As they gear up for a new EP built on collaboration, Bombay Bicycle Club's Jamie MacColl talks about their latest single, 'Willow', working with old friends and embracing the next generation of indie talent. Check out the latest cover story for our New Music Friday playlist edit, The Cut.

Words: Stephen Ackroyd.
Photos: Tom Oxley.

There comes a time in a band's life where, if they manage to stay on the ever-moving conveyor belt of modern music, they achieve a sort of statesman-like quality. To describe art as being from dependable, trusted hands may sound rather Up With Boring, but for Bombay Bicycle Club, nothing could be further from the truth. It's a nod to their consistency in remaining at the top of their game more than a decade and a half in.

Following up last year's typically great 'My Big Day' (the cover art of which alone shows there's nothing dull or monotonous about this lot), they're currently in the process of unveiling their upcoming EP 'Fantasies', a collection that celebrates the band's rich history while stepping boldly into a new chapter. Today, it's the turn of new single 'Willow', featuring the serene vocals of long-time collaborator Lucy Rose.

Guitarist Jamie MacColl is caught up in the buzz of their UK and Ireland tour. "I'm in Birmingham for a day off," he starts, sharing the physical toll of touring but with an unmistakable undertone of excitement for being back on the road. "It's been really fun so far, but my body is already feeling pretty sore!"

When asked about the meaning behind new single 'Willow', Jamie admits, "Good question… I haven't actually asked Jack what the lyrics are about, so here's my interpretation: it's about childhood. The song has actually been around for 3-4 years; it was one of the first songs we wrote after 'Everything Else Has Gone Wrong' came out."

Lucy Rose's involvement in 'Willow' seems as organic as it is essential - a testament like the rest of the EP to that gang of regular creative allies that Bombay call upon. "Lucy and Jack's voices just go so well together, and it sounds very effortless at this point. 'Willow' reminded us a bit of the songs on 'A Different Kind Of Fix', an album Lucy was very involved in making, so it felt natural to ask her to sing on it," Jamie explains.

The 'Fantasies' EP, according to Jamie, stays true to the band's signature style. "They're all quite classic Bombay Bicycle Club songs; we haven't reinvented the wheel!" he says, assuring fans that the band's essence remains intact even as they explore new sonic territories.

Curating the EP was a process steeped in familiarity and friendship. "We'd done a lot of work on the songs during the making of 'My Big Day', and we always had our friends in mind to sing on them," Jamie shares. "Liz [Lawrence] actually sang on the first very demo of 'Blindfold'; I think Jack just sent her a rough demo, and she sang the chorus. 'Better Now' is basically the archetype of a Bombay / Rae Morris collaboration - big chorus, Bombay at our most pop, Jack writing a top line that needs Rae's voice on it. The great thing about working with friends is you don't need to go through several layers of management and label people to agree on something.

There's room on the EP for some newer collaborative forces, though. Matilda Mann may be a more recent addition to Bombay's gang, but she reflects Jamie's enthusiasm for current up-and-comers. "It's genuinely the most excited I've been about the UK indie/alternative scene for a long time - there's a lot of great music, and it also feels like it's starting to crossover again into the mainstream."

"Equally, I like that a lot of new 'indie' artists are much less constrained by genre, or aesthetic or sonic boundaries in the way that it felt like a lot of bands were when we were growing up," he continues, giving nods to Divorce, NewDad and Etta Marcus.

Of course, collaboration is a two-way creative street, with artists learning nuggets from each other along the way. When asked about the most impactful imparted wisdom, it's producer 'Everything Else Has Gone Wrong' John Congleton that comes to mind. "[He] taught me to worry a lot less when recording an album, which had a big impact on my experience of making 'My Big Day'," Jamie reflects.

As for the future, Jamie hints at the band's ever-evolving musical journey to come after their 'My Big Day' era. "We'll do something different, I imagine. It's very hard to know until we start working on it, though," he admits. "Whenever we make a plan, we seem to end up doing the exact opposite."

With their biggest headline show at London's Alexandra Palace Park on the horizon, Jamie teases potential on-stage collaborations and surprises. "We just announced the supports: CMAT, Picture Parlour and Liz Lawrence. I'm hoping we can do something with all three of them for our set - maybe some sort of country duet with CMAT. We'll make sure there are some surprises and special guests, too."

Jamie's aspirations for the year are twofold: to spread joy through their live shows and for the world around us to become a little less awful. "I hope we can spend the year spreading some joy and fun through our live shows. Bombay aside, I hope there can be just and fair resolutions to the various terrible conflicts around the world at the moment."

And in the immediate future? "I'm about to have a bubble bath." It's a moment of levity and self-care for a band member who's part of a group that's not only still making a splash with their music but also their commitment to a wider community of creativity, both established and new. With bands like Bombay Bicycle Club watching the path, we're in good hands. ■