Having pushed the boundaries of performance and songwriting since entering the Cardiff music scene, Mr Bewlay’s new EP Black Reason has been rewarded with recent 6 Music airplay. On the eve of its release, and his first UK tour, Bewlay talks with Ewa Pałka.
You’ve got a lot happening at the moment. Where do you get the energy from?
Mr Bewlay: Most of the time, I don’t have the energy. But my way of working is simple: go so far into a project that you can back out of it. I know people like to talk the talk, but tend to not get enough done. I try to pursue all of my ideas to the point where I can’t turn back; you come up with the best results when you are pushed to your limits!
Does it apply to your songwriting as well?
Mr Bewlay: When recording the tracks for Black Reason, we recorded five tracks in five days at Kings Road Studio. Not much to the layman, but any musician will tell you that pushing out a song a day is no easy feat. But in those flagged, late hours of work, your head turns off from what you think you should be doing, and you start to groove on an instinctual level.
Is there anyone who you look up to creatively as inspiration?
Mr Bewlay: In regards to output, the boys of the Tin Pan Alley era. Those guys would spend day in and day out crafting music to the point that they could write a hit in the space of a day. You’ve got to appreciate the level of craft that goes into a skill like that.
In regards to a muse? Anyone and everyone. The new release is very self-centered, though. Which, funnily enough, is the subject I tend not to write about. I like creating characters, so most of the lyrics I write are from someone else’s perspective.
Can you tell us about your new EP?
Mr Bewlay: Well, back in October, I released the first instalment, Electric Reason: the music was synthwave retro-pop and the lyrics gratuitous. The whole concept of the first EP was exaltation, glorifying both the good and the bad, and keeping things slick. Black Reason is in the other lane. Triumph is gone, and in its place is lyrical venom; the sound went from clean-cut synths to fuzzy basses and atonality. It’s all a reflection of where I am at the moment.
And where is that?
Mr Bewlay: Well, I think it’s a natural progression of creativity. You start off so optimistic, and as time goes on, you become jaded. The lead single Bewlay The Tormentor is a great example; its droning bass lines and melodramatic vocals work alongside contempt and reckless vainglory themes. Whilst songs like Live, Laugh, Love are just dripping with sarcasm. I just want to push people’s buttons a little. See how audiences react and what that says about where we all are.
Can you tell us a little about the shows you’ll be putting on?
Mr Bewlay: It’s going to be a multimedia event. Sounds, sights, smells! Costumes, choreography, controversy! I play in Cardiff, Bristol, London, Glasgow, and more. It’s been a stressful couple of months organizing everything, but it’s been worth it. The show we put together is immense and something I’m super proud of.
Smells?
Mr Bewlay: I’ve been in collaboration with The Perfume Shed and concocted a bespoke fragrance that will be sold as limited edition merch at the shows. But it’ll also be part of the performance; you don’t shy away when an opportunity like that turns up. We’ll also have tote bags, stickers, posters, and branded Bewlay flip-flops – just in time for summer…
How does it feel when you are on the stage?
Mr Bewlay: I’ve been doing this long enough to just get in the right mindset. My nerves are usually when planning things – I hate planning. I love getting my ideas out of my head, but unfortunately, I have to deal with admin, time limitations and organization. That’s what gets me nervous – bureaucracy.
How do you think your current creative output compares to the rest of the Cardiff scene?
Mr Bewlay: I think it’s fair to say that I am the most authentic artist in Cardiff right now. I can’t think of a single act that matches my output’s breadth. I go through periods where I’m not very active, but those are the periods that I spend planning the next project. But when it comes to imagery, scope and uniqueness, I am king.
What can people expect next from you?
Mr Bewlay: EP number three is currently in the works – the final release of the Reason trilogy. In addition, some smaller musical projects with other artists are a little outside my current musical style. I also have some special projects with Cultvr Lab that we hope to get out by the end of the year. But now the aim is to release Black Reason and watch the world fall apart.
Black Reason is released via TIWN Media on Fri 3 Mar.
Mr Bewlay’s tour opens at The Moon, Cardiff on Sun 5 Mar.
Tickets for all tour dates and other info: Linktree
words EWA PAŁKA
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