A Decade Of Sound - Sound City 2017

LOCAL NATIVES
The LA-based collective talk recording
and writing between three continents.
Since the release of their debut album Gorilla Manor in
2009, LOCAL NATIVES have become some of the finest
in the sunshine-soaked alt. rock game, notching many a
major festival on their bedpost and boxing-off numerous
international tours – all before releasing their third studio album last
autumn, Sunlit Youth. Recorded across three continents and full of
gems like the dreamy trip hop of Jellyfish (which sees Swedish electro
pop outfit Little Dragon on co-production duties) and Dark Days – a lofi
disco number featuring vocals from Nina Persson of The Cardigans.
Will Lloyd catches up with the band’s musical maestro Kelcey Ayer
(whose duties include vocals, keyboards, percussion and guitars)
to find out more about crafting their latest album, the challenges of
nailing the festival slot, and their latest US tour.
down. I think deliberately deciding what to do before you do anything
cuts you off from whatever possibilities could have happened. We got
an offer to play Malaysia, which initially I was very against, because
we were wrapping up touring Hummingbird and I felt we needed to
start writing, which to me means stop playing shows. But we then
remembered this hook-up [offered by] our UK label [Infectious] at a
record studio in Thailand, so we took the show and used the money
to record in Thailand for two weeks. Could we have planned that?
Definitely not. It really set a precedent for the whole record: to make
music in different spaces and let whatever limitations or influences
help determine what the right move was to make. We ended up
writing and recording in Joshua Tree, Ojai, Nicaragua, and five different
spots in Los Angeles.
So, how’s the US tour been so far? Have there been any standout
shows that you feel have gone down especially well?
Honestly, every show has been great. We’re only a week into touring
after having been off the road for about three months, which feels like
an eternity in the middle of a record cycle. We were nervous about
putting on a sloppy show, but it turns out that rest is good! Crazy,
right? But then we’re bigger in the States compared to anywhere else
in the world, so when we come to the UK, we always feel like we have
to hustle a little harder, work a little harder.
You played Liverpool’s legendary Kazimier venue back in 2013 –
are you looking forward to coming back to the city after such a
busy time away?
Yeah, we are excited to come back. It’s always nice to return to a
place you’ve been. That maybe sounds dumb, but recognising little
spots here and there gives you a warm feeling, like you’re seeing an
old friend. Travelling as much as we do, I’ve got a real respect for cities
and their unique communities, so it’s an honour for any community of
people to ask us to be a part of their colourful, vibrant lives.
It’s been eight whole years since your debut record, Gorilla
Manor, was released here in the UK. Have there been certain
milestones since then that have led to the sound we’re hearing
in Sunlit Youth?
Hummingbird was a really heavy time for us, so I think when that was
done and dusted we felt light and free again to pursue any direction
we wanted. It led to a pretty eclectic record musically, and I don’t think
we would have gone there if we hadn’t gotten through Hummingbird.
Listening back to Hummingbird, I can’t help but feel you’ve
galvanised the sound you had on that record. It wasn’t a surprise
to discover that you’ve been all around the world whilst working
on Sunlit Youth. Was this something you’d always planned on
doing or did it just sort of happen?
It just sort of happened. We like things to feel organic, so we’re
very open to the ‘no plan’ plan. After three albums, I think we’ve
learned to let things develop naturally and then pick a road to go
We can’t wait to have you at Sound City – do you adapt your
performance to suit a festival crowd, as opposed to a crowd at
a headline show?
We know certain songs go off more with our own audiences than
one [a show] where it’s half fans and half new people. I see festivals
like this now; you give people a taste, and hopefully they come and
see your actual show, which is always a more immersive experience,
in my opinion. But with three albums under our belts, it’s been easier
to come up with a set list with no lulls, and, with our current crew,
I think our live show is the best it’s ever been.
Words: Will Lloyd / @wjjlloyd
thelocalnatives.com
THE ATLANTIC STAGE | SUNDAY | 18:30
A DECADE OF SOUND 41