Spotlight On... Cloth
We shine a spotlight on Glasgow duo Cloth following the release of their latest EP, Low Sun, on Mogwai's Rock Action Records label
Glasgow duo Cloth – twin siblings Rachael and Paul Swinton – released their Low Sun EP via Mogwai's Rock Action Records label last Friday. More of the spacious compositions we've come to love from the pair are present across the EP's four tracks, with a noticeably darker and moodier feel than on their eponymous debut. A week on from the release of Low Sun, we shine a spotlight on Cloth to find out more about the EP, their move to Rock Action, and what's next for the pair.
There’s a great balance in sound across Low Sun, but it’s definitely on the darker side of the Cloth oeuvre. How did you arrive at this sound and can you tell us about some of the themes found across the EP?
We wrote the majority of the EP during lockdown which was a pretty rough time for most, so I think the bleakness of that time definitely found its way into the music we were writing. I think, without the usual distractions, it was an easy time to dwell on anything that was troubling or upsetting, so songs like Sidecar and Old Stories, for example, explore the sort of crippling overthinking that was so easy to fall into during that time.
I’m fascinated by the emotion you manage to carry in the spaciousness of your music, especially on the new EP. How do you go about creating these moods on record? Is there anyone/anything in particular that inspires your music making?
We’ve always been drawn to spacious, minimal music which allows lyrics and instrumentation to breathe and attract attention in their own right. It’s a lot easier to build a strong mood or convey emotion using a few choice elements than layering up loads of stuff, we find. There are a lot of musical and visual artists who we take inspiration from for that sort of thing. A band like Beach House for example make beautiful use of space in their music – they can stop you in your tracks with just a single synth and drum line.
You’ve recently signed to Rock Action, which feels like a great fit. What’s it been like working with the label? And is Low Sun just the first taste of what’s to come?
It’s been amazing working with Rock Action! When we first started Cloth we looked up to the label so much. We loved the fact that each artist on the label was unique and fearlessly creative in their own way. There’s just no other band that sounds like Arab Strap, for example. To be welcomed into the fold with our own music is something we’re super proud of. We can confirm that we’re working together on something very exciting which will be released next year – watch this space!
What are your plans for the rest of the year and beyond?
We’ve just finished a short tour in support of the EP, so we’re looking forward to getting back into the studio and doing a bit of writing. We get a little antsy when we don’t have the time to just sit across from each other and workshop ideas on the guitars. Beyond that, we’ve a few other really exciting shows in the works which we’ll be announcing very soon, as well as the aforementioned mysterious recording project…
Low Sun is out now via Rock Action Records
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