INTERVIEW: Running Red Lights

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

Thank you! Super thrilled and honored to have your support. We’ve been awesome! Busy, productive and full of gratitude for all the love we’ve garnered over the last few months with our new material!

Can you talk to us more about your latest single “Salt”?

‘Salt’ is our second single from our upcoming album. I would consider it to be an indie pop track, adapting some elements of rock and roots from bands like Of Monsters and Men, for example. The song won the Canadian Songwriting Contest this year in the pop category. It is one of the more buoyant, poppier tracks on the album, though the upbeat melody is definitely in conflict with the rather pensive lyric. This was unintentionally of course but upon reflection this contrast works well in further support of the subject matter.

Did any event in particular inspired you to write this song?

Sometimes songwriting can be a very mechanical process that takes time, energy and a great deal of focus. But every now and again an idea emerges and forms simultaneously and seamlessly without any effort whatsoever. This is the element of songwriting and art that I can’t really explain. It’s almost as if you’ve become a vehicle that is channelling a message from something totally independent of yourself. This is how ‘Salt’ was essentially written. I was slightly inebriated at the time as well so perhaps I was a little more open to receiving creative gifts from the Universe.

Any plans to release a video for the single?

We’ve released an official lyric video filmed and produced by Ryan Nolan. Link as follows: https://youtu.be/kKsjnoz8TFg

How was the recording and writing process?

The writing process was barely a process and happened over a matter of minutes in a basement bathroom in a dusky Toronto Tavern. It was later refined in the studio with our producer Robyn Dell Unto. The recording process was also fairly effortless and took all but a day. The entire process, from conception to finished song, was definitely one of the more painless and smooth creative experiences I’ve had.

What role does Toronto play in your writing?

Toronto has been home for the band throughout our 12 year career and it’s a city with an abundance of creative capital. There are throngs of incredible Toronto artists such as Beatchild and the Slakadeliqs, Donovan Woods, Sarah Hiltz, Weaves etc, that inspire us musically, creatively and also challenge us to be the absolute best we can be.

Does the new single mean we can expect a new material – how’s that coming along?

An album is recorded and ready for release. We are still trying to figure out the best way to roll it all out, but it’s been nearly 2 years in the making so we’re definitely excited and anxious to finally set the material loose.

Any tentative release date or title in mind?

Hoping by the years end. The album is titled ‘I am You’, which is borrowed from a lyric from our song ‘Isadora’, which is the first song on the album and will likely be our next single.

Any plans to hit the road?

I am working on that very thing as we speak. Aiming for some dates in the near future in and around Ontario and B.C . We are also in the preliminary stages of returning to Europe for a Tour in 2019.

What else is happening next in Running Red Lights’ world?

We are back in the studio this month to record an acoustic version of the album. As well, as mentioned, we are hoping to hit the stage soon so we are currently working on our show. Otherwise there is always an infinite amount of effort involved in trying to thrive and prosper as artists, so as such there is never a shortage of work to be done!

Listen to the infectious indie-pop ‘Salt’ here: https://soundcloud.com/running-red-lights/salt