Boston MA USA: record label H1 Massive will release the first full length album from Typical Light. Hailing from Paris, France, the duo creates dream like, cinematic synthpop. In 2020, Hélène (vocals, synthesizer) and Hakim (vocals, guitar, bass, drums, synthesizer) joined forces over their mutual love of indie pop, rock, and shoegaze. Their first EP SWEET was noticed immediately by French magazine KR Home Studio, because of their catchy melodies and the way Hakim and Hélène weave their silky vocals together. Typical Light have picked up the baton from French synth pop compatriots M83, and taken it in their own direction. We caught up with the band to find out more!
How did the band form and what does the band name mean?
At first, Typical Light was kind of a joke. As for me, I (Hélène) had just quit a job that I didn’t like and I wanted a new challenge. We both had time to focus on music and we decided to give it a try. We started to share our ideas and inspirations and we realized that we matched on everything. Hakim is a great musician and composer. We mixed all of our ideas and by the time, we created our own style and identity.
We chose Typical Light as our band name because we wanted something both catchy and smooth. Typical Light sounds like something that comes from nowhere when you don’t expect it. It is very positive.
Previous musical projects? How'd you first get into music?
Hélène : I am not a musician but I have always listened to a lot of music. Music has always been a part of my life. I went to a lot of gigs and I worked as a musical journalist for several years. Being in a band was kind of a fantasy. Thanks to Hakim and his experience, my dream came true. He gave me the confidence to express myself.
Hakim : I've been playing in bands since I was 16. Guitar player for a while in several projects and i play drums with another band now.
First concert that you ever went to?
Hélène : I grew up in a little town where there weren't a lot of musical events. I am ashamed of it but the first band I saw on stage was Manau. They were playing in Limoges, a small city located in the south-west of France. I was 13 years old. The band doesn’t exist anymore. I moved to Paris when I was 18 and then I discovered all the musical life that the city offers and I really enjoyed it. Thanks to Paris, I enriched my knowledge of music.
Hakim : My first concert was Michel Fugain, a french singer. It was at l’Olympia, a famous concert hall in Paris. I was 8 or 9 years old.
What's your writing process like?
Most of the lyrics of the album have been written during the pandemic period. We imagined the album as an introspective journey. As we couldn’t go outside safely, we had time to explore our inner world and all of our feelings were more intense. We tried to express it. More often, the lyrics are based on emotions and feelings about our daily lives and our relation with other people. Indeed, sometimes it is kind of difficult to have a place in this crazy world.
What other artists or songs inspire your music?
Hakim : For me Kazabian and Slowdive. These 2 bands have inspired me for a long time. The sound of the Kazabian s first album is magical and i love the guitar on Slomo (Slowdive)
Hélène : Slowdive, Beach House and Chairlift have been big influences for the album. I discovered Slowdive thanks to their last album and I immediately fell in love with them. Beach House is one of my favorite bands. Their songs are both smooth and dreamy. “Bruises” from Chairlift really inspired us. I’d love to compose such a hit! Depeche Mode is also a big influence. I love the fact that their songs are timeless. I am also a big fan of the Kills. I love their energy. Alison Mosshart is my rock n’ roll queen! Etienne Daho is an iconic French singer. He is an eternal pop dandy who travels through all generations. And he is a very good writer. His music touches me
What's up next for the band?
We haven’ t been on stage yet but we are very excited to. We imagine our live set as a dreamy and immersive experience with a beautiful light game. On stage we will be joined by a drummer and a bass player. We want people to escape from reality and offer our audience a unique experience
https://h1massive.com/artist/typical-light/