Navigating the Strange World with Sam Harrison
For many musicians, the pandemic has been a special time to develop their songwriting and home production skills. With an unfathomable amount of time comes much introspection from all people, so it’s no surprise that an artist’s songwriting would be equally contemplative in this era. This is true for Sam Harrison and their new double A-side, ‘Clone/Fake Worlds’.
Appear Invisible guitarist and vocalist Sam Harrison has been releasing their solo music since 2021. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Harrison released their first single ‘Cry Wolf’ in July 2021, with their debut EP ‘Drive Me Round The Bend’ following in September. With lockdown restrictions easing, Sam played their first solo gig in late October at Banana Row Studios in Edinburgh with another lined up in May. Sam Harrison released their new double A-side at the beginning of the month.
‘Clone’ is a track that lures you in with softer vocals and guitar strumming earlier on, but the beauty in this piece is in the way the production builds. The sound of these songs is made all the more impressive knowing they’re self-produced by Sam in their own studio space, with drums from Iain Cross. The mix perfectly brings together the multiple guitar and bass lines, subtly showing the listener there’s more to hear than just separate rhythm and lead parts.
‘You’ll never walk alone…’
As well, Sam totally sings their heart out on ‘Clone’, particularly in the latter half of the track, matching the intensity of the band they constructed in their studio. A closing voiceover only adds to the emotional outpouring, no doubt providing further clarity beneath their lead vocal.
‘Do you realise that you’re being bought and sold?’
‘Fake Worlds’ begins more up-tempo with strumming electric guitar and accompanying lead. Iain Cross’ drum performance is different from Clone, exact in his approach, his ride work in the chorus is especially notable. Whilst Harrison’s guitars riff over the song, it’s their bassline that runs with the vocal melody.
The sinister descending guitar and bass notes echo the song’s troubling subject matter: the concerning notion that social media is a negative indulgence for humanity. Fake Worlds is a perfect flipside to Clone, expanding on the sound of Sam Harrison and leaving the listener wanting more.
Continue reading for our Q&A with Sam Harrison. We ask them about the writing of Clone and Fake Worlds, their guitar sound, working with Iain Cross and what they’ve been listening to in 2022. All this and more below!
1. Your latest release is a double A-side, would you tell us about the writing of 'Clone' and 'Fake Worlds'? Which track came first?
Both ‘Clone’ and ‘Fake worlds’ came to me quite organically. Like most of my songs it started with a first line which almost always ends up being the verse. Clone came first, just before the first wave of the pandemic. And it’s really just about relationships with friends and others that break down due to a lack of truth being told. Fake worlds came during the pandemic. I just found myself on my phone or laptop way too much, like everyone else at the time really, and using it as a way to speak to people and I just hated it. But social media for me has always been a strange world that I’ve never quite understood, and we all put in so much effort to show our best versions of ourselves in this strange data world that actually means nothing. Not to mention all the negative side effects that it has had to our generation in particular.
2. I love the sound you've produced on these songs. Are all your guitar parts through amp simulators?
No none of the guitar parts are done through amp simulators. I built a box with acoustic padding etc and put my Blackstar HT5R in it with a 57 and a Sennheiser 906 and that’s it, along with some processing in and out the box but no simulators.
3. Iain Cross is the drummer on your music, how did you link up with him? Did you work with him prior to producing your solo music?
Iain and I went to high school together and we were in a band together throughout high school and for a bit after as well. So we had a good friendship and working relationship since we were young.
4. You released your first EP 'Drive Me Round The Bend' last year. What inspired you to go solo and how long were these tracks in the works for?
The band that I was in before “Appear Invisible” only stopped because our other lead singer moved to Wales to complete university. But there may be plans in the works to get that going again. Throughout COVID I just had a lot to say and a lot of time to make tracks so decided to just put them somewhere. Not even really expecting anything, just to put some of my work somewhere that’s fully finished, that potentially someone else may relate to or enjoy.
5. You put up an acoustic version of your track 'Is That You?' featuring a video projection, where was the projection from?
Creating films has always been a love of mine and during lockdown I did a lot of walking and filmed a lot of it. I just had a lot of footage of some really beautiful places that I love going to, so cut it together to make the acoustic session more visually interesting.
6. I saw a Paramore poster up in your studio space, what's your favourite Paramore era?
Yes I do like Paramore! Ohh it’s a hard one probably earlier Paramore. ‘Riot’ is probably my favourite album or ‘All We Know is Falling’ they both influenced me a lot as a kid and sort of sparked an interest for me and got me into playing in bands and things along with other artists from that time.
7. There's great new music coming out all the time, what have you been listening to this year?
There has been so much fantastic music being released recently especially during COVID. I’ve been listening to the new Fatherson album ‘Normal fears’ a lot, but also Wrest, Goodnight Louisa, Walt Disco, Placebo, MCR, and Paulo Nutini just to name a few slightly newer releases. But I’ve been listening to a lot of Frightened Rabbit since picking some of their records during record store day amongst some other old but golds.
8. What are your plans for the rest of 2022? Is there more music to come? Maybe some more gigs?
Yeah we’re planning to do a launch for Clone//Fake Worlds on the 27th May at 5B Giles Street. It’s gonna be a chill and intimate gig. So if anyone is free come along for a couple free beers. I’ve got more in the works and some new tunes so may release them at some point this year. Definitely more music to come but maybe next time might be with my old band!
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Download and stream the music of Sam Harrison on their Bandcamp page here.
Follow Sam Harrison on Facebook and Instagram @sammyhmusic.
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