Its foundations laid in emotional introspection, post-tour hangovers, and the harsh realities of surviving in the real world as musicians, HONEYGLAZE find grace in falling through the cracks in their new album 'Real Deal'.
Words: Rebecca Kestevan.
Photos: Kalpesh Lathigra.
"It's funny, that feeling of excitement - everything happens over such a long period of time you lose a bit of it, then it randomly comes back," ponders Anouska Sokolow, singer of London-based trio Honeyglaze. Along with bass player Tim Curtis and drummer Yuri Shibuichi, the band are just a couple of weeks away from the release of their sophomore album 'Real Deal' - and are taking a moment to reflect on it all.
As its cover art might suggest, 'Real Deal' feels like one big confrontation. It's gritty, unapologetic, yet also nestled within it are moments of real tenderness. There's an urgent sense of push and pull, of a fight between inner turbulence and calm exteriors - the calm versus the storm.
Honeyglaze describe the album as reactionary, in some ways, to their 2022 self-titled debut. "There were very specific rules and limitations," Sokolow explains about the record, produced by Speedy Wunderground's Dan Carey. "We wanted to have a bit more creative freedom. We had a lot more time to pick and choose and be a lot more creatively fussy."
From abstract musical references, dynamics, structures, and Shibuichi's ever-changing drumming styles, the band had a real opportunity to explore their sound and what they wanted to create with 'Real Deal'. "We're all quite driven by novelty, and I think that's important," says Curtis. "We'd all have these epiphanies and be like, 'Oh shit, maybe I didn't need to be doing all that!" he laughs.
