After a decade, Seven Lions at last releases his debut album, ‘Beyond The Veil’ [Interview]

Since Seven Lions first launched his Polarize EP on Viper Recordings in 2012, followers knew there was one thing particular concerning the Santa Barbara-born melodic dubstep producer. After all, on the time, melodic dubstep wasn’t even a factor, coming to mild through the heyday of brostep and the murmurings of lure within the US.

By the point he launched Worlds Aside in 2014, nevertheless, Seven Lions had amassed a loyal following and ‘melodic dubstep’ was up and working, because of others like Illenium, MitiS, Skrux, Rameses B, Dabin, and others.

Now, a decade after his first main EP, melodic dubstep has practically run its course, and Seven Lions is in some settlement, however extra on that later. After 8-9 sturdy years, it wouldn’t be shocking for a style as thematically limiting as melodic dubstep to succeed in some stage of saturation, the identical as brostep or future bass. Although lure, spawned across the similar time, appears to be having a resurgence this yr.

Nonetheless, Past The Veil, the debut album from Seven Lions, out at the moment, doesn’t play on previous tropes, nor does it attempt to reinvent the wheel. It’s simply Seven Lions, as he’s at all times been. Solely three out of the twelve songs on the album have been launched as singles, leaving a lot for followers and listeners to find. And with collaborations that includes Vancouver Sleep Clinic, So Beneath, Eli Teplin, GG Magree, JT Roach, Dia Frampton, Mija, and Lights, there’s a lot to get pleasure from.

I feel essentially the most fundamental query I can ask is why now, after just about a full decade because the inception of your undertaking. What about this yr or this era in your life made you go, “Okay. It’s time for an album.”

I feel the pandemic sort of allowed it simply because that was the primary time I had nearly two years off from touring, So it simply sort of made sense to, um, I don’t know. I imply, I simply had loads of music on the time, however then I sort of realized simply what the state of melodic music and loads of dubstep that I felt like I wanted to place out a press release. Sort of in a means that was, , no collaborations with different producers and artists. I used to be fortunate to have the time and it additionally simply actually felt like the proper time.

Okay, so even when you’ve , as an example, GG Magree or Mija. They’re simply doing vocals for the tracks and never doing any manufacturing?

Yeah, they’re simply locals.

Fascinating. Okay, That’s actually that’s actually fascinating.

One of many tracks on the album is “Past The Veil,” which shares the title of the album. What precisely is the veil to you? What’s past it?

I imply, that’s an enormous query. I really feel like that’s sort of the core thriller of the entire thing, proper? I imply, past the veil is one thing unknowable and uncrossable. And I feel that’s a number of the romantic beliefs behind the message. These are like past the veil and when the veil could be crossed, and loving anyone you can’t be with and that it’s an entire – I imply the idea is definitely, it was made to be a thriller, a bit ambiguous.

It might imply various things to totally different individuals. However inside the context of the Seven Lions mythos, it does sort of have a extra significant, particular context. It’s like, actually decide up on that and determine what it means to them, I’d say.

Did you make a few of these tracks with a vocalist in thoughts, or have been any of them vocalist demos that have been delivered to you first? When did you start to consider possibly which vocalist would go together with which tune?

There’s some that went each methods. Nearly all of them have been demos that I began after which went for particular vocalists. However there have been a couple of that got here in that have been like this vocal is wonderful. And it suits with the album and that is like one thing that I’m gonna take and construct the tune round, however most of them began from simply instrumentals. Generally I’d simply be listening to loads of totally different artists on Spotify and be like, “Oh, wow, this individual is wonderful.”

With So Beneath, I simply sort of randomly bumped into her on Spotify and was like, “Wow, She’s bought a tremendous voice, and this might be good for her. A few of them went like that. A few of them that have been already up and coming I knew, like Vancouver Sleep Clinic I used to be already conversant in for some time. So once I began the tune, I wasn’t instantly like, “Oh, that is good for Vancouver Sleep Clinic.” However then after I bought decently far in I spotted that will be a great one to ship over and we did, and he was into it. With JT Roach, I despatched him a demo, and he wrote to it, and his voice was unbelievable. He’s an important author and has an important voice. But it surely simply wasn’t proper for that tune in the important thing that it was in, so , we went and really attempt to discover loads of totally different singers to sing that exact tune. It was really the final one which bought completed on the album as a result of we had such a tough time discovering somebody.

Had been there any songs particularly that have been created out of any particular occasion or feeling the place you thought, , “I have to make this tune because of this”?

The entire album actually [laughs]. You sort of really feel like that in a means as I used to be saying, simply so far as an artist. Making music proper now and the present state of issues I’ve felt like I actually needed to indicate who I’m. And what I sound like, , like what my music means to me. I’d say the inspiration for a number of the songs got here by me simply strolling round. In the course of the pandemic I used to be spending loads of time alone, like a ton of time alone.

Yeah, I’ll say the album, there’s so much much less of the bombastic parts that you just might need had up to now, and loads of the tracks are extra somber and nearly melancholic.

Yeah, I’d say so for certain. It undoubtedly comes from a spot of solitude.

Was there any a part of the album course of particularly that you just actually loved? Perhaps it was the place you the place you recorded it or who with or possibly it was one thing that simply occurred through the course of, like only a enjoyable studio session or one thing.

I’ve at all times been extra involved in being within the studio and wherever else. As an digital music producer in 2022, there’s like a lot touring, and there’s a lot being away from dwelling and, like, simply the power to remain at dwelling and roll off the bed daily and work on the identical undertaking was wonderful. I really feel like I actually bought to discover totally different sounds and various things that I’ve been involved in.

Doing loads of vinyl re-sampling was actually enjoyable. I’d go to the document retailer and flip via information and attempt to discover cool indie stuff, older stuff that I’d pull little samples out of, and I went to the thrift retailer and purchased some previous shitty audio system and minimize them up and get loads of revamping stuff simply to get a cool natural texture out of a number of the issues that I don’t actually really feel like I’d have been in a position to do.

That strategy is extra like engaged on an EP as a result of I’m making songs that folks need to hear. Like I’m gonna make a banger, and I do get pleasure from doing that as nicely. However it is a far more private and experimental sort of vibe I’d say.

Are there any examples of the vinyl thrifting that we may hear and acknowledge within the album, or is it so chopped up and form of melded into just like the core of the piece that we wouldn’t actually be capable to decide it out?

I do know it’s throughout. “Name On Me,” for certain. I’d say that one has it all over the place. “Between” has it so much. Then additionally “By no means Study” there’s a ton of it. The revamping you undoubtedly hear in “Past The Veil.” Within the very starting, it offers it this bizarre distortion that you just simply couldn’t get from a plug in the place you hear the thrill and it’s an fascinating sort of sound for certain.

In order I discussed, it’s been just about a full decade because the inception of your Seven Lions undertaking. What are a number of the classes you’ve discovered alongside the best way and something you may need to point out to new producers, new recording artists who’re both simply beginning out or need to advance their capacity as producers?

There’s so many issues to say. I’d say, clearly, the very first thing is do it since you find it irresistible. You realize, it’s an extended highway and I really feel just like the reward on the finish of the day is definitely making the music. In the event you take your time in how a lot you benefit from the course of versus what you’re in search of the result to be, then I feel you’re in a great place. I’d additionally say being very conscious of what you let into your thoughts on the subject of social media and what you’re as a result of it’s very easy to get misplaced, evaluating your self to different individuals and get down and get knocked off your path. The way you examine your self to different individuals is essential.

Picture through Dawndra Budd