In this interview spotlight, I chat with isilmé about the latest music, challenges, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
Eric McCullough: Jayne and I both from Baltimore, MD and just moved to a historic home dating back to 1887 in Glyndon, MD (we sincerely hope that it is haunted). We have such diverse influences that it has been hard to nail down a genre we feel is a good fit! However; I feel that our current songs have an ambient, indie, alternative feel to them.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
E: Music has been my passion my entire life and there has never been anything else that I have wanted to do. I am lucky enough to have a career in music (I direct the Music degree program at Carroll Community College in Westminster, MD) and I have always had a “music or nothing” mentality when approaching both my career and goals.
Expression is what drives me to keep going. I am continually searching for a way to better express myself (in the truest possible sense). If I can convey exactly what I am feeling to a listener, then I have succeeded.
How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
E: isilmé is different from previous projects of mine because it is the first project that I have done vocals on (instead of just playing guitar). Since “Light” is the debut single for the project, this is the first time that many people in my life have heard me sing! This project is special to me because I share it with my partner Jayne. I think that we truly captured “us” with this song – the trials and tribulations that brought us together and also the love that grew out of challenging times.
Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this over saturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?
E: Although this is a new project, one challenge we have faced is identifying our target audience. It’s been interesting to see which fans connect with our music and which do not. You can convince yourself that someone who is a fan of your favorite band will also love YOUR music, only to find out that fans of artists that you never even considered end up deeply identifying and connecting with your music. It’s all about experimentation and going with what works!
What was the last song you listened to?
E: “Nightshade” – Andrew Belle
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
E: The majority of the time, I listen to music via mp3s/streaming services. That being said, I enjoy the experience of vinyl much more – the packaging, the artwork, and even the tactile aspect of putting the record on and turning it over. In the near future, we hope to release a 7″ single containing “Light” on one side and our yet-to-be-released second single “In the Dark” on the other!
