Vibrantly Different, Uniquely Familiar
Vibrantly different yet uniquely familiar, Quorum is one of the freshest new bands on the UK indie pop scene—but not a fresh face around here. Previously featured in “Meet Quorum, Your New Favorite Band,” “Musical Advent Calendar Day 4,” and “Best Music of Spring 2020,” Quorum is back to discuss what they’ve been up to.
Thanks to the strange mix of challenge and reprieve afforded to the music industry during the pandemic, many bands have begun to release the music they worked on during the height of quarantine. Quorum is no exception: The Death of Intellectual Success, a seven-song collection full of bright instrumentals and catchy choruses, is set to drop tomorrow, June 26, 2021.
Much like Quorum’s previous releases, every song is well thought-out and produced from the very first measure to the final note. Tracks like “Sea Breeze” and “Still Can’t See” embrace skillful storytelling, while sonically aesthetic interludes like “Somnolent” and “Boyfriend”-esque title track, “The Death of Intellectual Success,” help form the glue that creates a cool, cohesive EP perfect for breezy summer listening in the car, at the beach, and beyond.
I asked Quorum a few questions about their process for creating music, improving the music industry, and—of course—their latest EP, The Death of Intellectual Success.
Q&A
Q: Something that stands out to me in all of your songs is skillful lyrical phrasing. What does the process of creating a song look like for you when writing lyrics and instrumentals?
A: Writing for us is always different in its process and I don’t think two of our songs have ever been written the same way. Sometimes it’s really collaborative and other times it is just an idea that one of us starts with and then everyone else chips in. In terms of lyrics, I [Jordan] will usually start by jotting things down on notes on my phone. These notes are then used as reference points to work with.
Q: I saw on your socials that you recently shot a video for “Still Can’t See.” Tell me a bit about what it’s like to film a music video!
A: Long hahaha! It’s a pretty full-on experience and there’s a lot that’s required of everyone involved, but we’re lucky to work with some great friends in Yeah Dawgie Productions who have worked with us on all our videos to date. The friendship and understanding of what we create makes all of it so much more enjoyable for everyone involved.
“Once we release a song, it sort of becomes its own thing and doesn’t really feel like it’s completely ours anymore.”
Quorum
Q: Back in November, I read the stories behind the songs that you posted on Instagram. In the post about “Go,” you discuss your feelings about living in a small town. Can you talk a bit about your experience with this escapist feeling pre and (almost) post-pandemic?
A: I think many of us, myself [Jordan] included, have battled the feeling of being trapped in our hometown, especially if we have been forced home because of the pandemic. This is especially true if you are physically away from things like college, work, friends and “real life.”
I [Jordan], personally struggled a lot with the lack of any autonomy for myself throughout that period. I think the idea of feeling stuck when growing up in a small town still stands, for me at least, but to be honest, just getting out of the house again post-lockdown has made it slightly more bearable.
Q: In the post about “Boyfriend,” Jordan mentioned that it served as a turning point in your sound. What is it like to go through this process of discovering your sound and watching it develop as a young band?
A: It’s an incredible feeling! I know that when we started moving in the direction we currently are in a sense of ‘sound,’ it was great. Sonically, I think we are 100% sounding unapologetically ourselves both individually and as a band. It’s exciting to think about where we’ll end up or start moving towards in the future.
Q: How have some of the meanings of your songs shifted, deepened, or changed as you’ve grown as artists and people?
A: That’s a hard one! I think once we release a song, it sort of becomes its own thing and doesn’t really feel like it’s completely ours anymore. It belongs to anyone with any thoughts or attachments to it, whether that’s a person, or a reminder of a time and a place that it takes them to.
“Sonically, I think we are 100% sounding unapologetically ourselves both individually and as a band.”
Quorum
Q: What is your proudest accomplishment as a band?
A: Our new EP, The Death Of Intellectual Success, is most definitely our proudest achievement. I think we are all genuinely in disbelief and so over the moon with what we have created and achieved together with this project.
Q: Can you share a bit more about the background of one of your favorite songs on the new EP?
A: “Somnolent” is a band favourite. This track came about from us wanting to really treat the EP as one single piece of work rather than seven individual moments. With “Somnolent,” I think we really created a tone and moment to breathe between the rest of the tracks, and that is something I’m so in love with and really proud of sonically.
“People supporting emerging independent music is the only thing that allows it to continue!”
Quorum
Q: What can fans do to help uplift the music industry as we begin to emerge from the effects of the pandemic?
A: Support their local music scene! Download music, buy merch, go to shows, get behind releases from bands they enjoy, or even just share things on social media. Each and every one of these things is so important to venues, bands, and to the music industry as a whole. People supporting emerging independent music is the only thing that allows it to continue!
Q: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
A: More opportunity for emerging artists, and get rid of pay-to-play and the industry sharks that make it their business to [try] to leech money from unsuspecting artists. Fair payment for streaming would be good, and if someone from The Reading and Leeds Festival would like to book Quorum for the main stage sometime before 2025 that would be amazing!
Catch Quorum on Their Post-Covid Comeback Tour:
10th July – Open Arms Festival
23rd July – Chagstock Festival
31st July – Vet Festival
1st August – Arch Revival Festival
Other dates available at www.quorumofficial.co.uk
Connect with Quorum:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Spotify
Love Quorum? Check out:
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Note: Some Q&A responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
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