Interviews
Garden City Movement comments on the release of the new album 'Never On Time'. Read an exclusive interview!
After a successful tour around the globe, the duo returns with full force
Formed by Israeli musicians Roy Avital and Johnny Sharoni, the indie pop duo Garden City Movement released their long-awaited second studio album on July 19th.
Titled ‘Never On Time’, the new record - which features elements of indie pop, indie house and electro pop - is a narrative of resilience, creativity and teamwork.
The duo presents an authorial work that encapsulates urban complexities and the tranquility found in the essence of nightlife.
This album is a testament to the duo's evolution, highlighting a variety of guest artists that cross genres and boundaries.
Since the beginning of their career, Garden City Movement has received praise from important international press outlets such as Pitchfork, FADER and FACT, in addition to being present at renowned festivals such as Glastonbury, Primavera Sound, Lollapalooza and Pukkelpop.
Furthermore, the hit 'Summer Night' was chosen as the official soundtrack for the video game FIFA 22. The album 'Never On Time' shows the competence, technique, sensitivity and talent of the duo that takes listeners on a surprising journey through the 13 tracks that make it up.
The track 'Bad Feeling' (feat. Hila Ruach) offers a radiant experience, despite the title – the music video is directed by Ben Palhov –, 'Can't Stop' promises to be an irresistible summer anthem.
With its striking melody and vibrant groove, 'You’ve Lost That Feeling' is a song that travels through time, whose influences run through specific phases of indie house from recent decades.
'Never On Time', the album's title track, offers an indie soul atmosphere. “This album is our soul in sound form, a diary of our internal battles. It’s about the beauty of human connection through music,” says the duo.
'Spinnin' (feat. Ninet Tayeb) is an intense track where the sound exudes brilliance, but its lyrics tell the timeless story of knowing a relationship is over before you're ready to walk away.
'Tu Ne Reverras Plus Mes Yeux' (feat. Ninet Tayeb & Berry Sakharof) is reminiscent of chanson compositions inspired by artists like Serge Gainsbourg and Barbara, combined with trip-hop aesthetics inspired by the likes of Portishead and Massive Attack.
We spoke to the duo Garden City Movement to find out more about the launch and the next steps of the project, check it out:
Q+A: Garden City Movement
Firstly congratulations on the launch and it's a pleasure to talk to you! You have just finished a tour around the globe, how was it and what inspiration did this intense trip bring to you?
Johnny: "Thank you very much! It’s our pleasure. Ten years on the road has made us seasoned performers. The thrill of connecting with our audience never fades. Inspiration strikes from the nomadic lifestyle".
"There’s a liberating energy that fuels creativity. Of course, stunning landscapes and human encounters both ignite the imagination. Different perspectives and stories offer a unique lens on the world, inspiring fresh ideas."
Israel has grown exponentially in the electronic scene through indie pop and indie dance, what was Garden City Movement's early career like in Israel?
Roy: "In 2013, when we started to release music, the Indie electronic scene in Tel Aviv wasn’t so developed.
We were able to bring qualities of ‘bedroom production’ and ‘Indie R&B’ aesthetics, as well as electronic produced live acts from London to Tel Aviv."
It was considered quite revolutionary at the time, and we are feeling very lucky that we were able to contribute somewhat to the scene’s development."
About the album 'Never On Time', tell us a little about your creative process?
Johnny: "Our creative process for this album followed our usual approach: building beats, crafting the atmosphere, and then focusing on the lyrics. However, this was a lengthy journey spanning several years, filled with constant evolution."
Inspired by our experiences since 'Apollonia', we poured our hearts into the music. The challenges we faced — from the pandemic to personal struggles and lineup changes — were undeniably tough. Yet, they forged our resilience and fueled our creativity. The album is a testament to overcoming adversity and holding onto hope."
The title track 'Never On Time' brings back a romantic nostalgia that is necessary these days, where did the inspiration to compose the track come from?
Johnny: "'Never on Time' is a poignant exploration of longing for a simpler past, born from the isolating and challenging experiences of the pandemic and hospitalization"
While its melody may initially evoke a classic love song, the song's depth reveals itself through its exploration of universal themes of yearning, nostalgia, and the complexities inherent in the human experience."
