Say Lou Lou
In 2015 Say Lou Lou released the album, Lucid Dreaming. It was not their first album. It struck a nerve with a melancholy dream style that mixed the best of Julie Cruise with CHVRCHES. The album included singles “Julian’, “Games For Girls”, and Everything We Touch.” Say Lou Lou would follow it up in 2018 with Immortelle.
Today, the critically acclaimed duo Say Lou Lou – composed of twins Elektra and Miranda Kilbey – release their new EP, Dust Pt. 1, out now via Cosmos Music.
On Dust, Pt. 1, the duo delve into dreamy indie aesthetics with opulent production and velvety vocals detailing their past five years into an introspective escape for all. As founders and leaders in the space of gloomy indie pop, the sisters’ Dust, Pt. 1 is poised to be the new gold standard for the genre.
With the new EP’s release, Say Lou Lou also unveil the video for the project’s title track, out now.
On the new single “Dust,” Say Lou Lou fuse their dreamy vocals with acoustic guitars, energizing bass, invigorating drums to create an uplifting, full-bodied track that leans into the bands pop aesthetic.
Dust Pt. 1 is the duo’s most vulnerable and honest to date, where the sisters embraced a new songwriting technique — using their personal poems and diary excerpts as a basis for the lyrics. Speaking about their new EP, Say Lou Lou said, “‘Dust’ is a candid collection of songs that chronicle various steps of a break up; mourning, anger, remorse and forgiveness. Being in it, being out of it, being under someone else, being over it. This record is us going through the motions and realizing that love always looks clearer in the rear view mirror.”
For the EP, Say Lou Lou enlisted an array of acclaimed collaborators, including producer Eli Hirsch (courtship), mixer Blue May (Blood Orange, Kano, Joy Crookes), and master engineer Joe Laporta (Miley Cyrus, David Bowie, Solange, Björk).
Outside of music, Elektra and Miranda are continuously at the forefront of fashion. Over the last decade, they’ve fronted high profile fashion campaigns, like Gucci and Calvin Klein, and collaborated with many influential photographers and tastemakers.
FEMMUSIC was able to e-mail with Say Lou Lou in regard to the EP:
FEMMUSIC: What was the biggest challenge making Dust Pt 1? 2. How did you approach making Dust Pt 1 differently than your other musical projects?
SLL: Is it too smug to say we didn’t really face that many challenges this time around? It’s been the smoothest, most conflict/friction free process we’ve had so far. We started all the songs as simple ideas on the guitar or piano, so we didn’t even go into the production phase unless we felt the song was good enough, which is probably why there was the process was so easy. In the past we’ve tried to save or make songs happen in the production when the structure or lyrics aren’t really working on their own. And that causes a lot of tension.
FEMMUSIC: Tell me about “In My Dreams.” How did that song come about?
SLL: ‘In My Dreams’ started with lyrics from Elektra’s diary notes. It takes place in the aftermath of a relationship, when you’re imagining a new, improved you who can be open and selfless enough to have a friendship with the person who just left you.
FEMMUSIC: You’ve both been involved in many non-music projects for a number of years. What was the motivation to do an EP?
SLL: The motivation was just desire. We couldn’t not write these songs.
FEMMUSIC: Can you describe your songwriting technique? Has it changed over time?
SLL: Like mentioned earlier, we’ve been trying make sure the song itself is bulletproof before trying to produce it. Starting with lyrics. You would think that it would be the most natural way to start the process, but we would often start with an instrumental track and write the melodies, then the lyrics. So we’re literally doing it in reverse these days. There’s obviously no right or wrong, it’s just what’s working for us at the moment.
FEMMUSIC: It’s been over a decade since you started Say Lou Lou. How have you changed because of it?
SLL: We’re 32 instead of 20. Maturity and experience levels are just in a completely different place, haha. Practicing way more patience and gratitude than we did when we started out.
FEMMUSIC: How has “women in music” changed since you began? What else needs to be done?
SLL: The music industry is usually a reflection of whatever is happening in society. So, obviously we’ve lived through a new wave of feminism, MeToo and general progression in terms of inclusivity and equality. However, the real issue at the moment is how we pay artists properly for their music, how artists and musicians will survive making music in a new era of social media and streaming.
FEMMUSIC: Whom would you most like to collaborate with, or tour with? Why?
SLL: Hmm.. We would love to go on tour with Charlotte Gainsbourg. She’s the epitome of cool and she always has great bands.
FEMMUSIC: What song (not your own) has had the biggest influence on you and why?
SLL: That’s a really difficult question and it’s hard to give one answer. But you could say that for this era of SLL, we’ve been listening to a lot of Madonna’s ‘Ray of Light’ and ‘Music’ era. Particularly ‘Don’t Tell Me’ and ‘Power of Goodbye’. She just manages to do pop to perfection, progressive and interesting productions, beautiful and personal lyrics though still simple and attainable. Icon.
FEMMUISC: What one thing would you like to change about the music industry?
SLL: Instant gratification. Allowing artists time to develop and progress.
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