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With their debut EP now out and a host of gigs lined up, Nick Wesson talks to Martin Downing from Lost On Me
When local dream-pop darlings Fractions disappeared into the ether a while ago, it wasn’t going to be long before their creative mastermind Martin Downing re-surfaced. Now stepping out with his new project Lost On Me, their debut EP was released on Glasgow’s Burnt Church Press back in April and happily, you’ll get the chance to check them out live as they play Newcastle’s Little Buildings on Friday 3rd June and Endless Window at The Cumberland Arms (supporting Shield Patterns and Ochre) on Friday 16th June.
With a dark post-punk sound, it’s an entirely different beast from Martin’s previous endeavours: “I’ve been a fan of the darker sides of the music spectrum from an early age and I think I underestimated how dark the EP came off until we started receiving reactions. I guess just saying we’re fans of Depeche Mode and New Order was a bit lazy on our part. There’s a huge range of bands that have influenced us. I’m a lifelong Joy Division nerd!”
Martin and his partner Jazmine make up two thirds of the band, and the formation just seemed to be a natural thing: “About two years ago we both discussed how we’d find it awesome to do a band together. We’ve been a couple for just turned nine years and Jaz has been helping me learn to sing as she has prior experience studying music as a singer in education. I’d been experimenting with Lost On Me solo in my bedroom for about a year when Jaz one day said she wanted to learn bass. After practically snapping her hand off at the notion, here we are near a year and a half later. Being just a two piece and me previously juggling Fractions made it initially a slow start building behind the scenes, but we got there in the end.”
The Demonstration EP definitely seems to project a certain musical aesthetic but it’s difficult to pick out any overriding theme to the record. “The record doesn’t really have any themes asides to the songs referencing experiences within my life. No song is about one specific topic or event, more a reflection on experience and emotion. I do consciously attempt to write in a way that what I’m saying could apply to a variety of things throughout walks of life.” Which sounds like exactly the kind of thing a lyricist would say!
“I’m primarily not naturally drawn to lyric writing if I’m honest and tend to find it hard, much preferring to write and play instruments. I’ve never wanted to be the front person in a band either, but saw it more as a requirement to assist long-term continuing my creative endeavours. If I liked instrumental music more I’d have saved myself a massive struggle!”
The band’s debut gig was in Glasgow and this is something that Martin shyly explains: “That’s really down to me being scared singing live for the first time and knowing I’d find it easier to start in front of guaranteed strangers. We did know a few people, but was it was ultimately an easier start.”
Lost on Me play Little Buildings on Friday 3rd June, and Endless Window at The Cumberland Arms with Shield Patterns and Ochre on Friday 16th June. Demonstration is out now on Burnt Church Press.
