Neil MacLeod, a Wellington-based artist, made a name for himself in the indie-electronica scene in 2019 with the release of his debut EP, “To Unfold.” His brand-new EP, “We Have Known Lost Days,” marks a daring new phase in both his life and his music.
Soul and electronic genres are excitingly combined by Neil MacLeod’s new, emotive sound, challenging listeners and upending preconceived notions of what electronic music is. He takes great pleasure in moving audiences with his dark cinematic electronic music contrasted with intimate soul. His accomplishments include sold-out headline shows across New Zealand, support from both national and local radio, and his own releases receiving critical acclaim. With his upcoming EP “We Have Known Lost Days,” which is currently available via Particle Recordings, he elevates this to a completely new level.
His highly anticipated EP “We Have Known Lost Days” was released on September 9th as the first item on the brand-new label Particle Recordings. The EP takes listeners on a journey through the darker side of human experience.
MacLeod, who has been dubbed “the James Blake of Pneke,” combines soul and electronic genres in a way that challenges listeners and challenges preconceived notions of what electronic music is. Check out the EP and the exclusive interview below:
1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?
NEIL MACLEOD: I was born in Cambridge (UK) and moved to New Zealand when I was very young. I was interested in music right from the start; my parents told me I was singing along to their music on car journeys before I could speak. Choirs were my first portal into deep musical practice and as I grew older my interest continued to deepen. It wasn’t until I began to learn music production however that my career started to take shape.
2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?
NEIL MACLEOD: I’ve had scattered periods of formal training, but my brain never really took to that method of learning. Most of the important lessons I’ve learnt about music have come about as a combination of both formal and practical lessons…. I’m someone who likes having their ‘aha’ moments out in the wild.
3. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?
NEIL MACLEOD: People defer judgment to many things, but social media has got to be one of the worst options out there. I view judgment as a critical part of progress, but surely it can also be destructive. Social media is something I’ve had to put energy into and I’m grateful for its existence; being able to communicate with fans so directly is revolutionary. But I tread with caution – I monitor my internal relationship with it very closely because, at the end of the day, it is not the real world.
4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
NEIL MACLEOD: I’d say the three main elements in my music are voice, lyrics and production, but to be honest I’m not that concerned with which elements people resonate with; that’s out of my control. I’d describe my current sound as Indie Electronica.
5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as Indie Electronica?
NEIL MACLEOD:
I’m not so sure we ever escape emulation… we are what we eat after all – and I’m not convinced that ‘originality’ is even the right ambition. I believe that music is a property of the universe which we’re lucky enough to play with – and that some of us are lucky enough to stumble upon new aspects/applications of it. I’m so enamoured with the music that has come before me so I’ll always be a student in that sense. Developing ‘your own style’ seems to be a largely unconscious process – at least for me.
6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?
NEIL MACLEOD:
These days I’m spending the majority of my private life focused on the internal battleground. My music tends to reflect that. While I believe music can be a powerful catalyst for change, I don’t consider it my place to judge what role it should play. Music is a vital, mysterious force that feeds us exactly what we need – if we’re willing to listen.
7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfilment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?
NEIL MACLEOD:
I’m always pushing for more; I have big plans that I fully intend to actualise. However, I’m cautious with where I put my focus… too much time spent thinking about the future inevitably neglects the present. I’m trying to focus on the things that I can control; where I put my energy. Writing, production, mixing – hopefully mastering at some stage – I want to grasp the whole production process and master it. I have strong faith that the career side will follow.
8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do you usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?
NEIL MACLEOD:
My creative process is very personal (in that I struggle to explain it to people). Most of what I would consider my best work seems to come from outside of me. There’s a concept out there that ideas have people (rather than the other way around) and I tend to agree. In the studio I try to get out of my own way; letting inspiration come and go as it pleases. Once something grips me I can begin to involve myself and start working on lyrics/production in a more deliberate/cerebral manner.
9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
NEIL MACLEOD: I’m not really one for opening closed wounds in public, but my musical journey has certainly been full of challenges. One thing I’ve learned from these challenges is to protect my energy at all costs. I used to think that there were necessary evils; people/things you had to put up with if you were going to “make it in the industry” but I can confidently call bullshit on that now. There’s no opportunity so important that you should let yourself be manipulated or mistreated.
10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
NEIL MACLEOD: I’m very proud of the record I’ve just released. It’s called ‘We Have Known Lost Days’ and I consider it my most bold and daring body of work so far. There’s two ways to experience the record; the recorded version and the live-visual version, which is a 26minute performance film. The live visual EP is really ambitious for where I’m at in my career and I’m hopeful it will open further doors.
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