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They have already hit up some of New York’s most renowned clubs and festivals including Communion’s NYC showcase at Rockwood Music Hall, Mercury Lounge and CMJ at the Bitter End. Slow Sugar is a NYC based pop duo composed of Alex Utay and Danielle Harris, The two first met at the University of Pennsylvania during a student jazz combo and now they are making pure sonic goodness. With their first single “Hypnotic Love” making waves and an EP on the way, their future is bright.
GroundSounds recently caught up with the pair to talk about latest music, new endeavors and more, check out the exclusive interview below!
For those just discovering Slow Sugar, how did you two meet and start making music?
A: We met in a jazz combo at Penn. One night in the fall of 2010, she came into the combo I happened to be playing in, and said she wanted to join. There hadn’t been singers in the program before, so we were all skeptical, but she barged right ahead and without hesitation handed us charts for ‘Stormy Monday’ and gave the drummer a tempo. By the end of the first form she was in the group. From there, she and I became close friends instantly and after she graduated the two of us started writing music together for this project.
What made you guys decide on the name Slow Sugar?
D: we spitballed until we found a name that captured our vibe – pop, sexual, gritty, edgy
A: yeah, we like the way it looks and rolls of the tongue nicely. We were also banking on a diabetes medication endorsement somewhere down the line.
What do you guys enjoy most about NYC?
D: The art and the music. I’m always inspired.
A: I like that you can make it what you want. NY is so big and has so many different scenes and communities that you can find whatever you’re looking for here. I feel like I’ve lived in a few different cities in my time here.
Can you tell us about the writing and creative process involved with “Hypnotic Love?”
A: Danielle came into our session looking like she hadn’t slept in a few days, and immediately told me what we’d be writing about that day. She had just started dating her now ex-boyfriend, and wanted to capture that kind of surreal phase of infatuation at the beginning of a relationship. I had a progression I had been messing around with on guitar that I thought had a cool vibe, so I started playing and she started singing. Little by little we’d select pieces of riffing that we liked off iphone recordings and built the song. This one was melody first, but we don’t always work like that.
What has it been like working on your forthcoming EP and bringing it to fruition? Does it have name?
D: working on our EP was a fun but intense process. Jon Buscema, our producer, is an all-star in many ways: for his innovative production style, for his flexibility, and for helping Alex and I stay sane. Time didn’t move the same in his studio – we would walk in there for a session and half a day could disappear in what felt like an hour.
A: It was painful at times but very rewarding. We trashed a lot of songs that we poured a lot of time and emotion into. Danielle and I are very opinionated and wanted to be involved in every step of the process – so it was good to have Jon as our resident adult and referee. Ultimately we came out with an debut for Slow Sugar that we feel proud of. That was the goal. Right now it doesn’t have a name.
What bands/musicians are you currently listening to?
D: PJ Harvey, Nao, and Frankie Cosmos.
A: Jack Garratt, Lewis Del Mar, and Aurora
Can you guys tell us about your background in jazz music and how it has influenced your music today?
D: I didn’t start studying jazz seriously until I was in college. My father has a jazz background (he played trumpet with Dizzie Gillespie) but I was really into classic rock as a kid. When I went to Philly though, I became close with Wade Dean, the director of jazz combos, and he took me out and had me watch and even sit in at some of the jazz hangs in center city. Then he introduced me to Joanna Pascale who became my coach and mentor for a few years. I became so fascinated by female jazz vocalists in particular, like Joanna, who were very obviously musicians in the way that they used their voice and in their rapport with the rest of the band. Under both Joanna and Wade, I learned how to use my voice as an instrument in ways that I didn’t know existed beforehand.
A: I love to steal jazz chords and use extensions for songwriting, but for the most part I’ve faked my way (badly) through most of my jazz performances. I love a lot of jazz, especially some of the singers Danielle has turned me on to – but I’m an indie, rock/blues, and pop guy at heart. Most recently, the jazz for sleep Spotify playlist is also a rare gem and a lot of that music has to be swimming in my subconscious somewhere.
After the EP release, what’s next for Slow Sugar? What can fans look forward to?
D: A music video is a likely possibility…right now we are working on building our local show schedule but we also really want to get out there and tour.
A: Yes! And more music! We are already working on new material we can’t wait to share.
