Native Speaker On the Making Of “aqua therapeutic”
What was the creative process like for this particular song?
PAV: We started jamming a looped 5/4 motive, an idea which we got really hooked on and got excited about during one of the rehearsals. The chord progression in the chorus is a more melodic counter-balance to the verses. The vocals were added at the last stage. We mixed the song in a demo version in a home studio.
Were there any memorable or standout moments during the recording sessions for "aqua therapeutic?"
When at some point we noticed the song was just too long! We decided to shorten it slightly, which made it flow more naturally and avoided repetition, which we only deduced after having the whole picture of the composition. More and more ideas seemed to come from each of us so it was a question of being brutal and deciding what was best for the song. Difficult to do when you’ve been through a few versions of it but we collaborate well.
Working on dynamics was also a key moment in the overall development of the song and something we had to work on a few sessions to make sure we got it right for the overall success of the song.
Is there a particular message or theme you hope listeners take away from "aqua therapeutic?"
This song is a musical journey told in a few parts. We move, we rest, we chase, we sleep and we arrive at the destination. The lyrics question the aims we take, ask about the routes to be taken, should you follow any guides in your life, or rely more on your gut feelings. Taking any of the routes you can always get into trouble feeding into a system you wouldn’t think you wanted to support. So it’s an exploration of uncertainty in relation to the mechanics of how the world and the brutal reality works..
How did your band members initially come together?
The current line-up is just a result of a natural evolution and a bit of luck and coincidence. Going with the flow and allowing yourself to be open to life events just makes things possible to happen..
It’s practically a love story! Pav (guitar, vocals) and Ben (bass) met 2 years ago through Joinmyband (it’s an equivalent of a dating site for musicians searching for band mates in the UK!) and then in a shared rehearsal studio in London, Waterloo. We had a good chat about music and inspirations and found their musical influences overlapping and also mutually inspirational. Pav was previously engaged in many projects over the 20 years while living in Poland and then in the UK (Kfaza, Moto, Complete Radio Silence, Mutiny in Heaven), influenced by the emotional and expressive vibe contained in the sound of Joy Division, Sonic Youth, Nick Cave, Radiohead, was still hungry of writing new songs. Ben, a guitarist turned bass player, is a versatile composer and dynamic driver in the band, with a history of participating in a few previous bands in London before moving to Italy where he contributed to a variety of different musical projects.
We jammed together and worked on a new material for a couple of months and with a few ideas taking shape, decided to search for a drummer. Following a few auditions, trying to create the mood and dynamics of the imagined super-sound, we were joined by Alessandra who we considered a hidden but unearthed gem perfectly fitting the mood and the dynamic of the band that was emerging.
Following a few gigs and developing creative process, the group, then called Waterwork (paying respect to all three members being Pisces), was joined by Gianfranco - a guitarist specialising in making atmospheric and dramatic sound landscapes.
Following a long debate we had decided on naming the band NATIVE SPEAKER - which could be freely interpreted, but also explained in more depth, on another occasion.
What do you enjoy most about performing live and connecting with your audience?
It’s really the whole experience and excitement of performing our music to people and getting feedback. Seeing people smiling and cheering at the end of a song of a gig - it makes you feel like you gave something to people - something they appreciate and that makes them happy. Feeling like you have made a connection whether on some subconscious level through how the music (hopefully!) touches you or through more literal conversations post-gig are a large part of what makes music what it is and why it’s so vital. If we can achieve that - we can say playing live gigs really makes sense. Usually it’s a very social event which allows people to start new relationships, friendships, sometimes professional. It doesn’t always need to relate to the music we had just played, but at least we give people an opportunity and reason to be in one time and one place, which is one of the best rewards.
