New wave and 80's synth pop mixers A PERMANENT SHADOW have a debut album out, with a new single coming soon, with even newer working's expected next year! The band discusses their music, start and where they see themselves next.
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
A Permanent Shadow is actually a one-man-project. My name is CP Fletcher and I am the vocalist and main songwriter. It’s fair to say it’s my brainchild, although I could not have pulled it off without my collaborators Albert Catala and Valen Nieto. They both play a pivotal role in terms of production and arrangements and play most of the instruments on my records. As for how the project came about, I used to be a drummer but one day got sick of playing other people’s tunes, so I decided to step up to the mike and try being a frontman myself. A Permanent Shadow is the first musical outing of my own songs (as a singer), although before that I used to perform with The Magic and Loss Orchestra, a Lou Reed tribute project.
2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?
A Permanent Shadow refers to dark spots on the moon, but also to the fact that after the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima the shadows of people were burned onto the asphalt. As the music is rather dark and gloomy, I thought it would be a fitting name for the project.
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
I am of Austrian origin but have lived most of my life in Barcelona, Spain. We share a rehearsal space with some of the big names in Indie Rock from Barcelona, of which I would mention the ubiquitous Love of Lesbian (who actually fill arenas in Spain and Latin America) and Hola Chica, whose drummer David has occasionally worked with A Permanent Shadow. The Barcelona scene is quite tiny but very active, not only in what concerns Indie but also in terms of Electronica and local styles such as Rumba Catalana and Catalan Rock.
4. How would you describe your style?
I would hope that our music doesn’t sound much like anything else, but when push comes to shove I’d say there’s a lot of references to 80’s Synth Pop and New Wave. I have been a fan of the Sacred Triangle of Bowie, Iggy, Lou Reed for many years, so I’m sure some of their influence bleeds into our music as well. Maybe we could sum it up as melancholic electro-tinged pop.
5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
We released the album “Songs of Loss” in September 2019 from which we also released a few singles in remixed or edited form. “Songs of Loss” as the title implies, is a musical cycle that deals with different types of loss. I am a trained grief counsellor, so the theme of loss and despair is something very prominent in my life and songwriting. Don’t expect any happy-go-lucky lyrics from me anytime soon!
6. Do you have any new music in the works?
We are about to release a new single, “Shining Star”, in September, which will be followed by a further three singles and finally the second album “Humdrum” in March 2022.
7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
I know it doesn’t sound too glamorous, but as a solo artist touring can be a bit of a challenge financially speaking. I am still trying to work out how I can put on a full-band show without losing my shirt and pants. But yes, the aim is to bring our songs to the stage and play in front of as many people as possible.
8. What plans do you have for the future as a band?
Lockdown allowed me to be quite productive, so I wrote two further albums which will be recorded and released over the next few years. The most imminent project though is the recording of a covers EP which will be out next year after the release of the second album.
9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
Our songs are available on all digital platforms. A good entry point (literally) is our webpage www.apermanentshadow.com which contains all the relevant links.
10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
I hope the listener can appreciate that our songs are honest and heartfelt and that we love what we do. There is no calculated element to our music, it’s very intuitive and we don’t shy away from weirdness and oddness. That said, I’d like to believe that our music has enough memorable hooks and surprise elements for people to come back for more.
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