This week we’re introducing a more Indie, alternative, somewhat experimental band. Liam Fox, Jamie Verney and Rob Mayson make up Brighton-based Saint Savanna.
Their influences are diverse. They tell us that they “all have pretty varied tastes in music, from pop to hip hop and everything in between.” To be more specific, when it comes to the sound, “artists like Alt-J, Talking Heads, Bon Iver, The Antlers and Young the Giant have influenced our sound and individual parts.” And at a more general, practical level “bands like Fleetwood Mac, Mystery Jets and Temper Trap have all influenced the way we write, arrange our music and structure our songs.”
Have a listen below to their song ‘Balconies’ and you’ll find those influences really evident – the synthy bass and vocal style is definitely reminiscent of the likes of Temper Trap and recent breakthrough Alt-J.
Saint Savanna could have come together earlier. They’ve known each for going on seven years, and played music early on, but it wasn’t until they Uni that they started a full band. “We just came together in Brighton and then starting jamming and writing.” The sound has evolved over time. “It started out as sounding quite different to how it does now, and that was only 6 months ago, so a lot seems to have changed in quite a short space of time.”
The band released their four track EP ‘Verona’ at the start of January. How was the recording process? “Much of the writing and original sound of the EP was done by Liam at his work – he would then take them to the rest of the band where the other parts and sounds were written.”
How about this for DIY: “All of the recording was done in our guitarist Jamie’s bedroom over the course of around a month. The drums were done in our friend Cal’s room from Little Fears. We used pretty basic equipment that we have accumulated over the years, and just spent time perfecting our sound before we hit record.” So when you consider that this EP was created mostly in a bedroom the production values and overall sound of what they’ve created is absolutely outstanding. Everything is smooth and there is a very distinct style to the record.
Their goal was “to produce and record all the stuff on our own and hopefully bring some fresh new ideas to the table without the use of a separate producer.” It’s real DIY, and the amount of care, precision and sheer effort they’ve put into their work is impressive.
The band do have plans for another EP in the first half of this year, and they want to keep the recording process as simple as it was for Verona. And after that, they’re “planning on doing an album in the summer, and currently looking into studios to use.” If they can get brilliant sounds from recording in a bedroom, I can’t be the only one excited at the thought of them taking those talents into a studio. It makes for a future which we’ll be keeping a very close eye on.
The band are still relatively modest about their achievements so far. Their favourite thing about being in a band? They plumped for “playing gigs where most people in the room know all the words and are singing them back at you, there’s nothing else like that.” It’s at this point you realise that despite the polished sound and the music’s confident sound, they’re still a band that are finding their feet.
With the promise of another EP and the high likelihood of an album coming in 2013, Saint Savanna are certainly looking to make 2013 their own. With their talent and discipline, we’re hoping they make a big name for themselves soon.
https://www.facebook.com/SaintSavanna
CHRIS MARSHMAN