Hailing from sunny Florida electro two piece Colours have just recently released their debut album Ivory and it’s a perfect introduction to their shimmering RnB tinged pop.
Forming in 2013, vocalist Kyle Tamo and drummer Morgan Alley both spent time in previous bands, before coming together, exterminating and crafting their own unique sound. After releasing a series of music videos to showcase their newly found partnership, they dropped their self-released EP Skin and Bones which saw them quickly become a ‘band to watch’.
Ivory was born after 6 weeks of being holed up in producer Shaun Lopez’s (††† Crosses, Deftones, Lupe Fiasco) Burbank studio. To celebrate its release the guys have kindly penned a track by track for us which you can read below (along with the LP stream). Check it out below and if you like what you’re hearing be sure to visit the band’s Facebook page for more info.
Lawless
‘Lawless’ is a track where the music parallels the lyrics and meaning of the song. Starting subtle and low key, the song speaks about the creeping internal alarm we can have about someone. Eventually building into a massive realization of what the situation has become.
Swirling and screaming the words “dangerous” after subtle warnings of it dismayed. Having the music hit just as hard was something we felt was imperative for portraying the massive emotional epiphany. Opening the album this way offers a great representation of the dynamic approaching in the next ten tracks.
Monster
‘Monster’ was one of the first tracks confirmed for Ivory. After months of writing, this song surfaced amongst others and stood alone. It’s pulsating synth and grit hypnotized us and sparked a flow of writing that proceeded the rest of the album. In that sense, it was our respect for it that pushed it for our first single.
Pairing the words “I’m feeling like a monster” with clean and flowing falsetto offers the brooding feeling of enjoying something in you that you know you shouldn’t.
Slow
‘Slow’ was written to take the perspective out of romance, focusing on the “in the moment” parts of sensuality. Primal feelings that fall off the tongue before they can be digested by the mind.
The lyric “when it’s wrong enough to feel just right” encompasses this story perfectly. A song respecting passion, lust and affection forwardly and literally.
The Unforgettable
‘The Unforgettable’ is such an important part of Ivory. Written to counter our song ‘Slow’ and the overall sexuality of the album, ‘The Unforgettable’ speaks of love over lust. A song about letting someone slip from you despite always knowing their value.
The opening line “you became my ghost, fading as my mind grew old” is easily my most personal and favorite line in the album. Speaking on the haunting qualities of someone you no longer have in your life and remembering them how your heart would, over how your mind should.
Gone
‘Gone’ is one of our favorite songs within Ivory. It has the mood and character of Ivory but also has a re-playable value some other songs don’t. “Gone” offers the feel of a modern pop song without losing the unique grit and character of COLOURS.
Gold Bones
‘Gold Bones’ was the last song written in Ivory. Morgan and I always try to remember the power of nostalgia in music and wrote this song around such importance.
We used vintage synth tones and big reverberated snares for the feeling, and paired it with lyrics that speak of the timeless strive for fame. Culturally referring to the approval and affirmation often sought through social media or gratuitous text. “Gold Bones” is the fruitless feeling of fame or adoration without substance.
Mind Games
‘Mind Games’ is one of the more candid and straight-forward songs on the album. We wrote it to reference the back and forth nature of manipulation. In this case, “Mind Games” is referring to a relationship and the balance between emotional inhibition and situational control.
When Morgan wrote the foundation of the song it already had a very heavy, pulsating intense drive and I wanted to write lyrics to compliment the intensity.
Remember
‘Remember’ was written as a high energy part of the album. It was a song made very early on in the process but was reworked many times, once even in the studio. We wanted to dial in a sound with repetition and energy followed by lyrics appropriate to the process, “remember”.
Part of You
‘Part of You’ was written as another break from the intense pulsing synth through the album. It’s the only song written in the album that is gender specific. Normally we avoid such songs, finding that they can be polarizing, but this song went specific enough to be relatable as a story.
Writing so a listener can parallel to their own stories and experience is important. Although the song speaks of a “girl” who specifically wears “make up” the universal theme of “unconditional love” is something that transcends gender.
Anyone
‘Anyone’ was written from a drum beat. One of my favorite musical parts of the album are the chorus drums in this song. Morgan shared it with me very early on, before Ivory was every started, and I couldn’t help but instantly move to it. We tried writing songs around it, but nothing ever resonated.
In the months of writing Ivory, we brought this rhythm back and wrote “Anyone” to it. By keeping the rhythm in the verses and pre-choruses to a minimum, it draws attention when it hits in the chorus. When the chorus comes in, it is hard to not find your head bobbing to it.
Alone
‘Alone’ ironically stands alone in the album. The very simple and slow moving melody offers a platform focused on lyrical meaning. Alone takes that opportunity and delivers the more intimate and vulnerable lyrics in the album.
I wrote words that resonate in me foundationally. It’s about the very terrifying and chilling meeting of two ways of thought, a young “I don’t need anyone” mentality vs the fear of being alone and losing something good to cynicism.
