7 Questions with Deepsea Lights
Photo credit: Jgor Cavallina from Two Little Birds Photography
Deepsea Lights are power couple Gemma & Joe who together weave electronic & acoustic vibrations into chilled beats, laced with poetic verses and tempered with melodic hooks & harmonies.
A name evoking bioluminescence is an apt metaphor for their music: you'll be lured in by the mesmerising melodies into the depth of the lyricism and intricacy of their arrangements.
It's no easy task to make songs that are easy on the ear yet offers intellectual depth below the surface but Deepsea Lights 0 (zero) EP is a refreshing first plunge into the realm.
How did Deepsea Lights get started?
"We started reeeaaaaal folky. Joe was busking and playing a few acoustic gigs here and there, with Gem doing some backup and guest vocals. From there we were spending a lot of time together anyway, so we decided to start collaborating."
What can people expect from a Deepsea set if they haven't seen or heard you?
"A pretty eclectic mix of things brought into a cohesive whole. We like to keep the shows engaging so we mix up the trip-hop, folk, spoken word and hip-hop stuff so it doesn't get monotonous. Throw in some live looping and that gives you a bit of an idea. Plus some sweet dance moves."
The sound of this EP is eclectic & sounds like a synthesis of acoustic, lyrical and electronic elements. Talk us through your writing process & how you each contribute.
"We tend to write a lot of stuff acoustically to begin with. All of the tracks we're doing at the moment started as folk songs that we'd written on guitar or uke and then began production once we had the whole song written. Once we're in production land its more a case of Joe button pushing and Gem giving grand direction."
Mantra, the first track of the 0 (zero) EP opens with spoken word and refers to being a newcomer to rapping - Joe, how has hip hop inspired & influenced your writing style?
"I think I've been a bit more influenced by spoken word than hip-hop. I've always loved hip-hop though and had planned on penning some stuff at some point. Figured it was about time. I love anything that's lyric heavy so well written hip-hop is the intersection of all the stuff I like."
"There's an intimate relationship at the heart of this music - does being a couple change your relationship to the music you make together, and vice versa?"
"More than anything the proximity would be a bigger influence. We spend a heap of time together so our brain waves tend to be relatively in sync. Ultimately we're really great friends, so the ability to communicate ideas well is probably the most important side effect of being in a relationship and writing music."
What albums are you listening to at the moment?
Clipping - CLPPNG
Groeni - Hewn
Lupa J - The Seed
Major Lazer - Peace is Mission
And probably too much Mathas
You both have great hair, not sure there's a question here I just wanted to say that and invite a response.
"Gem's dreads are starting to get pretty epic. Joe is proud of how long his hair is getting too, and he appreciates your noticing! He also has an unexpectedly hairy chest."
You can catch Deepsea Lights performing at Spaceport 2 on June 27th at the Gaelic Club in Surry Hills at 9pm.
Links Soundcloud Facebook Youtube Channel
Interview conducted by DA Carter