Forgotten Dream’s sophomore album, Distorted Karma, marks a bold evolution in their sound, blending shoegaze, grunge, and dream pop with a darker edge. We dive into their influences, creative process, and future plans.
1. Distorted
Karma has a unique sound that combines shoegaze, grunge, and dream pop, while
adding a darker, more intense edge. Could you share some of the influences and
inspirations behind this transformation in your sound?
We are
deeply fascinated by the alternative rock scene of the ‘90s, our main
inspirations while creating “Distorted Karma” were bands like Hole, Smashing
Pumpkins, Garbage, Veruca Salt, L7, Pixies, Placebo and The Cranberries. All
these influences are reflected in our music, it is difficult to specify exactly
how and to what extent the various influences manifest themselves in individual
songs. We can say it’s a mashup of the styles mentioned above. For example, in
"Rabbit Hole" the chorus has a clear grunge vibe, while the verse reminds
of a more brit pop sound.
2. Working
with Riccardo Daga at Titans Lab Recording Studio must have been an exciting
experience. What did he bring to the album’s production, and how did his input
shape the final sound of Distorted Karma?
Working
with Riccardo Daga was a great experience, he’s a skilled professional and the
production process was extremely spontaneous and fast. Riccardo was very
respectful of our choices and precise in carrying out all our requests
regarding the sound. His interventions were essentially technical. It’s
incredible how we combined speed and meticulousness working with Riccardo!
3. Your
debut album, Cotton Candy & Pills, introduced audiences to your dreamy,
shoegaze-inspired style. What led you to evolve into the more aggressive
soundscape featured in Distorted Karma?
This
transformation in our sound was totally spontaneous. After some personal life
events Maryanne decided to play the guitar instead of the keyboard, because she
felt that it was the instrument that could help her express herself in the best
way possible. This led to the creation of three songs ("Rabbit Hole",
"Rain in Reverse" and "Walking Dead") that we consider the
starting point of the new album, because they sounded darker and more rock from
the very first time we played them, leading us towards our new style. In fact,
the writing of the following songs was deeply influenced by the vibes that
emerged from these songs.
4. Distorted
Karma is described as an album for fans of Hole, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Le
Tigre. How do you see Forgotten Dream’s sound fitting within these iconic
influences, and what do you hope listeners take away from this album?
Our music reflects
our deep inspiration from the artists you mentioned. However, we live in a
different time, and this is reflected in our music too. We hope our listeners
can appreciate the ‘90s vibes of our songs and at the same time we hope they
can find themselves in the emotions we express in our music.
5. The
album touches on intense emotions and themes. Could you delve into the central
messages or stories in Distorted Karma and what you hope fans connect with?
In the
album we express different emotions and different moods, from melancholy, to
anger, joy, euphoria, deep sadness and even disillusion. The outcome is a kind
of fusion of all these feelings that becomes a positive and overwhelming
energy. We hope that the people who listen to the album can feel this strong
energy, which is the same that we feel every time we are performing!
6. Since
forming in late 2021, you’ve gained a strong following in Italy’s indie music
scene, especially through live performances. How has performing live influenced
your songwriting and the direction of Distorted Karma?
Playing
live shows has inevitably influenced our songwriting: when we work on new songs,
we try to avoid excessive ornaments that would not be replicable in a gig. We
aim for a sincere, raw and essential writing, and this is well demonstrated in
Distorted Karma.
7. Can
you describe your creative process? How did you approach writing and recording
for Distorted Karma, and was it different from your process for Cotton Candy
& Pills?
The
creative process is a bit difficult to describe in a precise way since we do
not have a real standard method. We rely heavily on the instinct and
inspiration of the moment. If we had to find a "standardized" part in
the writing process we can say that Maryanne tends to bring a draft of basic
chords with an idea for the vocals, then we work on it all together. As we said,
we are very genuine in creating and try not to standardize something that is
already alive. Certainly, an important change in the creative process of our
second album is the change in the formation. Now we don’t have keyboards, we have
a drier sound, with two guitars, bass, drums and vocals.
8. As
you prepare to tour and share this new album with fans, what can audiences
expect from a Forgotten Dream live show? Are there any unique visual or musical
elements that you're excited to bring to the stage?
We would
describe our live shows as a bipolar experience: they are characterized by a
lot of energy and at the same time by just a few words between songs, we do not
force the interaction with the audience, we prefer a sincere and spontaneous
exchange of energy.
9. The
alternative rock scene is incredibly dynamic. What do you feel Forgotten Dream
brings to the current landscape, and how do you see yourselves contributing to
the evolution of the genre?
The
alternative rock scene is definitely dynamic and varied! We think that having a
female singer is still not so common in today’s scene (at least in Italy),
especially considering that we play very loud songs. Our intention is to bring
back the atmosphere of the ‘90s but with a modern twist.
10.
Finally, looking ahead, are there any upcoming projects, collaborations, or
ideas in the works for Forgotten Dream? Where do you see the band heading next
after Distorted Karma?
Now we are
very focused on the promotion of the album, at the same time we are working on
new songs. It’s still quite early to say where we are heading, perhaps towards
darker moods and heavier sounds. However, we are planning to release something
new in 2025, so stay tuned!
Post a Comment