‘Passing Me By’ is Samana’s first release since their BBC 6Music, BBC Introducing and Radio X championed single ‘Harvest’. The Wales-based duo self-produced, recorded and mixed Passing Me By whilst holed-up in a remote part of France while the world was locked down earlier in the year.
Accompanied by a stunning video, also captured from the time spent in France, they explained that “Passing Me By was the product of a one off, improvised vocal and acoustic guitar take, laid to 1/4 inch tape. It is a response to the immediate present, guided by the subconscious; to the velocity of time passing in fragments of visions and feeling.”
Hi Samana! Can you tell us more about your new single, and what inspired it?
Hello! Our new single ‘Passing Me By’ is an insight into the stillness of the mind. This song is about processing feeling in an emotional response to the immediate present.
In an old French barn in the Midi Pyrenees, a 1/4 inch tape wraps itself around the reels. Two wooden chairs sit opposite one another, as we sink into our respective subconscious, meeting together in a plane of intuition, telepathy and togetherness. The lyrics are carved from a part of the self, emulating ancient statues of rocks, shaped by the water of centuries. They conjure the notion of absorbing a moment; it’s pace, it’s gravity, processing something wholly, before it shifts into a different contour, a different perspective, a different weight. The full interpretation of improvised lyrics, born from a language of the subconscious, so fleeting and instinctive, often reveal themselves to me over time, emanating the poetry of the soul. It is for this reason as to why I am so drawn to the exploration of improvised performance, which lies at the heart of the fabric of Samana. The video imbues this concept, as a visual diary, moving through an ever-changing landscape over the course of a day, connecting the environment to the present, as we pass through the surroundings from which this song grew, to a mental state of appreciation and observation.
We seek for our music to emulate a living entity, with the lifeblood being the very performance of each song. We use analogue production and recording methods as a frame to capture the sonics of each space in which the performances are made, and owe our influence predominantly to the landscapes that surround the conception of each song. Our work is the product of a way of life; a medium of expression and documentation as we live it.
Can you tell me a bit about your approach to song-writing: what’s your process and what are the biggest obstacles for you?
Our process is predominantly one of instinct and intuition. For us, the journey of the writing and recording process is incredibly important – it is all about the transparency of feeling, and emotional honesty. We will often record straight to tape, but this can be changeable depending on the mood and intent behind each song, with some requiring more than just the 8 tracks we are limited to when tracking to our Fostex. There is a true beauty in creative limitation, through the onus it places on the elemental facets that lie at the heart of the piece itself, while there is also such weight one can imbue in a piece that mirrors that of our natural surroundings, with the infinite natural nuances that breathe life into landscapes and horizons. The beauty of each approach lies at the heart of the versatility of our approach to songwriting, and inspires us to explore the infinite space between two very different methods of creation.
Where did you record this new music?
The music was recorded in the Southern Barn of what was once a self-sufficient French hamlet, nestled in the foothills of the Midi-Pyrenees. Steeped in history, and built so intricately and carefully with the oak from the forests which surround it, we sought to lend a large part of the sonics of the new music to the space in which it was performed and recorded.
Was it a smooth process?
Our intentions were to drive to France with our recording equipment and to spend a few weeks writing and recording out there. As it happened, after just 3 days, France declared a national lockdown, and we were presented with two options: to return to Wales that day, or to ride out the lockdown out there with no end in sight. We decided to stay, and so our residency was elongated from 2 weeks, to one of more than a quarter of a year. The seemingly infinite amount of time we had, made the process of recording and writing such a wholesome experience that it allowed us to be guided solely by creation, exploring each and every path that it presented to us each day, which seemed to turn like the pages of a book of prose.
How has coronavirus lockdown effected you?
Returning from France, we have since dived back into the restoration of an 18th century farmhouse, nestled deep in the valleys of Wales, which has kept us occupied and has been a real juxtaposition to our time spent out in the MidiPyrenees.
This period of time has been a real wave of tribulation and evaluation. While it has cast a shadow over many facets of our daily lives, depriving many of their loved ones, it has also forced many of us to sit with ourselves. One can only hope that this will contribute to a sense of global objectivity and reflection which is imperative in inspiring necessary changes that mitigate the total global destruction that we have brought upon ourselves as a result of our actions over the years. We are both true believers that good stems from bad, and have ourselves been using this time to contemplate and enact values and actions to alter our behaviour in light of the information at hand. The best one can do is to be the change they wish to see; to be the mirror for others who need it in making the changes themselves.
With live performance being a huge part of our art, the inability to share our music directly has been difficult for both of us. The connection and spirituality of music breathing and expanding in a live domain is something we are deeply missing, but we have been using this time to immerse ourselves into the profoundly breathtaking nature that surrounds us: giving ourselves to the ocean and surf of the magical local coastline, hiking through the moorlands of beacons and visiting ancient sites of spiritual significance.
Have you found it challenging over recent months?
Yes there are definitely certain aspects that have been challenging, whilst other elements have been very beautiful. The physical demand of restoring the farmhouse during these times of extreme pressure has been very testing, but I believe it is how you move forwards from the tribulations of life that defines you. A change of perspective is always necessary for growth.
What’s it been like releasing your new music at such a tough time?
Although there are certain aspects that are challenging during such unprecedented times, now is the time for our work. People on mass seem to be craving honesty and openness in all facets of life, particularly in the realm of art, and it is this very language which we speak.
We are very excited to be receiving the support of the Welsh Arts Council for this next wave of material, which we are to be self releasing under our own label, ‘The Road Records’
What is next for you?
This year shall be a very active year for us, and we will be throwing convention out the window when it comes to releasing new music. We’re very excited to share our new work with the world and are eager to respond to the inevitable changes that are brought about by such a time of great uncertainty. Without giving too much away, we’ll be dropping our next track “The Glory Of Love” on the 24th of September, which was another improvised piece, and one which we feel is very poignant for such a time.
Any plans for the rest of this year and 2021?
What with releasing the new wave of material, we are also very excited to complete the renovation of our home and recording studio in Wales, with a view of moving towards self-sufficiency on both a creative and subsistence level. Whilst we seek a sense of stillness for 2021, we also hope to restore the balance of movement through the form of sharing our music on the road, hiking and throwing some surfing into the mix.
