Start Listening To: The Early Mornings
There’s a glowing warmth in the stripped-back delivery of The Early Mornings’ music. We got a chance to speak with them about their upcoming EP Unnecessary Creation and gained some insight into their creative process and their in-progress move to London.
For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from, and a little bit about the music that you make?
We’re The Early Mornings, a 3-piece from Manchester (currently in the process of moving to London) and we like music that has a tune.
How has the city of Manchester influenced you as artists?
There are constant reminders of the past. As long as you don’t get stuck in that and keep looking forward, it’s a great city.
What is your songwriting process like?
Varies from song to song, but often we start from a bassline and build around that. I think the bass as a melodic instrument is massively overlooked. Me and Danny will write the lyrics together once we’ve done the music.
How did you produce your upcoming EP Unnecessary Creation?
We recorded it all live in one day.
What is the origin of EP’s title?
There’s a line in a poem I wrote that goes ‘punctuate my days with unnecessary creation’. When we were thinking of a title it just seemed to fit perfectly.
Can you describe some of the themes behind this EP?
Flashes of love, poetry, vitality and colour against a canvas of boredom, aimlessness and mundanity.
Who are some of your biggest influences?
Some of our favourites are The Breeders, The Feelies, The Raincoats, The Velvet Underground. Part of our sound comes from the angular post-punk of bands like Fire Engines, The Fall, Yummy Fur, Pink Section and there’s another side of us which loves the melodic pop of The Kinks, Neil Young, Cate le Bon etc.
We love the first single from this EP, ‘Blank Sky’. Can you tell us more about the lyrics in this track?
I’d rather not say too much. It’s almost a cliché, I know, but I think it’s more interesting to have your own meaning. I’m still not too sure myself. Lines are taken from different things we've written and just kinda thrown together.
Can you tell us more about the video that accompanied this single?
It was very vaguely inspired by the film Buffalo ‘66. When asked about the film, the director, Vincent Gallo, said he didn’t want to be influenced by contemporary music videos or cinema in general, as it was too fast-paced, and I suppose we didn’t either. We wanted to use long, drawn-out, static shots of seemingly forgettable locations. I think their impact is greater when seen together as a collection — the composition and colours all merging and creating a very specific atmosphere.
What are some challenges you’ve faced in the industry so far?
None of us drive, so quite literally getting to gigs is pretty difficult.
What do you hate right now?
Moving house and trying to get your deposit back.
What do you love right now?
Sharing our EP with people and seeing gigs on the horizon again. Saw 8½ by Fellini for the first time recently, which is an amazing film. Also just discovered the art of David Salle and loved it.
Do you have any plans to perform live in 2021?
Just starting to book some dates now but we’ll definitely be back in Manchester on the 12th and 13th of November supporting Porridge Radio at one of our favourite venues, The White Hotel.
Is there any new music from 2021 that you’re enjoying?
What else can we expect from you in 2021? Any more releases planned?
We’ll have to see how things go; there could be a second EP.
Do you have any final life lessons or tips for our readers?
Always have some MSG in your cupboards. It’s just racist misinformation that it’s really bad for you and some dishes just won’t be right without it.
