Upcoming Cardiff based indie band Inland Murmur consists of members Hannah (bass and vocals), Toby (vocals, guitar and drums), & Alan (guitar), who aim to capture the attention of music lovers everywhere through their charismatically captivating musical style.
Recently, Inland Murmur released the brand new single “Waterline” & have kindly spoken to Fierce & Fabulous Revolution about their latest musical piece.
You can check out the full interview below.
Hey Inland Murmur, thank you for this interview. Can you start by telling the readers a little bit about yourself?
Hannah: Hey, it’s Hannah here from Inland Murmur. We are a Cardiff based, unsigned indie band. Toby and I, who front the band, grew up in rural Carmarthenshire and take a huge amount of inspiration from the Welsh landscapes of home. We formed in London and gigged a number of independent venues in the year before lockdown.
When did you first discover your passion for music?
Hannah: I first discovered my passion for music whilst at school in Wales. Music is a huge part of the culture there and playing instruments was massively encouraged. I played clarinet and saxophone before moving on to bass and starting to play in bands.
Alan got into music properly in his teens after a friend got his first guitar and asked if Alan could steal his sister’s bass to learn some blink 182 songs. A couple of pop punk songs later, he picked up a guitar and started branching into the indie music side of things.
Toby grew up with a twin sister and discovered that playing music was a great way to annoy her. Drums were especially effective.
How did the idea to form Inland Murmur come together?
Hannah: Inland Murmur formed officially last year, ironically just before lockdown, but prior to that Toby had been writing songs for many years and playing in other bands. Inland Murmur has become the outlet for his songwriting and our creativity as a group.
How would you describe your musical style to someone unfamiliar with your music?
Hannah: We’re primarily an indie band but our sound ranges within that from ambient and folky to upbeat pop. A key element of the band’s sound is the interplay between my vocals and Toby’s. This is an aspect we’ve been working on recently.
You recentl released the brand new single “Waterline”. How did the idea for this single come together?
Hannah: Toby wrote this one during the first national lockdown, and it was a very cathartic process. There was a sense of pressure surrounding the extra time at home and a perceived need to create more. Waterline was written over a productive weekend and helped smash through the pressure of creating.
Did you always know that you would release “Waterline” as a single?
Hannah: After releasing our first single ‘Icarus’ last year we were deliberating which of the songs we had been playing live we should record for our next single. There wasn’t a particular song that was leaping out at us but then one afternoon Toby played us a song he’d just written. It was punchy and we knew it needed to be the next single!
What does the song personally mean to you?
Hannah: This song means a lot to me because it’s written as a reflection on grief as a result of loss during the pandemic and how nature can help us cope with loss. I like the way the upbeat nature of the music contrasts with the darkness of the lyrics.
How did your family & friends react to this forthcoming release?
Hannah: This is the first release that I’ve ever sung lead vocals on so unsurprisingly my family and friends are super excited. Alan’s friends and family are really excited to hear the new single and have been tuning into the radio plays so far to have a listen! They’re gutted they can’t come to a gig to hear it live, but are hoping to be able to come and see us all play soon.
What message would you like listeners to take away from this song?
Hannah: There’s nothing like a global pandemic for some extra self-reflection. Hopefully we’ll all be able to realise what’s important once we’re on the other side of it. Listeners should picture the water and the tide as an image of self-renewal.
What are some of the things you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Hannah: I love walking in the Welsh countryside, Toby and I enjoy a bit of mountain biking and I really enjoy cooking. When not playing music Alan is usually out and about on his bike exploring Oxfordshire and purchasing more house plants.
Finally, is there a message that you would like to share with the readers of Fierce & Fabulous Revolution?
Hannah: Keep your wonderful community going. Supporting grassroots and upcoming musicians has never been more important. We can’t wait for the day when we can play some songs for you in a tiny venue that’s absolutely packed with lovely people.
You can check out “Waterline” on Spotify below or purchase on iTunes here.
Inland Murmur: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram.
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