Q&A with Yore

Yore is the latest project from East London music creative Callum Brown. Having previously worked with the likes of Mint Field and Ulrika Spacek, Yore is an opportunity for Brown to experiment further. Nevertheless, the upcoming album shows that this is by no means a solo affair. The self-titled debut, set for release on 4th December, succeeds wonderfully in its bid to celebrate indie collaboration. From Dream Wife’s Rakel Mjöll, to White Flowers’ Katie Drew, this is certainly something I could not resist listening to over and over, so it only felt right to get some more insight on it all from Callum himself:

Hi Callum! How’s it going?

I’m good thanks, I’ve been at home today working on some music & trying to stay somewhat productive through lockdown. 

You have played a part in the East-London music/art scene for quite some time now, how did that start?

Well, I moved to London about 10 years ago & my first steps were starting a new band & putting on shows/DJing – that got the ball rolling!

What were the key inspirations behind your new project Yore? How does it compare to your previous work?

I think I just found the idea of having a project in which I could openly collaborate with different artists appealing, it meant I could have a platform to make music that was creatively fulfilling without the limitations of being in a more traditional band dynamic.

What was the process behind finding your collaborators and how much influence did they have on the final version?

Typically the music dictates the type of artist I want to work with, I then draw up a bit of a wishlist of potential collaborators & reach out to people! Fortunately through being in the music industry I’d cross paths with a lot of talented artists so a lot of the connections were already there.

I encourage creative freedom for each artist I work with, as it’s their input which can take a song in a different direction & bring something fresh to the table. There’s usually a bit of to & fro but it’s the middle ground where the sweet spot is and a song comes to life!

You recently released the album’s fourth single, Open Lights, ft Milan Monk. What can you tell us about this track?

I used to work in a cafe with Milan & was enamoured by his music when I heard it, so naturally I jumped at the opportunity of working with him. We spent an evening re-writing an idea I had & developing melodies – just a stream of consciousness if you like. Milan then finished the lyrics at home & tracked vocals; touching on themes of renewal which I felt resonated with the music. 

If you had to pick one artist not already on the album to collaborate with, who would it be and why?

Ahhhh that’s a tricky one, I feel fortunate enough as it is being able to collaborate with the artists on this record! In a dream world it would have been J Dilla, I just loved his beats & his approach to sampling. 

What is your favourite thing about Yore?

Being able to make music without any limitations with artists/friends that I admire and typically wouldn’t get the opportunity to work with!

Describe the new album in three words.

Mellifluous, Ethereal & Nostalgic

Will we see something more from Yore in the future? 

Absolutely, I’m always making music but I’ll take some time to develop further as a musician & producer before I release another record; I want to explore different sonic palettes & experiment! I’d love to perform live with Yore too but for now I hope people will find some solace listening to this first offering 🙂

~

You bet I am revelling in the beauty of the album, not to mention I am super excited about the prospect of seeing and hearing it live! Yore is out 4th December, review coming soon!