Hollow Coves’ much-awaited album, ‘Nothing to Lose’ is a warm blanket of ethereal vocals and gentle chords. After its production was curtailed by the pandemic, the Australian duo, made up of Ryan Henderson and Matt Carins, have had plenty of time to cement their unique sound. The success of this two-man band was “pretty unplanned from the beginning” considering their non-musical backgrounds, but since then, they have come to occupy an international stage. Their music combines elements of Indie-Folk with pop sentiments while their honesty and softness contribute a refreshing levity to the genre.
Photo Credit: Catherine Bernier
They told us that “the album-making process was a bit different for this one. We spent a lot of time demoing these songs, so we were really confident going into recording". Produced by Matt Corby alongside a range of co-writers, these influences also “inspired the flavour of the album”, resulting in the harmonious cocktail that is ‘Nothing to Lose’.
Upon first hearing this album, you will want to be wrapped in the music, immersed in the nostalgic portrait it so beautifully curates. It is easy to feel like you are drowning in the digital world, noise and productivity, but Matt and Ryan emphasise the present moment in this album. The songs are an anchor which return us to their origin: nature and simplicity. “There’s a sense of capturing ‘what really matters in this life’” they commented, “in a way that could help the listener to reflect on what it means to live a good life” .
They referred to a specific motif in the album as a metaphor for this: “how photos back in the day never had to be perfect and when you look back through old family albums there’s so much more authenticity and character, that we’ve lost in the digital age”. Their album certainly has authenticity and character in abundance, but this is not to say that it’s entirely alienated from the digital world.
Hollow Coves are known by many for the success of their song ‘Coastline’ on social media; they even joke in their Facebook bio that it’s the ‘song that everyone uses on their Reels’. When asked how they felt about the widespread usage of their music on such platforms, they responded, “we’re definitely grateful for it. It has really helped to spread our music to more people than we could have ever imagined. It blows our mind that so many people have used this song to soundtrack a memory of their own”. Overall, there was a sense of using technology to fuel connectivity rather than alienation and the duo said that “the songs themselves are always written from a much deeper place.”
Nature is another pervasive theme across their discography. This is clear from the images evoked in the album: ‘the great unknown’; ‘the gold light dancing on the waves’ and ‘the open road’. Even the name of the band – Hollow Coves – is inspired by nature: “I think ‘coves’ popped up and we liked the vibe of the word and it felt fitting because a lot of our beaches in Australia have a bunch of cool coves along them. We liked the word ‘hollow’ as well because it reminded us of something reverberant and woody which were both qualities to the sounds we had been creating” .
They always aim “to write in a way that could evoke the same feeling you get when you experience something beautiful in nature. To help point people towards gratitude and appreciating the beauty of the world”. The growing threat of climate change makes this theme particularly salient, and we asked whether it was difficult to reconcile the environmental impact of the music industry with their love for the natural world. “It’s definitely not ideal” they replied. “We just do our best to minimize our impact where possible and help to spread awareness”. On their recent tour for example, they partnered with the National Parks Foundation in America so that $1 from every ticket was helping the preservation of the national parks.
As their success grows, so does the pressure to perform better; write better. Despite this, they have grown as artists. “Every song, every performance, every interview, every experience is a learning process and we’re feeling more comfortable in all of it than ever before” .
At the core of Hollow Coves, is a stark vulnerability. Their music is not afraid to brush hands with deeply personal, sometimes challenging themes like heartbreak, loss, nostalgia and loneliness. In doing so, they extend a hand to their listeners with every note. “If it can help the listener understand themselves a bit more or inspire then to see something clearer or go do something amazing, then I feel like we’ve done our job!”.
‘Nothing to Lose’ is more than an album. It is an open invitation, beckoning you to open your heart and truly listen.
Words - Emily Warner
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