Project Description
Interview with
ARMADA OF SECRETS
Interviewer – Mirrin Gray
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About ‘Make Me Over’
Life submerges us all in its intensity. Some rise and some fall beneath waves of self-doubt and self-destruction. On ‘Make Me Over’ Armada of Secrets offer themselves to us at their most autobiographical. Caroline Kabera’s lyrics challenge the constant cloying desire we have to remodel ourselves and to escape into hypothetical new-selves, because the grass always seems greener. Built around Carl Dawkins’ minimalistic bassline (contrary to his usual, more complex approach), the song crescendos towards its explosive choruses through subtle nuances in rhythm and colour. Kabera’s voice is full-bodied, recalling the kind of soul-influenced vocals found in nineties and early noughties sentimental dance classics. There’s a heart-wrenching and life-affirming intensity to their performance, which the band describes as their simplest yet. ‘Make Me Over’ is a prayer for meaning, pining for an irrecoverable past and an unattainable future. It’s the sound of a band who feel every sentiment close to the bone. The song doesn’t fade out so much as stop, leaving its haunting chimes ringing in our ears long into the lingering silence beyond.
About Armada of Secrets
London’s Armada of Secrets is made up of vocalist Caroline Kabera and bassist Carl Dawkins. They met in music school after Kabera immigrated to London from Burundi. Carl then toured the world in a variety of bands, and Caroline kept her singing national while working hard for women’s care refuge charities – a cause close to her heart. They later reignited their explosive musical chemistry as Armada of Secrets. A rollicking drum-and-bass-driven power duo, marrying danceable post-punk with raw, soulful singing, and deeply affecting observational lyricism, their project is a heady and untameable mix, vital and undeniable, greater than the sum of its parts. They themselves have struggled to label the sound for years. Their closest approximation comes to ‘Post Punk Power Pop Alternative Dance Rock’ but at its core they suspect it’s probably rock and soul, though they’re keen to hear what fans think. After going on hiatus when they finished writing ‘Make Me Over’, it took a chance re-listen to their tracks – with the encouragement of friends and fans – for them to come back and once more give their distinct life and light to the country’s indie scene.
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For any new fans, how did you both meet and form Armada of Secrets?
We met in music school shortly after Caroline immigrated to London from Burundi. Carl then went onto tour the world in a variety of bands whilst Caroline kept her singing national and focused on working hard with charities that support women and children fleeing domestic violence, a cause close to her heart.We later reignited our explosive music chemistry as Armada of Secrets.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
(Caroline) Some of my biggest musical influences include Death From Above 1979, RnB and neo soul singer Erykah Badu, singer/songwriter and multi- instrumentalist Lenny Kravitz, British rock band Skunk Anansie and Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald.
What do you think is unique about your sound?
We are a rollicking drum-and-bass-driven power duo, marrying danceable post-punk with raw, soulful singing and deeply affecting observational racism. Our sound is a heady and untameable mix and we have struggled to put a label to it for years.Our closest approximation comes to ‘Post Punk Power Pop Alternative Dance Rock’ but we are keen to see what fans think.
Your new single Make Me Over was out on December 6th and it’s a very emotional track.Can you tell us a bit about what it means to you?
For me personally (Caroline),the song stems from a time in my life where I was really struggling with my sense of identity. I felt such a disconnect from life I was living at the time and had no sense as to who I wanted to become or what to do next.Make Me Over is a prayer for meaning, pining for an irrecoverable past and an unattainable future.
What is it like to write a song with such honesty?
This track is a milestone for us.All our songs come from experience but we felt that we were laid bare with this track. So much so that we delayed releasing it and even went on a hiatus as a result of writing it. It brought all our anxieties, fears and accomplishments (and even lack of) to the forefront. That level of honesty scared us. This song symbolises our return, a coming to terms with who we are and what we believe in.
Why do you think it’s important to write music about your real struggles and anxieties?
We want to share music that is relatable to our fans and we live in quite an exciting time where it’s becoming commonplace to talk about mental health. It’s quite therapeutic writing about our experiences and traumas and we know for the person listening to our music it reassures them that they are not alone in the struggle.
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“This track is a milestone for the band. All of our songs come from experience, but we felt that we were laid bare with this track. So much so that we delayed releasing it, and even went on hiatus as a result of writing it. It brought all of our anxieties, fears, and accomplishments (and even lack of) to the forefront. That level of honesty scared us. This track symbolises our return, a coming to terms with who we are and what we believe in’’
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What drew you to the dance-punk sound?
It just came, I know it sounds cliche, but when we released our first EP ‘Kiss & Tell’, we had no idea what genre to call it, we went on Hiatus, not knowing exactly where we fit, where we should play, what we should do… Then when we decided to come back, the same sound was created, then we knew we couldn’t fight it, and just make it work…. The amount of creative arguments we would have with producers/engineers in the studio, really bought to light how much we were trying to get the sound from our head, to a record. Luckily we had Thomas Mitchener @ Broadfield Studios (Watford, UK) to help our vision come to life.
You’ve also had a live show in London on the 9th of December.What is the best part of performing live?
Just being able to get on stage and having fun performing our songs live is amazing.Makes all the hard work worth it. We also do a 3 minutes (roughly) jam in the middle of the set, totally off the cuff, and usually this is how we start writing new songs…
If you could tour with anyone,who would it be and why? (Dead or alive)
Oh wow, it’s got to be 3, Skunk Anansie, Brand New, and Amaranthe. WE love to play with any style/genre.
What more can we look forward to from Armada of Secrets?
We have a load of covers that we have been recording, these will start to be released in 2020, we love to put our spin on them.
We have the New EP to release next spring, with tracks like Make Me over on it, followed by UK shows in the summer, hopefully with our friends in Bloodywood again (we had such fun last time!)
We are also currently booking for anti-knife crime events in Carl’s hometown of Slough. These will include musical workshops/gigs, in aid to give something back and engage with the community.
Finally, a few questions for some quick answers-
FAVOURITE:
Album – Joan Armatrading 1976
Artist – Erykah Badu
Movie – War Of The Worlds, StevenSpielberg.
Place to visit – outdoors in nature
Venue to play – O2 Academy Islington
Food – pasta
Drink – Chai Latte
Person in History – The Dahomey Amazons
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Check out ARMADA OF SECRETS below
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