After recently announcing an Australian tour, Basement have today released their new full-length ‘Promise Everything‘ via Run For Cover / Cooking Vinyl Australia.
The record breaks progressive new ground for the band despite the creative process sharing much in common with previous endeavors. Challenged by the spacing out of members not only across the country, but across the globe, ‘Promise Everything‘ was written by piecing together songs from different members, sent back and forth over a short period of time. Without the luxury of a shared space or even a convenient time zone, the songs were only ever played by the full band while in the studio.
After abruptly announcing an indefinite hiatus only weeks after the release of their 2012 breakthrough LP ‘Colourmeinkindness‘, Basement went on to gain an intensely devoted posthumous following. The record went on to sell over 25,000 copies worldwide in the absence of live dates or press coverage. In 2014, the band reconnected and found time amongst other obligations to write and record the EP ‘Further Sky‘. Immediately inspired by the creative chemistry they felt from these sessions, they were ready to work on something more significant. More permanent.
Now, you can listen to it for yourself, hit play below to stream the album, while also reading the bands answers to our On The Record questions.
Tour dates can also be found below the interview if you need reminding of the details. They’ll be joined by Virginia’s Turnover and locals Break Even.
It was one of my favorite lyrics Andrew had written on the LP. It makes sense in the context of the songs style and content. There were a few other titles we had discussed but this one made the most sense and we all kept coming back to it.
Tell us about the artwork.
It was made by R.V 1972. I found it in an old book that took me weeks to track down. I eventually got in touch with the publishers in Germany who let us use the image. So a huge thank you to them. The artwork works almost perfectly with the title of the record for me. Makes me think of commitment, the future, the past and sharing your life with someone. I also love the colors and strange imagery. It might be my favorite album cover we’ve had so far.
What format/s will it be released on and how will it be packaged?
It will be released on all the main formats. My favorite is the vinyl packaging. I wanted to keep it simple, so it’s not a gatefold this time. Just a single sleeve, with a huge pull out poster that I love.
Who will it be released through, and when?
Jan 29th. Run For Cover Records.
Tell us about the studio and why you chose to record there?
Assault and Battery in London is where we recorded. Made famous by Alan Moulder and Flood who have recorded everyone from The Killers to Smashing Pumpkins. It was a great studio and came highly recommended, we thought why not try it.
Tell us about the producer / engineer and why you chose to record with them?
We flew Sam Pura to the UK to work on this LP. We have worked with him in the past so it made sense to work with him again. He knows what he’s doing and has a vast knowledge of the technical side of recording.
Did you go into the writing process with a clear direction in mind?
I think so, we had been writing bits and pieces prior to deciding on doing an LP. Once we knew we were going into the studio we began refining ideas to make the record sound as coherent as possible. I think I knew what I wanted to achieve, which was basically just a record that was super catchy but still had a lot of energy.
Were you listening to anything in particular during the writing / recording process that influenced the songs at all?
I was listening to a lot of Autolux, Oasis, Slint, Sharon Van Etten to name a few. I wouldn’t be surprised if I they had an influence on some of the songs.
Were there any albums you were referencing in the studio to aim for a certain type of sound production wise?
There really wasn’t one that I can think of. But I do love the drum sound on Autolux’s records.
How long did you spend in the studio recording?
2 weeks. But we weren’t all there for the whole thing, which was a big mistake. That will never happen again.
Nothing interesting, just the usual stuff. track it. then just go through instrument one by one. nothing special.
Was this any different to previous processes you have used?
Nope, we always seem to do it like this.
Any guests involved? if so, who.. and what did they do?
No guests on this one.
When it comes do naming the tracks, is there any particular approach or process to it all?
I usually sit down with Andrew and run through the lyrics and themes of the songs and just start brainstorming. Sometimes it takes 5 minutes, other times it can take months.
Any particular equipment outside your usual live gear used in the process?
We used the Space Echo tank on a few songs and that was a super fun piece of gear to mess around with. Glad it made it’s way onto the LP. I also used the Thingamagoop on a section of the song ‘For You The Moon’ sounds like a spaceship malfunctioning.
Any memorable studio moments?
Sam ate dodgy fried chicken every day for 2 weeks straight. That was pretty wild. He needs to get some veggies down him.
Any additional tracks recorded that didn’t make the cut but may see the light of day sometime?
A bunch of songs got scrapped on the lead up to recording, but I doubt we will do anything with them. They didn’t make the cut for a reason.
What track/s are you most looking forward to playing live?
Aquasun, Halo, Brothers Keeper they are going to be fun.
How would you compare the final product to previous releases?
It flows better, it sounds like a complete record not mish mashed songs. It’s a solid collection of our material and still has a variety in tempo and style.
Anything else you want to say or about the release?
Big thanks to Run For Cover for being the best label in the world.
1. Brothers Keeper
2. Hanging Around
3. Lose Your Grip
4. Aquasun
5. Submission
6. Oversized
7. Blinded Bye
8. For You The Moon
9. Promise Everything
10. Halo
BASEMENT
With guests TURNOVER and BREAK EVEN
MAY
23rd – The Triffid, Brisbane [18+]
24th – The Lab, Brisbane [AA]
26th – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle [Lic/AA]
27th – Factory Theatre, Marrickville [Lic/AA]
28th – Arrow On Swanston, Carlton [AA]
29th – Corner Hotel, Richmond [18+]
30th – Fowlers Live, Adelaide [Lic/AA]
31st – Amplifier, Perth [18+]
—> Tickets available now.
—> For more information, visit [Here].
