OEB’s 5 SXSW Qs – Gliss
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
In about two weeks, Gliss’ latest record, Langsom Dans, is set to be released and Vocalist/bassist Victoria Cecilia took some time to preview the experimental approach to writing and recording the record with OEB as well as their plans for 2013, including a trip to promote the record in Asia.
While so many artists go for a huge sound, Gliss finds their strength in ambience and the space between the notes. Why such an introspective sound?
The way this new album came together was writing the songs on acoustic guitar or piano, a very different approach from the last album we released. We would record a song with just vocal and guitar, then we would listen to that for awhile, delete the guitar, and record synths and come up with beats. This was a very long process, ‘cos we tried a million different ways before settling on the final take. It was a way of pushing ourselves to experiment with our sound. It is easy to find “a sound” and reproduce it on every single album. We didn’t want to get stuck in that.
For rock music, there are a great deal of emotions you share on record. How do you pull together the emotional elements through musical hooks?
The way I experience it is, first I write the song, and I do write about personal stuff. I am not able to write a song without having all these emotions built up. I guess you can compare it to blowing air into a balloon. I collect emotions until I am ready to explode. Then I sit down and write the song.
After it’s written and demo’ed, then I step away for a while, until I feel more detached. Then I listen to it a few times and start editing or re-arranging, or maybe I hear a vocal line that’s not very exciting anymore, and I replace it. It’s like listening as a different person. That’s the best way of describing the process, I think.
You’re returning to SXSW for the second year in a row. How do you view the conference beyond a normal run of shows?
SXSW is overwhelming to me. I would be lying if I said I am looking forward to it. But it’s great for connecting with business people.
Do you have any appearances lined up for SXSW? What’s on deck for Gliss in 2013?
In 2013 we have out new album coming out “Langsom Dans” on Modern Outsider. It’s out January 22nd. Then we have a residency in Los Angeles in February. Our album release show will be Feb 4th, and we have Pyyramids (Tim from OK GO), Xu Xu Fang and Lonely Trees on that night. They are all great people and incredible musicians. Really looking forward to that. In March, we are heading out to Denver for a festival called “Gathering of the Clouds”, and since that is just a week before SXSW it will turn into a US tour.
After the US dates, we will be heading over to Europe again. We love playing over there - I know we will have a lot of fun. Also, this spring our album will be released in Asia, and we will be going over there as well. So it will be a busy year, and a fun year!
Have you had a chance to check out the band list for SXSW? Any acts you are looking forward to catching yourself?
I am from Denmark, so I am always interested in seeing what kind of bands they are sending to SXSW. There is a band called MØthat I would check out. Here is their video.