Ninet Tayeb worked with you in partnership on the tracks 'Spininn' and 'Tu Ne Reverras Plus Mes Yeux' which also features Berry Sakharof, how was the decision to work together and how did the creation process go between you?
Roy: "Ninet Tayeb is a dear friend, and one of the top vocalists we have ever met. She is one of the biggest Israeli stars, and both Johnny and I wanted to work with her for a long time.
We were lucky enough that she was also following and appreciating our work. So we called Ninet to come listen to some new music in the studio, and see if she likes anything. The click was immediate, she loved the album sketches, and especially 'Spinnin’, which was already composed and written, but something was still missing.
So we suggested that she’ll add her own verse and join the choruses, and that was the magic the song lacked. Seeing and hearing her record vocals and harmonies in the chorus was like witnessing greatness for the first time. Ninet is such an amazing vocalist and she turned the chorus into something out of this world.
’Tu ne reverras plus mes yeux’ was a little different as it was a beat but had no lyrics or melody. She loved this track the most, and we had an idea to take it even more to the trip hop, by adding narration/spoken word in the style of something between film noir and Serge Gainsbourg’s work.
The lyrics were written a few years back in English, and were translated to French for this song. We worked with a French teacher and vocal coach Noemie Dahan, that helped Ninet work on the accent and lyrics to perfection.
Afterwards, we asked Berry Sakharof to join the track with guitars and vocals. It was a long shot and we were so surprised that it worked. We both admire his work, and having him playing in our tune is truly a dream come true."
On the album, in the track 'Tu Ne Reverras Plus Mes Yeux', if you were to exemplify in one word the mix of Serge Gainsbourg's sound with the aesthetics of Massive Attack, what would it be and why?
Johnny: "If I had to encapsulate the musical atmosphere in a single word, 'intimacy' would be my choice. It's a sonic space where the raw vulnerability of Serge Gainsbourg's performance collides with the brooding intensity of Massive Attack's soundscape.
The result is a captivating blend of heartfelt honesty and atmospheric depth, creating a profound and immersive listening experience."
You have already played at several renowned festivals such as Glastonbury, Lollapalooza, among others, how do you balance these heavy performances that require greater preparation with work in the studio?
Roy: "It could get tough at times, but we see it as a whole and not as different works.
The process of music making and performance improvement is an ongoing work, it doesn’t ever get to a point where you say: Oh! Now it’s perfect! No need to worry about it anymore.
Instead, it’s a journey that reflects the changes that we go through as human beings"
With the length of your career and several performances there is a considerable distance between the first show and the current moment, do you still remember your first gig? How was it?
Roy: "Of course we do! Our first gig was in a very loved small vinyl shop (that doesn’t exist anymore) in Jerusalem which was called ‘Uganda’.
It was home to all the coolest alternative/indie/noise acts from Jerusalem and we couldn’t think of a better place to start our career from, It was a secret gig and we invited only a small group of friends, but the small venue was packed.
It was a great show and we were so excited to know that people dig what we do. That gave us a lot of confidence to continue pursuing our dream.
‘Itamar Weiner’ the owner, is a dear friend, and now owns the Tel-Aviv version of the place called ‘Uganda’. It is still one of the city’s most important alternative cultural institutes".
For many artists, the dream of working and making a living from music began in childhood or adolescence, when did this insight hit you?
Roy: "In my case, I always felt music just chose me, and every way I turned brought me back to it. I found meaning and depth in it, it allowed me to evolve as a human being, to grow, to develop my tastes and to be able to be a part of something.
Of course I dreamt of being a famous guitar player and touring the world, but the dreams also evolved as I grew older into something more meaningful and deep. I’m feeling extremely grateful to have found music, and to have the privilege to make a living out of my art, while seeing the world and being able to touch people’s hearts."
After returning from the tour and releasing the album, what are the duo's next plans?
Johnny: "While we're currently immersed in celebrating our new album, our minds are already racing ahead to the next one.
As we've matured, we've come to realize the fleeting nature of time, and we're determined to seize every creative opportunity.
In the coming months, we'll be diving back into the studio to begin work on our third album."
Follow on Instagram: Garden City Movement
Photos: Divulgação / Ben Palhov
