‘A new perspective’ with Skies Collide
When you appreciate an artist's music, there comes a certain expectation in a release schedule. There might be singles, an EP, maybe an album, with a recognisable pattern - if you're a fan of a band, you definitely wonder when the next thing is coming. Sometimes those gaps are longer than others. After more than an 18 month gap between singles and a considerable silence, Australian band Skies Collide have come back strong with their new songs 'Anthem' and 'Down.'
Based in Brisbane, Skies Collide were formed in 2012 by primary members Brittany Wilson and Liam Woods. Characterising themselves as dark pop-rock, their first EP, 'Tomorrow's Too Far' was released the following year featuring Josh Vickers on guitar and Ryan Oxford on drums. By 2015, Skies Collide had expanded to a five-piece with the addition of Lewis Graham on bass and backing vocals. This line-up released their self-titled EP, and as with their first EP, this was produced by Doug Clarke.
With unrelenting guitars, clear, punchy drums and anthemic lead vocals, Skies Collide put out 'Walls' as their first music video in early 2015. Featuring the characteristic melodic guitar lines of Liam Woods, the sound is heavy without alienating the listener. Oxford's drums aim to serve the song rather than the usual showing off that drummers might be tempted into. Brittany Wilson's vocals and lyrics bring real narrative to this piece, a talent that would only get better with time. The opening lyrics really set the scene with 'Move to the beat, of the monster’s rumbling feet, and we’ll dance in the shadows of our own doubts, and we linger there just a little too long, until there’s nowhere left to run'. The accompanying video itself, directed by D.O. Blackley, feature the band in classic performance shots in a warehouse in Queensland, while the woodland scenes are from the other side of the world on Hampstead Heath in London! This collaboration between band and director would be the start of a long artistic relationship.
2015 continued to be a busy year for Skies Collide. In addition to filming a cover of the Pvris song 'White Noise' from the album of the same name, they also commissioned videos for two more singles on their EP, the opener 'Hollow Heart', and 'Your Facade'. With both being directed once again by D.O. Blackley, all three singles would be collected in one short film entitled 'I Had Wings Once...' in 2016. Starring Giulia Suman and Tess O'Reilly, the narrative includes shots taken in the Italian Dolomites and is an excellent visual companion to the Skies Collide EP.
Throughout 2016, the band worked on their debut album 'The Dream And The Lie', which saw its release in 2017 with 'Run Wild' being the lead single. By this time, the four-piece band included Liam's brother Tevin on bass guitar, while drums were handled by session player Todd Parker. Produced by Dave Petrovic, who also contributes to the band's songwriting, Run Wild has a more melancholic edge than its predecessors. This is particularly reflected in Wilson's lyrics, with part of the chorus reading: 'Are you really gonna live like this forever? You will always be looking over your shoulder, you've let your mind run wild, you're seeing things that are out of sight.' With the narrative fixed in the second person, the listener can't help but ask who this might refer to. Though this track still maintains the heavy guitar riffs present in their earlier work, there is some additional synth and programming work contributed by Wayne Richmond, a direction the band would continue to build on.
In a break from their heavier style, Skies Collide released an acoustic version of 'Glasshouse', the original of which is the opening track to their debut album. With Liam Woods steadily learning the ropes of music production, this is a step in the right direction. Wilson's vocals are carefully layered but without the density of a full band track. Woods is on acoustic guitar, and light percussion keeps the piece flowing well. When tracks are stripped back like this, it can reveal how great the songwriting is, and I'm forever a fan of artists that try this approach. As with Run Wild, Glasshouse keeps the narrative aimed at you with a heap of blame, 'Why did you go and build your house of glass, when your heart is full of stones? Well if you build, build your house of glass, be careful with the words you throw.' Even though this video was released in 2018, it doesn't at all look out of place in 2020 with every band discovering the beauty of shooting a music video in their own homes.
Continuing in 2018, Skies Collide take a drive in the video for 'This Divide', also from their debut album, and the last directed by D.O. Blackley. With fast verses and steady choruses, the bassline at the end should've led to more, opening the arrangement out a little. Having said that, this is one of my favourite tracks on The Dream And The Lie with melodies that stick even after the first listen. Skies Collide would've done well to document one or two of their live performances to show how the energy in this material translated to a room full of a hungry audience during this time. After the January 2019 release of their Chvrches cover 'Miracle', Skies Collide took a well deserved rest from recording and performing.
That brings us to 2020, and prior to Skies Collide releasing new music, Britt launched her own solo project under the name Constvnce with her debut single 'Car Crash Romance', taking a more pop direction than the heavier band material. Though still recorded and produced by Liam, Britt takes the creative reins in a style that has also crept into the pair's new music. Shortly after, Skies Collide released their first single of the year in 'Anthem'.
