SLEEPSPENT – “SOMETHING”
IT’S BETTER IF YOU DON’T SPEAK OR THINK (2018)
Slow Start Records
El Paso, TX
April 5, 2018
21-year-old songwriter and guitarist, Austin North began performing as a UC San Diego student before eventually returning to his hometown of El Paso to form Sleepspent. The band, now a trio including Cecilia Otero on bass and Josh Mendoza on drums, will release its Chris Common (Minus The Bear, Chelsea Wolfe, Le Butcherettes) produced debut EP βItβs Better If You Donβt Speak Or Thinkβ via Slow Start Records on May 4th, 2018.
βA lot of the songs on the EP center around a feeling of confusion and a sense of isolation, and βSomethingβ is a prime example of that,β North continues, referring to the EPβs first single.
βSomethingβ defines Sleepspent in precise terms: the melody is utterly mournful, but its palpable sadness is totally addictive at the same time.
βThe main line βI am very much alive / No thanks to anyoneβ is almost spiteful, even,β North explains. βIt can seem like a positive thing to become self-sufficient but can really be harmful to lose touch with others.β
The song evolved from a North demo into a Sleepspent signature song that features a kind of indie version of the βwall of sound,β which was created by North alone and then re-created in the studio.
ββSomethingβ came to be all in one night by myself,β North affirms. βI recorded the demo with some odd recording techniques, like blindly playing random notes in the same key over multiple tracks in order to get a very noisy and chaotic sound that we recreated later.β
Interestingly, the demo recordingβs closely micβd acoustic guitar tracks, augmented by an ebow, have survived through to the final track.
βWe also used an air organ, which was a dream to play in the studio while recreating a synthesizer I had used in the demo,β North says.
The debut EP by Sleepspent arrives on May 4th, 2018 via Slow Start Records.
Artist Bio
21-year-old songwriter and guitarist, Austin North began performing as a UC San Diego student before eventually returning to his hometown of El Paso to form Sleepspent with friend and co-writer, Aaron Quintanilla.
The band, now a trio including Cecilia Otero on bass and Josh Mendoza on drums, will release its Chris Common (Minus The Bear, Chelsea Wolfe, Le Butcherettes)-produced debut EP βItβs Better If You Donβt Speak Or Thinkβ via Slow Start Records on May 4th, 2018.
Northβs knack for creating music that is bathed in atmosphere (think Slowdive mixed with a more reverb-y Radiohead, led by a guitarist with an effects pedal fetish) that doesnβt lean away from authentic lyricism and captivating vocal performances (think Jeff Buckley) is proven on βItβs Better If You Donβt Speak Or Thinkβ.
βWeβre also definitely inspired by Shoegaze and Dreampop,β North says, elaborating on Sleepspentβs sound. βThat can be heard in the alternate tunings used throughout our music as well as the melodic chord progressions and melodies.β
Artist Quote
βThe main line βI am very much alive / No thanks to anyoneβ is almost spiteful, even,β North explains. βIt can seem like a positive thing to become self-sufficient but can really be harmful to lose touch with others.β
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