We had a chat with rising UK indie rock artist Bastie about his stellar new third single ‘Trouble’
We’ve already gushed about Bastie‘s third single ‘Trouble’ in our review of the track (which you can find here), but it’s worth repeating that we can’t get enough of the rising artist’s latest release, falling for everything from the artist’s signature, raspy vocal style to the instantly memorable chorus that dominates a track that oozes charisma and cool.
The former ‘BBC Introducing Artist of The Week’ feels like he is really coming into his own on the track, boasting the all-encompassing, swaggering appeal that most of the great UK indie artists seem to embody, and carving out a sound that feels unique and entirely his own. Beguiled by the new release, we had a chat with Bastie to find out some more about the track, how it came together and what inspired him to craft its sultry narrative.
Hey! We love your new single ‘Trouble’, what more can you tell us about it?
It’s the first of a number of singles I’m set to release this year. I was going out a lot in Soho at the time and loved this bar which stays open into the early hours. The atmosphere, to me anyway, always felt hedonistic with copious amounts of booze being consumed and never quite knowing how the evening would end, but in a fun way. I’m probably over-romanticising it now, but there was something exciting about being happily led astray in that setting. After one such night, I wrote Trouble pretty quickly for me, with the melodies and lyrics coming almost immediately.
What was the process like putting it together?
I’ve been working with Nick Brine for a couple of years now. He worked on some of the Oasis stuff back in the day, so I always feel pleasantly surprised when he wants to record another track with me. Normally we like to get a good guitar / vocal take and then work on production, but I’d lost my voice the previous night after a gig so we did it the other way around which gave us much more time to experiment with different sounds and also add a sax part which I’ve always hankered after. The sax felt right in Trouble as a nod to the music they often played at the bar in Soho.
What were your biggest influences when creating the track?
It’s tricky to say because I wrote this song so fast, but I was definitely listening to a lot of Parov Stelar at the time, not that this track sounds similar to his electro swing, but I like to think it has a similar energy.
There is a real grit and rawness to your sound and your vocals in particular, is that something that you’re keen to maintain on your releases?
Yes, definitely! Most of the songs I write, suit that raspy vocal style. I guess I probably write that way to accommodate it and it’s fun to sing live. However, sometimes it doesn’t always suit the song, especially if the song is more of a ballad, but on the whole – yes!
What else do you have planned for the near future?
Quite a bit actually. I’ve got another song coming out in June which I’m looking forward to sharing and quite a few festivals coming up. I’m playing on the main stage at Lakefest this year which is going to be fantastic fun. I’m currently getting a band together for it because it’s a pretty big event and I want to make a bit of an impression. I’ve also been invited back to play on the main stage at Pub in the Park. Last year I had a ball playing there so I’m looking forward to going back. You can also catch me at this year’s Carfest – It’s a great event that raises millions for children’s charities.
