INTERVIEW: THØSS
Two years following his debut EP, Benchwarmer, London-based alternative artist THØSS is ready to take the music world by storm with new material.
Benchwarmer was successful and captured the attention of BBC. He played at the BBC Introducing show in London in 2016, a stage where Ed Sheeran, Ting Tings, The 1975, and Two Door Cinema Club all gained popularity. I discovered THØSS at the BBC Introducing show in London. I recently contacted him and asked him several questions about his music.
While the title track “Benchwarmer” off his debut sounds like criticism he received from the music industry, THØSS had other intentions.
“[It was] not criticism from the music industry as such, though I have found the industry side of things to be somewhat fickle. It was more a dissatisfaction with my own progress and lack of direction at that time that led to ‘Benchwarmer,’” he said.
“Two Laces,” the current single, is a catchy song that tells a captivating story. On the online store, Thøss sells a pair of shoelaces printed with his band name.
When asked of the laces’ meaning in relation to the song, THØSS responded, “‘Two Laces’ is a description of two people who are lace-like in stature. I thought it would be fun to take the title literally with some actual shoelaces–they’re not part of the song’s narrative.”
Thøss incorporates meaning into his music. His new material is sonically cohesive and demonstrates his artistic growth, a product of the EP’s production.
“I work closely with my friend Harri Chambers on the production,” he said. “We start with a fully formed song and band arrangement, which we scrutinise, add to, and take away from until we find a completed piece. We take inspiration from sounds and an overarching vision for the track. Chinese food also helps to provide late night inspiration.”
THØSS also incorporates visual art into his music. The music video for the track “IWITW” depicts a chamber of reflection in a bathroom.
“The visual side of THØSS is collaborative. I work with a collage artist friend of mine, Joe Mackenzie, to develop single and EP artwork. I come with ideas and he runs with them,” he said. “For videos I work with Abi Sinclair. We develop a concept together, keeping it simple–and cheap–to execute. We shot the video for ‘IWITW’ in a friend’s bath and spent £4–on milk.”
THØSS’s visual process is resourceful and coincides with the atmosphere of his music, he added.
As for new material, we may have to wait just a little bit longer.
“I’m currently working on a whole host of material but won’t be releasing anything new until 2018.”
-Niko Yaitanes
*Tune into Niko’s show, Moby Disc, on Fridays 12 p.m.-2 p.m. on WTBU radio to hear THØSS and similar artists!*