This Sound Will Save You

This Sound Will Save You is an electro pop band from Halifax, Canada consisting of vocalist/keyboardist Chloe Jones and producer/guitarist Matt Fudge. They blend unusual and unexpected electronic arrangements with vocal driven pop to create the exact opposite of what you would expect of those two elements together.

Chloe and Matt first met by chance when Chloe recorded a solo EP at a studio where Matt was employed. Matt says, "I learned production as an assistant working with some of Canada's most successful producers. After graduating from recording school, I was lucky enough to land a job where I was assisting the head engineer of a major recording studio that saw a lot of talented artists coming through its doors". Chloe had moved from her hometown in Surrey, England to Halifax's thriving artist community in the hopes of developing her music further. "I had just finished studying music in London and felt it would be helpful for my creative process to get out of my usual environment and be somewhere like Halifax."

Before meeting they both faced a common difficulty. She was a songwriter struggling to have her music realized by uncommitted musicians and he was a for-hire studio engineer working from one momentary and fleeting project to the next. It was during their time working together that the pair soon realized that not only did they share a rare creative connection, but they both had a common love for unusual sounds, electronic beats and well crafted vocal driven pop songs.

By the start of 2011, Chloe and Matt began working exclusively together as a yet to be named band without knowing what the project would evolve into. Relying solely on the unyielding confidence in the connection they shared and what it could be. After only working together for a short period, the pair found themselves setting off to the UK as one of only two Canadian acts selected for the London City Showcase. They left with nothing but a pair of synthesizers, a drum machine and a bass guitar sequenced through a computer.

In a live performance, This Sound Will Save You offers something unique to the standard pop band or electronic DJ set by blurring these lines and creating something that is both interesting and dynamic. Matt provides a mesmerizing display of technical wizardry switching between multiple instruments while programming loops and effects in real time. All while Chloe sings and plays multiple synthesizer parts that draws the audience in with her captivating voice and energetic performance. Believing that music is at it's best when it's fully interactive between both the artist and audience, they incorporate the computer not as a static fixture but as an organic element of their live show giving them ability to create loops and effects as the pair perform.

"We have always believed that a live performance needs to be an experience. It has to be more than just hearing the same tracks from the record back in a live setting", says Chloe. Matt agrees and adds, "We both have a background in art that extends past music, and this is something we will only be incorporating into our live shows more as time continues. Alongside music I've also worked as a photographer and created installation sound exhibits in galleries and Chloe has studied both theatre and dancing alongside music. These are all things we plan to incorporate into further shows".

By the fall of 2011 they had spent the summer performing in Canada and developing to the point where they were writing and recording new material for their debut album in Matt's home studio. "Our songs always start with Chloe writing at home then bringing what she has into the studio. Then we transform it into the finished song using my collection of drum machines, guitars and different synthesizers", says Matt.

Inspired by early twentieth century artist Wassily Kandinsky's seminal "The Art of Spiritual Harmony", they adopted the name and ethos This Sound Will Save You as they strongly believed in arts ability move people in a profound way. "From very early on we would jokingly quote inspirational phrases for ourselves like 'less control - more freedom' and 'never be sure of anything unless you feel unsure of it'. At one point Matt wrote the phrase This Sound Will Save You and taped it onto his bass. We found it funny in the moment as we felt the music we were creating was saving us from what we had been doing previously, but, as time went on, it began to take on more significance for us", says Chloe.

Chloe has an unusual and unique voice that is both haunting and immediately recognizable. At the same time, her voice provides a perfect contrast to her exceptional capacity for crafting pop masterpieces. Talking about the songs she writes, Chloe explains, "A lot of my songs are based on my own experiences or the experiences of other people. For instance, the song 'What's Crazy Anyway?' was inspired by someone close to me who found themselves in that specific situation. Personally, I find looking at other peoples situations inspiring because it causes me to see life from another perspective. I think it's important for people to be able to relate to a song so I try and draw on these experiences and emotions".

Matt is a multi instrumentalist with a desire to combine pop songs with unconventional arrangements and productions. Growing up in rural Canada, he learned the guitar by playing punk rock and classics by The Beatles, David Bowie and The Police. Despite this Matt has always seen his first instrument as the computer. "I feel like I've been truly lucky to grow up in the age we live in. Computers have finally gotten to the point where you can not only create great sounding music with them, but they can be truly interactive tools that allow what I'm thinking of doing to be what I'm actually doing". Using his skills in programming, he combines his love of European electronic producers into their music with complex computer controlled programs that he has created for the band's studio and live performances.

The future of This Sound Will Save You includes recording and releasing their debut album in 2012. "We're excited about releasing our music and having more people finally hear it. The response so far to the songs has been overwhelming. It's like having a hidden secret you're unable to tell someone and then finally being able to let it out!", laughs Matt. Performing at major festivals in both Europe and North America are goals of the band. Being able to have their music exposed to a wider audience is something the pair is anxiously awaiting. "We have never been more excited about the music we're creating as we are now. We really believe in what we're doing. Whatever happens, we feel as though we're working on something we both feel strongly about and are making music we love", says Chloe with a smile.