Creating music via FaceTime: CHESS nail it with ‘3D Glasses’
Not even a global pandemic and the Government’s strict rules could stop the synth-pop duo from collaborating on their second track. Speaking about making music while the world comes to a standstill, I got to talk to the masterminds behind the group and discover how you carry on with no face-to-face contact.
Neighbours Luke Franklin and Dan Longmore met through a shared love of the same music and a similar sense of humour but, given the circumstances, found themselves creating music together through the means of FaceTime. “Writing music over FaceTime has been a challenge for us both,”—a tail true for many others who don’t have the funds to splash out on studio time during a time where almost everyone is strapped for cash—“but gave us something to put our minds towards whilst there was little else happening in the world.”
Showing that it doesn’t take being in the same room as someone to make such an excellent and incredibly well-produced record, the pair bring a little spark to the current state of the world; giving us a gem we all deserve after such a strange time.
A beam of light in these dark days, perhaps, CHESS are here to transport you to another planet for a few minutes and be a “fun distraction from such a traumatic time.” With a glimmer of hope ringing true through their music, they notably share a sound akin to the likes of Madness, Talking Heads, and Spandau Ballet (an odd mix, I know). The group’s main inspirations shine through; their catchy track reminiscent of their own inspirations in Homeshake and The Garden – a song so incredibly easy to get lost in.
A sound that transports you back to the 80s, CHESS have nailed it on all levels. 3D Glasses is a fun, exuberant, and eclectic offering from the duo that is enough to make even the gloomiest of Mondays feel like a Friday. If you’re not feeling yourself, put this track on and have three minutes of bliss—unless, of course, you want to listen to it on a loop, which is perfectly understandable.
The band is currently listening to Chubby and The Gang, Mealtime, and Spoort.
