A Q&A with A Permanent Shadow
Singular pop music from Austria…
What’s the title of your latest release, and what does it mean to you?
No Leaf Clover is an album about toxic relationships on different levels. The title refers to not having any luck at all, which applies to child stars among others, who we have a couple of songs about on the record.
What was the hardest part about putting this release together, and why?
It was not hard at all, as we had lots of good ideas and a healthy work ethic. Luckily, we are smart enough not to let our egos get in the way of the creative process, so the recording was plane sailing!
Who produced the release – what did they bring to it?
Valentí Nieto is the producer, guitarist and bass player. My musical ideas are pretty basic, so a lot of credit goes to him and Albert Català, who plays keyboards, for their arrangements and post-production skills. Valentí is also a very gifted guitar player who knows exactly what every song needs.
What do you want the listener to take away from listening to your music?
Our music is pretty multi-layered and sometimes quite complex, but I’d say it’s also quite rewarding if you give it a few spins. We put a lot of thought into the lyrics and the arrangements, so hopefully the listener will take away something akin to a little mind journey.
How does a track normally come together? Can you tell us something about the process?
The lyrics usually come first. Once they are in place, we weave a musical web around them which aims to fit the lyrical content, mood and pace.
What band/artists have influenced you the most since you started this project, and why?
We all love David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails and LCD Soundsystem. The industrial elements come from NIN, while the disco and dance focus is more LCD. From Bowie, we take the “everything goes” approach as we hardly discard any idea in the first place.
What countries would you like to tour? Are there any standout venues you’d like to play in?
We’d love to tour all around the world, although we don’t play live much because of the logistical and financial effort it represents for independent artists like us. Touring Japan would be a dream come true, as would be playing some emblematic festivals like Glastonbury or Primavera Sound.
If you could pick one track for our readers to listen to in order to get a taste of your music, what would you pick, and why?
I’d choose the song ‘Little Ones’ as it represents very well who we are: dance-y, catchy and lyrically uncomfortable.
What ambitions do you have for the band/your career?
The main ambition is to keep going and make the best music we can. If people want to follow us on our path, that’s fantastic, of course. The more the merrier!
Finally, as you leave the stage, what are your parting words?
It was a blast!
For more information about A Permanent Shadow, visit apermanentshadow.com
