Psychedelia, trance, and dream pop; these are only a few genres that are recognized in the unique song "Waiting" written by Sally Haze. From producing songs in her bedroom, to working on her studio album at Maximum Pelt Records in Chicago, Sally has taken her danceable, dream-like rhythms to the next level in a very short period of time. The EP 'The Dining Room', which contains this single, has earned Sally Haze the “Best of Bandcamp November 2019” by Uproxx, and also earned her Chicago’s “Artist of the Month” by Deli.
As the song begins, the build-up of instrumentation has listeners guessing what is about happen. The atmosphere introduced by the synth sounds like a musical mystery about to be revealed. The wait is short-lived. Drums emerge soon after, clearly letting people know that this is a get-up and dance song. The piece continues to loop, but each time adding a new layer of instruments and ambiance that fulfills the song’s promise. Whether the instruments are acoustic or programmed on a computer, they fit together well to showcase Sally’s ability to make the listener feel like they are listening to a dream sequence. The ending changes to a new chord progression, then build up in increments, only to end with an explosive bang. It is easy to see how the song “Waiting” has earned Sally Haze nominations and awards. We can't wait to see what's in store next for this talented artist.
Listen to "Waiting" here.
Hey Sally Haze, welcome to BuzzMusic! We are more than proud to be representing your single "Waiting" off your EP 'The Dining Room'. Tell us, what is your recording process like?
Hey, thanks for having us! We like to keep it simple; our home studio is really bare bones and very private, so there are not too many nerves. The most nerve-racking thing is putting the songs out there once they're done. Dining Room was a personal project, as a whole, but also lyrically and thematically. It's always strange putting something like that into the world. But the reactions so far have been amazing, especially people's different interpretations of the songs.
Studios normally have some sort of “vibe” when you enter them. Was the “vibe” of Maximum Pelt Records helpful or additive towards your dreamy music?
The best thing about our process and home recording, in general, is that it's really intimate and unrestrained. You're free to experiment, try things that might take a lot of time or never come off at all, and you can spend hours getting the right take or sound. That has been really important for the overall sound of the EP. So much so that a lot of the songwriting itself was done during recording. Some tracks were little more than a bass line or a few chords on guitar or synth, and everything else was built around it as the track was being recorded.
When we listened to your music, it was hard for us to pick a title or genre it goes under, which is what I love about this song. Who were some of your biggest influences or inspirations that helped sculpt your very unique sound?
A lot of influences. Obviously there's a heavy shoegaze/dream pop influence from bands like Cocteau Twins, Slowdive, and Ride with some Psych rock thrown in there. But we decided not to shy away from the influence of other genres and sounds, even when it doesn't seem like it would fit. We listen to a lot of dance and pop music, which is where the emphasis on rhythm and tempo, particularly in the drums and bass comes from. Pop music is another huge influence. And we listen to a lot of souls from the '60s, Phil Spector-type stuff, which had a huge influence especially the wall-of-sound production and melodically as well.
With only having a couple of projects out online and for purchase, what do you think your next steps are in creating a new album or EP?
The next EP is definitely going to be an evolution of the Sally Haze sound. We haven't finished recording yet but the writing is mostly done, and the vision for it is fully-formed.
What can we expect to see from Sally Haze throughout 2020?
We'll be playing some shows this year and there's definitely more to come with the next EP!
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