Tempo Talks: A Conversation with Songs For Sabotage
THE RELEASE
A new fixed current has been established by Songs for Sabotage, bringing together the talents of singing guitarist Lina Sophie and art director Richey Rose, who can also produce songs as well as play many musical styles. SFS, born within Manhattan's no-quality movement in 2019, now has a new creative base in Los Angeles. Here, they are still working to invent truly special sounds. The abbreviation stands for the way they are, but their music touches on all aspects of life, including disappointment and how people can get free from society's constraints.
"Fortress," the single from SFS's latest album, titled "Clean Trauma" (out on retail shelves on February 28), is a song about one's heart crying out amidst the complex society of nowadays when the spectator chooses instead to stand above all worlds. The lyrics tell of how one builds a fence made entirely of life's challenges around oneself. In modern lingo, a modern thumbprint. A symbolic fortress reflects a retreat chosen by those with all sorts of talents but who prefer to live in wilful solitude. The song features a mix of synthesizer-driven melodies utilizing textures such as the evocative sounds produced by cheap 'toy' keyboards from Yamaha and Casio, as well as a bass not dissimilar to simply wielding Juno-style instruments. Keeping faith with the program known as "Gloom Pop for the Masses," "Fortress" carries an enticing dose of melancholy-ballate that invites you to join in on it. The song's accompanying music video was filmed near Malibu, California's Point Dume. Co-produced with trusted partners Rick Perez and Logan Maclachlan, this adds further detail to the essence already conveyed by the song.
THE INTERVIEW
If you had to create a Mount Rushmore of inspiration, what four individuals molded the artist you are today?
Lina - Debbie Harry, Alison Mosshart, Gwen Stefani, Skin from Skunk Anansie
Richey - Johnny Marr, Martin Gore, Ian Curtis, Daniel Ash
Were there any personal experiences or stories that influenced the creation of the music video, and if so, how did they shape the final product?
The video is just a performance video, in essence… it’s a loose interpretation of some of the lyrics in this song (fortress / sand / castle, etc). The song is what was influenced by personal experiences, as most (if not all) of our songs are. ‘Fortress’ is basically about letting yourself crumble under the pressure of the world around you.
What was the most rewarding aspect of making the music video, and what message do you hope viewers take away from it?
The most rewarding part was spending a day at the beach with our friends. For years we’ve been visiting Point Dume, in Malibu. It’s a popular spot with amazing cliffside views of the coastline, but also has a hidden/semi-private beach at the bottom… if you’re daring enough to walk down the footpath that’s been carved out by trespassers. Once you’re at the bottom you’re surrounded by the ocean and miles of private beach, which is where we shot the video. The video doesn’t have much of a message, to be honest; it’s just a performance of the song in a unique location. The real message is in the lyrics!
Can you share any interesting anecdotes about the song's development with your co-writers or producers?
Fortress was written around a demo we made in 2020. We had a guitar riff, bass line and basic drum beat laid down for ages until it turned into a proper song. We took the main ideas from that demo and rearranged the song to be mostly synth-based. The main melody was played on a Yamaha PS-20. Once we’d played the riff/bass groove on the synth it gave a whole new energy and vibe to the song. We wanted the subject matter to be wistful and hopeless… which may sound depressing, but that’s the main place we go to feel inspired… the depths of despair. The lyrics are about boxing yourself in with your insecurities despite all the potential you might have.
When it comes to the songwriting on this record, what is the message you want to get across to your listeners?
Art is open to your own interpretation… it means ‘whatever you want it to mean.’ That being said, our songwriting focuses on two main elements: catchy, memorable hooks and dark, introspective lyrics. All of our favorite music is cut from the same cloth… it’s like that meme with the playground slide landing in a cemetery… the slide is the melody and the cemetery is the lyrics. We want to make people dance and sing along in the moment but also think about the deeper lyrical meaning later on (and possibly cry).
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