‘The songs we wrote in the Alps, surrounded by snow, ended up being really sunny.’ | Balancing Act interviewed

Guitarist Jackson Couzens of Balancing Act reflects on the creation of their new EP Tightropes and Limericks, touring Europe, and why visuals are more important than ever.

Balancing Act – 25.09.2024 - Indy Brewer-4

Formed in the wake of personal projects fizzling out and a global pandemic, Balancing Act are the indie rock band you didn’t know you needed. Hailing from Manchester, but having established roots in London, their fusion of gritty Northern resilience with buoyant, euphoric sounds has deservedly captured the attention of the UK’s indie scene.

The band’s sophomore EP Tightropes and Limericks marks a significant step forward in their journey, blending personal lyricism with an unmistakable energy. In conversation with guitarist Jackson Couzens, we dig into the band’s creative process, how environment shapes their sound, and the balancing act – quite literally – of making music in an industry that demands constant juggling between passion, practicality, and performance.

“We write best when we just go away somewhere, throw your phone in the bin and ignore everyone for a week,” Jackson Couzens begins, reflecting on Balancing Act’s creative MO. “We’ve been writing in all sorts of places, but the studio in France and, more recently, the one in the French Alps, really helped us focus. It’s funny, though, all the songs we wrote in the Alps, surrounded by snow, ended up being really sunny and catchy.”

This push-and-pull between environment and music is something that comes up often during our conversation. “It’s almost like you start trying to put yourself in the opposite situation of where you are. So when we were in the Alps, we were writing these bright, poppy songs. But when we were in France, in the summer, the songs we wrote were darker.” The band’s ability to channel their surroundings into their work while simultaneously resisting them is part of what makes their music so compelling.

Jackson Couzens Balancing Act
Jackson Couzens, guitarist and songwriter of Balancing Act (Credit: @groovymochi)
Balancing Act interview
Kai Jon Roberts, Balancing Act vocalist (Credit: @groovymochi)

One of the standout tracks from their new EP Tightropes and Limericks is ‘AWOL’, a deeply personal song. “It was written when we were in France, and it’s about something that happened with a close friend of Kai’s back home. We don’t normally go into personal stuff that much in our lyrics, but this time, it just flowed. Once we had the seed of the idea, everything fell into place.” Jackson speaks about the emotional weight of ‘AWOL’, explaining how personal experiences can shape the creative process. “When something hits you on a personal level, you get so much more invested in it.”

As we continue, it’s clear that Balancing Act is a true collaborative effort. “Kai and I started the band after the pandemic, but from the beginning, we wanted it to be a band, not just two guys in a room making tunes. We all write together now, and that’s what makes it fun. We’ll take little writing getaways, spend a week somewhere, and just jam ideas out.” This spirit of collaboration extends to their live performances, where the band’s camaraderie shines through even more starkly.

Balancing Act – 25.09.2024 - Indy Brewer-2
(Credit: Indy Brewer)

While touring, Jackson says the band has developed their own rhythm for staying balanced. “We’re lucky in that all our personalities balance each other out. Kai’s always full of energy, while I’m more laid-back. David’s the muso who can play everything, and Pat, our drummer, is the joker. We don’t really get annoyed at each other; we all know the goal is the gig at the end of the night.”

On the subject of touring, Jackson is quick to mention their recent experiences playing in Europe. “We played Paris and Amsterdam, and honestly, the reception was amazing. It’s different from playing in London, where there’s a gig every night. In places like Paris, people are just so excited to see live music; you feel like they’ve been waiting for that show for months.”

We move on to talk about their music videos, specifically the one for ‘Under the Table’, which has a slick, cinematic style. “Our mate Max dos Santos directed the video, and he knew exactly what he wanted to do. We’re all about collaborating with friends on projects like that – it keeps things genuine. Nowadays, visuals are more important than ever. People will see you before they hear you, so you’ve got to have something that catches their eye.”

As for what’s next, Jackson reveals the band has big plans on the horizon. “We’ve got our EP coming out in October, and we’re doing our biggest headline tour yet, playing The Garage in London. After that, we’re heading back to France to finish writing what we hope will be our debut album.”

Before we wrap up, I ask Jackson if there’s a dream studio they’d love to record in. Without hesitation, he responds, “Shangri-La Studios in Malibu. It was built by The Band, and Bob Dylan used it. It’s probably never going to happen, but we’d love to do a month there by the beach, making a great record.”



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