Written by Marilù Ciabattoni
Discovered via Musosoup
Starting as a pandemic experimental music project, Wotts is taking their music pretty seriously now.
The progress in their songwriting styles proves that: from beats and hip-hop, the band has now converted to indie rock, utilizing a lot of instruments layered over each other. The influence of Tame Impala is pretty clear, and the band seems to want to continue down this path.
But what are their actual plans for the near future? As the front leader explains, “I'd like to get one of those brain implant chips that I can directly link to a synthesizer so I can play music with my mind.”
If this quote managed to catch your attention (as I knew it would), then go ahead and read the full interview below.
Introduce yourself: who is Wotts? How and when was the project born?
Wotts started as a full-on experimental music project with friends. The first chapter kicked off around 2016, and believe it or not we made hip-hop. We had a lot of fun doing that but then half the band dipped during the pandemic. At that point we basically said fuck it, so we flipped things on its head and started making indie pop.
How has your music changed in the past few years?
Our music is unrecognizable compared to when we started. Not only did we make hip-hop music, but instead of using drum samples or a drummer, we had a beatboxer spitting beats. It definitely made our sound unique, but it was minimalistic for sure. For our new genre, we’re doing the opposite and stacking tons of layers. Funny how it turned out.
Who inspired your music? Who are your biggest influences?
When it comes to our current sound, we’re heavily inspired by retro pop artists like Tame Impala, Brothertiger and George Clanton. We just love how all their music mixes vintage and contemporary elements. That’s what we shoot for with our own songs, but we always try to throw in things that make it our own.
What are your favourite singles you've released so far?
Very proud of the success we've had with “LEMONADE” and “NO TAKE BACKS,” but also love the remix that we did with Desert Island Big Band called "6 Shooter."
How did you develop this style? Will you experiment with other genres in the future?
Lots of trial and error! We learned pretty much everything during the pandemic. Rick already had guitar and bass down, but everything else had to be built from the ground up. It’s easy to have an idea of what your sound should be but when you’re basically starting from zero, it’s hard to pull it off. Experimenting has always been at the heart of the group, so I can definitely see us incorporating new genres down the road.
Let's talk about "be kind:" What inspired it and how did it come to life?
“be kind” was so much fun to make because we basically threw out everything we learned and just went into full experimental mode. We knew we wanted to make a shoegazey dream pop kind of track, but had no idea how to go about it. I remember reading a Washed Out interview and he basically talked about how he just did stuff spontaneously and trusted his gut. We embraced that approach and it was super liberating. In the end, we were left with our first 90’s influenced guitar-driven track.
Who produces your tracks? How do you choose which producers to work with? Do you have some dream producers you'd like to work with?
We’ve produced all the music we’ve released to date. We love having control, but if we ever meet someone who’s super talented and gets what we’re going for, we’d be open to letting go of it. As far as dream producers go, in no particular order, Kevin Parker, Damon Albarn and Rick Rubin.
Is music your main occupation at the moment? If not, how are you conciliating your day job with your music career?
It is not, but music and engaging in the scene take up a lot of space in my life. I always believe you need to work to live, not live to work. So outside of work hours, I’m dedicated to doing something I love, like making and playing music, or just catching local bands in the scene.
Have you ever been on tour? If not, would you like to go on one?
We’ve done a few tours around the Ontario, Canada area. Usually just short tours of a week or so. Would love to go on another one, they’re such a fun time and an amazing way to meet new people and explore the country.
Who's your dream feature?
Jonny Greenwood where you at!? Would love to work with him on a soundtrack for a film. He can feature on a Wotts track if he'd like to.
Where do you see yourself in one year as a musician?
I'd like to get one of those brain implant chips that I can directly link to a synthesizer so I can play music with my mind. I don't know if I'll be there in a year but a man can dream.
Discovered via https://app.musosoup.com #sustainablecurator