Empathy Test

Isaac:  Time flies! We got lost in the wilderness for a while after we released Throwing Stones. The idea was to release the remix EP while we got the album done, but then we parted company with Stars and Letters Records, the indie label that released Throwing Stones. I ended up finishing the PR campaign myself and by the end we had no album and no idea what to do! 

Isaac:  For the Mesh tour, a friend suggested we release a couple of new tracks beforehand, and then put them on a vinyl picture disc to sell at the shows. By this point, we had generated enough income to afford vinyl and a run of proper, replicated CDs. With Adam’s amazing artwork it seemed silly not to create something physical and we’d had people asking for vinyl from the word go.

Isaac:  We knew it was time to release an album but we couldn't decide what to put on it. We also knew we had to put a few old tracks like 'Losing Touch' and 'Here Is the Place' on there, because people were going to be really upset if they didn't end up on an album and in particular, on vinyl. But where would we draw the line? What about 'Kirrilee'? 'Last Night on Earth'? 'Holding On'? And by this point we had so many new songs too, 'Demons', 'Seeing Stars', 'By My Side', 'Vampire Town', 'Bare My Soul'...there was just too much for one album. 

Isaac:  As I said, 'Siamese' and 'Sleep' were recorded in 2015, we were actually performing them live at one point. For some reason, we lost faith in what we were doing and felt like we were heading in the wrong direction stylistically. We were in such a hurry to move forward and shed the '80s revival schtick that we lost the essence of what made Empathy Test special in the first place. 'Siamese' and 'Sleep' effectively sat on a hard drive for two years, gathering dust. 

Isaac:  Same reason we revisited the earlier tracks. Releasing these albums has been kind of a watershed moment for us. Adam's learnt so much about producing music in the past couple of years, he wanted to bring everything up to the same standard. I think if he had his way he would never release anything to be honest, he would just keep perfecting it and perfecting it until I don't know, the bitter end? But we balance each other out quite well. I'm a little hasty and spontaneous, he holds me back and makes sure our standards remain as high as possible. If that means people have to wait six months' longer, so be it! It’s part of the beauty of being independent. We're hoping it has been worth the wait.  

Isaac:  When we finally got all the tracks together, decided what order to put them in and had a listen through, we were surprised at the massive scope of styles, sounds and textures there were. It really was another level in comparison to Losing Touch and left us suddenly feeling very accomplished! We felt the same way when we finished the Throwing Stones EP. If the Losing Touch album is the baby of the family, Safe from Harm is the teenage sibling. These things take on a life of their own, I think that’s why albums are still important, if only to the artist.

Isaac:  There’s no overall theme, that would make it a concept album, which it isn’t! But there is a lot more light on Safe From Harm than there is on Losing Touch. You can see that from the artwork. I guess if I had to choose a theme it would be walking out of the dark and into the light. You can feel that on the second track 'Everything Will Work Out', which has one of the most upbeat and positive choruses we have done to date, “I’ve got this funny feeling that everything will work out”. It purposefully follows the dark, brooding and quite claustrophobic opening track, 'Bare My Soul'. 

Isaac:  They are all pretty much grounded in reality. The only ones which are more abstract is 'Holding On', which deals with various themes and emotions rather than a specific relationship, event or person. For that reason, I have never been as proud of it, lyrically, but there are some people who like that song for that very reason, so each to their own!

Isaac:  This changes all the time, for both of us. Adam’s current favourite is 'Trampoline'. He likes the subtler tracks that aren’t always as popular – like 'Hope for Me', for example. The ones that creep up on you. 'Trampoline' terrified me at first because it seemed so throw-away – as if we hadn’t even tried. It seemed too simple. But the more I listened to it the more I could feel the power behind it. It works because of its fragility and subtlety. Suddenly, it seemed like one of the best tracks on the two albums. 

Isaac:  Pop is not a dirty word for us, so you’ll find the likes of Lana Del Rey, Haim and Dua Lipa in our top tracks of 2017. Also, The Horrors, Daughter, The XX and Bleachers. Check out Kiki from Stockholm if you haven’t already, her track ‘Birds’ is awesome. Check out Papertwin (please release some new material guys!), Sea Change, Furniteur and Peckham ladies Waterbaby too, all of whom have remixed us recently.

Isaac:  Well really, we just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has helped make the crowd funder such an astounding success and to the fans who spent ridiculous amounts of money on it! Everyone has been so supportive and patient because we really having taken an absolute age to get everything done. Hopefully it was worth all the effort! Keep listening, liking, posting and supporting our live shows because it really does help keep us going. Much love!