Braids stream new record Deep In The Iris a week before its release [UK Premiere]

20 April 2015, 09:00 | Written by Laurence Day

(News)

(Braids)

Montreal-based electropop trio Braids are releasing new record Deep In The Iris next Monday, but you can hear it now, exclusively on Best Fit.

The LP, recorded during a series of isolated retreats in the "mountains of Arizona, Vermont, and upstate New York", promises to be Braids' most accessible series of songs yet, weaving ear-friendly melodies with big beats to great effect. It's also set to be a galvanising call-to-action, exploring complex, varied themes, perhaps most notably on lead single "Miniskirt".

The band have explained the process behind that track, and how the album was formed, in a brief Q&A.

What does "Miniskirt" mean to you? How do you feel now that it's out in the world?

The sessions for "Miniskirt" were spread across two different locations, one in upstate New York and one in Vermont. The Upstate sessions for "Miniskirt", which happened before the lyrics were written, were the most intense and aggressive musical moments we have ever shared as a group. They were extremely loud and punctuated by wall of sound synths and bombastic drumming that would leave our ears ringing. Once we took the songs to Vermont and the lyrics started taking shape, we realized how important it would be for them to be at the forefront of this song. It was then a process of scaling back the instrumentation and learning how to channel that aggression and intensity with very few elements, leaving room for the emotion and message of the lyrics to be heard. It has been an amazing song to work on has has proven to be very fun to play live. We are very proud to be sharing this song.

How do you balance the lyrics and music? How does one support the other?

Because all of our work is a collective process the balance between sonics, song writing and lyrics has always come very naturally.

The record was written and recorded on retreat style session where we relocated to the wilderness for the better half of a year. Surrounded by nature we strove to break down barriers between us and allow ourselves to be as vulnerable as possible. The lyrics on Deep In The Iris reflect this vulnerability and demanded a wide breadth of instrumentation to support their strength. We didn’t shy away from intense themes while making this album and in turn we have explored many new sonic directions.

Where does it sit in your canon? How does it relate to your previous material?

Deep In The Iris is our third album and bridges the gap between the more human elements of Native Speaker and the sonic experimentation of Flourish // Perish, yet it marks a huge amount of growth in our abilities as songwriters. We went into the writing sessions of this album with no firm direction or demands on what we needed to create. We just had the desire to focus our songwriting, and to create more concise and emotionally potent work. We learned a lot about how to enjoy making records while writing Deep In The Iris and we will take that knowledge and experience with us on our future recordings.

What is the most important moment of the album for you?

The energy and connection at the end of "Warm Like Summer". We kind of surprised ourselves with that one.

What are you hoping people take away from the LP?

The reminder that life is intensely beautiful and complex.

Deep In The Iris is out 27 April on Arbutus. It is the follow up to 2013's Flourish // Perish.

Listen to the record in full below. The band's upcoming tour dates can be found afterwards (tickets are here).