We are currently T-minus 10 days till our inevitable freedom, and Selbor’s latest disco-ready track is getting us in the mood for the dance floor. Drenched in glittering synths and lead by a thumping drum bass line, the artist draws us into a late-night party where groove-infested melodies rule the scene. Dropping the single alongside an eccentric video, Selbor introduces us to a wool-crazed individual who can’t get enough of pulling thread, before his addiction becomes all too much.
“The ‘Your Love’ hook came to me last summer while cycling around an empty London,” The artist revealed when discussing the track. “It was short but powerful and I kept singing it aloud like a mantra destroying all the negative energy and thoughts accumulated at that time. I went to Joeri’s studio, a super talented musician who helped me finish it adding the super catchy bass and we did a first mix there and then.”
Tapping into a range of influences that range from disco to indie-pop, the London-based songwriter has been serving up a plethora of hits over the years, including his latest “Smile To The Camera” EP. Gearing up for his first live show and his debut album, we briefly caught up with the artist talking all things music.
Check out the video and interview below now…
Hey Selbor, how has this year been for you so far?
Hi guys, thanks for having me. This year has been good so far, I just finished mixing my debut album that I’m hoping to release later on this year. I also moved home which was a bit of a mission with all those heavy boxes full of records! I’m ready to discover my new London neighborhood and also excited about the new songs I’ll write under this roof.
With everything that happened last year, was your creativity affected?
It was, but for the better. I’m an event producer as well as a musician so with all events cancelled, suddenly I found myself with a small salary paid by the government and with plenty of time to write and produce new material. Living in the moment and having no plans suddenly felt like an opportunity to focus on my music, my life saviour from what was going on in the outside world.
Talk us through your new single, what was the production process like?
The “Your Love” hook came to me last summer while cycling around an empty London. It was short but powerful and I kept singing it aloud like a mantra destroying all the negative energy and thoughts accumulated at that time. I went to Joeri’s studio, a super talented musician who helped me finish it adding the super catchy bass and we did a first mix there and then. I sent it to Joe Goddard who I know to get some feedback and to my surprise he asked me to come to the Hot Chip studio where he and Al Doyle mixed it and remixed it at their “Relax & Enjoy” music studio. Way beyond my dreams! Also, I’m so chuffed to release it on Permanent Vacation and be part of their catalog that has been a continuous inspiration for years with artists that I admire so much.
The video has a unique story, what made you go with this idea?
I met the director Harry Deadman through production company Canada who recommended him. I had a really small budget for the music video but he loved the track so much that he agreed to do it. We met at a cafe to discuss and I mentioned to him that I had this image of pulling a rope everytime I was singing “keep on giving it to me” if that was of any help?! The day after he sent me a treatment taking the pulling the rope idea literally and turning it into a character with an obsession for pulling a thread. I loved the surreal narrative approach, like most of my favourite music videos. Then the idea evolved a bit more into the main character having a wool fetish and that’s how I ended up with a sheep in my garden! You can take many different interpretations of the story and he cast it so well. Harry’s done such an amazing job, he’s one to watch for the future for sure.
What do you want people to take away from your sound?
I want people to get transported with my music and connect with the energy that I tap into when I write my songs. I don’t think I have found my sound yet and that’s a good thing in my opinion. I like to evolve with each song I write and explore new sounds, vocals, genres. Artists spend so much time trying to find their unique distinctive sound, it can sometimes be stressful. I’ll be always trying to find my sound as that’s what motivates me to write more and more music.
What’s next for you/ What are you most excited for?
I’m excited about the possibilities of my first live show. I’d love to do something more theatrical as I can’t afford a band yet so need to come up with an easy set up… maybe like Laurie Anderson’s Drum Dance. I will be releasing my debut album soon, speaking with a couple of labels that are interested in releasing it, but there’s a big backlog of albums waiting to be released until we can go back to touring. Brexit isn’t helping either but I believe that creativity thrives when under pressure and we need more art to survive these dark times.