London duo Sabatta are preparing to unleash their inimitable style of rock music to a wider audience through the release of sophomore album Misfit Music, out on 4th June 2018 via Blackfriars Entertainment.
Combining a multitude of influences, Sabatta embrace their love of rock, punk, funk, metal, soul and psychedelic music to create a genre defying album. Indeed, Sabatta’s mantra of ‘fuck genres, fuck labels, fuck rules and fuck fitting in’ is borne out on the aptly titled Misfit Music. Producing a record full of heavy riffs, heavy grooves and heavy beats, Sabatta revel in making uncompromising music for a new generation.
First single, the memorable ‘Scream Of Consciousness’, melds the playful interaction of male/female vocals with booming, in your face riffs, offering a cerebral take on modern life, the angst we experience and how to survive it. While, album opener and forthcoming single ‘Rock Star Shit’, complete with the billowing distortion of Yinka Oyewole’s (guitar, vocals) guitar, is a satirical take on the misconceptions of being a ‘rock star’.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Sabatta about the new project, motivations, challenges and more.
Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?
Yinka – For Sabatta that’s an interesting question because, as the title of our album Misfit Music suggests, we don’t fit neatly into a genre description. Our music has elements of rock, punk, soul, funk, psychedelia and even hip-hop. But it’s not like you would necessarily say – oh here’s the rock bit and here’s the hip-hop or soul bit – it all goes through a filter and comes out as Sabatta. At times we call it grunge-soul but I suppose, broadly, it could be considered rock. The main point is that it’s honest and heartfelt music.
What led you into this journey with music? And further, what drives you to push it out to the public?
Yinka – Music is my way of communicating with the outside world. I suppose you could say i’m a shy extrovert. I can be very loud but also very chilled; playing and performing is my number one outlet. I say performance but I don’t do that much of a ‘performance’ as I am just being me. In rehearsals I’m as animated as on stage, and I am very animated on stage – the music does it to me!
Debbie – It’s what we do on a daily, it’s what we live and breathe. So to perform isn’t to push it out so to speak it’s just part of what we do.
Who or what influences your creativity? Have your tastes in music changed over time?
Yinka – Life influences my creativity. Things I’m going through, experiences, things I see, read, hear about. My tastes in music have grown rather than changed. I’ve always had a broad taste in music but it’s probably at its broadest now.
Debbie – I draw upon various things – it could be a key change in one song or a bass line in another or it could be an aspect of someone’s lifestyle. It’s not one dimensional. It’s more holistic – with different aspects being combined from various sources. It’s not restricted – we’re uncaged as artists – it’s about staying open to things.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?
Yinka – The aim was to make an honest album that grows out of myriad of musical influences I and the band have.
Debbie – The album is raw, unadulterated, warts and all. It’s laid bare to world.
What was the last song you listened to?
Yinka: Call of Ktulu – Metallica
Debbie: Rock Star Shit – Sabatta
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
Yinka – Vinyl, CDs, and MP3s in that order but it’s all just formats. Like everyone else, I listen mostly to MP3’s.
Debbie – Vinyl
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
Yinka – I’d say Bandcamp and Spotify are a tie for different reasons. For the independent artist like us Bandcamp is a great platform in terms of the share of money you recieve and the support and level of control you have over your product. Spotify is good from the point of view of accessibility. I don’t really use Apple Music.
Debbie – GigRev as the money goes to musicians.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to connect with or find new fans?
Yinka – In a way it’s the same as it ever was. I’m not the type of person who is going to put on an act for social media, so it’s hard to gain a following that way from clowning around. In terms of visibility it’s like being in the ocean wearing a lifejacket and trying to be seen from the air surrounded by a huge super tanker – the majors are still super tankers. Hopefully you find your own little island and then you can draw people to it – and possibly rescue them ‘cos we all know the ocean is polluted 🙂
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more music?
Well our new video ‘Scream oF Consciousness’ is out now at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Trm3uGDa8Ew so we’d like people to check that out.
Our channel is www.youtube.com/sabatta
We’re on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Bandcamp and all the usual places.
Apart from that you can check out our website www.sabatta.net – which has links to our music.
You can join us at www.facebook.com/sabatta
Our IGs are:
Yinka https://www.instagram.com/yinkaent/
Debbie https://www.instagram.com/kenickie243/
Anything else you’d like to add before signing off?
Our new album Misfit Music is out Monday 4th June 2018.
If you’re in London on Sat 26 May come down to our pre release party at The FInsbury – there are a limited number FREE tickets avaialble at https://billetto.co.uk/e/lost-in-the-manor-sabatta-tickets-280766
Keep an open mind.
