Gigslutz Interview – Sam Turner meets IS TROPICAL

Things are going along nicely for London trio Is Tropical. There second album ‘I’m Leaving’ was released earlier this year and they are in the middle of a packed festival season. Make sure you catch them if you can! Sam Turner caught up with the band to find out more about their new single and forthcoming tour plans…

Hello Is Tropical? How’s tricks?

Good, I guess. Bit worried about your name. We’re all enjoying a weekend off, in the middle of festival season it is quite rare. Reading and Leeds coming up and a big one in France called Rock en Seine which we’re excited about! We’ve been recording bits and bobs while the sun is out and bathing us with inspiring rays.

Nice. Tell us about the story behind your new single ‘Lover’s Cave’.

We were in the south of France near the Basque coast two years ago playing a show for a friend, and we spent a little time afterwards swimming etc. Simon took his girlfriend to a cave and to cut a long story short found out afterwards that a long time ago two local lovers were caught mid-tryst by the tide and swept out to sea. We like incorporating anecdotes or weird references to things that happened – especially when it’s a bit of local knowledge that catches your attention – those things slip into song lyrics easily.

The video to previous single ‘Dancing Anymore’ it’s quite spicy.  Do you have much involvement in the videos?

We have involvement yeah – when we work with Megaforce it’s a bit of professional courtesy to take a step back – it would be like walking into Gregg’s and trying to change the sausage roll recipe. Let’s come together and enjoy that sausage roll without stepping on Gregg’s toes. We have had an idea for a music video for ages but for some reason it hasn’t happened – so the next video should be something where we get to be a bit more ‘hands on’.

You’ve recently released your second album ‘I’m Leaving’, how does it compare to your debut ‘Native To’?

That’s your job!

Ha! Fair enough, our tracks of the week will give the low down then! You’ve been on a European Tour all summer, how is that going?

Our tour ‘proper’ is going to be starting in October through to the new year – we will be announcing dates probably at the end of August ish once a few more have been finalised. We’re looking forward to doing a proper tour in a van with our equipment – flying in and out of places every weekend for festival season is exciting but a bit of an energy rollercoaster if you know what I mean. Better to settle in for the long slog.

Indeed. For gig-goers who haven’t had the privilege, what can one expect from a Is Tropical show?

We swap instruments a bit, we smile at each other recently which is a new development. We try make all of our shows have a palpable sense of energy – it’s the only way it works between us is when we psyche ourselves into it. Also the stage is 99% of the time louder than out front, you guys have the strobes to put you in a trance, we just blast our ears off.

What are your plans once you’ve completed your summer commitments?

We have a couple little things in the works, a couple small releases potentially. We’re going to get together for a while and maybe relearn and revisit some old tracks that haven’t been played out alot by us live. Mainly I think we just want to enjoy whatever opportunities get thrown at us for a while, and slowly start to put together material. Looking forward to seeing people in weird corners of the earth very soon!

From bands and artists that are around at the moment, who are your ‘ones to watch’?

Here’s a little list; JC Satan, Arthur Beatrice, DIIV, Nu Sensae, SISU, Gull, Young Husband, Hoo Ha’s, Swim Deep, Poolside, Black and White Diamonds, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

Excellent, thank you Is Tropical!

YEAH, GS!

@samturner1984

“Lover’s Cave” is out on Monday 26th August, watch the video below.

You can find out more about Is Tropical at their Facebook page

IS TROPICAL – “Lover’s Cave” from Maison Kitsuné on Vimeo.