A Quick Chat With Scratching
Grace Sanders and Ezekiel Padmanabham, are carving a new journey for themselves with their new project Scratching. With acclaimed EPs and having supported artists like KUCKA, Boo Seeka, and Great Gable, this creative partnership has the duo reinventing themselves. Redefining their sound, they have released their new single 'Peter'. Blending folk, pop, and electronic elements, this new track under their new banner embodies a dreamlike quality. 'Peter' draws from the eternal youth theme of Peter Pan and delivers a hypnotic and graceful experience. We caught up with both Grace and Zeke to find out more!
Can you tell us what this track means to you and what you want people to take away from it?
Grace: To me, it’s about surrender and letting go of our own ideals we have for ourselves and our lives. I just want people to enjoy it, they can take their own meaning.
Ezekiel:
Who are some of your influences and why?
Grace: we have lots of influences, JRS hard to narrow it down. This record we were listening to a lot of Big Thief, Julia Jacklin, Weyes Blood, Dry Cleaning, Arca and Bjork I think. I’m always looking for music that feels really authentic and raw, I guess whatever I’m influenced by just makes me feel something.
Ezekiel: Yeah, definitely a lot of Big Thief and Weyes Blood. I'd add Dijon, Kendrick Lamar and David Bowie too.
What's the creative process for you, from writing through to recording?
Ezekiel: A lot of the time we start with the 'main' idea Grace has had, then we write as we're arranging.
Grace: I tend to write our songs alone- either on guitar, loosely on piano or just as a solo melody with lyrics and then pass on the idea to Zeke with some references and loose ideas. We wrote more collaboratively on this record which was really fun! The magic usually happens when we get together and start fleshing out the ideas- Zeke does the bulk of the recording, mixing and arranging- once he’s in his element in the studio the skeletons of ideas become something really special.
What do you think makes a great song?
Grace: I suppose creativity, honesty, ingenuity, authenticity, feeling. All the usual things that make art good. There are no rules that work every time, that’s why it’s so special when someone really does make something great.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
Ezekiel: I would probably die if Soulwax or Sango remixed something we made.
Grace: There are so many.. I’d love to be shot by Nadia Lee Cowen, maybe production on an album by Kanye… dressed by Simone Rocha.
When not working on music, what other creative outlet/s do you have?
Grace: I work (nearly) full time as a photographer. I love creating visuals and working with different people.
Ezekiel: I'm a graphic designer on the side, but honestly, if I'm not working on music I'm probably working on other music.
Who are some local bands we should check out?
Grace: Didion’s Bible! Grievous Bodily Calm! Mia June!
Ezekiel: Ben Aguero! Julia Wallace! Glimmer! Great Statue!
Winter or summer and why?
Ezekiel: Winter. I love the rain and cold and jackets and darkness! Give me winter all year long damn.
Grace: spring and autumn because extremes are unpleasant. I don’t have aircon or heating.
What else do you have planned for 2023?
Grace: we’re rounding out the year with some cool shows, and we have a new series of live performance videos we made for our last record we’re excited to release!
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