working on that.
Which is your favorite track on the EP?
Silence – It’s about contemplating an emotional affair. I wrote it a month or so before I got married. But I also really love Come Back and Two wrongs..
Silence is our favourite too. You’ve been called ‘serious’ and reminiscent of 80s/90s electronica but how would you personally describe the music you make?
We are serious. If our music sound’s reminiscent in any way – it wasn’t conscious, we just grew up around that stuff. Growing up in the late 90s and 00s meant you listened to all sorts of things. Then The Strokes came along and fucked it all up! Everyone had to be one thing or the other again.
I listened to so much stuff growing up. There was little continuity in my taste then and there is little now. My favorite singer will always be George Michael though…