Approaching the release of their third album as Lightning Dust, Black Mountain members Amber Webber and Joshua Wells have cultivated a unique portfolio of work that, while not entirely removed from their main project, has certainly established its own sonic voice. Fantasy, which is out today on Jagjaguwar, continues to leave behind Black Mountain’s more tumultuous waters, pursuing electro-tinged alt-pop that’s equal parts danceable and delicate. Here, the duo’s Joshua Wells tells Hayley Fox about the process of creating Fantasy and what the pair have planned for the summer.
Prime Planet: How are you feeling about releasing Fantasy, your first album since 2009’s Infinite Light?
Joshua Wells: Relieved! It’s always hard to sit on an album for six months after it’s finished, but that’s just the way it goes. We can’t wait for the world to hear it now.
PP: The new tracks you’ve put out so far – ‘Diamond’ and ‘Loaded Gun’ – sound like they’re heading in a heavier direction compared to your previous quieter works. Were you conscious of making a noticeable progression from your other two albums?
JW: There’s definitely a different sound on this record, and yes, it was somewhat deliberate, but there is some diversity in the album a as a whole. We set out to make a record that was less “earthy”, and wanted to use a mostly synthetic palette. So some songs ended up being beat-driven, which is somewhat new for us, but there are also some very sparse, gentle moments. It’s pretty much our M.O. to try new sounds and techniques when we approach each new record, so to us it doesn’t feel like an abrupt left turn.
PP: ‘Loaded Gun’ features a stomping beat and disco-textured synths, what inspired you to bring in more of an electro influence?
JW: We were just feeling it, really, when listening to some old electronic music and new R&B that was pushing our buttons. Then I decided to try to learn how to use a sequencer, and tried to rearrange one of our songs with it just for kicks, and that’s when it really dawned on us that this could work: we could make music that could be danced to!
PP: How long did the process of creating the record take?
JW: Songwriting-wise, we’re not super prolific. These songs turned up over the course of about a year, and we laboured over the arrangements during that year, just passing demos back and forth until we got it right. It’s crucial to both of us that the arrangements are distilled until only the most important pieces are left, and that there are no unecessary instruments or superfluous verses. Then it took a few months of recording at our studio, The Balloon Factory, and then a week to mix with John Congleton at his Elmwood studio in Dallas. All told, about a year and a half of work.
PP: If you had to listen to one track from Fantasy on loop for a day what would it be and why?
JW: Probably ‘Moon’, because it’s the gentlest and wouldn’t be too damaging after a hundred listens. Of course, I would never choose to listen to one of my own songs for a whole day.
PP: Where did the swimming pool theme for the ‘Diamond’ video come from?
JW: Our friend Helen Reed made the video, and was the one who came up with the idea. She’s great; her thing really is elevating the mundane and the awkward, so public spaces are her canvas. We have a mutual friend who is part of a synchronized swimming team, so Helen thought it would be great to include them.
PP: Have you been working on any Black Mountain stuff recently?
JW: We’ve gotten together and jammed new ideas a bit. For us, there’s no rush to make anything happen. It will be when the time is right.
PP: What artists, new or old, are you enjoying listening to at the moment?
JW: Daft Punk, Richard and Linda Thompson, Suuns, Throbbing Gristle.
PP: You’re playing some summer shows in Canada and the U.S. – including Oregon festival Pickathon – what can fans expect from your performances?
JW: It’s been fun figuring out just how to play these songs live. We’ve put together a band and have been hashing it out for a while. In addition to Amber and I, we’ve got a percussionist and another synth player, and we may add more players as things develop. I think it’s going to be a fun show – definitely the highest energy performance we’ve ever put on. No one’s sitting down!
PP: Any plans to come back to the UK and Europe anytime soon?
JW: Definitely! We can’t wait, actually. Look for dates in October.
– Hayley Fox
Fantasy is released today, June 24, on Jagjaguwar.
