A beautiful synergy with Anton Newcombe and Tess Parks

Image: Anton Newcombe and Tess Parks 

I Declare Nothing is the result of a collaboration between The Brian Jonestown Massacre's Anton Newcombe and Toronto singer/songwriter Tess Parks.

They share a creative partnership that unanimously oozes chemistry. Tess' caressing smokey vocal washes seamlessly against a masterfully crafted landscape of lingering rhythms and hazy psychedelic textures that make for a beautifully formed album.

Anton currently resides with his family in the cultural hub of Berlin, where he subsequently met with Tess after reaching out to her. It's a city that creatively knows no limits and that notion reflects in the musical relationship between the two.

It's for all to see that Anton has a keen eye for unadulterated talent, reflected greatly through his reaching out to Tess and A Recordings LTD roster - the imprint houses all manner of skilled musicians alongside his formidable outfit The Brian Jonestown Massacre.

Now touring alongside a live band to form a six-piece collective, the duo are able to communicate their debut piece of wonderment to the masses in all of its enhanced glory.

In admiration of their shared project, we posed a selection of questions to Anton and Tess which they gladly answered, shedding more light on their blossoming collaboration,  and an album that resonates as one of the must-listens this year (hear it below). 

I understand that you two met while in Berlin through mutual label interests. Did the idea to link up come naturally or was it a suggested collaboration? 

AN: Nobody suggested it, it was something I wanted to try so I reached out to Tess via twitter and the rest is history as they say. 

TP: I was very inspired by Anton's music and once my first record came out he took a bit of notice through mutual friends. And yeah, the rest is history. I'm glad it happened. 

At what point in your musical relationship did you decide to make an album - was there ever a moment that inspired a couple of songs into what it has become? 

AN: Sure, on her first visit we did a few songs and it worked out well and that led to the topic of us doing an album together and hitting the road as a project that is evolving - as we are actually a six-piece group.

TP: After we did the first two songs in February 2014, I think we realized that those songs were actually very good and when we found the time we made a record. 

Surely as a city there is no better place to experiment than Berlin, which is essentially what this album was between you two and it worked. Did you two share any experiences within the city that perhaps influenced parts of the album? 

AN: Well for me I feel very free to do as I like - I am practically a ghost in Berlin except that I have a recording studio - a full time engineer, a record label and can do pretty much whatever I want globally. 

TP: Not really, we spent most of our time together in the studio. Maybe we'd go out for a walk or have lunch or make dinner with Katy and Wolfgang, or other friends that were dropping in.

Katy, Anton's wife, has become one of my best friends, so chats with her inspired me or seeing a family together inspired me. There were a lot of friends coming through as we were recording as well. It was more the people that were around rather than the city that I found inspiring. 

(Sourced: Tess Parks)

It's a city renowned for its electronic music. Have you had chance to sample any of that or even the great record stores we've heard about in East Berlin?  

AN: I shop for records online as I hear about things & I check our shops everywhere I go on earth - but there are great shops and I love Mauerpark on Sundays.

TP: I'm definitely not the biggest fan of electro music. I've checked out some record stores and Mauerpark. I think it's cool that they smoke inside. 

What plans do you have to communicate the album on tour, we're assuming you'll be joined by a live band by the expansive use of instruments used on the album? 

AN: We play the album from start to finish plus three more songs with the added energy of the live experience. 

It's hard not to draw comparisons with your respective solo projects; 'I Declare Nothing' comes across as a blend of both rather than something completely different, would you agree with that and was this the aim, if so? 

AN: Hmm I pay no mind and try and do justice to the music. 

TP: It was more about making something we thought would be timeless and great. And this is the result. 

Lastly, what does the future hold for you two, have you looked beyond the tour at all? Because you should the album is superb! 

AN: I hope Tess wants to make more better records with me.

TP: Yes, I really hope we can make more music. 

Thanks guys, good luck on tour. 

'I Declare Nothing' is out now via A Recordings LTD - Catch them at the Liverpool International Festival Of Psychedelia on Friday 25th September at Camp and Furnace.