Post-Punk.com
  • Home
    • Contact Us
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Terms Of Use
    • Privacy Policy
  • Bands
    • Revival Bands
    • Labels
  • Reviews
  • Fashion
  • Log In
  • Home
  • Bands
  • Reviews
  • Fashion
  • Log In
265K Likes
13K Followers
179K Followers
Subscribe
Post-Punk.com
Post-Punk.com Post-Punk.com
  • Home
    • Contact Us
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Terms Of Use
    • Privacy Policy
  • Bands
    • Revival Bands
    • Labels
  • Reviews
  • Fashion
  • Log In
  • Bands
  • Interviews
  • Session

Shoegaze in Paris | An Interview with Pencey Sloe Plus Live Session

  • December 13, 2019
  • post-punk.com
86
0
0

We caught up with Parisian Shoegaze act Pencey Sloe while in Paris this past Autumn to discuss their brilliant debut LP Don’t Believe, Watch Out, which was released in September through Alcest’s label Prophecy Productions.

During the interview, we discussed the band’s inception, the evolution of singer-guitarist Diane Pellotieri’s songwriting, and more.

We were also treated to blissfully stripped-down versions of the album tracks”All Okay”, and “It Follows”.

Watch below:


Beginning:

I started writing my first songs in my living room a little over 4 years ago. I was bored and I had guitars and gear (which wasn’t mine) for recording in my place. I thought it would be fun to write a song to kill time, everything was slow during that time in my life – and suddenly, everything became faster. I was not really supposed to fall into this trap but then it happened…

I sent my music to someone who was knowing Clement and Valentin, and then they proposed that we should do something with it. Clement and Valentin had been playing and creating music for a long time so I knew who and under what conditions I was going to venture. It became a safe and familial environment, something new in my life, I was glad that I did not neglect the opportunity to open myself up to that new experience.

Prophecy:

One day we received an e-mail from Rayshele Teige of Prophecy Productions. She wrote that she heard us on an internet radio station while driving in her car, that she loved our sound. The first few minutes we thought it was a joke, something not real. I went to the label’s web site to checked their artists. I seen Alcest. That’s when I realized that this could be serious. After some exchanges with Rayshele, we thought that it would be best to meet Neige, to ask about the label, for he lived in our city, Paris. He & I spoke at length, he told us many good things. Since then, he has been watching out for us. Rayshele Teige and Neige from Alcest are two very important meetings for the creation of this album.

Shoegaze and Blackmetal?

It’s not too surprising to me that the two genres Shoegaze and Black metal can mix. When we take a closer look, we notice that these are styles emerged at about the same time, in the late 80s & early 90s. Despite obvious differences, there are many similarities in living the music. Black Metal and Shoegaze treat melancholy, sadness and sometimes have meditative virtues due to dark, luminous and ambient sounds – whether in music or imagery. Today we draw from the past and merge everything we loved being as a kid. As that music is accessible over the years, it allows us to expand our curiosity and our musical culture. This gives birth to certain subgenres, even if some of them are still obscure.

I do not identify with a post-metal scene at all. Simply because I’ve no conscious influence of metal music. The comparison to shoegaze is more obvious, even if once again it’s not really done on purpose on my behalf.

There was no clear influence, rather, I could speak on 90’s music as an influence in general. Pencey Sloe’s music so far is a mixture between us three bandmates that was done naturally …Not only UK / shoegaze music we enjoy, but also, for example, the American blues culture, which would also be a large part of our influences.

Favourite Shoegaze Artists:

It’s quite difficult to choose a favorite artists because they are all very different. Shoegaze is such a varied genre, however, if I had to choose one, it would be The Jesus and Mary Chain because it’s the one that allowed me to dig and find every other shoegaze band – They clearly opened my mind.

Evolution Since First EP:

Everything changed since our EP in 2017 for I was able to grow during that time. The tracks on the EP are the first songs that I composed while I was not yet totally comfortable with writing and playing. Taking time to write a proper album has allowed me to improve and gain confidence since then. Clément and Valentin taught me a lot while being indispensable support during the EP and the new album. They allowed the songs to take on a more beautiful and real direction. After the EP, everything became again a discovery, everything became more serious, more scary. Today, it’s easier and more obvious to write, yet I try not to understand exactly what I’m doing. I want to keep my naivety.

Song Writing such as in “Lust for Dead”:

I usually use the same approach for all songs. I do not leave much space for reflection, I prefer to look closely forward to see where it leads me. If I have a too precise idea, I can not really do it. In the song ‘Lust for Dead’, I realized that it was confronting something hard with brightness, with the way the chorus flies away. That’s what we all worked on, to strengthen and support these aspects.

