White Canyon & The 5th Dimension interview
Spatial environment, guided by reverberated guitars, straight drums almost in a loop, crooked melodies and shoe-gaze style voices. Shining melancholy our sound takes you to colorful landscapes, sometimes lucid, sometimes not. Take a walk through the garage of the ’60s, and the post-punk of the ’80s. He goes through acoustic ballads and the almost obscure frenzy.
The self-titled album by White Canyon & The 5th Dimension contains mind frying psychedelic stoner rock from – and for – the outskirts of the universe! This sensational band hails from Sao Thome Das Letras, Brazil. White Canyon & The 5th Dimension are Léo Gudan and Gabriela Zaith.
How are you doing? How are you coping with the current world situation?
Léo Gudan: We are doing well. At the moment healthy at home. These are strange times, besides a global pandemic we are going through a very difficult political and economic period in our country. We are lucky to live very isolated and far from the big cities. I think this has helped a lot to keep the mind healthy and keep creating music. At the moment we can’t go out to the city and it was very frustrating, but we are thinking about the future and soon everything will be back on track.
Would you like to talk a bit about your background?
I have been working for several years as a musician, playing in bars and nightclubs and studio sessions. The reality in Brazil is a little difficult for those who live from art, so we have to unfold and look for various ways to work with music. But there came a point when I needed to do something of my own, with my own ideas, and so White Canyon was born.
“The process became natural with time, I just let the ideas flow.”
When did you decide that you wanted to start writing and performing your own music? What brought that about for you?
I have always been creating ideas in my home studio, ideas that end up being saved or left aside. Some even became music for other projects. Until one day I started to gather this material and propose myself to write something, which was a challenge at first but with time it worked. The process became natural with time, I just let the ideas flow. When I thought it was good to decide to share and by chance or not, people liked it, which gave me the decision to take it forward and here we are.
How do you usually approach music making?
Generally I do not follow a certain pattern. Ideas come in many forms. A bass line, a drum loop or guitar riffs. Or even vocal melodies. That’s the first step, then it’s a process of shaping that idea until it grows into something. But I have a certain sympathy for melodic and minimalist things. I think that’s a good way to keep a fluid and interesting music for those who listen. The recording processes are in parts, usually a guide is made and then all the rest.
You guys are currently with Necio Records – how did you get discovered by them?
We are working with Necio, and it is being great. Arturo was very attentive and interested in our work from the beginning. They are one of the real ones and they do things out of love for music. In reality we knocked on their door. When the album was ready I showed it to some acquaintances and some stamps. Even they indicated Necio to me. Without much hope I got in touch and soon we were well received and started to talk about a vinyl release of the album.
Can you share some further details how your latest album was recorded?
It was a low-budget process, but with a lot of commitment and attention. I recorded and played all the instruments with the exception of some keyboards in a small room in my house. The drums recorded on 4 or 6 channels and some samples, the bass in direct line and the guitars passing in vintage Brazilian amplified as a ‘True Reverber’ by Giannini and others. As I don’t have isolation you can hear some external noises and sounds that echo through the album, like my dog’s bark at the beginning. The voices were recorded in a cheap voice-over microphone and passing some guitar pedals in order to have a lo-fi sound. Some songs were recorded while I was composing them as in the case of ‘Bardo Mountain’ where the drums were done in a single take.
Was there a certain concept?
I think at first it was making music and recording with the tools I had. I also wanted things to be simple and to sound natural. I think that’s the key concept of the music I make, simple and direct but very well colored.
How would you describe your sound?
In my mind every song is a style, at least that’s how I create them. Of course it has elements that are from my background and musical idea, like post-punk and shoegaze stuff that I grew up listening to. I like these styles and I always try to put something of them there. I’m a big fan of psychedelic music so I think that’s also present, but I think those labels that you choose are the listeners.
How pleased were you with the sound of the album?
I always think about it. The fact of being present in the whole process of the album leaves me with the feeling that I could always have done better. But reflecting I’m satisfied people like it and this is very good for me.
What are some bands/musicians that have a big influence on you?
The influences are diverse and are always changing. As many have noticed we have a strong influence in bands like The Black Angels. And of course it is true but not in a general way. We love Angels and they will always be present in my way of making music because I grew up listening to them. But I can also say that The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Doors, My Bloody Valentine, Velvet Underground, Brian Jonestown Massacre and Pink Floyd are also influential.
What are some future plans?
The future is still a little uncertain in some things with all this going on. But as soon as we get better we want to go on tour and promote the first album more. At this moment we are recording the second album and we want to show it soon.
What’s the scene for an underground psych band in your country? Are there any other local or national bands you would like to expose to our readers?
The scene here is very difficult. Brazil is a very big country with a huge variety of musical styles, which makes psych rock be left out. What exists is a certain union between musicians and producers for the festivals or events in which the bands can play. Here it is very difficult to live with music regardless of style. We do it out of pure love and will. I would like to mention a band that is a veteran here, Firefriend. They are a trio that have been on the road for some time now, with a great discography. It’s very worthwhile to meet them.
Let’s end this interview with some of your favourite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?
It’s always hard for me to name the favorites of something but let’s go there. I think ‘Directions to See a Ghost’ of Black Angels will always be very influential to me. I love a lot of things about it, but the drumming sound is something I will always be inspired by. ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’ is an album that I always listen to again to find references. ‘Sound of Confusion’ by Spaceman 3, ‘Strange Days’ by The Doors, ‘Pornography’ by The Cure, ‘Dummy’ by Portishead and many others. The most recent things I’ve enjoyed a lot are L’epee‘s ‘Diabolique’ and the national ‘Quarto Templo’ by Bike.
Thank you. Last word is yours.
Thank you very much for the invitation and the opportunity to participate in the interview. It was a great pleasure. Thank you to all who are supporting us. It overflowed our heart with joy. Thank you Arturo for believing in us. And we hope to continue making our music and emanating to the universe! Peace and good from Brazil, Léo
Klemen Breznikar
White Canyon & The 5th Dimension Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp / YouTube / Spotify
Necio Records Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Bandcamp
