Noisey are very excited to be premiering the second EP from multi-instrumentalist, singer/producer Jack Garratt. Given that the sun has just come out, but the bank holiday weekend is over, we imagine you are probably in the mood for something sun-soaked but sultry in equal measure. This is just the answer, a four track release that is literally bursting at the seams with festival ready arm-wavers and soft summery drops.Garratt had an absolutely fantastic breakthrough last year, largely thanks to a couple of dynamite shows at Reading and Leeds festival. This year, with a collection of new music, he looks set to become an unmissable name. With all this excitement ahead, we chatted to Jack about his new EP.
Jack Garratt: I’m in the middle of frying some turkey bacon right now. Real intimate moment.So your EP is out super soon - how long since you started working on it?
This EP came around in a similar way to how Remnants, my other, EP came about. There wasn’t one defining moment where I decided to start working on a new EP, it was more a case of these songs coming together over a period of time. I was trying to get some stuff together and ended up, in the space of a couple of weeks, having a set of songs that fitted together perfectly.So the EP just came together naturally?
Well a lot of writers I admire work to an end goal and plan to make an album, but if I do that I freak out. I need to write with the freedom to just write some songs.Considering you let these songs naturally emerge, when do you start factoring in the complexity of the production?
When I write, I produce and record as I go along. To me all the production aspects are part of the song, not just sprinkles at the end. With “The Love You’re Given”, I found the sample and then the song just came out of me. The melody that is on that track is the first one that came out of my head, which sometimes happens but not always. This song was ready to come and I was just in the right place.With so many live dates planned, have you started thinking about your live shows when you write songs?
There is a track on the EP, the last one, called “Lonesome Valley” which I started writing and it was getting crazy ambitious. I had to stop for a second and check - “am I going to be able to pull this off live?” The minute that I thought about that, was the minute I decided to ignore that concern. Let’s just get the song out and we can work that out later. That’s also what happened with “Chemical”.“Chemical” is a pretty vague track title - what does it refer to?
Titles for me, don’t matter. It is almost like writing chapter titles for a book. If the chapter is good and well-written then the chapter title has no bearing. I think with song titles it is the same. The title could be the chorus, but what is the fun in that? It’s basically branding. “Chemical” is interesting for me, because that is what I think the whole song is about, yet the word is taken from one line: “my love is chemical”.So we are talking about the chemicals in our brain?
The idea of my love being a chemical was something that was poignant to me at the time. Getting swept up in emotions but then being reminded it is just chemicals in your brain is powerful I think. I’m an extremely emotional person and I like to think I’m in control of that, but the rational part of me reminds me that I’m not.Does it ever get weird, singing about those emotions for an audience?
At the end of the day, saying “I” or “me” doesn’t necessarily mean I’m talking about myself. I try not to talk too much about the lyrics of my songs because I don’t want to change someones distinct and individual take on the song. My songs are biographical, but I think it should be left for other people to attach their own stories to it.Excited for your UK shows?
Whenever I am performing I am itching to get back into the studio, but now I’m here I instantly miss playing shows and connecting with people. I can’t wait for Reading and Leeds in particular. Those shows last year were the ones that really put me on my current trajectory, so to go back there and have the opportunity to perform in front of new people is incredible.We can’t wait. Enjoy your turkey bacon.Follow Angus on Twitter.
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Noisey: Yo Jack, how’s it going?
Jack Garratt: I’m in the middle of frying some turkey bacon right now. Real intimate moment.So your EP is out super soon - how long since you started working on it?
This EP came around in a similar way to how Remnants, my other, EP came about. There wasn’t one defining moment where I decided to start working on a new EP, it was more a case of these songs coming together over a period of time. I was trying to get some stuff together and ended up, in the space of a couple of weeks, having a set of songs that fitted together perfectly.So the EP just came together naturally?
Well a lot of writers I admire work to an end goal and plan to make an album, but if I do that I freak out. I need to write with the freedom to just write some songs.Considering you let these songs naturally emerge, when do you start factoring in the complexity of the production?
When I write, I produce and record as I go along. To me all the production aspects are part of the song, not just sprinkles at the end. With “The Love You’re Given”, I found the sample and then the song just came out of me. The melody that is on that track is the first one that came out of my head, which sometimes happens but not always. This song was ready to come and I was just in the right place.
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There is a track on the EP, the last one, called “Lonesome Valley” which I started writing and it was getting crazy ambitious. I had to stop for a second and check - “am I going to be able to pull this off live?” The minute that I thought about that, was the minute I decided to ignore that concern. Let’s just get the song out and we can work that out later. That’s also what happened with “Chemical”.“Chemical” is a pretty vague track title - what does it refer to?
Titles for me, don’t matter. It is almost like writing chapter titles for a book. If the chapter is good and well-written then the chapter title has no bearing. I think with song titles it is the same. The title could be the chorus, but what is the fun in that? It’s basically branding. “Chemical” is interesting for me, because that is what I think the whole song is about, yet the word is taken from one line: “my love is chemical”.So we are talking about the chemicals in our brain?
The idea of my love being a chemical was something that was poignant to me at the time. Getting swept up in emotions but then being reminded it is just chemicals in your brain is powerful I think. I’m an extremely emotional person and I like to think I’m in control of that, but the rational part of me reminds me that I’m not.Does it ever get weird, singing about those emotions for an audience?
At the end of the day, saying “I” or “me” doesn’t necessarily mean I’m talking about myself. I try not to talk too much about the lyrics of my songs because I don’t want to change someones distinct and individual take on the song. My songs are biographical, but I think it should be left for other people to attach their own stories to it.Excited for your UK shows?
Whenever I am performing I am itching to get back into the studio, but now I’m here I instantly miss playing shows and connecting with people. I can’t wait for Reading and Leeds in particular. Those shows last year were the ones that really put me on my current trajectory, so to go back there and have the opportunity to perform in front of new people is incredible.We can’t wait. Enjoy your turkey bacon.Follow Angus on Twitter.