Spotlight On... Amulet

Following their eponymous debut EP last June, Glasgow pair Joseph Flower and Isaac Tendler, together known as Amulet, released a follow-up at the weekend. Amulet II sees Flower and Tendler draw inspiration from their respective folk heritages; the use of looped electric guitar, analogue synths, field recordings and samples from different folk cultures make for two gorgeously textural eight-minute-long warm, meditative and delicate incantations. To find out more, we catch up with Flower and Tendler for our first Spotlight On… of the year.

First of all, I’d love to know more about the two of you. What influence did music have on you both growing up, and do you carry any of those influences into your practice now?
Isaac Tendler: My mum is a music teacher and plays in a lot of groups. Growing up I listened to lots of world folk with her, and my dad introduced me to artists he loves like Leonard Cohen, Nina Simone and ANOHNI. As a teenager I listened to heavy, rhythmic music (Meshuggah, Tool), which led to doom and drone metal (Om, Earth), which led to some of the instrumental and ambient artists I listen to today (Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Éliane Radigue). I still carry those influences, along with some folkier ones, though Joseph does well to curb my heavier tendencies.

Joseph Flower: Similarly, my family is very musical and I come from a long line of church organists. It’s the primary way I’ve developed a network wherever I’ve lived, meeting people who play music and working together. One of the wonderful things about Glasgow is its DIY scene and the opportunity to meet so many folks doing exciting work. While my tastes change over time, I definitely hold onto this idea of music as a social practice. It’s all about the opportunities for collaboration.

How did the two of you meet, and what inspired you to start making music together as Amulet?
Tendler: Joseph worked in a greengrocer round the corner from my old flat and we got chatting there. We were both new to Glasgow and I’d been looking for someone to play music with since moving. We tried jamming together and it just clicked.

Flower: When I met Isaac I had been playing keys and synths in other bands but always as a supporting part. In Amulet it feels more fundamental to the sound and I really appreciate that. We’ve always had a lovely dynamic when we play. We always practice in my flat, generally around a large meal, and it feels very safe and comforting, which I think in a weird way is reflected in the sound.

What’s the process like for combining different facets of your respective folk heritages and how does the seed of an idea turn into these ambient textured pieces of music?
Flower: Having known a lot of serious trad musicians I sometimes feel a bit fraudulent talking about my folk heritage. A lot of trad music has a self-preserving instinct that can sometimes feel elitist. I try not to think about being true to the nature of folk music (whatever that means). I prefer to think about whether what I’m doing is respectful to the music of the past or exploitative of it. If I was on TikTok doing Highland dancing by Edinburgh Castle I might feel differently. In terms of our process – generally we start with a single sample or melody and play with it for a while.

Tendler: We love finding tiny fragments and expanding them. For me it comes from a place of fixation: when I come across a moment of sound that I love, I want to dwell in it for as long as possible. We work reflexively, rather than planning in advance. We see how it feels in the room at that moment and treat each time as its own occurrence. Afterwards we talk about how it felt and try again until something that feels right emerges.

I’d love to know a bit more about the two tracks that make up Amulet II. Are you able to go into a little more detail on what each is about and what inspired these songs?
Tendler: The starting point for each is a different sample. Uamh an Òir (Cave of Gold) features a recording of Joseph’s sister, Izzy Flower, singing a traditional Gaelic song of the same name. The song tells the story of a piper who becomes entombed in a cave. The second track features a recording of a Zhok, a Klezmer dance rhythm, played by Romanian musicians in Warsaw in 1912.

Both tracks take Uamh an Òir as a metaphor for folk culture: whilst trapped, the piper and their story stays alive, though not unchanged, as long as their song continues to be sung. For both pieces, we’re reflecting on musical and folk traditions, and whether it’s possible to authentically continue or revive a culture that has been lost or changed so drastically.

You celebrated the launch of the EP at Radio Buena Vida over the weekend. How was the launch, and what does the rest of this year look like for Amulet?
Flower: It’s a privilege to have Buena Vida in our lives. I’m a producer at the station and we occasionally host a show there too. We’ve met amazing people and had some really special opportunities come from the platform. The launch was a lovely night, shared with dear friends and some very welcome strangers. We were honoured to celebrate the release with some of our favourite local artists, Louary and mokusla, and international radio producer Surya Elango.

Next we’re working on some new recordings, planning for live dates in England in March, and preparing for a residency at Knockvologan on the Isle of Mull in April [...] We're excited for the year ahead!

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Amulet II is out now

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