Subsolar Talks New Single, Favourite Instruments And More

 Subsolar creates spacious guitar-led music with soft vocals and an expansive feel, heavily inspired by moments in films that really speak to you, whether you can or can’t explain why. They have released their new single ‘Komorebi’ and chatted to us: 

 

Who is in Subsolar, how did you meet and what do you play?

Subsolar is my personal project, which began during lockdown in 2020. At the time, I didn’t even realise I was starting something new. I just wanted to be back in a band, as my previous one had broken up due to Covid and personal circumstances, with some of us dealing with unwell family members. I guess everything changed for everyone.

 

I’ve always preferred the feeling of collaboration, so even though Subsolar is my project, I like to keep that ‘band energy’ alive. I’ve got some really talented friends from other local and past bands, and I love involving them whenever I can. I never wanted the spotlight to be just on me, which is probably why I went with the name Subsolar instead of using my own.

 

What is your earliest musical memory?

My dad was the reason I started playing guitar. Acoustic guitars were scattered all around our house, and at night I’d sit upstairs on the landing, just out of sight, listening to him play. I think I stayed hidden because I loved hearing him naturally, without performing for me. I didn’t even know if the songs were his or covers at the time, but the first time I heard The Beatles, Kinks or Steely Dan was very likely through him, not the records.

 

When did you begin songwriting?

When my dad worked away during the week, without him knowing I’d mess around with one of his guitars just trying to work out one string at a time. I must’ve been around age 7 or 8. Eventually I got caught and he bought me a little 3/4 acoustic which then pretty much became my life. From there I started to learn a lot of Oasis and Arctic Monkeys songs, but quickly realised I wasn’t that interested in covers. I’d rather jam along to albums, trying to stay in key and just write my own parts.

 

By my late teens, around finishing school and starting uni, I was writing more seriously. My first band in 2017, Greyside, was when I really started putting lyrics and music together. Before that, I’d just scribble lyrics without melodies, not knowing what they were for. Once I started, though, it never really stopped and I often wondered why I hadn’t begun sooner.

 

What is the story/inspiration behind your new single ‘Komorebi’?

Komorebi was heavily inspired by the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and how it reshaped my outlook on situations in my own life, like coming to terms with my Dad’s passing and accepting the end of a long-term relationship during that same time period.

 

I felt like I unlocked this newfound perspective or something, which gave me a deeper understanding of how the good and bad have to naturally coexist in life. How it’s important to embrace and accept, rather than run from the pain that follows when you lose something, or someone, you really cared for.

 

Where did you record the single and who produced it?

I recorded Komorebi at Magic Garden Studios in Wolverhampton with Gavin Monaghan and Liam Radburn. I’ve been going there for years, first with my old band Cherry Lotus. Gavin and Liam have been amazing, they even recorded some of my dad’s original songs before he passed away, which still means the world to me.

 

Any memorable stories from the recording sessions?

There’s always a dryness to the humour at MGS which never fails to crack me up. And I do remember for that particular session, we were using this effect pedal for something and Liam literally had to wear sunglasses just to adjust the settings on it. For some reason the power on button was brighter than the sun.

 

Did you use any particular instruments or equipment to get the sound you wanted?

 

Regarding the guitars, I mess around with a lot of open tunings and use partial capos to get this kind of resonance. So we always seem to use a semi-hollow and a Fender Jaguar paired together to balance the warmth and clarity, which has become a bit of a staple sound for me.

The drums were key for Komorebi too. We blended live and programmed parts to try and fit the different stages the song progresses through. At one point Paul had to play a pretty complex part without being allowed to use the kick drum which was pretty interesting, but when it all came together, the layers just felt seamless and gave the song its dynamics.

 

Which tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest, c) most reflective?

The new EP works as a continuous piece, and I would say it’s all quite reflective. I wouldn’t say happiness or anger are too present in Komorebi or the wider EP, however I’d like to think there’s some sort of underlying hope beneath the struggle of acceptance and solitude which sits at the forefront, there’s a quiet feeling of “it’ll be okay” that threads through it all.

