The Agency... On the Making Of “Harbour Song”
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind "Harbour Song" and the story it tells?
"Harbour Song" draws from the myth of Hero and Leander, but with a darker twist. In the original, Hero's candle goes out by accident, leading Leander to drown while trying to reach her across the sea. In our version, the story takes on a more gothic feel—the sea itself becomes a kind of spirit that deliberately extinguishes the light and lures the mortal to his doom. The idea was to kind of take something like a sea shanty and turn it all dark and ethereal, with a touch of the supernatural. So, it’s become a gothic call and response duet. Elise and Rosa from The Samphires do an amazing job of bringing the response vocal to life, making the spirit seem indifferent to the fate it causes. E’ve also got to thank our bassist Andy Ludbrook and his partner in crime for the production, which really enhances the eeriness and disquiet we were looking for in the song.
How do you feel this song represents your artistic identity?
Well, we’re an Indie Rock band and "Harbour Song" definitely shows our gentler side. But it blends that narrative style with a dark, almost cinematic atmosphere, which has been a hallmark of our sound for a while. The kosmische guitar textures, baritone vocals, and duet structure all weave together to create something that otherworldly. Again, the production is so strong, even I hear something new every time I listen to it. We’re all about finding chinks of light in the dark. There’s real juxtaposition between the darkness of the verses and optimism in the choruses “oh, for your light, I would go much further”.
What was your favourite moment in making the music video?
The video as you have it was actually done using AI. Malcolm was the genius behind it. I was just sent it and was wowed by how authentic the images looked. I mean, those people don’t exist but they look like Hollywood actors. The ideal is still to make a real action video, we have a cinematographer ready to shoot something at our local coast line around Whitley Bay just outside of Newcastle upon Tyne. We are so lucky to have that seascape to lean into. At the moment, believe it or not, scheduling is our main issue. We need to get quite a few people together and we’re going on tour in the week the single comes out. So watch this space. But if we can shoot something at our local coast line that brings the song to life in all its gothic glory, it will be very special indeed.
Are there any specific themes or messages that you aim to convey through your music?
A lot of our music explores themes of struggle, resilience, and the shadows that linger in everyday life. We’re drawn to stories that have a bit of darkness to them—whether it’s a myth, like with "Harbour Song," or just the quiet desperation of modern life. There’s plenty of the latter on our last album In the Haunted Woods. We’re not trying to push a particular message, but rather evoke certain feelings, inviting listeners to explore their own interpretations. The idea is to create a sonic world where people can find something that resonates with them on a deeper level. That said, the next album does maybe offer more light than our previous work, it’s maybe a warmer record, if that’s possible from us.
Are there any upcoming projects or releases that you're particularly excited about?
Yes, we’ve got more singles lined up for release in the coming months, leading up to our next album. We’ve been experimenting with some new sounds and ideas, and I think this record will be our most cohesive yet, while still pushing some boundaries. I think the next single, after “Harbour Song” might surprise people, but I don’t want to say too much at this stage. The tour is also a big one for us; it’s been a while since we’ve hit the road, and we’re looking forward to reconnecting with audiences, playing new material as well as some familiar tracks from previous albums. It’s going to be great to meet new audiences as well, we’ve actually got a run of dates in the South – so we’ll be literally treading new territory.
