Cosmopaark switches things up on ‘Backyard’
Photo Credit: Mathilde Rey
Bordeaux shoegaze band Cosmopaark just released their latest EP Backyard. The 5-track release is the band’s follow up to their 2023 album and I can’t breathe enough, which was collaboratively released by the indie labels Howlin’ Banana Records, Flippin’ Freaks Records, and Stellar Frequencies. The trio is Clément Pelofy, Baptiste Sauvion, and Wanda Meha. On Backyard, the band continues to mature into their sound, blending classic shoegaze with modern noise pop.
For Backyard, Cosmopaark approached recording a bit differently. This time around, they went into a proper studio, a shift from their typical home recording set up. As the band explains, “For nearly two weeks, we recorded our EP at Shorebreaker with Johannes Buff handling mixing and recording, along with Pierre Loustaunau as the artistic director. The idea was to bring new colors to our identity and put a special emphasis on production,” they say. That led to some exciting changes. “We were able to push the textures further by using Pierre's amazing synthesizers and running our drum machines through various effect modules. We experimented with different vocal textures, notably adding touches of auto-tune here and there. Being able to do all this with top-notch professional recording was a first for us.” Moving to a recording studio with the right team was a step forward in the band’s creative development.
“This EP is, for us, the logical continuation of our artistic evolution. We continue to explore and search for what makes us vibrate,” Cosmopaark says. “Still introspective but lighter in subject matter than the previous album, this EP is an ode to resilience.” According to the band, the songs offer a moment of reflection and transformation. “Each track speaks of movement and moving forward—taking one last look back and continuing to advance. This EP aims to be more current, more refined, and original in its production. It's also softer and oriented toward new horizons that hint at the direction of a future album.”
We spoke to Clément about getting personal, harnessing chaos and madness with producer Pierre Loustaunau, sonic influences and more.
Your lyrics tend to be introspective, tackling topics like depression and anxiety. How do you get into such a personal space when songwriting?
Clément: I like to think of songwriting as a diary meant to be shared. I try to find something universal in personal experiences, so that everyone can interpret them in their own way. Just as I compose music in my bedroom, I write lyrics as a diary, drawing inspiration from the elements and stories around me. I think it's important to transform the less pleasant aspects of life into something artistic, as a way of releasing those emotions. If it resonates with others, that's even better.
Was this your first time working with producer Pierre Loustaunau? What was that experience like?
Clément: The first time we met Pierre was to work on our live performance. He brought an outside perspective that helped us step back and move forward. A year later, we began working with him on our new EP. I think Pierre helped us add a touch of chaos and madness to how we approach making music, both live and in the studio, by encouraging us to push things further and take a less academic approach. Beyond that, he's a great producer, and we're very happy with the quality of the EP!
Did you have any sonic references in mind during the recording sessions for Backyard?
Clément: Yes, we had many inspirations, and some songs were created with specific ideas for sound and production in mind. I’m particularly thinking of bands and artists like Slow Pulp, Soccer Mommy, Alvvays, and even Nine Inch Nails.
The packaging for the deluxe version of the EP looks great! How did that come together?
Clément: We wanted to create a very limited edition of this EP and make it something special. We considered many different ideas before settling on this box, and a lot of people contributed to it. A big thanks to our two labels, Howlin' Banana and Stellar Frequencies, who helped us. Stellar Frequencies also hand-decorated the cassettes. We're super proud of it, and the cassettes sold out in 48 hours during pre-orders! It's great!
Are there any other French bands you’re excited about?
Clément: Yes, of course! There are so many great bands. If I focus on indie and shoegaze bands, I think of Trainfantome, Opinion, Healees, Tapeworms, Luje…
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