![]() While on tour in support of the album, the duo's rented studio/practice space flooded, wiping out some of their gear and leaving them in need of a new space to record and create. Taking cues from another raspy-voiced singer, Bob Dylan, Summers steadily regained the use of his voice, and the Helio Sequence returned in 2008 with Keep Your Eyes Ahead. He returned to Portland, his voice severely damaged, and was forced to relearn the craft through a series of vocal exercises and lifestyle changes. ![]() The album gave an unprecedented amount of prominence to Summers' vocals, but the singer was unable to keep his throat in shape on the subsequent tour. Young Effectuals followed in 2001 before the Helio Sequence jumped from the roster of Cavity Search Records to Sub Pop, releasing the more auspicious Love and Distance in June 2004. When it did touch the ground, it was at points between My Bloody Valentine, Mouse on Mars, and the weirder side of the Elephant 6 collective. Helio Sequence's 100-percent home studio approach allowed for a lot of sonic experimentation, and that aesthetic informed the swirls and layers of their evolving sound. Debuting in 1999 with an ambient, psychedelic sound that placed as much emphasis on the guitar as Summers' muted vocals, the band issued the Accelerated Slow-Motion Cinema EP before dropping the full-length Com Plex in 2000. And we like naps, hugs and generally howling at the moon.The Portland-based duo Helio Sequence is comprised of vocalist/guitarist Brandon Summers and keyboardist/drummer Benjamin Weikel. Unpredictable and magical, yet always there for you when you need them. Somewhat elusive and vaguely mystical, yet earthly and affable. If the Helio Sequence was an animal, what animal would it be?ĭefinitely a Totoro Forest Spirit. We watched the whole set in a state of blaring, blissed-out awe. Curious, we walked inside the door to see a huge stack of Marshalls turned up to 11 and our minds were blown when we realized it was J Mascis and his band in full glory doing an in-store performance. It was one of the first years that we played SXSW (early 2000s?) and we were wandering around the streets of Austin when we heard a rumbling coming from a record store. In honor of the Volume festival, who played the loudest set you've ever seen? Growing our sound along with our always-developing understanding and love of music. The driving philosophy has always been evolution and change. What has been the driving philosophy behind the band? Next year is 20 years of the Helio Sequence. We actually find ourselves liking deadlines these days! We've been doing lots of work recording and mixing other bands and composing for commercial projects and working quickly has been critical in keeping momentum and growing in those areas. And going with the "first idea, best idea" approach has helped both of us to streamline our work, which is something we've had a difficult time with in the past and has led to us taking forever to make music. It's helped me to feel less precious about songwriting and less likely to stop myself if something isn't going exactly as I planned. Working quickly was an encouraging affirmation of trusting our instincts and at the same time resisting the urge to self-edit or stifle ideas before they've had the chance to grow into something. Did you learn anything from that process that you may apply in the future?īRANDON SUMMERS: Absolutely. ![]() VOLUME: For the last album, you recorded 26 songs and then distributed them to friends and family to have them vote on their favorite 10. Here's more of our conversation with Summers, edited lightly for space and clarity. "Rather than make up some kind of fancy name for it like 'music for self-actualization' or 'reflections on sonic creation,' we figured The Helio Sequence would work well. The band's sixth album (2015's The Helio Sequence) is its first and only self-titled effort so far, and with good reason: "When we looked at the process after pulling together the songs, we realized it was a lot about trusting ourselves, flowing with our creative instincts and being in the moment," Summers says via email. Formed in 1999, the duo - Brandon Summers (vocals/guitars) and Benjamin Weikel (drums/keys) - has released six albums of shimmering, shoegaze-y electro-pop-rock, each one a thoughtful and well-constructed step forward from its predecessor. Within Portland's ever-evolving music scene, the Helio Sequence is a constant, comforting presence. Catch them on Saturday, June 2, at the Washington Cracker Building.
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