Jess Bryant creates haunting and ethereal acoustic folk music. She lives in London. Construction House caught up with her to talk classical music, her new album and the future.
You've spoken before about being trained classically and being brought up by classical fans, what's your relationship with classical music like now? Do you feel like it's still within the roots of your music or is it something you try to distance yourself from?
I still feel the way in which I write songs and the way I sing are influenced by my classical upbringing but maybe less so now. I think this is a good thing. There was a point when I did try to purposefully distance myself from it, as a teenager. I felt quite pressured when I was in that world to get good exam grades, to sing and perform perfectly and I felt a sense of freedom when I taught myself guitar, started writing my own songs and started to sing more naturally. But I think I understand more how that classical influence links in to how I write now and I feel very lucky to have had that kind of musical discipline. I don't think that I could distance myself from it. It is part of how I compose even if it is sometimes only on a subconscious level. I do think that being too aware of the key or time signature that you are in can hinder coming up with something new and unexpected so it's about a balance between composition and creativity.
Female singer/songwriters are currently very much in vogue (with the likes of Florence et al storming the charts), why do you think this is? Do you see yourself as being in any way affiliated with these soloists who're currently making a name for themselves?
I think that there have always been inspirational female musicians. It’s not just a trend. I see myself as a musician first of all and I don't think the fact that I'm female should mean that I have to fit into some niche or current trend. I don’t really identify with anyone who is in vogue at the moment. However, there are a few female musicians who really inspire me. People like Shara Worden from My Brightest Diamond, Cortney Tidwell and PJ Harvey. They are musical heroines of mine and I suppose if I wanted to be affiliated or compared to anyone, it would be to them. However, I don't think I am a fan because they are female but because they are amazing musicians and talented at what they do. I am equally in awe of male musicians like Thom Yorke and Mark Linkous.
You're currently in the process of making an album, how's it going?
It's very nearly done which I can't quite believe! I had no idea what it would be like to make an album; how many twists and turns there would be, what it would sound like and so on. As a solo performer and someone who started by recording demos at home, it took me a while to come around to the idea of working with someone else and sharing ideas. I like the idea of getting something done on my own. However I quickly realised how rewarding it can be to have a second opinion and another ear. It has been a great experience recording with Daniel Lea at Golden Hum and I have learnt a lot from it. It has been particularly good to do the album with someone whose musical judgement I trust and whose music I admire. I think I've now firmly left behind the idea that I have to do everything on my own and everything has to be played by me. Sometimes something so much richer can come out of collaboration and experimentation and a willingness to take on another person's ideas.
What are we to expect from the release in terms of sound and concept?
I think the feel of the album has gradually taken shape as songs have been added or put aside. The sound is quite dreamy and lush in places and there are songs on there about the sun, time, sea, rivers, ghosts, dusk and night. Those themes have come up before in previous songs of mine. I think it might be because they hold mystery for me. I tend to come back to them when I’m writing lyrics. There are also some quite upbeat songs on there which is something new for me. I’m not known for being upbeat and that’s not where I naturally tend to go when songwriting. I’ve said before that songwriting is a catharsis for me and I normally feel the need to write when I’m feeling upset about something. So it was nice to listen to some of the songs and realise that I could tap my feet to them!
Though your songs are all very different from one another, your overall sound is arguably quite specific, will you be departing from your established format?
I think I probably have moved away from the format in a sense. It’s very different in terms of instrumentation. I don’t think there’s a single acoustic guitar on there, which is not something I had anticipated. But the parts worked on electric guitar and there was no reason not to break with tradition and try it out. There is also a lot of vibraphone as there happened to be one in the studio and I love the sound. I’ve never had drums in my music either and that has definitely changed the feel and helped to lift some of the songs. I’m also lucky enough to have beautiful string arrangements on some of the songs which adds a lushness to the music. There’s still a lot of vocal harmonies on there and plenty of ooo’s and mmm’s which I couldn’t do without! It was fun to come up with some of the songs in the studio – far more experimental than just me and my acoustic guitar at home and it meant a lot more freedom in terms of arrangement. I feel that in terms of mood and the songwriting I am not straying too far from my usual path – the music is just a bit more expansive.
What does the future hold for Jess Bryant?
I have been a solo performer for a long while now and I hope the future holds a band and a fuller sound live. This is not something I have tried with my music before. I think it's time, particularly as the album has that fuller sound and it would be lovely to bring that out live. As for the album I hope that it gets released and that people like it. I feel in a way that the biggest achievement has been (nearly) finishing it. I just hope that the people who have listened to my music before will enjoy the album.
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