SLAP RASH operates as a two piece.  I think there’s a lot of power in the starkness that relies on the energy of a minimal amount of people to carry the sound.  Was this setup organic from the start or how did you realize the band functioned best this way?  Do you feel like you have a special synergy being siblings?

Huw: We actually started out as a three-piece! Amelia was on guitar and our mate Oli drumming. We’re talking very early days. Uni found us going our separate ways and SLAP RASH changed trajectory out of necessity. We can’t imagine it any other way now, we’re quite precious about it being us.

Amelia: Something crowds often comment on is the wall of noise we’re able to create despite being just a two-piece and I always get a kick from that! I do think we have a somewhat telepathic bond together as siblings close in age. There’s been times I’ve made a mistake and Huw’s almost predicted it and made it work, we both look at eachother like woah…how did that happen?

You both moved to Manchester for university and to pursue music.  Obviously Manchester has a storied history but experimentation seems to have redefined the music scene in recent years.  What do you think is the catalyst for this shift?  

Amelia: I think people got tired of the typical Manchester sound. We knew we’d never fall into that sonic category - despite often being labelled as post-punk - so we never tried to blend in on the scene. I think there was a hunger for quirkier music, and with venues like Peste and Henrykk pioneering chaotic live performance, an audience has begun to form. There’s definitely a place for “Manchester music” still, and a big audience clinging close to that history. We’re lucky to have found our little niche despite that. 

Huw: I love that there’s an incredibly diverse scene in Manchester at the moment, there’s a confidence and shared support that I feel has given other artists space to carve out their corner. I think it’s important to highlight the role that independent promoters and events like Manchester Psych Fest have in showcasing the best of the best, big or small.

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The body feels omnipresent through the tactile physicality of the music as well as the political and personal meanings behind the songs.  Is this viscerality a key element of the band’s sonic makeup and performance?  

Huw: It became clear fast that the energy in our performance would bleed into the releases. My dream scenario would find me playing in the middle of the mosh pit, so I try to translate that energy on stage and in the recordings. I hope that’s felt by the crowd.

Amelia: I don’t think I’m able to separate my body from music. I’m always crying at shows, rock gigs, hip hop gigs, jazz gigs. SLAP RASH lyrics began as fictional stories or retelling of things I’d read, but within Catherine Special they’re definitely more personal. I think I’m comfortable to bare all to our audience now. And that physical connection definitely translates to our live performance. Huw and I really go out there and rip our soul open for people to see and I think audiences are taken aback by that. 

Building on that, the songs that make up the EP all convey a sense of carefully controlled catharsis.  How do you navigate & maintain the different dynamics and build the tension and release that carries the music?

Huw: it’s cliche but I truly believe that the heaviest moments in music are a reflection of the most reserved. It’s an ethos I hold close whenever I’m writing demos and it certainly frames everything we do. I’ve also found myself increasingly pulling inspiration from dance and electronic music and that’s only enforced these feelings. I want our music to feel textured and dynamic.

Tell us more about the recording process/inspiration behind this new EP!

Huw: We recorded in a great studio in Sheffield called The Warren. We wanted to find a space that would inspire experimentation and Jack (our producer) understood that completely. I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to music gear, I was instantly sold when I saw how beautifully chaotic his range of kit was. 

We had a lot of confidence prior to the sessions, these tracks have been rigorously gigged over the past year so there was a lot of clarity with the bones of each song. We spent a lot of the time sharing music inspirations and how we wanted to present those in the EP. Three days, plenty of sweat and a late night Bjork binge later we were done.

Amelia: I still never feel totally at home in the studio. I think the pressure or forming something structured and “perfect” intimidates me. Catherine Special was a moment for me to really focus on letting go and letting the music find itself. We knew the songs, we knew how we wanted them to sound. I just needed to shut up and play. 

Any under the radar musical peers we need to know?  

Sugarstone {Manchester} - Heavy Gothic Synth Goodness, check out ‘Tender Hook’

Fuzz Lightyear {Leeds} - Grungey noise rock with captivating energetic live shows. 

HAAL {Bristol} - Seeing these guys live completely moved us. We were in Bristol and their sound is like a marriage between Massive Attack, Tool, The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Felt like the ideal place to see them. Super cathartic. 

WaxHead {Manchester} - Breakneck Manchester Psych Rock, listen to ‘The Worm’. Enough said.

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