“Chasing Echoes” by Matt Churchill is the perfect indie-pop tune to accompany listeners through any part of the day. It starts strong with a catchy melodic riff, and once it builds to the “Chasing Echoes” main hook, these words truly echoes throughout the song. The vocal layers and harmonies are uplifting and the recording. Churchill had branched out to challenge himself to write a pop song, and by the sound of it, his efforts paid off. His songwriting melody is radio-friendly, and the music production is beautifully layers and of professional quality. Churchill has that English charm that is beloved in music, where you can slightly hear his accent and it gives the song real character. The song reminds me of that nostalgia from Oasis mixed with the Night Flowers.
We got the chance to ask Matt some questions, and here is what he had to say:
Q&A with Matt Churchill
Your song is lovely! I especially love the lyrics, “we’re chasing echoes of who we are” – that is such a deep and poetic statement. Did any real-life events occur in your life that influenced your recent projects “Chasing Echoes”?
Thank you, that is very kind of you! The lyric is about how every new moment is an opportunity to be a better person; if you stand still you can’t progress. In terms of influencing the track, I’d been away with my wife and I was reflecting on how lucky I am to have such an amazing side-kick to go on adventures with.
How you do like being a completely self-managed musician?
It’s hard work but very rewarding. You’re responsible for creating, writing and recording the music, of course. Once you’ve recorded a track you then need to make sure it’s registered with the PRS, get it published and distribute it to music platforms. And then, you’ve got to think about marketing, which means being proactive and contacting blogs, playlists and radio stations which can be a bit of a grind when there’s little feedback coming your way. You’re the person booking shows, trying to encourage people to go to the shows, making sure people know where the venues are and that they get there on time! But ultimately you know when people are listening to your music, buying it, going to gigs, or reading about it, it’s the result of all your own hard graft. That you’ve managed the entire to end to end process, put in so many hours, and hopefully made a few people happy is extraordinarily fulfilling.
What was your creative process for making “Chasing Echoes”?
I was challenged by my brother to write a pop song, something with a big chorus that got to the point quickly. I was on a flight which was coming into land at night and all the lights of the buildings and roads were twinkling and flashing by, which is where the ‘Lights flicker when you land’ line comes from. I wrote most of the lyrics on my phone there and then. A few days later I revisited the lyrics and started figuring out a chord structure for it but I was missing a chorus. I’ve got this book where I have loads of lyrics and ideas and found a couple of lines that fitted the concept of the track – all about being in a moment with your best friend and seeing or experiencing the joy in a small moment that only you two can. From there it was a process of building up the track so I recorded a couple of demo versions – there’s a really neat Americana version of it that might come out as a B-Side one day – and then built up the layers of guitars and vocals from there.I worked with my producer to finesse it, he added a bit of polish, and here we are!
How is the music scene in Watford (based in London)?
We’re really lucky, there’s a lot of talented people who are doing great things at the moment. Minnie Birch is a wonderful folk musician who’s creating some really beautiful material. Lakes are a great band and they’re packed full of potential and great song craft. And of course there’s The Staves who are doing amazing things, playing all around the world and releasing incredible music. I swear every time i’m listening to the radio one of their songs comes on!
If you could collaborate with anyone in the world, who would it be?
Oh tough question! Working with Beth Orton would be an opportunity too good to turn down. She’s such an inspiration in terms of her songwriting, lyrics and voice. She’s experimental too and straddles quite a few genres which is very exciting.
What is coming up next for you?
I’m currently working on an EP. I’ve got about twelve songs ready to go, so the next stage of that is to work out which of those will work best as a five track collection. I’m hoping to release that this year, all being well. We’re starting to see the possibility of gigging in London again as lockdown gets eased. I’ve got a gig scheduled at the Moustache Bar, so hopefully that will go ahead and I can play the songs again!
Any parting words for your supporters?
Thank you for always listening and coming to the gigs, and continue to support your local music scene!