The Song and Video for “All Ok”:

The actor and the aesthetics in “All Ok” are representing how we try to live, by creating personalities, we erase who we are to try to build a new «us» in order to be better appreciated, loved and respected. We forget ourselves and we fade away, but it’s not so bad because everyone is doing the same. You never know who the people really are. But maybe because you want to change, it works out?

The “All OK” song and video is precisely this feeling – that today, we have to be better, we dream of being someone else, a better version of ourselves. Some people think that they should be different than they are, so they try, and that makes them happy. And yet, it’s very frustrating and sad that people are not self-sufficient. It’s my personal observation, maybe I’m wrong.

Album Themes:

Where propaganda is everywhere, anyone can believe everything, many do not think for themselves. “Don’t Believe, Watch Out” is a way to tell oneself that one must be suspicious of one’s own desires and passions, towards oneself. It’s cool to dream and to have a purpose, but the fall is painful. It is not at all pessimistic, but realistic. Everyone makes us believe things and then shoots glitter in our faces, so you have to keep your feet on the ground. It’s good to believe in things but keep in mind we live in reality.

Recording the Album:

The album came alive in the most beautiful, magical and quiet place, somewhere lost in France, in the countryside. We did not see many humans for days, which was and is very stimulating and perfect [environment] to create to.

Evoking captivating aural pleasures and sonic daydreams in the vein of luminaries such as Slowdive, Low, Chelsea Wolfe, or Esben and the Witch,  Don’t Believe, Watch Out is definitely one of the most lovely shoegaze records to come out in 2019.

Order Here

Please support Post-Punk.com! You can do so via:

  • Patreon:

  • or directly via Paypal:

  • Or by using our new Contact form here:

 

Total
86
Shares
Share 86
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Related Topics
  • Alcest
  • Pency Sloe
  • Prophecy Productions
post-punk.com

From the Editor at Post-Punk.com

Previous Article
  • Bands
  • Video Premiere

Dark Alternative Pop Quintet White Mansion Groove in Stereoscopic Red and Blue in “Clear your Head

  • December 13, 2019
  • post-punk.com
View Post
Next Article
  • Video Premiere

More Ephemerol Unveil Video for Mournfully Morbid Minimal-Wave Track “Obituary Templates”

  • December 13, 2019
  • post-punk.com
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Bands
  • Video Premiere

German Post-Punk Artist Johnson McCloud Confronts The Melancholy of Nostalgia in the Video for “Don’t Get Lost”

  • Alice Teeple
  • August 4, 2022
View Post
  • Bands
  • Streaming

London-based Darkwave Artist Oliver Marson Debuts Haunting New Single “Silent Heaven”

  • Alice Teeple
  • August 4, 2022
View Post
  • Bands
  • Video Premiere

London Synth Pop Outfit Idle Youth Debut Video for “Disconnect”

  • Alice Teeple
  • August 4, 2022
View Post
  • Classic Bands
  • Tour Dates

German Darkwave Legends Pink Turns Blue to Embark on 2022 “Tainted” Tour in North America and Europe

  • Alice Teeple
  • August 1, 2022
View Post
  • Bands
  • Collaborations
  • Video Premiere

Kill Shelter Teams up with Beborn Beton in the Video for “In This Place”

  • post-punk.com
  • July 30, 2022
View Post
  • Bands
  • Video Premiere

Los Angeles Synthpop Outfit CD GHOST are Knights Wandering the Desert in Their Video for “Nowhere”

  • Alice Teeple
  • July 29, 2022
View Post
  • Bands

Darkwave Project Redder Moon Release Remix EP RMX II (July High Versions)

  • Alice Teeple
  • July 29, 2022
View Post
  • Classic Albums
  • Classic Bands
  • Reissues

The Cure Announce Deluxe Reissue of “Wish” with “Lost Wishes” EP and 21 Unreleased Demos

  • post-punk.com
  • July 28, 2022




Facebook
Social Links
Facebook 265K Likes
Twitter 13K Followers
Instagram 179K Followers
Spotify 0




Post-Punk.com
© Copyright POST-PUNK.COM 2022
35 years ago today, The Smiths released “Girlfriend in a Coma”, a single from the band's final studio album “Strangeways, Here We Come” 506 3
40 years ago today, Duran Duran released "Save A Prayer", the third single from their album Rio. 651 14
Dark Electronic Duo She 1 · Him 2 Debut Cyberpunk Video for “Stuck Inside” 180 2
Goth Pop Duo Wingtips Face a Difficult Decision in their Video for "Cross the Line" 605 5
On this day in 1988, INXS released their single 'Never Tear Us Apart' 812 12
Happy 62nd Birthday to U2's David Howell Evans, aka The Edge. 2K 15

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Please support Post-Punk.com! You can do so via...
  • Patreon:
  • Directly via Paypal:
  • Or by using our new Contact form here:
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT