Hello Chris and Sam thanks for agreeing to talk to us! How are you?
Thanks for chatting with us! We’re doing alright at the moment.
Congratulations on the release of Redeemer, describe it in three words.
Thank you! If we had to pick 3 words they would probably be dark, moody, and heartfelt.
You are a duo from Kingston Ontario, how did Funeral Lakes start out?
We started in spring 2018, self-producing music in our apartment in Vancouver, BC, seeking a creative medium to share our fears and frustrations.
What were your influences?
We draw from a lot of places and different genres. We’re inspired by the storytelling of folk, the energy of punk, and the atmosphere of shoegaze.
What’s your favourite track from it?
It’s hard to choose one favourite, but the one we enjoyed recording the most was Solstice.
Like a lot of new releases in the last 18 months it was recorded at home. What was the easiest and most challenging part of putting it together?
It’s a real privilege to be able to record music at home, but it also allows us to constantly rework and change things around which can be a bit of a slippery slope. It can be hard to know when a song is finished.
Your lyrics are very emotional, especially “There’s Got To Be Something Better Soon”, what was the idea behind that?
It’s a song that came from a very personal place. Like a lot of folks, this past year has involved isolation and separation from friends and family, and the constant worrying of whether your loved ones are okay.
COVID has affected the creative industry in a big way, what has kept you motivated?
Music has always been a way for us to process experiences, so creating this EP was a meaningful way for us to cope with these difficult times.
2020 was a time to reflect what did you learn about yourselves?
It has reminded us how much we value the time spent with our family and friends.
In recording at home did you pick up any new skills?
Every time we work on a new project, we’re learning more as we go. We spent a lot of time on guitar and keyboard tones, and tried to really focus on balance/distinctive parts. So maybe not new skills, but definitely trying to improve on existing ones.
What are you listening to at the moment?
Lately we’ve been listening to lots of Cocteau Twins and F. J. McMahon.
What are you looking forward to doing next?
Hopefully playing live shows, once it’s safe to do so. Otherwise just working on more new music.
