Interview: Q+A with L I P S

Cornish group L I P S chat to us about their love of life in Falmouth and their recently released debut single - the gloriously sun-kissed 'Apartment'.

Cornwall is home to some of the best beaches and some of the oldest pirate-y watering holes in the UK - it's also home to L I P S, a quartet making waves right now with their own brand of jangly and euphoric dream-pop. So far we've heard two brilliant tracks from the band, 'Apartment' and 'Walls' which are to feature on their upcoming debut EP - due to be released soon. With recent BBC Radio Introducing in Cornwall and Devon airtime and a host of indie blog pick-ups, we thought we'd ask them about life in the idyllic Cornish town of Falmouth and their upcoming plans. GL: When, where and how did you guys form? LIPS: We formed in Falmouth, Cornwall mid-April this year, pretty recent! It began as a project Rachel (vocals) and Alex (bass) were working on under the same name, we wanted to make it a full band so got Theo (guitar) and Chris (drums) involved which works out great as we’re all good mates. GL: What is the Falmouth and the wider Cornish music scene like - it is fairly out there on a limb and a bit cut off right? LIPS: The Falmouth music scene is basically its own little bubble. Yeah, it is cut off from the rest of the UK in location but its home to some really great independent artists and labels that keep growing. There’s definitely some to watch! GL: Where did your band name come from? LIPS: Unfortunately, there’s no quirky story behind this, we just thought it was cool! We used to spell it as L.I.P.S with dots but now we pronounce is as L I P S, with the gaps. Although everyone seems to write Lips. GL: How would you describe your sound? LIPS: We like to think of it as 80’s inspired melodies with a 90’s indie feel, incorporating elements of shoegaze and jangle pop. GL:  'Apartment' your first single has had over 50k streams on Spotify, tell us a bit about how you recorded and released this track... LIPS: We recorded and engineered the track at Falmouth University as a band and our friend Josh who goes by ‘Hydromag’ produced, mixed and mastered ‘Apartment’. We released it ourselves and submitted it to a few Indie blogs which received a lot of attention and got added to ‘Fresh Finds’ on Spotify. We’re really grateful for the response and support with this track, it’s been incredible. GL: Lovely video, is the footage from a family archive? LIPS: Yes, the footage is home videos (super 8 footage) from Rachel's grandad taken in the 60’s and mainly features her mum, aunties and uncles as kids. This inspired us for the artwork too. GL: New single Walls is great, future plans? LIPS: We’re planning to release a couple more singles to form an EP in the not too distant future. This will feature both ‘Walls’ and ‘Apartment’. As well as more gigs and perhaps a tour across the country. GL: Does your location affect the songwriting process? LIPS: Yes, Falmouth is a super creative place, full of lots of inspiration and development for sound. We wouldn’t be a band if it wasn’t for Falmouth. GL: So, where are the best places to hang out in Falmouth? LIPS: Gig wise there’s been some great shows at Jacobs Ladder Pub but also Falmouth is known for rad DIY spaces and house parties. Falmouth is pretty scenic, so if it's sunny Gylly Beach is great. GL: Describe an average Friday night in Falmouth? LIPS: An Average Friday night in Falmouth is mostly full of students, there's always a gig happening somewhere or if you’re feeling adventurous then the famous Club I would be a night to remember for sure... GL: What live acts are you a fan of right now? LIPS: Slowdive, Kiefer, Show Me The Body, Penelope Isles, Mac Demarco, Skinny Milk, Rozwell Kid GL: Who would you like to support in the future? LIPS: Our music taste varies a fair bit throughout the band but Rozwell Kid and Varsity. GL: What are you all listening to at the moment? LIPS: As it’s probably quite obvious Rachel is a big fan of Alvvays, especially their latest album ‘Antisocialites’. We’ve recently got into a band called Our Girl and Still Corners. As well as Brenton Wood, Turkish band Atlin Gun and Bobby Baritone. GL: What would be the one album that the band agree on? LIPS: Built to Spill - Keep It Like A Secret Check out L I P S live: The Signal pub, London July 26th & Heartbreakers, Southampton, July 27th. Photo courtesy of the band.