Straight away the synths are noticeable, where guitars usually would be, the track is awash with digital sound. Guitars make their first appearance in the chorus, 'We've never faded, never let our hope slip away. We've been jaded, we still refuse to let it break us.' A difference from the earlier Skies Collide material is that this lyric is more positive despite the circumstances of this year. Produced entirely in their home as a duo, Britt and Liam also made the music video themselves.
The electronic production continues in Skies Collide's latest single 'Down', coming straight in with anthemic keyboards backed with the hard drums and loud guitar they became known for earlier on. The verses are soundtracked by arpeggiated keyboards and vocal production is as good as the work on their debut album. The band have not lost their craft in their break, arguably they've come back even stronger than before. I would love to see the band performing this live. The duo write an exceptional chorus in 'I won't walk away, even though every bone in my body aches. I just won't let this go, fell from the throne, down again, down again, sinking down, down.' These new songs are a tantalising glimpse into the future of Skies Collide, and hopefully the beginning of a new era for the band.
1. Skies Collide have had some time off recently, but 'Anthem' and 'Down' are your new singles in 2020, what made you decide to come back now?
Britt: Leading up to and after the album came out in 2017, we were grinding really hard, struggling to keep up with the band and our day jobs and had gone through some member changes. Each time we hit an obstacle it felt like having to start from square one and the whole experience just stopped being enjoyable and it was really having an impact on our mental health. We were all growing up and getting busy adulting, so out of necessity and just feeling like the right time; we slowed right down to focus on other aspects of our lives.
After some time away from the band, we had a new perspective on it, where we could see all the things we had been doing wrong, that we were actually our own worst enemies and we really just missed writing songs. We had a lot of unfinished demos from after the album and all the resources to produce them ourselves, so we decided to finish and release them without any expectations and just for the fact that we love to create music.
2. With the world being firmly in the armpit of the apocalypse, how does Skies Collide write a song in 2020? What's been your process?
Britt: It’s kind of strange, since we started writing Anthem and Down a few years ago, they are thematically pretty removed from 2020 but in a way Anthem in particular feels like a 2020 song. It feels like a reminder that yes everything is tits up right now and pretty dark but maybe things will be ok if we can remember to support each other and look for the bright side.
3. Lyrically, where did the ideas for these tracks come from?
Britt: Anthem might actually have the most positive lyrics we’ve ever written in a song. Overall, it’s talking about the times in our personal relationships when one person is maybe doing ok mentally but the other is really struggling. It’s about the give and take of supporting each other through our darkest moments and also remembering to keep our personal and each other’s hopes and aspirations alive.
The lyrics for Down were the last things we started just before the break. It’s talking about how conflicted we were feeling towards continuing the band and was probably the point where we realised it was time but couldn’t initially accept it.
There are a lot of war metaphors mentioned, so if we could physically face our internal doubts and external obstacles and fight them in an Age of Empires style battle, Down is what that would sound like for us.
4. Compared with your previous works, both 'Anthem' and 'Down' have more electronic influences, are you moving towards a less guitar orientated sound?
Liam: During the whole album cycle we were playing live with only one guitarist and those songs had a lot of really great lead guitar parts, which unfortunately didn’t get to be played live. So basically out of necessity we’ve been writing songs with the mindset of having one guitar aside from octave or ambient parts that won’t really be missed in a live setting. Having more synths in the songs allow us to still fill out the songs live and helps to achieve a more modern sound overall.
5. The drums on these songs sound great! Are they programmed or does a living breathing human occupy the drum stool?
Liam: Thanks heaps, the drums were programmed and blended with samples from previous sessions. Unfortunately when we were tracking everything for Anthem & Down, it was in the midst of lockdown so we couldn’t dry hire anywhere at the time. Our good friend Todd assisted with grooves and fills and the drums were programmed to be the way he would have played the song.
6. These singles were produced at home, Liam, would you take us through your production process?
Liam: These two songs were produced over 3 years so it’s not really the typical way I would approach it! Generally either Britt or I come up with a song arrangement and send it to the other for them to have their input on it. We try not to get too caught up with synth or guitar counter melodies until we have demoed vocals to prevent any clashing. Typically the order is; song arrangement, filling out rhythm section, tracking demo vocals, working out counter-melodies (generally synth or guitar), tracking final vocals with layers and harmonies, addition of ambient elements (percussive stuff, little sprinkles etc) and then final mixing and mastering.
