Channelling the views of angsty Millennials in an age where people are hardly ever offline, Lyena looks at stories of self-entitlement, gender division, homelessness and loss. Using a unique breed of grunge and alt-rock, the three lads from London are making a name for themselves. We chatted with Lyena about their new single ‘Reign’, discovering new music and future plans.
Why did you choose to enter the music industry?
We never really chose to get into the music industry, we just wanted to play songs that meant something to us and something we can have fun with. The music industry is a by-product of being in a band, not the other way around.
What can you tell us about your release ‘Reign’?
‘Reign’ is the third single we’ve released and was written last year when everything around us was going to shit. We wanted to write a track to try and capture the climate of Britain during a period where we felt the voices of people like us weren’t being heard. The whole song just captures the frustration we were feeling in the lead up to Brexit and another general election.
What was the recording and writing process like?
The track started with us wanting to write a song for our set which wasn’t as intense and would give us a chance to catch our breath. Our writing process is usually very organic and spontaneous and for ‘Reign’ it was no different. We build on an idea layer by layer until the song pretty much writes itself. We had the main hook of the song which we wanted to build around and everything just blossomed.
We worked with Jonny Coddington from Bottle Rocket Recording who is an amazing producer. He really understood how we wanted the track to sound and managed to create that eerie tension we wanted in ‘Reign’.
What do you hope people take from the single?
If people listen to our music and take anything at all away from it then we’ve done what we’ve set out to do. This track is really about standing up for what you believe in and not being a bystander when things don’t go how you’d imagined.
What is more challenging for you – melody or lyrics?
Lyrics without a doubt. Melody comes naturally and lyrics have to be worked on. We try and write melodies as we go and lyrics are the final piece of the puzzle once everything else fits.
Describe your music in three words.
Abrasive, sensitive and honest.
What do you think is the best way to discover new music?
Going to shows and seeing bands live is definitely our favourite way to discover and support local artists. Also just speaking to our mates about music and sharing what we’ve been listening to. We draw inspiration from everything around us and finding and listening to new music we love is really refreshing.
What is on the cards for Lyena?
We had a few shows in the UK and around Europe planned, but at this moment in time we just want to play a show. We don’t know when we’ll be able to play live again so it’s really difficult to say. We’re heading back into the studio in a few weeks to record some new tracks that we want to release before the end of the year.
What advice do you have for any person planning to become a musician?
Surround yourself with people who will give you honest feedback and who you can talk to about music. That and just play whatever you want even if you don’t think it fits a genre.
Do you have any message for our readers?
Support your local scene.
The post In Conversation with Lyena appeared first on Turtle Tempo.
