Perlee combine a melancholic dreaminess with dense intensity, the kind you might expect from bands like Low, Mogwai or Radiohead. There are some dark twists in these songs. The feeling of being tied to a place is palpable, but the ability to connect across space and time, and that which allows the human spirit to not only survive but thrive, is abundant.
Saramai and Cormac moved from Ireland to Berlin in 2018 and quickly found a small flat in an old industrial part of the city called Moabit. They had the good fortune, through friends, of finding a rehearsal space on the grounds of an old hospital around the corner and began developing the sound they had first struck upon while living in the remote Irish countryside. In the early days, the couple enjoyed the many spaces the city provided in which to showcase their music. They played several gigs every week in smoky bars, house concerts and clubs. Then they were forced to change their plans: “When the pandemic hit, we had played a few nice shows for our EP launch and we were meant to be heading to do a radio session with BBC legend Janice Long. We had more shows lined up in Berlin and a support tour in Ireland. All postponed and then cancelled of course.”
Speaking from Other Rooms” is an album about unconditional love, the banality of a capitalist society, destiny and self-realisation. Mostly though it is about love; long-distance love, love that strives to exist across a physical distance, across generations, between lovers and across time.
Tension between distance and nearness has shaped the past few years in which Saramai Leech and Cormac O’Keeffe have been working on their debut LP. After two EP releases, Speaking from Other Rooms is the duo’s first full-length record due for release on April 21st.
Unable to tour they began to focus fully on the production of their album. The songs were mainly written in their Berlin studio, while drummer Matt Ingram (Laura Marling, LUMP) recorded his parts in London. This collaboration brought a sense of spaciousness to the project and meant that the songs could be reflected upon and refined as the process gradually progressed. Matt also mixed the album, which was then mastered by Stephan Mathieu at Schwebung Mastering.
You can stream the full album below and view the video for latest single Lived Out Moons:
