Wyldest interview: Frontwoman Zoe Mead on how the band took control with their new EP

'This EP is my own romanticism with the idea of casting society and technology aside – even though I definitely would struggle to do it'

Wyldest: 'It was a leap of faith to self-produce' (Supplied)

North London trio Wyldest refuse to stay put.

Over their brief existence they’ve released a string of well-received singles with independent label Hand In Hive, have been through lineup changes, and have subtly shifted through genre and style.

Now, though, it seems the band have arrived fully-formed and ready to take the next collective step. The catalyst? Taking control.

Fronted by Zoe Mead, the band are now writing, producing, and directing all art and video themselves. They will soon release a mesmerising new EP, Hitchhiker, through a label that continues to encourage and support their creative control. On its singles, "-45" and the title track, Mead explores themes of seclusion, escapism and self-discovery – and the results see Wyldest sounding more confident, self-assured and accomplished than ever.

We caught up with Mead to find out about the EP and how the band doing things on their own terms.

The new EP feels like another step forward - and another slight change of direction - for Wyldest. What did you set out to achieve with this release?

This is our first self-produced EP and, although we've really enjoyed working with some incredible producers in the past, our aim is to be self-sufficient – not just write and perform our music but also produce it too. The EP is the start of a new chapter for us; putting out music that is completely us from start to finish. Having the freedom to produce music in our own studio to our own timescales is opening doors for us creatively and we're really excited to keep releasing new music. There is a lot waiting to come out.

What was the process of making the EP?

We produced the EP in our studio in Greenwich, where we've slowly been building up our collection of synths, mics and guitar pedals. The tracks on it had largely been written for a long time before we started recording. We have a 'never enough song ideas' policy, so we like to continuously keep writing and jamming. We always have hundreds of potential songs kicking around – guitar licks, vocal melodies etc – so whenever we come to record for a project, we empty our 'Tesco bag' of ideas out together and decide on which are the strongest ideas to take forward.

I feel that every song written has a purpose and its own time – sometimes I write a song and feel like it won't really fit in with what we’re doing in that moment but it will be filed away for future. The title track from the EP is one I've had written for over two years and it finally feels like it's ready for its time.

You must be proud of the finished product

Without sounding too much like a blowhard, yeah we're mega proud. It was a bit of a leap of faith to self-produce. It took a little while to trust my own ability – it’s like it was this mystical process that I could never understand. Now it feels like the possibilities are endless and I'd really encourage others to give it a try. You may need to do some homework into recording and mixing processes, but it can really pay off in the end.

The EP is full of nods to 80's British indie, yet the production is very fresh and contemporary. Was this a conscious decision?

We are forever trying to get the right balance between a 'gritty' and 'polished' production so I'm glad to be answering this question. This was certainly a conscious decision. We're into so much music – from glimmering 80's pop, like Tears For Fears and early Madonna, all the way through to moody Shoegazers like Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine. The challenge is to make music that embodies everything that we love.

With that in mind, what are/were the influences on this EP - musical or otherwise?

I never really stop listening to Depeche Mode, especially their Construction Time Again album – there's definitely a nod from the title track. I also like a bit of Italo Disco, there's definitely some of that chucked in there too. The rest of the EP is slightly more Indie/Shoegaze inspired. We always seem to go back to Cocteau Twins, Warpaint, Siouxsie and the Banshees for inspiration.

Lead single 'Hitchhiker' touches on themes of materialism, escapism and the self. Are these themes consistent through the EP as a whole? What other subjects came into play while you were writing?

These themes stay pretty consistent throughout the EP, with the added theme of Carpe Diem and seizing the moment. It all links up with an overriding theme of going back to basics and letting human instincts take over (without technology and all the distractions that modern society brings). I regularly find myself moving through time, taking nothing in. This EP is my own romanticism with the idea of casting society and technology aside – even though I definitely would struggle to do it.

The song -45 was written in the dead of winter at the beginning of this year. It's about being secluded, away from human contact and technology - which could sometimes make a person fearful of where their own mind could take them without everyday distractions. The song concludes with the realisation that solitude can actually lead to self-discovery and make you happier in the long-run. It's important to be alone sometimes to allow space to become familiar with your own mind and how it works.

You're a very hands-on member of the band – handling writing, production, art and video direction across this whole campaign. What are the pros and cons of that approach?

The best thing about taking everything into your own hands is control. You have complete freedom over everything. You aren't limited by a budgeted amount of time and you can get everything to look and sound exactly how you envisioned. On the flip side, it can be a good thing to collaborate with others and sometimes working with a producer or other musicians can bring other perspectives to a project. Another con is that it can be difficult to finish things if you're the only person driving them.

The trick is to set dates and stick to them. Mariin is also very hands-on, so having a partnership with someone really helps. I've been known to get completely engrossed, neglecting to eat, sleep and be social for weeks at a time. Luckily, I have a bunch of great people around who help a lot.

Hand In Hive feels like a bit of a family - what's it like working with the label?

We really are one big functional family. All the other bands on the label are not only excellent people, their music is awesome and it's great to be part of a collective. The people who run the label are very special to us - the best kind of people actually. It's all about supporting the music, having fun and seeing how far we can all go. It's very exciting!

Wyldest release the Hitchhiker EP on September 29 via Hand In Hive – pre-order it here. Their new single "-45" is out now. They play the Waiting Room, London, on September 27