Disclosure, the Grammy-nominated brothers, discuss fame, personal inspirations behind their album 'Alchemy', their creative process, and the departure from traditional marketing. They talk about the open-ended nature of their interludes, their personal approach to music, and finding beauty in adversity. They also touch on supporting emerging artists and navigating the changing music industry.
Disclosure's album 'Alchemy' represents a departure from their earlier sound, focusing on introspective, melodic interludes and field recordings.
The brothers emphasize the importance of maintaining authenticity in the music-making process and staying true to their creative vision.
Howard's personal experiences of heartbreak and growth served as inspiration for the album, with 'Alchemy' being a creative outlet to channel his emotions.
Deep dives
Disclosure's Journey and Evolution: From Hits to Alchemy
Disclosure, the UK duo comprised of brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence, gained fame with their hit songs and Grammy-winning debut album. However, their latest release, Alchemy, showcases a departure from their earlier sound. The album was a personal project for Howard, composed during a period of heartbreak and upheaval in his life. Unlike their previous work, Alchemy does not feature any guest artists and focuses on introspective, melodic interludes and field recordings. The brothers discuss their approach to songwriting, leaning on each other creatively, navigating the music industry, and the importance of writing music that is genuine to themselves rather than trying to please others. They also touch on their evolution as artists and the impact of their live performances.
The Journey of Disclosure's Career and Success
Disclosure's career trajectory has been marked by rapid success and high-profile achievements. Starting with their MySpace uploads and gaining attention through a remix for Jesse Ware, the duo secured their management and signed a three-album deal with a major label. The release of their debut album, 'Settle,' catapulted them to global fame and led to extensive touring and festival performances. They attribute a significant part of their success to their decision to create a live show rather than solely relying on DJ sets. This unique approach, combined with their ability to write hit songs and their commitment to showcasing their musical influences, set them apart in the dance music world. Despite the pressures of the industry, they strive to maintain authenticity in their music-making process.
Personal Struggles and Growth in the Spotlight
Being in the spotlight and maintaining a demanding touring schedule took a toll on Howard's mental health. The intense lifestyle and constant touring exacerbated his struggle, eventually leading him to take a hiatus to prioritize his well-being. Unfortunately, this coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, further affecting his recovery. Nevertheless, he found solace and inspiration in music, using the album 'Alchemy' as a vehicle to channel his personal experiences of heartbreak and growth. The album's introspective nature allowed Howard to explore his own journey, supported by Guy's understanding and their strong bond as brothers. Despite the challenges faced, the desire to create something beautiful out of personal pain led to the creation of 'Alchemy.'
The Creative Process and Musical Vision of Disclosure
Disclosure's creative process involves a harmonious collaboration between the brothers, each bringing their unique strengths to the table. Howard's focus lies in songwriting and expressing emotions through lyrics, melodies, and harmonies. Guy's skills as a producer and musician complement Howard's strengths, allowing them to create refined and innovative music. Their vision has always been to blend dance music elements with sophisticated songwriting, shaping their own lane as artists. They are committed to writing songs with meaningful lyrics and melodic complexity that set them apart from traditional dance music. Their ability to experiment and follow their intuition has guided their musical evolution and allowed them to maintain a distinctive sound throughout their career.
Building a Strong Connection with Diehard Fans
Disclosure prioritizes cultivating a strong relationship with their most dedicated fans by creating a direct artist-to-fan connection through their Discord server. With over 16,000 members, the server allows fans to engage in conversations, submit demos, and receive personalized feedback. The duo aims to reward their core fan base with exclusive content, early access to tickets and merch, and a sense of belonging in the disclosure club. By focusing on nurturing this loyal fan base, Disclosure aims to create meaningful experiences and strengthen their connection with fans.
The Importance of Authenticity and Following Your Own Path
Throughout their career, Disclosure has learned the importance of staying true to themselves and their creative vision. They emphasize the need to create music that comes from a genuine, heartfelt place, rather than conforming to industry formulas or trends. By following their intuition and being brave enough to be themselves, Disclosure's music has resonated with their audience. They encourage artists to prioritize their artistic integrity and work hard, while also maintaining the joy and passion that initially drew them to music.
"We've never known what we're doing." Brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence talk about fame, inadvertently ending up on the pop charts and their new album, Alchemy.
Many listeners of this podcast likely associate Disclosure—AKA brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence—with the hits that shot them into the spotlight as teenagers. These had a good deal of crossover success, and the Lawrence brothers went on to have an extremely active touring career and secure multiple Grammy Award nominations.
But there’s much more in their brothers' creative arsenal than meets the eye, as demonstrated in their newest dance music LP, Alchemy, which came out quietly this summer. The duo released their fourth studio album under the pretence that they wanted to move away from some of the big tunes that defined the first part of their career. They did no marketing or PR, choosing to self-release and share the word via announcements on their social media pages. Alchemy is full of beautiful melodic interludes, field recordings and oblique references to the personal experiences that shaped the making of the songs—it was composed during a moment of intense heartbreak and upheaval for Howard, a narrative that weaves its way through the album. "These songs are about feeling lost and looking for love," they explain.
The brothers go deep with Chloe Lula about this period of Howard's life, talking about writing music based on intuition and how they lean on each other for creative and personal support. They also share the strategy behind their rise to success, including how they've navigated record label contracts, visually finessed their performances to appear more like live bands, exchanged EPs for page follows and started a Discord server to connect directly with their fans. Listen to more of their insights in the full episode.
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