Katie Gately’s Loom is a rare thing: a successful marriage of experimental technique and beautiful songwriting. We discuss process, production and the circumstances which brought Loom into the world.
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I was interested by how your voice is used on Loom. Can you go into your method of vocal processing?
I do a ton of processing to the point where I lose track of everything I’m doing! I use Melodyne to mess with formants and pitch modulation, and I use various pitch-shifting tools, distortion effects, and vocoder-esque tools. Just loads and loads of experimentation, and tugging the voice around until it feels strange and slinky.
There's been no secret made about the background of this record, and the circumstances you were under during which it was written. Without getting into anything more than you'd like to, can you explain how this altered your process, your approach?
I really made it for my mom, and so in that place I felt fearless. When my mother was very near the end, she pulled me by the scruff of the neck and said, “fuck what anyone thinks—make the music you want to make.” It was like an order. She didn’t want me to waste time doubting myself, and I followed her advice.
"Waltz", in its composition, seems traditional the way you'd expect from folk music—but you also seem a very forward-thinking musician. Do you consciously strike a balance between tradition and futurism?
I have spent most of my life listening to experimental music, so I think an experimental approach must be festering within me, though I couldn’t point to how exactly I am forward thinking! I think I am just deeply bored by too-familiar things. I want to be scared and challenged. And I expect others to be up for that challenge too, if they listen to anything I make, at least!
On 6 Music you described how "Waltz" resulted in you reconnecting with its subject, an estranged childhood friend. Did this more feel coincidental or deterministic—and why?
My scientist brain says it was just a coincidence, but it was a very touching one.
You've worked with (among others) serpentwithfeet, producing a few tracks on soil and writing "Whisper". How is the experience of writing/producing for oneself and another artist different?
It depends so much on the artist. Working with serpent was very intuitive and fun—but I’ve tried working with people in other ways, and it didn’t work. It wasn’t personal, just a process difference. I start with sound and atmosphere and build from there, a lot of people start with chords or structure, i.e., “ here is the verse now we need a bridge”—but that’s just not how I write! I have to work with people who are open to finding a melody in a recording of a pipe squealing. Serpent was, he is very open minded and can write in a million ways, and I am sure many others are open too. I look forward to writing with more people.
How do you go about sampling an earthquake? Did you find it or it you?
I found it years ago in a Hollywood sound library. I think it was on a CD that also had a lot of underwater recordings and submarine recordings. I am happy I’ve never had the chance to record a real earthquake myself.
An earthquake is obviously a great selection for an album of this subject matter, and an absolutely gargantuan noise. What was the littlest sound you sampled for Loom?
Probably my fingers rubbing together? Little invisible finger snaps that probably nobody can hear but they were fun to layer in on ‘Bracer’.
Matthew Herbert is very strict with himself when it comes to sampling. He even has a manifesto. I noticed you had a similar attention to getting out there in the world and sampling. What is it that makes a personal recording more special than a preset or a stock sound?
I love sampling, but I follow no rules outside of not stealing from other people. I buy the library sounds I use, and check that they’re allowed for use on commercial releases—that’s all I worry about! What I do love about using my own sounds is you feel a closeness to them, an ownership, and that can be comforting and inspiring in unexpected ways.
Is emotive/deeply personal work difficult to perform live, or require any particular kind of approach?
Performing live is pretty difficult, especially alone. There’s a tremendous amount to juggle technically for me as one person that I find pretty stressful. So I actually find the emotional part very easy compared to everything else. That is the release.
What's the best space you've performed in?
I’m so new to performing I don’t know yet... but one of my first shows (literally my 3rd show ever) was in Brooklyn at the National Sawdust, and that venue is fantastic. Intimate, clean sound. And that’s the only time or place my mom ever got to see me perform before she got too sick to go out… so it has a special place in my heart forever.
Are there any other artists in your scene you'd like to shout out?
I’ve never been part of a scene but there are tons of artists I would love to shout out! Venus Ex Machina is a brilliant engineer and artist I met at an interface-building workshop at Stanford over the summer (I believe she is UK based, currently in London).
And, one of my favorite producers ever is based in France and her name is Gaël Segalen. She’s absolutely incredible and makes beats with field recordings!
In LA, there is an amazing composer/producer in LA called Drum and Lace and she can do anything but scoring film and TV seems to be her sweet spot. Also, Meara O’Reilly who put out an incredible vocal hocketing EP last year. This is just off the top of my head, the world is full of brilliance!