When you think of the Mojave Desert, music might not be the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, for Alas de Liona, the expansive landscapes of her childhood home have deeply influenced her creative journey, shaping the soundscapes and narratives of her work. Now based in the contrastingly lush and vibrant Scotland, Alas blends the stark beauty of the desert with the rich musical heritage of her new home, crafting songs that are both haunting and uplifting. As we dive into the stories behind Alas’ latest single “Analogy” and the upcoming album Gravity of Gold, we uncover the deeply personal and reflective processes that drive Alas’s music, from the simplicity of childhood play in wide-open spaces to the nuanced experiences of adapting to life in a new country. Join us as we explore the intricate layers of Alas de Liona‘s artistry and the themes that permeate her evocative music.
ATN: How did growing up in the Mojave Desert influence your music and songwriting?
ALAS: We moved to the desert when I was a kid. It has so much open space, I found it gave me a lot of room to develop my creativity. I spent a lot of time playing outside, coming up with concepts and stories that extended into my musical storytelling.
ATN: How has living in Scotland shaped your music?
ALAS: The landscapes of the desert and of Scotland both have influenced my music sonically. They have their own particular beauties. I think there are echoes of Scotland in the dark and ethereal melodies in my songs and some of the lyrics are fundamentally tied to experiences I’ve had here.
The Scottish music scene has also been really influential in the more upbeat tracks in my new album. There’s a really cool and vibrant music culture here and it’s inspired me to develop that side of my own projects.
ATN: How do you balance your personal life with your music career, especially after moving to a new country?
ALAS: From the outside a music career doesn’t always appear to be a job— it’s often thought of as recreational. While it definitely is a passion and a way of life, it’s also a lot of work. Like managing any other job, I think it’s about making sure that I set aside time for other things and maintain reasonable goals for myself.
ATN: Your debut EP Radio Astronomy received significant attention. How did that success impact your career and approach to your music?
ALAS: Radio Astronomy was a great launch pad for what I’m doing now. I acquired new skills through that process and got a much clearer idea of my musical direction and how I want my songs to sound.
ATN: Can you share the story behind your latest single “Analogy”? What inspired its lyrics and sound?
ALAS: The low, haunting backing vocals that run throughout Analogy just popped into my head about a year and a half ago when I was getting ready for bed one day. I just kept humming them on repeat and finally gave in and recorded them. I built the rest of the song on top of that. The lyrics that came about reflected the process of rewriting difficult memories to make them feel better— I wanted to explore the way delusions about the past and the self come into being.
ATN: How was the experience of working with Rod Jones on “Analogy” and your debut album Gravity of Gold?
ALAS: Rod is fantastic to work with and really understands what I’m going for with the music and mood of the songs. With Gravity of Gold he was great about maintaining sonic through lines to counterbalance the stylistic variety of the tracks and that kept them all cohesive as a record.
ATN: What themes or messages can listeners expect from your debut album Gravity of Gold?
ALAS: There’s a lot about internal experience and finding ways to make peace with life, anxiety, delusion, imagination, meaning-making, coping mechanisms, dreams and aspirations. Ultimately, I think it asks more questions than it answers.
ATN: How did you approach the recording process for the album, and what was it like working with your live band in a studio setting versus an on stage setting?
ALAS: The recording process took about eleven days to track the full band and add synths and layers before mixing. I love studio recording because of the precision and nuance that can be achieved in a controlled setting. You’re making a sound that could be the backdrop to someone’s day – ideally something they want to hear over and over – so I try to make sure there’s a lot of richness and detail to revisit.
Live is a whole different ball game, it’s much more varied and organic. It’s an amazing feeling when you get the live sound close to the character of the recording but there’s something exciting in the unpredictability of live.
ATN: Was there a particular song that was harder or easier to record than the others?
ALAS: It was hard to find the right mix on the song “Driftwood”, that one was kind of stylistically elusive at first. Rod and I were able to strike a balance in it between indie pop and indie rock, which I think is an ideal vibe for it, but took a bit of experimentation.
ATN: What was the biggest lesson you learned from making Gravity of Gold?
ALAS: I’m not sure if there was one big takeaway, so much as a thousand smaller ones that have made me a better musician and helped develop my sound.
ATN: What do you hope fans take away from “Analogy” or Gravity of Gold?
ALAS: I’m happy if these songs can bring someone a bit of peace or catharsis, or even just provide some soothing background music during a stressful time. It’s up to the listener to take from it what they need.
ATN: Aside from Gravity of Gold’s release, what can you tell us about your plans for 2024 and any upcoming live shows?
ALAS: I’ve got a show at Leith FAB Cricket Club on the 27th June, Glasgow Hug & Pint on 2nd July, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival on 26th July and open for Emeli Sande at Glasgow Kelvingrove Bandstand on 27th July.
SAME 3 QUESTIONS WE ALWAYS ASK
ATN: Artist / band that you feel is the most underrated and why?
ALAS: There are so many great artists who deserve more attention, but recently I’ve been listening to Robyn Smith’s new EP Muse during nature walks.
ATN: Artist / band that you would like to collaborate with and why?
ALAS: I guess my dream collaboration would be with Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, or Kate Bush – one of the great singer/songwriters I grew up admiring.
ATN: Artist / band that you would like to tour with and why?
ALAS: I’d be happy to tour with many bands, I really can’t choose just one.
