We sat down to chat with No Windows about their upcoming EP 'The Great Traitor'.
How would you encapsulate the sound and atmosphere of this new EP? What emotions or
imagery do you feel it evokes?
The new EP feels to us like the score to an unmade film. I think we attempt to detach ourselves
from some of our more contemporary instincts and instead approach the recordings from a
more open and exploratory standpoint. We drew from film scores, particularly the works of Jon
Brion and Bernard Herrman who both use harmony and melody to paint auditory pictures,
building an atmosphere of honesty, exploration and introspection.
Can you walk us through the creative journey behind this record? Were there any pivotal
moments that shaped its direction?
We wrote the record gradually over the period of a year, amongst playing shows, getting older
and living lives outside of music. Each song has its own unique lifespan; they weave and
intertwine with each other but now all live together on the record as one. The last song we wrote
to feature on the EP was easter island which felt like a pivotal moment, perhaps it was the
moment we realized that we a had a fully grown EP on our hands. From this point it was all
about demos rewriting and more demos until we arrived in Bristol to record the final iterations
that you can hear on the record now.
Did any unexpected influences - musical or otherwise - find their way into this project? Were
there any surprises in the way the songs took shape?
One of the biggest influences on the EP was being in Bristol. We spent 2 weeks there during the
recording stage and had a great time in the studio with Ali Chant and Niklas Lueger but were
otherwise socially isolated outside of studio hours. To begin with I didn't know anyone in Bristol,
didn't have my local pub to attend after recording and didn’t know where the good cheap food
spots were. It was truly a fish out of water scenario that definitely found its way into the
recordings. We were able to leave all our stresses from home at home, and avoid distractions
from our social lives, although we did miss our mates and our pub dearly.
How does this EP fit within the broader arc of your discography? Do you see it as a
continuation, a departure, or something entirely new?
The Great Traitor feels to us like a steppingstone. We’ve changed a lot since we started,
especially considering how young we were when making our first songs. I’d like to think this EP
is a more mature No Windows than seen in previous released, maybe that's reflected in our
growth and development as people? This EP feels like the transition out of adolescence so
hopefully when we make our album it will be a fully-grown well-rounded adult, but one who
hasn’t completely let go of their teenage instincts.
Looking back to when you first started, have your musical influences shifted in ways that
surprised you? Are there artists or sounds you never expected to draw from?
When we started the reference points we drew from were modern contemporary, which made
sense at the time considering our age. I think as we got a little older, we each became more
well-read when it came to the history of music. Our attitude now is that instead of drawing from
our peers we should skip the middleman and go straight to the source. For example, when we
were 15 we tried to sound like Alex G, but now we understand that Alex G tries to sound like Elliott
Smith who tries to sound like Alex Chilton, so let's listen to a bucket load of Big Star and go from
that.
How would you describe the evolution of your sound since your debut? Are there elements
you’ve intentionally refined or let go of along the way?
We've started being far more considered in our songwriting and recording. Our early output was
far more instinctual and based in the moment. Alot of what features in those songs don't need to
be there and although that makes them what they are we now make an effort to take our time
and really think about each detail of a song before committing. It makes for a more
accomplished final product, but it's important that we don't completely let go of our original
approach. Theres a time and a place.
What’s on the horizon for No Windows? Are there new creative directions, collaborations, or
ideas you’re eager to explore?
We're always looking to expand our sound. We're writing songs with string and horn
arrangements and plan to honor the wall of sound technique in the recordings. The less we can
sound like a band the better at this point. The idea of writing music specifically for orchestra or
even acapella music is appealing to me, I'm eager to see what the name No Windows can
represent, outside of the band. Maybe we’ll score a film, maybe we’ll make a film, who knows.
Their new EP 'The Great Traitor' is out on May 9. Shop below!
SHOP NOW
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imagery do you feel it evokes?
The new EP feels to us like the score to an unmade film. I think we attempt to detach ourselves
from some of our more contemporary instincts and instead approach the recordings from a
more open and exploratory standpoint. We drew from film scores, particularly the works of Jon
Brion and Bernard Herrman who both use harmony and melody to paint auditory pictures,
building an atmosphere of honesty, exploration and introspection.
Can you walk us through the creative journey behind this record? Were there any pivotal
moments that shaped its direction?
We wrote the record gradually over the period of a year, amongst playing shows, getting older
and living lives outside of music. Each song has its own unique lifespan; they weave and
intertwine with each other but now all live together on the record as one. The last song we wrote
to feature on the EP was easter island which felt like a pivotal moment, perhaps it was the
moment we realized that we a had a fully grown EP on our hands. From this point it was all
about demos rewriting and more demos until we arrived in Bristol to record the final iterations
that you can hear on the record now.
Did any unexpected influences - musical or otherwise - find their way into this project? Were
there any surprises in the way the songs took shape?
One of the biggest influences on the EP was being in Bristol. We spent 2 weeks there during the
recording stage and had a great time in the studio with Ali Chant and Niklas Lueger but were
otherwise socially isolated outside of studio hours. To begin with I didn't know anyone in Bristol,
didn't have my local pub to attend after recording and didn’t know where the good cheap food
spots were. It was truly a fish out of water scenario that definitely found its way into the
recordings. We were able to leave all our stresses from home at home, and avoid distractions
from our social lives, although we did miss our mates and our pub dearly.
How does this EP fit within the broader arc of your discography? Do you see it as a
continuation, a departure, or something entirely new?
The Great Traitor feels to us like a steppingstone. We’ve changed a lot since we started,
especially considering how young we were when making our first songs. I’d like to think this EP
is a more mature No Windows than seen in previous released, maybe that's reflected in our
growth and development as people? This EP feels like the transition out of adolescence so
hopefully when we make our album it will be a fully-grown well-rounded adult, but one who
hasn’t completely let go of their teenage instincts.
Looking back to when you first started, have your musical influences shifted in ways that
surprised you? Are there artists or sounds you never expected to draw from?
When we started the reference points we drew from were modern contemporary, which made
sense at the time considering our age. I think as we got a little older, we each became more
well-read when it came to the history of music. Our attitude now is that instead of drawing from
our peers we should skip the middleman and go straight to the source. For example, when we
were 15 we tried to sound like Alex G, but now we understand that Alex G tries to sound like Elliott
Smith who tries to sound like Alex Chilton, so let's listen to a bucket load of Big Star and go from
that.
How would you describe the evolution of your sound since your debut? Are there elements
you’ve intentionally refined or let go of along the way?
We've started being far more considered in our songwriting and recording. Our early output was
far more instinctual and based in the moment. Alot of what features in those songs don't need to
be there and although that makes them what they are we now make an effort to take our time
and really think about each detail of a song before committing. It makes for a more
accomplished final product, but it's important that we don't completely let go of our original
approach. Theres a time and a place.
What’s on the horizon for No Windows? Are there new creative directions, collaborations, or
ideas you’re eager to explore?
We're always looking to expand our sound. We're writing songs with string and horn
arrangements and plan to honor the wall of sound technique in the recordings. The less we can
sound like a band the better at this point. The idea of writing music specifically for orchestra or
even acapella music is appealing to me, I'm eager to see what the name No Windows can
represent, outside of the band. Maybe we’ll score a film, maybe we’ll make a film, who knows.
Their new EP 'The Great Traitor' is out on May 9. Shop below!
SHOP NOW
