Indie-pop band Babeheaven are back in business after a four year hiatus, delivering a new five-track EP dubbed Slower Than Sound released today via Scenic Route. Made up of vocalist Nancy Andersen and producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Jamie Travis, the London-based duo communicate deeply personal and intimate emotions through their singularly euphoric tracks. The EP, having been mostly written and recorded in Andersen’s home studio, explores love, reflection and personal growth, making it a deeply intimate project from the first guitar rift to the last breath.
The EP starts off with Picture This, a track that unfolds something like a photobook. Andersen sings about relationships past, present and of imagined futures, her melodic voice guiding listeners through verses as if they were looking at pictures of her. Picture This sets the tone for the following tracks showing how the duo are diving deeper into emotional vulnerability. The next track, Beloved, could be described as the heart of the album. Made acoustically – with just a guitar, bass, Wurlitzer and Mellotron – the track pulls you in softly and takes you on a journey where something feels fleeting, whether that is a person, a place or a feeling. The fourth track, Loud Thoughts, featuring Samba Jean-Baptiste explores burnout in real time. Loud Thoughts was written in a period of doubt following the release of their last album and has a haunting yet calming musical introduction that’s followed by mournful lyrics.
Slower Than Sound represents and reconnects to Babeheaven’s core artistry, one that is intimate, honest and self-produced after dealing with cancelled tours, industry pressure and creative doubt. This standout EP is not only a return for the duo but rebirth for Babeheaven. Here, we chat to the pair about why this was the right time to return to music, what their favourite track from the EP is and how they continue to inspire each other.
1. Describe your sound in three words?
Nancy Andersen: The, Ride, Home.
2. Four years later, why do you feel this was the right timing for Slower Than Sound?
NA: Well I think it’s more like three years! Personally I needed some time to regroup and think about approaching music in a new way. Empty my head, grow up, think about what making and releasing music looked like now.
After a small break I started writing alone which was a very alien experience and it became part of my routine, then Jamie and I started looking at some of the demos I had made and then working together on them and writing as we always have. At our own pace which sometimes is slow and sometimes the songs just flow.
I’m not sure if you can ever choose the “right time” but we were happy with how everything sounded so it was the right time to do it!
3. What does Slower Than Sound mean to you?
NA: It means moving at your own pace, it is kind of the core of babeheaven, not rushing being organic. Letting things have time to become what they need to be. Not forcing anything… The speed of sound is way too fast for me, I’d rather be slower.
4. If you could save one track from STS from a burning building, what would it be and why?
NA: It depends on the day! I love all the songs in different ways, today it would be Loud Thoughts – I love Samba‘s verse on it. I think it took the song to a whole new level and every time I listen it makes me feel happy!
Jamie Travis: Beloved for me, I just think its very pretty and think the track fits together very nicely and effortlessly
5. How do you feel your musical style has evolved since you first started making music together?
NA: I think our music sound has evolved in lots of different ways, the last album was more of a full band experience, we tried to record in the room all together. I would say this project is more intimate and back to the bedroom roots more like our first singles, stripped back and focusing on lyrics and good song writing.
JT: Yes like Nancy said, I think it’s nice and natural as we evolve as people to evolve the sound or what you want to do in some way with each record. And with this record was definitely stripping back to a minimal amount of equipment and the tools at our disposal.
6. You’ve worked with incredible visual creatives; Frank Lebon, Joyce Ng, Margot Bowman. How important are visuals to Babeheaven’s world?
NA: Super important, it’s the next layer to the music. Music videos and artwork take just as much work to get right and to reflect what we’ve made so we’re always looking for people to collaborate with and keep painting the next picture for our music.
7. Village Underground, Jazz Café, Bush Hall, where’s next on your bucket list?
NA: Wherever will take us…. Glastonbury we’re waiting for you to call.
8. Who’s a dream collaborator, dead or alive?
NA: I love George Michael, I would love to write a song with him. He is the most amazing song writer and I feel blessed every time I listen to his songs.
JT: For me Brian Wilson, who sadly passed away this year. I just think he was a true musical genius and wrote such beautiful, sad and also happy songs that to work with someone like that would be very inspiring and there would be a lot to learn.
9. If this EP were a film, what kind of film would it be?
NA: It would be something cozy, but mysterious, like a yuppie nightmare think Fatal Attraction. A film that in the beginning feels like a romcom and then goes dark. I would say that my lyrics can be really deep, but sung in a cute way… if you listen closer there is always more to uncover.
10. How do you both keep inspiring each other after so many years side by side?
NA: Writing music is like speaking another language. I think we just understand each other’s language really well. We take breaks and come back to it too which means we both have time to learn more and bring it back to each other.
Photography by Stuart Nimmo.
