Luminous Wavez’s new EP Ashes of the Artist is truly emotional, poetic and remarkably honest. Read our discussion with the artists below.
Describe your sound in 3 words
Dobbins: Cash Meets Cave
Tell us a few things about your EP titled Ashes of the Artist. What is the main idea behind it?
Leaone: Luminous Wavez is a collaborative project between Mike (Dobbins) and myself (Leaone). Mike writes the words and I set them to music. For me it’s a great opportunity to bring someone’s words to life. In the past I’ve always written words to music. The music comes first, but here it’s the other way around. I enjoy the challenge of trying to find the music that embodies the words, and to be honest it’s nice to have a break from pouring out my own emotions onto paper. Ashes of the Artist is our second EP, but we’ve probably got demos for over 20 songs. For me it’s nice to be able to place myself inside a character or a story that literally has nothing to do with my own life or personal experience. That’s not to say the themes found in the songs don’t touch on things most of us can relate to, it’s just nice to be able to write and sing a song that people will not pick apart and analyse on a personal level. You know, like did Johnny Cash really shoot a man from Reno?
Why is revenge in some cases secretly rewarding?
Leaone: I mean it’s just a song. The best type of revenge is just to be happy. Turn a corner, forget about it, move on, and don’t look back.
Dobbins: One of the reasons I included the word “Spiritual” in the name of the song is to dilute the message, so no listener actually takes it seriously. People should consider the spiritual side of life if they’re thinking of taking revenge. I hope people use it as a way to release their thoughts of revenge and anger and remember the best revenge is being happy.
Does pain mean something is healing?
Leaone: Well, if you graze your knee, that might hurt, and it will most likely heal. But some pain you just have to live with, and you’ll be stronger for it. I mean obvious stuff right.
Dobbins: It can mean something is healing, that’s really the theme of the song, to not run from the pain that you actually need to go through in order to heal. I’d say it’s referring to emotional/psychological pain that many people suppress but suppressing it can make it worse.
Leaone: All of us go through trauma in our lives. I don’t think any of us get off unscathed. Life is a trauma; we’re all going to die. I’m not entirely sure you should wear these traumas on your sleeve, because I think it’s important that you don’t let them define you, but I agree with Mike that you can channel pain and negative energy into something good. I’d feel much worse if I couldn’t channel my emotions into song.
Which is your most personal and honest lyric?
Dobbins: From this EP it’s Ex Regrets. It’s a rather simple and straightforward lyric but it came from a place of introspection and self-criticism that I don’t do enough of. The lyric re-connected me to feelings and insecurities I had and hadn’t thought about in a long time.
Artists and people that have influenced you?
Leaone: Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, Elliot Smith, Nirvana, Chris Cornell, Johnny Cash, Elvis, Lana, Amy Winehouse..
Dobbins: Same plus Conor Oberst, Eddie Vedder, and Matthew Caws.
If the music of Luminous Wavez was a film, which film would that be?
Leaone: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
Dobbins: The Revenant
Why does melancholy feel so good?
Leaone: I’m not sure, but it’s much easier to write a sad song than a happy one. Plus we cant be happy all the time. I think listening to melancholy music supports us when we’re going through our own hard times and dealing with our own grief.
Thank you!
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