SPOTLIGHT: The Islas

Thought provoking…but they make you wanna dance!
Norwich deliver a new breed of Indie Rock

The Islas started with Nathan Baverstock and Ross Allen meeting at their local music college, and after splitting from a previous band the pair created The Islas in late 2017.

The group released their debut EP ‘A Generation To Forget” in 2018 by drip feeding each single to their website.

After some high traffic to their website and social media platforms, The Islas caught the eye of BBC Introducing, local music blogs and television and perhaps most importantly production duo Sugarhouse.

The Eastern quartet recorded singles ‘Aileen’ and ‘Back of Your Neck’ up in Merseyside with Sugarhouse and released those two singles in the Summer of 2019.

Both singles went on to push The Islas forward with features on ITV, Spotify Hot New Bands, Vinyl Moon, BT Sport and even landed the group their first international festival headliner in Rouen, France.

I couldn’t shake the thought of limiting your life for the purpose of a greater being who no one knows for certain exists.
Nathan Baverstock, The Islas

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Nathan – tell us more about the story behind ‘Close’…

“We had the riff after playing it as a whole band back in late 2019 but still needed a few tweaks lyrically.

Close was constructed from a previous experience I had as a 9 year old in middle-school. My brother and I were in assembly while one of our senior Christian teachers was talking around the bible and homosexuality – and ultimately trying to convince our young minds as to how it is a sin and wrong in the eyes of God.

My brother is gay and he has known his sexual orientation from a young age and looking back now it was a really abhorrent and hollow presentation from that teacher which I didn’t quite understand it at the time.

I also read an article called “How to not let your relationship get in the way of your love of God” and I couldn’t shake the thought of limiting your life for the purpose of a greater being who no one knows for certain exists.

So that’s where the lyrical element comes from, the perspective of someone questioning and losing their religion.

I have to say I am actually an agnostic, it’s not a protest against any religion of any kind, I just won’t forget how I felt after those two experiences in my life.”

‘Close’ does what all my what all my favourite songs do. It’s heartbreaking and thought provoking but also made me wanna dance! And ‘Dancing with Daisy’ complements it beautifully. A lovely ballad, full of warmth and nostalgia.
KITTY PERRIN – BBC INTRODUCING IN NORFOLK

Dancing With Daisy was written by us way back in College where we met and it was probably the first song we (Baverstock and Allen) wrote together.

I love this song and it’s matured well with us over the years – we put our heart into this single and cannot wait for you to hear it”.

The Coronavirus outbreak scuppered the band’s plans to continue to work quickly, with gigs and studio time, but this gave main song-writers Baverstock and Allen the time to collaborate by sending Logic projects back and forth to one another.

Through creativity and innovation, they delivered ‘Close’ and watch this space for new music coming very soon!