 

Was Komorebi a difficult song to write?

Surprisingly, no. It came quickly. I was hanging out with my mate Benji – we’d had a drink and a smoke like we usually did when we were living together – and I picked up the guitar and played the verse. Within minutes I sang “take a sigh of relief” over it and it was one of those that just sounded good at the time. The next day I wrote the rest of the lyrics and the full acoustic structure. It stayed that way until the studio, where we built it out into what it is now.

 

Who designed the EP artwork?

After finishing the video and colour grade, we really liked the cinematic, grainy look. I was about to move out of my family home, where I’d lived all my life, so I wanted the artwork to reflect that in some way. We ended up taking some improvised shots in the garden, applied a similar colour grade to the video, and went with those for the EP artwork.

 

Does the single’s title have any special meaning?

Yeah definitely, Komorebi is a Japanese word that describes sunlight filtering through trees. I loved the visuals of the flickering light and shadow being a metaphor for the good and bad moments we encounter throughout life, so it felt pretty fitting to use.

 

Is the single accompanied by a visualiser?

Yes, Komorebi is the closing track of the upcoming EP, and we’ve created a full-length video to accompany the whole thing. From the start, we’ve approached this as much as a visual project as a musical one. I think the influence I take from films has really made that an essential part of the process for me.

 

Where is your hometown and how would you describe it in five words?

I’m originally from and still live in Bournemouth. Five words I’d use to describe it would be, homely, nostalgic, beautiful, plucky & introspective.

 

How do you look after your voice?

Honestly, not much! Just the odd Manuka honey tea.

 

Any live dates planned for 2025/26?

Nothing concrete yet, but it’s definitely something I’m planning to get into motion following the release of the EP.

 

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you’ve left the stage?

 

I think about this a lot. In my previous band, I was guilty of trying to write songs that sounded like what was popular at the time, and I’m glad I’ve moved past that. Now, I hope people feel like they’ve heard something genuine and personal, something that isn’t trying to be anything else. These songs showcase some very real times of vulnerability for me, and I guess it would be amazing if people related to that in some way, kind of like how I was moved by Eternal Sunshine (not that I’m comparing my music to that incredible movie!). I guess this is more about what I hope the project achieves overall, rather than a live show. But yeah, that would mean a lot.

 

Any favourite stage gear?

I love my Taylor acoustic, especially running it with some darker effects. I also have a dark blue Hohner guitar that not many people seem to get on with – but I love it. I’ve never seen another one the same and it plays perfectly for the chord clarity I really go for.

 

If you could score a film adaptation of a novel, which would it be and why?

I’m more of a film person than a novel reader, but I’d love to make a music-centred film myself one day. I enjoy writing internal dialogue, almost like someone’s private thoughts, so I imagine it would be something abstract and introspective with a nice soundscape to it.

 

Who are your influences? Any recommendations?

I’ve always loved spacious and reverb-driven indie bands like Jaws and The Night Café, and Ben Howard’s ‘I Forget Where We Were’ has been an album I return to on a very regular basis, probably more so than any other record.

 

Songwriting-wise, Noel Gallagher has definitely had a bigger impact than anyone else. The first gig I ever went to was Noel’s first solo tour when they came to Bournemouth in 2012. Hearing him play Supersonic acoustic really moved me. It definitely sparked something.

 

What makes you happy and unhappy?

I thrive off being around people I care about, especially if it involves music… or margaritas. I also really enjoy long, aimless walks with my headphones on. I enjoy getting a bit introspective.

 

My lowest points are usually when I’m dealing with loss, I’m not great at letting things go (but you’ve probably figured that out by now!). I care a lot and am passionate towards anything I involve myself in, but I do have a tendency to take things too personally sometimes. I’m trying to get better at not being so affected by what I can’t control.

Feature Image Photo Credit: Supplied By BJF Media.PR

Stream Here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/subsolar2/komorebi

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/subsolar__

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