“This time around we wanted the work to feel light, free and joyous, make quicker decisions, not get bogged down in details, you can really only achieve this by keeping things simple.” Katy tells us about their more stripped-back songwriting process for the forthcoming third album Hello Baby Okay, which, in contrast to the last album Swimming Static – very studio-focused and meticulously layered – emerged from free-flowing jam sessions. Sometimes it’s exactly these things that hold their charm when they’re not polished to perfection, allowing the authenticity of the moment to remain.
And there’s something else new on the album Hello Baby Okay. It features the first true love song by Elder Island, the recently released and absolutely wonderful track Snapshot. It was one of the last songs that Katy Sargent, Luke Thornton, and David Havard wrote for the album, “…where the session had reached a flow state,” and it’s truly a love song that makes you fall in love. In the end, it always comes back to love – something we keep reaching for.
“We wanted Snapshot to feel like a journey.” And that’s exactly how it feels – a journey you can sink into, accompanied by beautiful string elements, a gentle melody, and at the same time a cool, driving energy that the track carries through its rhythm.
I’ve had the song on repeat so many times already, and I also fell totally in love with the mesmerizing video that was directed by the Bristol photographic lab Photographique and reflects on memory, family, and the fragile permanence of photographs.
We also spoke with the talented trio about how their backgrounds in fine art, photography, and graphic design shape their musical work through the use of visual imagery to help sculpt songs, why it was so important for them to take a break from the music industry, and which mantra was written on a whiteboard in the studio when they began working on the album.
photography by Nic Kane and Kin40k
I’ve just been watching the video for your new single ‘Snapshot’ from the forthcoming album Hello Baby Okay, and I’ve had the song on repeat. It pulls you into a world of emotion and nostalgia – layered, beautiful and liberating. As your first true love song, is it dedicated to anyone personally? And how does it feel to release your first “real” love song?
It feels unchained for sure! I revel in listening to love songs, it’s strange it’s taken so long to really lean into one and open up. Maybe it’s reaching a point where you’re comfortable in love or maybe it’s not caring as much. So glad you’re enjoying the feel of the track, we really worked on the emotive quality of this one.
Katy, you’ve previously said you used to write in a deliberately convoluted way because you didn’t want people to know exactly what your songs were about. But with this album you embraced the old design motto: K.I.S.S. – keep it simple, stupid. What led you to take that approach this time?
I guess one element was to do things differently to the last album. I’m very proud of what we achieved with ‘Swimming Static’ but we spent a long time over it; over focusing, over thinking. It’s intricate but also heavy. This time around we wanted the work to feel light, free and joyous, make quicker decisions, not get bogged down in details, you can really only achieve this by keeping things simple. In terms of songwriting there’s still a little entanglement here and there but I’m hoping that the topline reads clearer!
“Overall, for me this album evokes the warm, carefree light of the sun, a nostalgic light you see in vintage photographs taken on holiday.”
Your backgrounds (Katy in fine art, Luke in photography, and David in graphic design) clearly influence the way you make music and your work on the new album. Could you say more about what role it played for Hello Baby Okay? Do you often have something visual in mind before the sounds and melodies appear?
We often use visual imagery to help sculpt songs. Concepts usually stem from the original sessions of us playing together that get explored while working out the full lyrics. Eventually we lean into the chosen visual theme to sculpt the soundscape of the finished track. There’s a track that will be released in May along with the album that was formed around a Picasso painting of a cat and a lobster fighting or maybe dancing? We had some fun with that one. Overall, for me this album evokes the warm, carefree light of the sun, a nostalgic light you see in vintage photographs taken on holiday. Golden moments, rose tinted. You can see this theme in the cover art, a literal translation in ‘snapshot’ but even in something like ‘Pink Lemon’ where we used classic 90s filters like the ‘Mutronic Murator’ to add a slight vintage character and warmth.
You collaborated with the photographic lab Photographique to create the video for Snapshot. It’s so awesome! First of all, where did you shoot it?
