TALITA CALITZ
Pretoria bred synth-rock band Isochronous have come a long way since they started their musical exploration back in 2006. They describe their music as “a moment in time left for us, and all those who care to listen with an open ear and heart”. Perdeby caught up with vocalist and lead guitarist, Richard Brokensha to find out a bit more about what drives them.
The past year has been quite big for you guys. What have been your best experiences so far?
Certainly the highlights have to be the two recent Ramfest shows we played. It’s a big Cape Festival that made its way up to Jo’burg this year and we got the opportunity to play both, and they were both magical. Our sound works well on a big stage; it gives it that epic quality. We also enjoy Tings ‘n Times, as it is our home turf and one of the only places in Pretoria that shows live music regularly. Mercury Live in Cape Town is also a great venue, and we had a cool time in Durban with the Big Gig.
You recently had a live acoustic set with Lark at Tings ‘n Times. How was the experience?
We have played with Lark before, and at first it was intimidating, but after meeting them properly and getting to know them (and of course Fuzzy who owns Sound and Motion Studios where we recorded) it is now like any other performance really, only more special. Essentially Lark offered a whole host of musicians in this country the opportunity to create music that is not commercially orientated, and for that we are eternally grateful!
What kind of music do you listen to?
We all have diverse tastes in music, so it would be difficult to single out one band. Probably Mew though. Beethoven is awesome. Debussy. We love all music that moves people.
You recently released an acoustic album entitled Imago. What was the inspiration behind it?
Imago was essentially an experiment that morphed into a very viable and sustainable project for us. We wanted to explore our music from a different angle, and so decided to record the entire album acoustically. It was a very mature step for us with regards to our sound, and allowed us to delve into other aspects of our musical personalities. We played acoustic instruments – grand piano, upright bass, acoustic guitars, drum set – but also included live strings on the album. The cello was played by Lani van der Merwe and the viola by Jean-Louise Nel. It was a real pleasure to work with them, along with the people at Sound and Motion Studios in both Cape Town and Jo’burg. It is truly a wonderful studio, and our thanks must go out to Simon Radcliffe and his team for all the work they put into the project.
How does it feel getting recognition for your music? Is it something the band has always dreamt of?
I think the recognition is beyond what we could ever have expected. We don’t make music for recognition; we make it to make other people feel good. So when people are moved by it or feel inclined to let you know how much they love it, it is very humbling and we are grateful.
