Review Fix chats with Galaa’s Aley Waterman, who discusses the band’s origin, goals and creative process.
Review Fix: How did the band form?
Aley Waterman: The band initially formed in Newfoundland when I got a demo grant in 2013 to make the demo, but then we quickly wrote some more songs so that we could do a live show following the release of the 4-song demo.
Review Fix: How did you get involved in music?
Waterman: I’ve been playing piano and singing since I was a little kid, but this forthcoming album actually got me into exploring electronic music.Â
Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?
Waterman: For this album, I would write the initial lyrics and melodies and then everyone would strip down what I wrote, we would all look at the core of the song for a long time and then carefully start adding layers, usually starting with synth pads and ending with bass.
Review Fix: What inspires you?
Waterman: Lots of female-lead and sort of experimental music like Julia Holter, US Girls, Hundred Waters, Braids, Tiny Hazard, and Wye Oak. Otherwise, I love reading about the philosophy of desire and the gap between the idealized and the real.
Review Fix: What makes this album special?
Waterman: This album was recorded in many parts of Newfoundland, from beautiful art collector dwellings that overlooked the ocean to my friend’s dad’s basement near the airport. All involved were pretty new to this sort of experimental creative project and so it took a lot of care and patience. Not a lot of electronic albums like this come out of Newfoundland so we were trying to do something new, I think. Also, there are a lot of strange sounds on the album from mysterious sources hehe.
Review Fix: What’s the standout track?
Waterman: Ender.
Review Fix: What’s on your musical bucket list?
Waterman: I would love to make another album that’s more experimental with a lot more real pianos in it, and more of a dark folk edge.
Review Fix: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?
Waterman: Ambient electro dreampop with a haunting edge.
Review Fix: How are your live shows different from your studio work?
Waterman: A lot of the time I play solo with a keyboard and a guitar. We’ve figured out a live set up before but it is a little heavier and has a few less layers of sound.
Review Fix: What are your goals for the rest of 2018?
Waterman: We want to get out music out to the world.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Waterman: Music video!
Leave a Reply