The rolling hills are an iron age hill fort just outside of Bristol that offer incredible views. The house is an old Tudor hunting lodge, once a family home, it is now slightly dilapidated and in the process of being renovated but still holds a resilient beauty.
The video plays with the idea that a photograph captured in a split second can later feel staged and emotionally loaded. In a world saturated with snapshots, that feels especially resonant. Did that thinking shape your approach to the video, or was the focus more on translating the song visually?
The wonderful thing about working with other people to realise their creative idea for a video is the new angles and concepts they bring to the track. The person the song Snapshot is dedicated to works at the photo lab ‘Photographique’. I asked if they would be up for directing the video as part of Photographique. For me, this creative alliance represented that element of the song without having to focus on it visually. It meant we could really lean into the ‘Snapshot’ theme mentioned. A photo representing something that can hold such significance but that’s only realised in a fraction of a second.
Who appears in the very old photos that can be seen toward the end of the video?
We wove the history and location of the house we used into the fabric of the video. The older photographs featured belonged to the last occupants of the house who passed on without any heirs. There was something poignant about using these bygone, neglected photographs to commemorate their lives, but also to outline the long running magnitude and emotional attachment we hold for photographs.
“The industry often feels like a runaway train, one that if you step off you won’t be able to get back on…”
I love all of your style in the video, and I saw, Katy, that you were the stylist. (smiles) Where do you draw your inspiration for styling from?
It started when working with director Nic Kane on the 1st single, ‘Ordinary Love’ video. We referenced a selection of euro-spy movies which brought in a 60/70s look, but we wanted to keep a modern twist and not be too exact, to let the aesthetic develop freely. That video was all about creating characters, we referenced the hyper-real, retro glam style of photographers like Alex Prager who in turn was heavily influenced by the photography of Willam Eggleston. This ‘character’ theme carried through the rest of the videos, applied to the domestic element of ‘Pink Lemon’ and the slight English rural manor house look in ‘snapshot’. The biggest influence I have to say is what I could get my hands on for a reasonable price between ebay, vinted and local charity and vintage shops!
Playfulness and joy run through the new album, almost as a counterpoint to the times we’re living in. But when you first started working on it, you weren’t in the best place – the pandemic had upended your touring schedule and left little room to recharge. What helped you find your way back to making music with the right energy?
Taking time out – the industry often feels like a runaway train, one that if you step off you won’t be able to get back on, but we knew if we didn’t get off we’d just run ourselves into the ground. We took some time to reset the business and reconnect with each other. Then, when things felt steady we set the intention to create something uplifting, playful and free. We had a mantra written by a friend on a white board in the studio – Empowering – Reassuring – Euphoric – Transcendental – and we went with it.
In a 2021 interview about Swimming Static, Katy, you shared a message from your dad near the end of the process: “Stop polishing them with your fancy cloth. You just need to release them!” Did that mindset carry into making this album?
(Laughs) Yes we did cut the “polishing” down a little, and limited agonising over minor details that often don’t really matter.
“How we define success? Worthy creation while enjoying the process, self sustaining + good vibes.”
David and Luke, you’ve known each other since you were three years old. Did you ever imagine back then that one day you’d be standing on stage together?
Luke said he used to shout to Dave everyday on the playground. “I bet you can’t wait to be playing on stage together in 30 years time”
Favourite or most personal track on the album?
After all this talk, Snapshot but also Ordinary Love.
How do you define success for yourselves?
Worthy creation while enjoying the process, self sustaining + good vibes.
When was the last time you all partied together?
Maybe a Christmas house party, we’re due a night I reckon.
A perfect Sunday starts with… and ends with…
Starts with coffee (Tea for Dave pls) and ends with Antiques Roadshow
What is the most important thing in life?
There isn’t just one.
Thanks so much for the lovely talk!
Make sure to check out “Snapshot” here: elderisland.lnk.to/Snapshot
Hello Baby Okay will also come with its own limited ‘Snapshot’ edition vinyl. Available exclusively via the Elder Island official store and Bandcamp, the release includes a signed insert and a photo wallet with a selection of stickers and photos taken by the band during the making of Hello Baby Okay.
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