Haiku Salut in all their glory
What kind of music do you make?
We make part electronic, part classical, part folk music. In the past people have likened us to Yann Tiersen who wrote the Amelie soundtrack, múm and Aphex Twin, which are all complementary comparisons.
As an instrumental band, you seem fond of keeping it fresh by using multiple instruments each throughout sets - what does your usual kit comprise of? Are you all proficient on all instruments, or do you all have a favourite?
We have a semi-circle of instruments consisting of a sampler, glockenspiel, keys, accordion, classical guitar, ukulele and trumpet with drums dotted between. We’ve got an increasing army of effects pedals too. Most of the instruments we can all play to a certain degree but Gemma is the only one who plays the trumpet, Louise doesn’t play the guitar, although I’m sure she could, and I don’t go near the drums. When we’re in the process of writing, melodies or chord progressions are often written on one instrument and then given to another - then it’s about working out who is most proficient at playing that piece on that instrument. That’s how we ended up swapping instruments throughout songs.
The term 'Baroque pop' is part of how you describe your sounds - do you have a favourite Baroque-period composer or instrument?
Gemma plays classical guitar and in the past has taken influence from the classical composer Erik Satie, he wrote Gymnopédie which you may recognise. He wasn’t Baroque as such but was the precursor to neo-Baroque genres and minimalism. Also the first song off our first EP has harpsichord on it, it doesn’t get more baroque than that!
You brought us the lamp shows, which were blinking amazing, and now you're playing at the Galleries of Justice in the Victorian Court. What can we expect from your live show this time around?
We have a new album coming out this summer so we’ll be trying out a few new songs amongst ones from our last album Tricolore. We’re excited to have people hear them, it's good to gauge everyone’s reaction to the new sounds and shape our set into something that works best. You can't always tell until you're in front of an audience. This is the last show of the tour though so we'll be at our peak. Smash hit set.
Also, how on earth did you convince them that this would be an ideal gig venue? Have they ever - in your knowledge - had a gig in the courtroom?
We’ve never played in a courtroom before. The lovely Hello Thor people really pulled out all the stops on this one. I did some research on the place just yesterday and found that the courtroom of Galleries of Justice was the place they dissected the bodies of the executed criminals. We’ve never played in a morgue either...
Visually the lamp show will be difficult to follow. Have you any tricks up your sleeves to blow our minds?
I suppose we’ve always thought very laterally, it’s nice to perform to different audiences from different scenes and present our music to people in different ways. That’s how the idea of the lamp show originally came about. We wanted to make a special occasion you know? What you’ll have on the 9th May is pure haiku.
You're having a good old run up and down the country - are any of the other venues going to be quite as unique as the Galleries of Justice?
We’re playing on a boat in Bristol and a church in London both of which we’ve played before and are incredible places but this is definitely a new one.
Any festivals coming up this summer that you'll be playing at? Any that you're particularly excited about, and if so, can you say why?
Yes! We’re privileged to have been asked to play at Liverpool Sound City at the end of May and also Cloudspotting festival in July alongside our favourites Dutch Uncles, Rozi Plain and Lovely Eggs. We’re also off to play Cosyden Festival in Sweden this summer to play in an anarchist villa by a lake, can’t wait.
Have your haiku skills weakened or strengthened over the time you've been in the band?
Definitely strengthened! We write a haiku each every show we do (there are only so many things to do in a van) so we’re in good practice these days. We released a book of the best ones called Japanese Poems Steal Brains at the end of last year which is kind of a tour memoir and kind of a documentation of what it is to be Haiku Salut.
Go on, it's terribly unoriginal, but give us a haiku about law and order and music…
The haiku police
Never let Sophie near drums.
The unwritten law.
Haiku Salut will be playing at the Galleries of Justice, on Saturday 9 May 2015, at 7.30pm, for £7. You can buy tickets here.
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
