Signified – In the studio

• 13th Dec 2007

Only a short while ago Signified were playing the Hotel California, regaled in fancy dress and sweating like bastards. Singer /guitarist Ash in high spirits, dressed as Batman that night, announced: ‘The bat-cock is dripping’.

It’s an altogether different Ash that greets us at the studio Signified currently occupy whilst recording the follow-up e.p to the excellent ‘The invasion of Piracy’. Ash paces outside the studio doors ‘Waiting for an amp to arrive. It’s one of the Krank’s, with the really deep middle to the sound.’

Adjourning into the studio's front lobby which resembles the reception desk of some large business, Ash fills Glasswerk.co.uk in on the blanks since the previous recordings. ‘We’ve been listening back through the ideas and selecting the best ones, now they just need the finals touches and some vocals.’

Inside the main room there are no guitars lying around, no alcohol or passed out hangers on. In fact it’s surprisingly sparse, a console, window into the recording area and a big couch. The only thing you would have to know that a band had played there is several strips of tape against the door, with markings denoting control settings usually placed across the board as guides. That and some incredibly heavy riffery coming from the speakers; Signified have been busy.

‘We’ve been playing some of these songs live, seeing how they work’ a button is pushes and very quickly ‘Whata waste’ comes to life. Even without vocals it’s tight and pointed; the surroundings are entirely apt as it means business.

This type of sound doesn’t just stumble onto a PC; it’s crafted and culled from performance by the bands unaccredited extra member and producer Paul Nolan. At one end incredibly diligent, aware of every nuance and how to accentuate it but at the other incredibly proud of what is emanating from the speakers.

Ash and Paul have a strong work ethic, the song ‘This road (Start running, stop walking)’ is unfinished but contains about thirty seconds of space between two very different sections and it is debated as to what could go on. It’s still open and more importantly they are willing to fill it with whatever will work. ‘We’d like to bring in more electronic elements; samples, beds and effects, definitely into the live show.’

Signified clearly are still growing, identifying and honing their sound but the absolute defining tune is ‘When in Rome.’ It’s new and familiar and is so clinically played it gets handed a medical doctorate at the end. There’s no secret here it comes from ‘One take Hill’ Keith Hill the drummer. ‘Doing another take [for him] just isn’t cricket; it’s not even some obscure Olympic sport.’

These recordings will see the light of day a little after Christmas and if it isn’t already alluded to, they will warrant your serious attention. So don’t wait for the release to judge. Go and see them live and then get excited about the new material.