7. You released a music video for 'Anthem' in September, where was that one shot?
Britt: We shot and edited this one ourselves, entirely in our own house and backyard, with little to no idea of what we were doing. As much as we love to get professional music videos done, due to adulting responsibilities and 2020, we didn’t want to have the big expense of a music video and possibly having to wait a long time to organise it. The result is imperfect and feels homemade and nostalgic, which completely fits with the mood of the song and what we were looking to present anyway.
8. Liam, were you not tempted to be in this one?
Liam: I was going to jump into the flower bath, but no one would want to see that!
9. Will there be a music video released for 'Down'?
Britt: Yes absolutely! we’ll be doing this one ourselves as well. We’re currently working on the idea and gathering props and resources. We’re hopeful it will be ready in a few weeks time!
10. Britt, you've been involved in creating artwork before, did you also create the artworks for 'Anthem' and 'Down'?
Britt: I did! strangely enough, making the artwork for your own band is kind of harder than it is making it for someone else. Bands usually come to me with their specific vision and then I have the opportunity to help bring it to life with them and I get really consumed in making sure it’s right. When I’m making it for Skies, I have to come up with the vision as well and the end result is just never what I had hoped!
11. The band has gone through some line-up changes over the years, what brings you to being a duo now?
Britt: It’s weird because technically we are a duo in that we write, record and produce everything just the two of us but in reality we are not a duo at all. One of our best friends Todd Parker is still very much involved in the project. He has drummed for us previously and played guitar, he’s the most talented musician we know and has always been passionate about our music and the band. Liam’s brother Tevin is also totally on call to play bass/guitar if/when live shows become a thing again and another previous member Josh Vickers has a beautiful new guitar and a lot of energy to burn!
12. Tell me about your earlier influences, who were the artists that inspired you to create music?
Liam: Basically I picked up guitar because of Linkin Park and my influences quickly grew to include bands like Story of the Year and Saosin. Trying to play their songs helped me get better at guitar quickly because the riffs were insanely hard at the time!
Britt: I had never even considered the idea of singing let alone fronting a band before I started listening to Paramore. It’s pretty cliché but it’s the truth and I quickly fell in love with other “emo” bands like The Used and My Chemical Romance and thought the rock band vibe was insanely cool and a perfect way to express myself.
Britt: When we met each other we realised our mutual love for all the same music and started going to live shows to see bands like Tonight Alive and Hands Like Houses. We decided that was the kind of music we wanted to create, so we started writing together and ran with it!
13. Your debut album, 'The Dream And The Lie' was released in 2017. Looking back now, is there anything you'd do differently?
Britt: There’s pretty much nothing we would change about the writing and recording process because the experience of working with Dave Petrovic at Electric Sun Studios was so incredible. We learnt a hell of a lot and grew so much as musicians and as people. He taught us so much about songwriting and really gave Liam a kick start lesson in music production that he has been building on ever since.
Release wise, if we’re being completely honest, we botched it pretty hard! But again we learnt a lot from our mistakes and overall we are still very proud of the songs.
14. Britt, with you debuting your Constvnce project earlier this year that also features input from Liam, what sets that project apart from Skies Collide?
Britt: During our break from Skies Collide I started exploring a lot of music that was outside of my usual tastes. I became obsessed with mostly female, synth pop artists like Halsey, Charli XCX, Grimes, PVRIS, Purity Ring, Lights, Au/Ra etc etc. So I started dipping my toes into learning the same recording software that Liam uses and suddenly I had some demo songs of my own that didn’t feel like they fit with the usual Skies Collide sound.
With Liam’s help, I finished ‘Car Crash Romance’ and released it basically for shits and giggles! It was a really enjoyable experience and while Skies is the main project again, I’m definitely considering releasing more tracks in the future.
15. With live performances still a way off, is there a dream band you'd love Skies Collide to support?
Britt: We have been incredibly lucky so far in our career to actually have supported some of our bucket list bands like Story of the Year, Hands Like Houses and Dream on Dreamer but if we get lucky enough to have the opportunity again we would love to support PVRIS or Bring me the Horizon and if we’re talking absolute wildest dreams here, we would pick Linkin Park or Paramore.
16. You've teased that there is more to come from Skies Collide, is there perhaps a new EP in the works?
Britt: With the way people consume music these days, it’s become clear that the album model is unfortunately not as viable anymore. If all goes to plan, we want to be releasing singles at least every couple of months but at the same time we’re trying not to overburden ourselves and just enjoy the process!
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Follow Skies Collide on facebook and twitter @skiescollide, instagram @skiescollideband, and check out their official website which includes merchandise and more information.
