This month UK rock quartet Sun Arcana released their new EP Just Another Dream Away. Equipped with their most vulnerable and honest record yet, we caught up with the band to hear about the EP, the concept behind their music video series, their imminent London headline show and more.
Hello! Thanks for taking the time to chat to us today. You’ve just released your new EP Just Another Dream Away, how did you feel in the run up to the release?
No problem at all. Yes super nervous. We have worked on this EP for months now and we really hope people connect with it as we’ve all put out lives into this.
You worked with a number of different people on the record – Chris Coulter, Gustav Wood, John Taylor and Adrian Bushby – how did that come about and what did they each bring to the recording process?
We worked with Chris Coulter on our previous EP and we have always loved his sound. We chose Adrian to mix it this time because his unbelievable catalogue and it felt like he genuinely had a passion for the songs. It’s important that somebody works on our stuff who believes in it. With Gus and John, we got in touch via mutual friends who thought we would be a good fit. We have always been admirers of their melodic qualities.
You’ve said this is your most vulnerable and honest record yet, did you find it more challenging to write compared to previous EP As I Take A Breath…?
Yes 100%. Obviously I love As I Take A Breath… and I will always be really proud of it. But I feel like this time round we were able to get our emotions down on paper a bit better and easier. I think we have definitely progressed as song writers as well since the last EP, we were quite young then.
In the run up to the release you’ve revealed videos for ‘Hard To Be Around’, ‘What If You Can’t Accept Me?’ and more recently ‘Sleep Talking’. The videos follow a narrative, how did that idea and concept first come about?
We wanted all the videos to clearly link together. The whole story line is just about the troubles of being in a relationship. The things I have personally been through anyway. I think we get so caught up in chasing someone else we forget to love ourselves.
This week (26th November 2019) you play a headline show in support of the EP, what can we expect from a Sun Arcana show?
Lots of tricks and surprises. Lots of head banging. Melodies and riffs.
Are there any new songs off the EP that you’re most excited to play live?
That’s a tough one, I think my favourite to play is probably Through The Night or Hard To Be Around. TTN feels like such an emotional song and I just love singing it. HTBA is such a good jumping song and just feels like it gets everyone pumped.
The EP release and headline show will conclude a successful 2019, what are your plans for 2020?
Nothing that I can really mention right now unfortunately. Lots of fun stuff and hopefully many shows everywhere in the world.
Thanks guys, good luck with everything!
Interview by: Hannah Gillicker
See Sun Arcana live at London’s The Grace (formerly Thousand Island) on 26th November. Tickets are available HERE.
