They have hurled themselves into the unknown since their paths crossed in Florida, and their journey from this point onward has captured the landscapes of eleven cities and five countries. Their intrinsic need to not bind themselves to one place for too long has been enough to see them onto their newest of destinations, which sees them residing in Waterford, Ireland, currently.
Their music style has also been conducive to this process, with each recording starting from a clean-slate of equipment and constantly evolving into new territories. What began as a foundation of rock and shoe-gaze influences has now developed into more of an electronic soundscape, merging the euphoric and the narcotic into a European-flavoured style of pop. With one-half of Low Sea connected to a history of Shamanism there is also the suggestion of broader consciousness in their 2013 LP release, Remote Viewing, and the exploration of the unfamiliar.
How did your story begin in the U.S.?
Bobby: Billie and I met in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She had lived in San Francisco and the Bay Area for many years prior to that and then in Dublin, Ireland, before returning to the U.S. I was living in England, where I come from originally, and as fate would have it, we both ended up at the same place at the same time.
What made you decide that you were better working as a duo in the beginning?
Bobby: We experimented with bringing other musicians into the band but it never really worked for us as we tend to be quite specific as to how we want to sound at any given time - not so much in technical terms but rather we wanted someone with the right chemistry but it just didn't happen. That's left us with more work to deal with but we really didn't want to force anything that didn't feel right. So yeah, here we are as a duo.
Your journey has had a lot of geographical markers; California, France, Ireland. How many places have you lived as a band?
Bobby: As a band, I think 5 countries, 11 cities/towns/villages. For Billie, there's been quite a few more.
There's an old saying that some people are born with a suitcase in their hand which is something that both of you can relate to. How connected are your cultural experiences with your songwriting?
Billie: Well of course, everything that's part of one's life journey has an influence on one's expression. We're certainly not bound to the geographical borders that define the countries on this planet. The mind can cross many boundaries and realities, including this physical reality, that serves as a veil of illusion of our eternal nature of existence. It's pretty evident to me that human kind is ready for a big-time eye opening to the emergence of the broader kind of consciousness that reflects the unity of All That Is.
Where to after Ireland?
Billie: Who knows? We were thinking about Leipzig, Germany for a while now but that could change at any given moment. We cannot seem to stay in one place for too long though, so we'll be on the go soon enough.
You've mentioned that you have a love of vintage keyboards. What equipment are you using at the moment or what did you use on your latest album, Remote Viewing?
Bobby: I'm constantly changing and adapting my set-up...adding and subtracting. Never particularly for the sake of doing so, rather I like to try things out and see how they fit; whether to keep it or sell on. I'll utilize anything and everything if it feels right, and would certainly hate to limit myself to one particular group of sounds or piece of hardware. I prefer to work on any new material from the ground up every time, rather than repeat any one specific synth or drum sound, but it does make for a slower songwriting process. Our equipment set up does actually differ depending on whether it's for live or recording. For live shows, Billie is currently using a Korg MS2000 synth along with a motion controlled FX unit, which she finds to be really expressive. I've actually settled (for now) on using Ableton Live's synths as they're very reliable (and flexible) in a live situation, with an Axis 49 Harmonic table midi keyboard. Its layout is like that of an accordion which is really much more intuitive (for me) when it comes to creating melodies. Plus it looks great!
You have a recurring theme noir, cult-like aesthetic to your video clips. Which film soundtrack would you like to produce a song for?
Bobby: Anything in the realms of Wim Wenders' Der Himmel über Berlin. I also adore Gabriel Yared's soundtrack for Betty Blue. I probably listen to something from or the entirety of it on a weekly basis. I love how elements of one piece will re-appear or evolve throughout the album. Parts are repeated and adapted to shift with the mood of a particular point in the movie. It's hugely underrated. Actually, one of our songs, Alex, will be featured in an Italian produced movie called Travel Well, Kamikaze, so it'll be really interesting to see how that song works within the context of the story line.
Remote Viewing wouldn't have any connection to Billie's experiences with the cult?
Billie: No, not really. I come from a culture where some parts of my family have a history of shamanism, clairvoyance and similar things that most modern science would refer to as paranormal. So it's a subject close to me and my experiences throughout my life.
What's your favourite quote that's travelled with you across the years?
Billie: Oh, I seem to always find some new ones that I connect with at the time. Here is one by Terence McKenna I'd like to share with you:
“Nature loves courage. You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up. This is the trick. This is what all these teachers and philosophers who really counted, who really touched the alchemical gold, this is what they understood. This is the shamanic dance in the waterfall. This is how magic is done. By hurling yourself into the abyss and discovering it's a feather bed.”
