- Words Liam Cattermole
The New York duo talk the “sensational” KNEECAP, getting sunburnt and what they've learnt about themselves this festival season.
Pearl Amanda Dickson and Richard Orofino of Sex Week make restless indie anthems for the chilling times we’re living in. There’s a dreamy malaise to tracks like ‘Coach’ from their new EP, Upper Mezzanine, which at points revel in a sudden intensity and at others feels incredibly contemplative.
Their back-catalogue is more expansive and genreless than a large portion of New York’s band scene, who seem strangled by nostalgia and the electricity of the city’s music heritage in the early ‘00s. Sex Week, on the other hand, seems hellbent on making something their own, which we can really get behind.
The duo took us on a trip to Green Man Festival, where they saw the “sensational” KNEECAP, drank a sensational amount of beer and got pretty sunburnt. Below, they talk about their wild festival season and the biggest inspirations behind Upper Mezzanine. Tap in below:
Best moment from festival season this year?
Pearl: Seeing KNEECAP live was pretty sensational. They’re amazing performers, and the crowd was fully engaged, which I think is hard to do, so definitely very inspiring.
Richard: Meeting so many new and amazing people has been so cool.
Which one of you can go the hardest at festivals?
Pearl: I was napping a lot, so I guess Richard can technically go harder. Though I’m impressed with how many acts I saw and the amount of good food I ate. I also got really sunburnt.
Richard: I drank so much beer at Green Man, and it was so yummy.
What have you learnt about yourselves this festival season?
Pearl: That pacing myself is important when it comes to rallying through the whole weekend.
Richard: I’ve learnt that rest is very important.
What were some of your fave performances at Green Man?
Pearl: KNEECAP, Mark William Lewis, Perfume Genius, Wet Leg (especially their secret set at Round The Twist), Heartworms, Allegra Krieger… the list goes on and on. I would say my fave performance was the burning of The Green Man himself, that was pretty insane.
Richard: We caught some young lads singing ‘Wonderwall’ at the Banjo Busking-Open Mic tent, and it was great. Also, KNEECAP were amazing.
Biggest inspiration behind your new EP, Upper Mezzanine?
Pearl: I think being with one another was a big inspiration. We are very good at bouncing ideas off each other and shaping a world through talking about it, and then eventually conceiving it.
Richard: The opera and all the drama and mystery that comes along with that.
What do you hope people take away from it?
Pearl: I hope people feel some sort of feeling, whether good or bad. I hope it doesn’t feel like easy-listening.
Richard: That they enjoy the music that we had so much fun making together. That there’s some sort of connection spiritually.
Describe the EP in three words.
Pearl: Intriguing, dark, cute.
Richard: Mysterious, changing, colourful.