Somber Seas – Five Questions With

Jenna Melanson·July 2, 2024

Somber Seas Unveils New EP, Laser Eye Tiger

BC’s Somber Seas unveiled their EP, Laser Eye Tiger on June 13, 2024.

A band deeply influenced by the tidal waters of the Canadian Northwest Coast (Prince Rupert) – Somber Seas fuses indie rock with celestial synth inspirations – creating a captivating sound that invokes thoughts of an otherworldly habitat. Formed in Prince Rupert (and now based in Vancouver), the band is constantly striving to bend genres, tackling new inspirations as they come.

First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?

Somber Seas is an indie rock blend with electronic and funk influences. We live on an island in the Pacific Ocean, in North- Western B.C., and bring that tidal influence into our sound.

Tell us a bit about your recent release.

Our latest release is our album “Laser Eye Tiger”. We believe it has a little for everyone, with its notes of a soft interstellar sound, fused with island indie rock. It’s the second album we’ve put out. With this one, the listener can audibly observe the progression of Somber Seas as we explore new horizons of sounds and feelings, and learn how to convey those notions into vibrations we crave.

We are so proud of this record — we feel as if we are beginning to unveil Somber Seas, feeling confident in following this sonic path, and not to mention all the hard work that went into making it happen.

How do you typically go about the songwriting process? Do you have a specific method or creative routine that you follow?

I (Shadoe) typically start with a central idea. Which can be many things, sometimes it’s just a drum beat, sometimes an entire chorus line with guitar rhythm. Then build onto it one part at a time. Often, the parts will be very clear, or at least I will have a good idea of where I’m trying to get to. Other times, I’ll get stuck along the way and usually, Jackie can help us figure out a way through.

Something that I’m always conscious of (maybe to a fault) is trying not to have too many layers in a song. So that the sound can still be replicated fairly closely in a live performance.

Looking ahead, what are your plans for supporting this new release? Are there any upcoming tours, music videos, or additional content that fans can look forward to in connection with this project?

We have some upcoming festivals that we’re excited about in northern BC. Beyond that, we are working on plans to make our way around the rest of the province. We’re usually quite active on social media and we’re working on doing a little more streaming. So find us where you can!

Looking back on your musical career, is there a particular moment or accomplishment that you consider a turning point or a highlight?

I would say the beginning of this project was a turning point just in the way that it gave me much-needed clarity of musical direction. A starting point with a line to follow, or perhaps several lines to explore. Whatever the case, it has been an amazing beginning and hopefully much to experience ahead.