Exclusive: SOLAK Shares “Different Timing” Single + Video
The second single from SOLAK’s Atlas is “Different Timing,” weaving a smooth and swaying melody through soft vocals and a rich narrative. “”Different Timing” is a song about finding each others’ and your own frequency in a relationship,” Somers says. “It’s about staying true to your own needs and wishes, whilst staying connected and being available to talk about it. I think it was written on a moment where I was deciding to move out of a house of friends, to go live with my girlfriend and the doubts that came with it. Turned out to be a good thing!”
The single is also shared alongside a serene video, the perfect visual for the soothing sonic backdrop. The video follows a tortoise as it wanders through nature. Somers adds, “Spoiler alert: This song is dedicated to the birth of my first son, born in August!”
Somers arrived at Ocean Sound Recordings with just a sketch of a song, challenging himself to finish writing it there and to record it in 2 to 3 takes, leaving no room for overthinking or reconsideration. “And that’s exactly what happened!” he recalls. “I remember it was after dinner, during sunset, that I found the right words and worked on the structure. It perfectly matched the vibe. I wanted it to sound like a Bill Withers song, as if he were singing it. Nothing too fancy, but direct and with clear emotion.”
Lukas Somers embarks on the daunting task of expressing the ineffable with SOLAK’s sophomore album, Atlas. Wrestling with the challenge of conveying emotions that transcend language, Somers endeavors to create music that strikes a chord of recognition in all who listen. Departing from his collaborative past, he delves into deeply personal experiences, seeking to distill them into melodies that resonate universally. This journey follows his debut, Green, which initially surprised Somers himself, leading him to explore the boundaries of his artistic expression further.
“Different Timing” is available today via all DSPs. Atlas is due to be released on November 15th via Capitane Records.
FEATURE INTERVIEW:
You recorded “Different Timing” in just a few takes at Ocean Sound Recordings. What was it like writing and recording the song in such a spontaneous and time-pressured environment?
It was a challenge I wanted to face already for a while! It actually helped me to relativize the pressure, and go for faster decision making and try to be in the moment. In a way, it opened up my senses and made me be more instinctive. It turned out to be one of the most clear songs to me nowadays!
Also, it created more space for the other musicians to color it their way, although they knew the direction I was aiming for.
The video for “Different Timing” features a serene tortoise wandering through nature. What message or emotion were you hoping to convey with this visual metaphor?
The turtle is something that’s coming back throughout the artwork of SOLAK. On the album cover, you’ll see Zatopek, an old turtle from Ruben Otter, one of the scenery designers of the artwork.
I love the ancientness they represent. If you look long enough it’s like they are from a different world, a different era, out of space.
Concerning the title of the song, you can take it quite literally: they’re living at a different pace (as in “timing”). Imagine how we would take in the world if we would have their speed. I’d love to try!
Looking back on the recording process and the themes you’ve explored in Atlas, how do you feel you’ve evolved as a songwriter since your debut album Green?
I took way more time to really get to know these songs. Some of them were almost 3 years old before the recording, and I played them live already. The lyrics were from an “older me” but I still could, and can, relate with what I’m trying to communicate.
On a musical side, I went deeper in the layering & texturing of it all, as sound and colors keep getting more and more appealing to me.
I guess I’m still growing up as you might say 🙂 The themes are getting more nuanced, as I like it to be!
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