Interview: Jamie Isaac
Isaac’s music blooms hauntingly and manifests visions of the gloaming hour. The sound is mature, and the pianos bruise the listener in just the right way. Isaac sustains the value of space within each track of his released demos with such instinctive restraint that it is hard to believe that he is only seventeen years of age. Give this burgeoning Londoner a listen, and try to tell us you don’t feel the same.
BOT: From your Bandcamp page, we learned that you are only 17. How long have you been playing music, which instruments do you play, and do you perform every instrument on the tracks you have uploaded?
Jamie Isaac: Since I was around 6. I have always played piano, Guitars my second instrument, so yeah I play all the instruments myself, but I will soon get other people to help put some ideas down with me and play on a few tracks as well.
BOT: You are currently recording in your bedroom, right? What is your recording set up like? Do you plan to hit a professional studio any time soon?
Jamie Isaac: Recording in your bedroom is the most relaxed atmosphere you can have, it’s just good because if you have an idea in the early hours of the morning, your not being restricted in any way. My set up is like any other 17 year old’s home recording studio I guess, simple interface and a laptop, I think thats why I end up with more vocal percussion on tracks, and have more of a raw sound, but of course these are mostly demos on my Bandcamp.
BOT: You list a ton of influences on your Facebook page, yet none of them sound anything like what you produce. How do these influences inform your music? Is there anyone you feel comes closest to influencing your sound?
Jamie Isaac: I take influence from all artists and genres, like most musicians, I don’t directly compare myself to any of them in particular. I find myself experimenting with different production techniques though, like some Chet Baker tracks always have a distinct sound to them, not just because of the times of the recordings, but because of the way his voice seems to flow with the rest of the instruments seamlessly, like being a physical instrument itself, I take more influence from that side of the music I find.
BOT: Do you have any plans to release a full length album or EP? If so when and what should we expect?
Jamie Isaac: Yeah i’m planning on heading into a studio soon with the two guys I perform Live with to add more elements to the tracks already recorded, and to write some more. Guitar will play a bigger part in more tracks, and a few floating saxophone motifs here and there. All the tracks will be better thought out, in terms of the builds etc. plus extended ideas that I have always had but sometimes are not really possible when your recording just in your bedroom.
BOT: How do you feel about the music scene in London? Are there any bands, genres, etc that stand out to you?
Jamie Isaac: London has a great music scene. So many varied artists where ever you go. There are a lot of great recent artists that I’ve started to like, Lianne La Havas has a great voice, King Krule as well, obviously, both use alot of jazz influences whilst keeping a more modern melody line, which always has intrigued me in some artists and songwriters.
BOT: Do you have a band for live performances or do you perform solo? What are these performances like?
Jamie Isaac: Yeah like I said, I perform with two great musicians, both bring a great deal to rehearsals and new ideas, there not just playing the material I write, they bring unique ideas to the development of each track which makes everything run much smoother on my part, and theres consequently.
Pingback: Interview: Jamie Isaac « Housewarming Records