Becky Jones first announced herself as Saint Saviour with two critically acclaimed self released EPs. We fell for her earlier this year so much so that we wrote PFTPs piece upon the quality of her work and vocal talents. Now, she is ready to unleash her debut album ‘Union’ next week. The first release, I Call This Home, is a fitting introduction to her dark, seductive world, and marks her out as one to captivate in 2012. GIITTV’s very own Lisa Jenkins caught up with Becky on the eve of the release of her Pledge funded debut album.
Since I last spoke to you in December of last year A LOT of things have been happening. Can you tell us about them?
Ooh I can’t even remember that far back! I finished my album in December and I have spent every day since then plotting the release, finding money, rehearsing and plotting the live show, writing millions of bonus tracks and cover versions, re-mixing and re-mastering, having artwork and videos created, fulfilling all my pledges for PledgeMusic, gigging, it’s endless.
For those readers who may not be familiar with your work, how would you describe your sound?
Conscious Pop!
You went down a very different route to get your music out there, namely Pledge Music, to get your debut album ‘Union’ released. Please tell us why.
It was the only way presented to me that would allow me to release my album in a time frame I was happy with.
What can we expect from Union?
It’s very dynamic and emotive. It’s not really a dinner party listen.
Your new video for ‘I Call This Home’ is stunning. What was the inspiration behind it?
Thanks! Tim Brown did all my artwork and made this video, he’s brilliant. We are both huge fans of fire and I guess it symbolises raw and sometimes uncontrolled energy which is quite relevant to my artistic ethos and performance style.
There has already been a remix bundle made of it, some great artists on there. Why them? How do you think they have explored the song, and given it a new twist?
The Maxxi Soundsytem remix is a blinding dancefloor filler, as well as Kissy’s remix. Owsey was my ‘young turk’ producer choice and Run Riot covers the aggressive base! He’s a friend too.
There seems to be a new ‘surge’ of women coming through in electronic music, [You and Grimes being two of them] which is fantastic, why do you think this is?
I think because home production is such a common hobby now, more girls are crossing over into what has always been a male dominated part of the industry (music production) ‘making beats’ on Logic or Ableton is just like playing a videogame now – it’s accessible to everyone and easy to do even on a laptop in your room.
How do you think musical trends have changed in the last year or so?
I pay a lot of attention to vocals and beats and what I can hear is a shift in the importance of having a HUGE soul voice. A year ago all girls sang with Amy Winehouse’s voice and R&B inflections. Now I’m hearing a lot of more clean, smooth voices, along the lines of Elizabeth Fraser or Tracey Thorn. Caroline Polachek rocks my world at the moment. There seems to be more of an emphasis on restraint and space in music.
I know many people are very keen to see you live this year, do you have any dates planned?
Yes I have a European tour planned for July and then I’m just waiting for offers!
Your album launch is on the 27th and 28th June at St Pancras Church. Why did you choose that venue, and do you have anything special planned for those nights?
I wanted the album shows to be intimate, it’s a very small, ancient building, apparently the oldest site of Christian worship in the UK! I’ve got my little lighting boy helping me put a vibe out. The vibe will be strong. My drummer controls the lights with his feet. It’s gonna be rad.
