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Before I Explode - "Guilt like wire cutting through me." Review/Interview
At 17 years old, what else is there to do apart from sitting around the park drinking cheap cider, whilst stumblimg around like a baby giraffe?
Before I Explode have found the answer!
This duo of singer, Sophie Wilkie, 17, and intsrumentalist Jak Stephens, 20, are not your typical youth, outside the shop asking you to buy them "fags." Instead, these two talented youngsters spend most of their time writing perfect dream - pop songs.
According to Sophie, she met Jak in a queue for a gig and as they got chatting, they decided to form a band.
Jak was based in Plymouth, whilst Sophie was in Birmingham, but they didn't let the distance stop them from creating music together. Thank God for MSN, yes that's right, MSN. Sophie explains that to overcome the distance they "send ideas over MSN Messenger, coming up with the music on Ableton Live and other music making programs." Jak provides the music and sends the ideas to Sophie who then layers on the vocals. As unconventional as this seems, trust me, this formula is working.
Before I Explode were the first band to contact Crumbs In The Butter. An e-mail was recieved and I thought, right, let's have a listen. I went over to their Myspace page...
The first song I played was "Water Flute."
It began with an ambient synth melody and I found myself immediately curious to see where the song was going. A fun little beat kicked in over the ambience and then dreamy vocals lead me to the beautifully exploding chorus which had me hooked. I found myself smiling but it also had a tinge of sadness and hope that moves me on every listen. "Water Flute" reminded me of The Radio Dept but with a stronger, ambient electronic edge. Soft melodic vocals mixed with music that can only be described as beautiful sadness. Stir in a bittersweet edginess tinged with regret in the vocals and Before I Explode prescribe the perfect musical elixir.
The band sent me two other tracks. "Skeleton Song" being the strongest of the two but that is not to say "It's Beautiful Up Here" is lacking anything at all. The two songs have the soft electronic feel of standout track "Water Flute" with added beautiful guitar work and great synth washes.
Before I Explode is creating music that defies the ages of it's members. The music has such a confidence that I found it hard not to concentrate on the lyrics and imagery these songs evoked and the lyrics added to the another dimension to the mix.
I really don't want to compare BIE to any other bands as I think they deserve more than that because they have orginality in abundance. I will wrap this little gem up by saying that, if you like bittersweet acoustic electronica with soft melodic pensive vocals then Before I Explode shine like fireworks in a late winter's night sky.
I took the chance to ask the band some questions...
Which bands were the driving force for you both starting a band?
Sophie: "Well, we met a couple of years ago, very early one morning, standing outside the NEC. We were getting rained on and waiting to go and see Muse. I had the only umbrella. we got talking and realised we both shared a love of tea and William Blake, and then very quickly after that decided to form a band so Muse would have to be on the list somewhere, probably at the top. Apart from Muse, our influences are very different, me with my Radiohead and swirling Scandinavian Electronica and Jak with his screamy music and pretty american songwriters. We both bring our differences into our musical equation, hopefully creating something new and interesting."
Jak: "Well, I guess Muse, too. I like lots of old school trance music, that has a large influence on my songwriting. Softer, more organic music like Bright Eyes and the Album Leaf, also a lot of pop music, and heavier bands such as At The Drive-In."
Do you find many restrictions in forming songs over MSN?
Sophie: "Not at all. in fact i think it makes things a lot easier...Being honest it's a lot easier over MSN! If we don't like something, we'll tell eachother. it's really just a convenient and more 21st century version of what the postal service do, or did. "
Jak: "No, I think it makes it easier. However, it does mean none of our songs are written through a 'jam' or whatever."
How did you decide upon the name Before I Explode?
Sophie: "it is a long and winding tale, full of heartbreak, magic, vampires, and a very very angry ghost. I'd love to tell you, but i can't. so you'll have to ask Jak."
Now I am intrigued! So Jak, what's the story?
Jak: "Sophie said, "Jak, think of a name Before I Explode." Then I said, let's call the band Before I Explode. Simple!"
Damn, and there was me thinking that a tale of magical mystery was on the cards.
Have you played many gigs to date and what has the live experience been like? (ie how were the crowds etc?)
Jak: "Well, gigs have been pretty different than being in my previous band. It's been nice to have people come up to us afterwards and say they enjoyed it. To be honest we are playing toilet venues so most people don't seem to give a shit at the moment (Nice pun. Nicky). And plus I don't normally look at the audience, I look at my feet."
Sophie: "We started gigging together as a duo at the beginning of the summer, and have played in Birmingham, Manchester and London so far. Our first gig was in Oldham, actually, where neither of us had been before, and we knew no-one. It was interesting, to say the least! That's how our shows have stayed. Every show is completely different from the last, we never know how people are going to react, whether they'll like us or not, because we don't have the usual set-up that most people expect, we're not a 4-piece band, its just us, a guitar, and our Mac, and around Birmingham there's not a huge electronic scene. However, there have been no disasters as of yet, and if we've converted at least one person to the Before I Explode way by the end of the night, I consider the night a success. "
Are you recording more material at the moment and have you any gigs coming up?
Jak; "Only one more gig this summer, at Katie Fitz on Aug 22nd, it is in Stourbridge. I'm writing all the time so I'm sure we'll have some new material to record soon."
Are people your own age responive to your music or are they more interested in popular music and culture?
Sophie: "Well, we're not the Ting Tings (Thank God. Nicky) and we're not going to appeal to everybody. I've been surprised at the amount of different types of people that have been interested in what we're doing, people of all ages. which is nice. and if people don't like us...we can always remix!"
What are the lyrics based on and how do you go about writing them?
Jak: "Sophie writes them. I help her write some. They normally take a final shape after all the music is finished, though."
Sophie: "Talking about what the lyrics are based on and about how they're written is sometimes quite difficult for me, actually. Partly becuase, of course, they're based on experiences and are, in that way, personal, and partly because i'm not quite sure! Sometimes they're just there, sometimes i'll wake up with a chorus or verse fully formed in my head, the lyrics for its Beautiful Up here started life on a plane, Skeleton Song is co-wrote! It's a whole variety of things really! I'm particularly into dreams and dream imagery at the moment though, things like ghosts and light and mirrors and skeletons, electricity, all a little bit surreal all a little bit story-like. I like stories, that probably has a lot to do with it. Maybe things aren't quite how they appear?"
Right, anything else you lovely people would like to add?
Jak: "Come and see us play! And have a nice day."
Before I Explode Myspace page
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