UK outfit The One Hundred released their debut EP ‘Subculture‘ a few weeks back through UNFD locally. The six track effort features the singles ‘Breed‘ and ‘Kingsmen‘ which have been well received on radio in the UK so far. This week the band sat down and tackled our On The Record questions so we can find out more about them and the release. Expand this post to take a read of their answers and a look at their new video clip for ‘Downfall‘. If you like the sound, order the EP on iTunes [Here].
Tell us about the release title.
Our debut EP is called ‘Subculture’ and we picked it because it is a word that represents our musical style; we are trying to do something different. We don’t want to conform to the genre guidelines that exist, we don’t want to be generic, so ‘Subculture’ was perfect. The definition means “a group within a larger culture, often having beliefs or interests at variance with those of the larger culture.” And we think that’s quite fitting!
?Tell us about the artwork.
The artwork was done by myself, my girlfriend and Tim (guitars) which was lucky because it took a LONG time to do. We wanted something that didn’t automatically make people think we were a band with a certain sound or genre. We wanted it to be raw and real, something that couldn’t brand us in any other way than its intentional purpose. It’s simple, bold and unusual. I think it’s a strong representation of who and what we are. Something different.
Who will it be released through, and when?
We’re selling it digitally through iTunes. We also have physical copies, which come complete with a double sided poster/ lyric sheet. UNFD released it digitally on August 29th in Australia / NZ and we released it in the U.K on September 1st.
Tell us about the studio and why you chose to record there?
The studio we recorded the EP in is the studio owned by our producers (they collectively operate under the name 40Deep).
Tell us about the producer / engineer and why you chose to record with them?
40Deep get us. For a long time before we recorded anything, we would meet and talk music; it was a totally organic process and their insight has been massively important for us. We have a unique sound that incorporates multiple sounds and ideas that a lot of producers would attempt to change or wouldn’t completely understand. It’s a great environment for all of us to work in, the energy and creativity is always running high.
Did you go into the writing process with a clear direction in mind?
Yes, 100% (no pun intended) We knew exactly what we wanted to create and everything was thought through. We have so much freedom when we’re writing it really helps. Having such a vast selection of music genres that influence us gives us no restrictions, we don’t have to follow the genre guideline 101 book that a lot of bands feel obliged to follow. Everything happens organically and we never feel forced into rushing a song, we usually have a plan or a rough idea of lyrical content or style and just go with the flow.
Were you listening to anything in particular during the writing / recording process that influenced the songs at all?
Personally I take a huge influence from the UK grime scene, I love the culture that surrounds it, the sounds and lyrical content, nothing ever feels pretentious, it’s aggressive and in your face, that mixed with a touch of modern metal and dance music definitely inspired us all. We’re all heavily influenced by hip-hop and the old school nu-metal albums like Hybrid Theory, Slipknot and Significant Other.
Were there any albums you were referencing to aim for a certain type of sound production wise?
Not particularly, we had an idea of what we wanted to create and knew exactly what we didn’t want to sound like. That helped. I think it’s almost better not to have a specific production sound in mind, that’s how you create something unique and refreshing. Our style and sound contributes to that factor as well. It’s quite complex, we have huge synth sounds, sampled beats, heavy guitars and the contrast in harsh and rap vocals. Mixing all of those elements would be a producers worst nightmare, but the guys in 40 deep are incredible and know exactly what we’re all about.
How long did you spend in the studio recording?
It was a long process, we didn’t have a specific start and stop time nor were we running parallel to a schedule. It’s a method that worked really well for us, nothing felt rushed or forced which meant we didn’t have to experience any pressure and we could solely focus on creating what we were capable of. We have a great relationship with our producers, so we were back and forth demoing, recording tweaking and re-recording sections or vocals until everyone was happy.
Tell us a little about the recording process the band used?
Nothing felt rushed or pushed when we were recording ‘Subculture’. We had a lot of time to re-listen and evaluate the tracks, tweak and change things. It’s a huge weight off your shoulders when you have the freedom to re-record sections as you please and timing isn’t playing a major role. We all had high expectations of each others performances and we really wanted to extract all the energy we create live and attempt to recreate that in a controlled professional way.
Was this any different to previous processes you have used?
When we were younger, we were all in smaller bands where everything was basically DIY, sit in your bedroom with a mate and record everything within a day. These experiences definitely helped us realise what needed to change for next time and we all learnt things individually. This time, we’re older and more mature, we’re not as niave as we once were. So the recording process was a little less daunting, we knew what to expect and everything worked out well.
Any guests involved? if so, who.. and what did they do?
Unfortunately not, maybe one for the future!
Any particular equipment outside your usual live gear used in the process?
Not off the top of my head no, I just rap and shout haha. Our guitarist Tim could probably tell you every piece of equipment used and the exact purpose of it.
Any memorable studio moments?
All of the experiences in the studio were great. It’s a lot of fun but it’s equally hard work. Even though we knew exactly what we wanted to achieve, to get that end product is a long road. It doesn’t help we’re all perfectionists though.
Any additional tracks recorded that didn’t make the cut but may see the light of day sometime?
Yes, we have a lot of material that didn’t make the cut, not because they weren’t good enough or as polished, purely because we wanted to release a five/six track E.P which would give people a taster of what’s to expect in the future and enough for people to get pumped.
What track/s are you most looking forward to playing live?
We all love playing ‘Unleashed’ live. I think it summarises us pretty well as a band. The slow build up to the huge drop works really nicely live. It’s atmospheric, anthemic and screams out energy. It’s a bit of a crowd pleaser!
How would you compare the final product to previous releases?
As The One Hundred this is our first ever release. We’re really proud of it.
Anything else you want to say or about the release?
You should definitely pick up a copy and check us out!
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THE ONE HUNDRED – ‘Subculture‘ EP
Available now locally via UNFD.
Grab it on iTunes [Here].
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