Photography by Diane Sagnier
Last year Melody Prochet released her debut album under the moniker ‘Melody’s Echo Chamber’, produced by Tame Impala’s Kevin parker, it was brilliant mix of textured psychedelic lurid pop. The albums summery, fun feel, blends perfectly with the darker shoegazey production – resulting in a truly unique record. I caught up with Melody to talk about how things are going.
What made you start Melody’s Echo Chamber, in what ways did you want to change from previous projects you’ve been involved in?
I guess a pretty magical, musical guru-esque encounter with Kevin Parker. He helped me to let go and abandon myself in my music and just have fun while making it. Which is essential, but for whatever reason was very difficult for me to do.
The songs are quite layered and almost float around the listener, do you think the music symbolises your personality at all, perhaps as a free spirit?
Maybe it symbolizes me wanting to be a free spirit, I love the idea. I love not owning much, travelling, thinking out of the box, trying to be as open minded as I can, and being a good and empathic person. But I’m definitely not entirely that, there are some darker things I still can’t control. Like you know the most important [thing] to me, I wish I was taught how to forgive … or how to control ego-centered angers and fears … actually these are frustrations I’m exploring and expressing in my newest music these days. Aside from working on making the fears vanish via meditation.
Moving away from music, what are your other influences, Films? Books?
I enjoy watching movies and reading so much, probably as much as listening to music. I’m reading ‘Du côté de chez Swann’ by Marcel Proust at the moment. I was reading earlier at home and I started reading out loud to myself for the first time, ‘cause I was getting distracted, and it’s pretty amazing. His words sound so beautiful as you speak. Also I have so many favourite Movies …’Onibaba’, ‘Five Easy Pieces’, ‘The Arrangment’, ‘In The Grass’ by Elia Kazan, ‘The passenger’ and ‘Blow up’ by Antonioni ….and millions of others. I get obsessive when I love one movie or book and watch/read all of the guy’s works of art.
You’ve become somewhat of a fashion icon as well, how important is fashion to you?
Oh wow, it’s flattering to hear to be honest. I’m not sure how important it is to me. I admit that I love to wear nice clothes that make me feel good in my skin; it’s also definitely a way to express yourself. I tend to like people that are not too obsessed with it but have a natural sense of style, I definitely love natural looks with a bit of fantasy, personal and intriguing pieces.
Photography by Diane Sagnier
You’ve spent a lot of time in Australia recently, how important has it been to you as a musician? Do you think you would have made the same album had you not been there?
Perth’s unique vibe has definitely been the essence of the record. Combined with my love for my grandparents’ home in the South of France where I recorded vocals, and the luminosity of both places. The Indian oceans breeze, Kevin’s studio mess, the silly and extremely creative people around us while living there and recording, are all part of the record.
What have you got planned for the rest of 2013?
Tomorrow we go to Brighton to play the Great Escape Festival sharing the stage with Mac Demarco, should be super rad. I really love Brighton a lot, the audience there has been really kind to us. Then Primavera, Glastonbury, some dates with Tame Impala in Europe and one with Rodriguez! And then September back to recording, it should be a very fun summer for us.
For more information please visit: http://www.weirdworldrecordco.com/artists/melodys-echo-chamber/
Words / Alex Taylor
Follow him on Twitter @AlexJ_Taylor
