The Swanston Gazette chat to lead vocalist and guitarist Jordi Davieson about the band’s music, inspirations and what’s next.
Although summer has ended and we’re heading into the colder months, San Cisco has dropped a new album that’ll make you reminisce on warmer days. Vibey, feel-good and emotive, Under the Light shows the band’s range of sound and ability.
Born and bred in Western Australia, San Cisco has been making music together since 2009. With catchy hits like Awkward and Too Much Time Together, they’ve become Aussie-indie staples.
Under the Light is more experimental, with the trio showing their maturity in reflective lyrics and dreamy melodies. The recording of the album took place in their hometown, Fremantle, and the ease of their production is evident.
“We just wanted to have a different writing and recording process than we’ve ever done before. It was the first time that we worked with James Ireland, who wrote and produced the record with us,” Jordi told The Swanston Gazette.
James is part of the popular psychedelic rock band Pond, also hailing from Perth. Jordi continues that the majority of the album was recorded in their home studio with James.
“Writing a record is a very all-encompassing, kind of painful, stressful thing with a few really high, fun points. But I’ve always found it to be a real flog. And when you finish a record, you’re quite different,”
“I wanted to have a different experience that was a little more enjoyable and less stressful, which didn’t really work. It still nearly broke us.”
While production may have been tough, the finished product speaks for itself. The songs High and the title track Under the Light remind the listener of the classic, bubbly San Cisco sound, but also reflect a sense of growth in their style.
A standout track is Honeycomb, which describes the euphoria of falling in love while also encouraging the listener to get up and dance. It showcases vocalist and drummer, Scarlett Stevenson’s, impressive vocals.
Growing up and living in WA permeates all of San Cisco’s music, and the new album is no different. Family Trust tells the story of an “emotionally stunted, wealthy white dude” who has grown up under the “protective cone of his loaded family”, Jordi explains.
And there’s a lot of that in WA. The state has a strong mining culture where people earn a high income. People can easily lose perspective, and Jordi wrote the lyrics based on this “out of touch” attitude.
What is one of Jordi’s favourite songs, you ask? Find Yourself Here Again, a wistful, slower track that he says “came together quickly” at the end of recording to act as a breath of fresh air.
“I took a few chord progressions from other songs we hadn’t gotten off the ground properly and then wrote the lyrics for it. It felt quite natural and freeing.”
San Cisco has once again demonstrated their lasting influence with their new album. They’ve also shown their music can mature alongside the band, without losing their classic sound. Now in his 30s, when asked what advice he would give to people in their 20s, Jordi thinks it’s important to focus on the relationships you have.
“When you’re a good person, good things come your way and it’s usually because you are being genuine and connecting with people. It’s a great way to move through the world and you’ll often find that you’ll be able to find support not too far away,”
“The older I get, the more I realise that the people that are good at dealing with other people tend to do well in life.”
This kindness is reflected in their album, with the song Horoscope being the first to come to mind. With elevator-esque music on loop, it features uplifting mantras through lyrics like “and if it all falls through, don’t let it get you down”, and “when you’re down, come around”.
So, after a stellar 15-year career and five albums under their belt, what’s next for San Cisco? Not new to the touring game, the trio are hitting up local venues for a regional Aussie tour. Then they’re embarking on a European tour until June. Keep an eye on their socials to see what they’re up to for the rest of the year.
All information on Under the Light and tour dates can be found here.
This is a super insightful and interesting read. Clearly a lot of effort put into the research by Jemma, great work!