Creative Conversations 044: Sumner's Superb Return

We caught up with Alternative electronic duo Sumner (Chloe Wilson & Jack McLaine). With the return of the project, Sumner explore themes of power, intimacy and isolation with earnest and unique perspectives from their cold climate environment. We dive into their superb new single 'Stranded', co-written and produced by Nick Littlemore and Peter Mayes (PNAU, Empire of the Sun) and signing to Lab78.

Futuremag Music: Hey Chloe and Jack, how're you both doing?

Sumner: We’re well thank you! Excited to have Stranded out in the world.

Futuremag Music: Before we jump onto 'Stranded' could you talk us through the formulation of the Sumner project and what led you to connect with Nick Littlemore and Peter Mayes?

Sumner (Chloe): Sumner sort of started accidentally. In 2014, I was playing under the name “Sumner” as a solo act for a few months, but then I guess I got bored of my own company on stage. I came across an Alt-J remix Jack had done on SoundCloud. I hit him up to see if he wanted to join me for a gig I had booked in literally 5 days. He said yes straight away, and 5 days later we had a set ready to go in Ableton. The gig went pretty well, so we just kept on having rehearsals and writing sessions. Everything seemed to fall into place perfectly, a happy mistake!

We met PNAU through our managers Luke and Jimmy, as they have been touring with Nick and Peter for a few years now. We played a gig together at Forth, a little Tasmanian town with a population of around 800 people. A couple of thousand people ended up showing up to the show, it was a magical euphoric evening. We got along with the guys instantly, it’s a real blessing to have that kind of artistic connection so instantaneously. A few weeks later we met them in Sydney and spent 2 days in a studio writing. We worked on 2 or 3 songs, Stranded being one of them. It came together quite quickly, there was beautiful energy in the room and it was one of those moments where everything felt like the right place at the right time.

Futuremag Music: ‘Stranded' is a superb record, could you please outline your writing and production process surrounding the release?

Sumner (Jack): I wrote the beat for stranded in a 30 min rush of inspiration, chasing the bittersweet feeling in between melancholy and hope. The descending arpeggio came first, played on a Juno 6 synth, then the chords and drums. When I showed it to Chloe she insisted we write to it in the band. The first time we played it in the live set, It was at the show with PNAU in Forth, Tasmania. They heard the track and thought the general feeling it presented was a stand out. During that time in the Sydney studio, we had reworked it into the song ‘Stranded’, as it exists today.

Futuremag Music: The environment of Lutruwita (Tasmania) is clearly an influence. Could you give us some insight to how it's shaped your sonic and visual identity?

Sumner: The scenery we have down here is like no other. We’re pretty blessed to live in such a heavenly pocket of the world. The obvious geographical barrier has been beneficial in a way, the relative isolation helps in going against the grain. We can be a little bit out of sync with the rest of the industry, down here it can sometimes lack the opportunities, exposure and contacts places like Melbourne or Brisbane have. But our connection with the land and community give us an immense advantage in our creative process. We draw from personal experience, so surrounding ourselves in the towns and landscapes we grew up in helps us immerse ourselves in those emotions and a reflective mindset. We’re very proud Tasmanians.

Futuremag Music: What does the future hold for the Sumner project?

Sumner: More music, visual creations, writing and collaborating, and hopefully someday soon, a whole lot of travelling.

Futuremag Music: In partnership with Your Favourite Team, what is a piece of advice or something you wish you knew when starting out following a career in music?

Sumner: Sometimes it’s an absolute slog and a lot of it isn’t easy, but keep going. Those thousands of hours and hundreds of shitty songs will pay off one day. You gotta do it for that 10 year old version of yourself that just wanted to thrash a guitar onstage. As long as you’re making that person happy, you’ve won the game.

Futuremag Music: To wrap it up if Sumner was a cocktail, what would be in it to best describe the project?

Sumner: A boujee botanical Tasmanian gin with soda and lime. Simple and refreshing, with refined depth and a lingering aftertaste.