Arrays Newsletter Interview

Arrays is the solo heavy rock project of talented multi-instrumentalist JP Carroll. Weakness in Me is the thought-provoking first single from the debut full-length album Wreck, which is due for release in late-2018.

Wreck features a dynamic 9 tracks which were all written, performed, engineered, edited and mixed by Carroll, with Karl Apao at Soundkard Productions mastering the final record.

Weakness in Me will be unleashed on August 3, 2018 and accompanied by a video shot by Francis Wheeler.

JP answered the following questions for muzic.net.nz:

Prior to Arrays, your primary musical endeavour was the band Armed in Advance. What made you want to start a solo project?

Armed in Advance reached a point where we were spending a great deal of money on not many tracks, which was very much in contrast to my writing habits, I’ve always wanted to work out projects rather than single songs. So Arrays popped up to meet a creative need. Now that AIA is off the boil it’s my primary focus. 

What drives you to create music?

Writing songs is one of the most rewarding activities in life for me. As soon as Wreck was done I made a plan to write another record. No plans to stop any time soon. I have a secondary goal of improving the records in all aspects every time I sit down to write and record, so it feels pretty worthwhile and meaningful to invest my time into – Better than heaps of Netflix anyway. 

This project has a much heavier, darker tone than AIA. Anything in particular that has drawn you towards the heavier side of the spectrum?

I think the first EP did, I dunno why that is. I think the new record is actually a little poppier, and more melodically oriented. It’s still intended as a heavy rock record, but the writing process prioritised vocal arrangements a bit more than in my writing previously. 

So that doesn’t answer your question at all, my bad. 

This is a solo project that involves multiple instruments. Are you playing them all when you record, or are there session musicians/digital elements involved?

I play all the instruments, drums, bass, guitar and singing. There are some synth elements on occasion and those are arranged. 

Without other band members in the writing process, do you have any different checks and balances, or do you write completely independent of any controlling influences?

I have a bunch of different keys, tempos and structures that I use as inspiration for writing, so it doesn’t all end up sounding the same. I literally have them written down in a google doc, it’s super nerdy. 

The names Weakness in Me and Wreck are rather interesting titles, almost self-deprecating. Has the writing of this album been a cathartic experience?

It’s been pretty love/hate. Particularly the mixing which is not my skill set at all. Lyrical content varies from global issues to personal issues, but after listening to the record back to back, the name Wreck was a little self depricating – I’m a weird person in a weird world. 

Weakness In Me is about how families can ignore issues affecting their members in the interests of keeping things comfortable. That’s not an issue I’ve faced necessarily but it’s interesting to write about. 

Is there a reason why Weakness in Me has been chosen as the first single from the upcoming album?

Not really. It’s the first one I finished and I thought it was cool.

You released the Motives EP 11 months ago. Was it challenging to write, perform, engineer, edit, and mix a new album in under a year?

Massively, and it wasn’t even my intention. I was trying to keep it chill and enjoy the process and it ended up being a distraction as I faced some pretty shitty things in the last year. 

Weakness in Me was released on August 3rd. Where can we find it to have a listen/purchase?

You can have a listen on Spotify and YouTube, and you can have a purchase on iTunes and Google Play. And pretty much everywhere else that good music is found. My music’s there too.