UK rockers Kid Kapichi are entering a bold new era with the aptly titled Fearless Nature. Their latest album is a push into new sonic territories while exploring difficult personal journeys through 11 incredible songs. Atlas spoke with singer Jack Wilson via email about the album’s direction, writing longer songs and standout moments on the record.
Atlas Artist Group: Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions! The new album is incredible and we’re excited to spotlight your latest music.
We read that you were going through a difficult time during the writing process for this album- was the creation of the record cathartic or healing for you as you went along? How do you now view the album through the lens of being on the other side of that now? Is that what inspired the name of the album as well?
Jack Wilson: It’s funny really, I look and listen to it now like the words were written by someone else, but I suppose that’s just testament to how far I’ve come in the last couple of years. It’s almost like watching an old home video of yourself crying as a child and wishing you could console them.
I think it was needed. It was extremely cathartic for sure. Normally the name of the album comes at the end once all the songs are finished; but this time it came first which is unusual for us. We wrote “Stainless Steel” and that was the lyric that stood out. I like that it is written as a statement but in my mind it was always more of a question.
Atlas: Fearless Nature has an element of restraint that is less evident in your live shows and even in previous music that you’ve released. Was this more intentional as you went along? How did you approach this creative process as compared to your earlier releases?
Wilson: Yeah it was all absolutely intentional. It’s authentic to how I was feeling and I never want to write anything that isn’t true to myself. Ultimately I write for myself and if others enjoy it and relate to it that’s a bonus.
The actual process was quite a blur. It was a time of great change and each day was just about survival more than anything. Sometimes I’d go home and forget what I’d done, and listen back to it like I was hearing it for the first time. It was quite exciting really.
Atlas: This album has a lot of longer songs (love that, by the way) so you definitely have a lot to say here. What is your overarching message for the record? What do you hope that listeners will take away from it?
Wilson: I’m glad you are on board with the longer songs. I think when you’re doing punky songs at 150BPM you’ll find they naturally are 2 minutes long. But when we slowed songs down, they naturally took up more space.
Honestly, not trying to sound like a nonchalant cliche but I really didn’t have any expectation or hopes for what people would take from it. It’s so subjective and it can be everything to someone and trash to someone else so I don’t try and anticipate that side of things. I love to hear what people take from it and what they felt certain things meant. Sometimes what others think I meant is much cooler than what I was actually meaning, and I just steal their idea.
Atlas: What are you drawing your inspiration from these days- whether from within music you’re listening to or outside of it?
Wilson: I just draw from my life. My friends. My hometown. The things going on around me and the way I’m feeling on that particular day.
My music taste is pretty varied, I’m definitely not a music snob, if it’s good, it’s good. So I couldn’t pin down one influence for this album but we were listening to a lot of Bristol trip hop which inspired a few songs.
Atlas: Is there a particular song that you gravitate towards or feel particularly strongly about on this album?
Wilson: “If You’ve Got Legs” always stood out for me. Almost because it’s quite unassuming and doesn’t make a big song and dance. But I think it’s one of the best written on the album. Lyrically it felt quite on the nose for how I was feeling during a break up.
Atlas: We’ve seen your live show here in the US and you guys absolutely blew us away- are you planning a tour around bringing these songs to your fans? Which song are you most excited to perform live?
Wilson: Thank you! We will be touring extensively later this year in the autumn, taking the album on the road. Nothing is set in stone yet but of course it’s every musician’s dream to play America and Canada so I hope we get the chance again. If they’ll let us back.
Atlas: Is there anything else you’d like to share about the album or anything else you wish you got to talk about more that people may not ask you?
Wilson: Free Palestine.
Stream Fearless Nature, out now!
