Interview In the Studio with Superfood

We went in the studio with the band to get a first peek at what they’ve been cooking up in the near-three years since debut album ‘Don’t Say That’.

Words: Sarah Jamieson
2nd July 2017

Superfood returned with a bang when they released comeback single ‘Double Dutch’ earlier this week. Also signing with Dirty Hit and plotting a headline tour with new labelmates King Nun and Pale Waves, the wheels are already moving at a pace on one of the year’s most exciting comebacks.

It may seem like a while since we last heard from the Birmingham rabble and, well, that’s because it is! But never fear, they’re back, back!, BACK!! and 2017 is going to be their year.

We went in the studio with the band to get a first peek at what they’ve been cooking up in the near-three years since debut album ‘Don’t Say That’. Frontman Dom Ganderton explains.

Hello there! How’re you doing, and how is 2017 treating you so far?

It’s been a while hasn’t it?… I like 2017, it’s a bookmark for us. We can start showing you what we’ve been working on.

So, we’ve heard whispers that you’ve been working on a new record - what can you tell us?!

I can tell you that our new album is completed and ready to be released to the world.

How was it heading into the studio this time around? What did you want to explore during the process this time around? Were there any particular challenges?

It's been fucking hard to be honest. To start with there was no studio, the record was started off in flats, parks, cars and rehearsal rooms. Me and Ryan decided to write and record the whole thing alone with the help of various different players and engineers. We had no money, no label and wanted to give up several times. We set out to record songs that we wanted to listen to when we got back from a night out or just something we would genuinely go to and play on iTunes. It was different kind of pressure than we have faced before we had no deadlines but knew that we had to create something that was going to really make people stop and listen this time.

We had to create something that was going to really make people stop and listen this time.

— Dom Ganderton

Looking back on ’Don’t Say That’, how do you think you’ve progressed from it? Did you learn any lessons from it, that came into use with this new album?

Don’t get me wrong I’m proud of the album but it was all fucking rushed to be honest. We’d been signed for a short few months before we got bundled up to Lancashire for a fortnight to record the whole thing. I think songs like ‘Lily for your pad to rest on’ and the interludes are what we have built on this time around. We were all very keen on the boozing side of things and kind of living in our own little bubble at the time and I think the recording might of suffered. We were writing music that didn’t draw directly from what we were listening to so it made it pretty hard for us to really get behind. Whether it was intentional or not we had a lot of time to write and record this album and have both gone through things during the process that have played a huge part in how it sounds.

What sort of direction have you gone in musically with the new music?

Sorry to be a bore but you’re going to have to wait and listen. The record jumps around so each single that comes out will reveal a different side to the album.

Who did you work with on the record? What did they bring to the table?

There was no-one else. It was just me and daddy long legs. He brought the brains, I have the biscuits.

How do you think fans are going to react to the new material?

Surprised and joyous.

Superfood will play Live At Leeds (29th April), where DIY is an official media partner. Tickets are on sale now. Visit diymag.com/presents for more information.

Photo: Charlie Dobney

Taken from the February 2017 issue of DIY, out now. Subscribe below.

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Tags: Superfood, From The Magazine, Features