Released almost exactly one year after the previous album ‘Strawberry Moon’, ‘Shadowland’ provides another set of insights into Erro’s organic allure and vibrant musical commitment. This is not your average project: a female-fronted collective guided by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Nikki Stagel, Erro set out to write material that feels wholesome and approachable, often recorded with a high degree of authenticity. You won’t find endless overdubs anywhere in ‘Shadowland’. Rather, you’ll get to experience the collective euphoria behind the project as it slowly makes its way to the surface.
From a sonic standpoint, the album borrows from a wide variety of sources, be it jazz-infused solos, rock grit or pop melodism. The result is an eclectic aural concoction that ascends to timeless status, notwithstanding the nostalgic hints sprinkled all over it. Packing nine hypnotic offerings, ‘Shadowland’ is a breath of fresh air in a landscape of over-polished productions and commercial-grade releases. Erro embraces a more natural, human approach, one that’s not perfect by any means, but one that’s relatable and heartwarming.
Intrigued by the project, we caught up with head honcho Nikki Stagel to learn more about their artistry and future goals… Interview below!
Hey Nikki, thanks for chatting with us! I have largely appreciated the simple, cohesive and purposeful songwriting behind the project; it’s quite clear that you are not interested in following trends of temporary fads, instead striving for authenticity and relatable material… That’s quite a rare quality nowadays. Am I correct in thinking that? Do you enjoy writing and composing without restraints?
I have never been much for following trends in any aspect of my life. As a child, I remember my mother telling me to never be jealous of others and if that feeling should arise, to focus on what I have, what I am doing and how I can be better. Maintaining that perspective in all facets of my life has instilled an intrinsic motivation that guides me.
It would be an understatement to say I love writing and composing. It is not something I set out to do; it is simply what I do. Some songwriters I know have a very systematic approach to it, but for me, it’s a very innate, organic process. Songs just come to me, whether that be lyrics, melodies, riffs, or a rhythm… It’s never forced. From a production standpoint, I think my job as a songwriter is to lay down the message and carry on. I could spend weeks or months working out parts to perfection, but if I were to focus on that, I think it would hinder my writing in a way.
When I am working on a song (which is always!), my brain stays hyper-focused until it is finished. To sum that up, I prefer to finish a song so my mind can be open to receive the next idea without distraction.
‘Shadowland’ is your latest album, a comprehensive collection of observant songs influenced by the “world around you,” as you mention in your press material. Do you feel as though art (and music) can help people cope with a seemingly dark and nihilistic society? Is there anything in particular that has inspired you when writing the album?
I would say all forms of art serve as a way to not just cope, but to understand. No matter the medium, expression via art is a necessary part of human life that helps us to process the world around us. So in a broader sense, it doesn’t matter where you live, where you come from, how you identify; everyone across the globe is sharing this moment in time. Whether we are directly impacted by cultural events or not, we share an awareness that, even subconsciously, ties us together.
Though I don’t write with a distinctive purpose in mind, I knew I wanted the second full-length to be different from ‘Strawberry Moon’. Though I love that record, my writing is always evolving, and I didn’t want Erro to be placed in a box or specific genre. When I was writing these songs I wasn’t truly aware at the time how much I was influenced, but looking back now, I can say the political climate in America has cast an unfortunate shadow that has trickled into everyday life.
As you have mentioned, the new record comes on the back of your previous and debut album, ‘Strawberry Moon’, released just a year prior. I am impressed by how quickly you were able to release another LP. Was this a conscious choice? Was some of the material already written? I’d love to know more about the process that took you to ‘Shadowland’.
The songs that were written prior to starting ‘Shadowland’ are ‘Dragonfly’, ‘Walls’ and ‘The Hollow’. We didn’t quite have a direction in mind when we started the album. ‘Shadowland’, ‘Over Me’ and ‘Honey Bear Lane’ were the first 3 to be written. With these tracks being more contemplative or moody, if you will, I felt ‘Walls’ and ‘The Hollow’ shared similar undertones and would pair nicely. Adding ‘Dragonfly’ was a tonal fit but also serves as a musical contrast or breaking point in the listening experience.
Doubling down on the same theme, what’s your creative process like? Do you always start with the lyrics, or perhaps with a chord progression? Do you prefer writing alone or with others?
The melody is always my starting point. I could be doing anything really, driving, exercising, laundry, sleeping… it doesn’t matter, day or night melodies just come to me. They hit me fast, usually with a hook or melodic riff, which I prefer to express on the guitar unless the song is better served by another instrument. Sometimes it is lyrics like in ‘The Watcher’s “if your heart’s not in it”, for example.
Once something I deem good hits me, it’s normally enough for me to feel a certain vibe, and from there on, I start finishing it. If I could choose, I would prefer for melodies to come to me without lyrics, because it gives me more freedom when writing. If you are creating music to match a lyrical idea, you are constrained to those particular musical emotions.
Let’s take a step back from the new album and wander into the talented individual behind Erro. I’d love to find out more about your pathway into music; is there anyone or anything that first motivated you to take up songwriting?
I never had music lessons; I learned to play guitar by ear from there, and then I moved to bass, piano, etc. However, I think the real secret sauce in my writing comes from my mother’s love of The Beatles. I have listened to them DAILY since I was born. I think I subconsciously absorbed so much from them. I could allude to things they do great, but I think what stands out the most is that everything they wrote was/is catchy… melody is everything!
For many artists, music-making is often a need, a way to decode the world around them, an emotional release of sorts. Is this ‘therapeutic’ trait something you resonate with?
I always enjoyed writing, but what I love more is the actual playing part. That’s why in Erro’s songs, even if you hear an artificial sound such as a synth, I myself or someone I know played it. I enjoy listening to modern pop, and I appreciate that aspect of the music world, but it’s different from what I want out of music. I want to play it, feel it, create it, and I can’t do that if I use someone else’s sample. Even if I used a sample and manipulated it in some way, it still wouldn’t feel like mine. Writing definitely serves a therapeutic function. Though I didn’t realise that until a few years ago, when I was only writing passively and not recording, I felt out of sorts.
Do you have a favourite track in ‘Shadowland’? Are you proud of how the whole record turned out, eventually?
This is a tough one as it changes for me often! ‘Honey Bear Lane’ is great overall. I am very proud of that one, I love the solo I played on ‘JMS’, it feels like entering a different world inside of another dimension. I would say ‘Shadowland’ itself really has an emotion to it that is hard to describe, but I can tell you that it comes from Mike’s bass line. I wrote the song on my acoustic to completion, but after Mike added bass, it took on an entirely new personality.
Lastly, what’s next for Erro? I noticed you didn’t release any singles in the run-up to the album. Will that change in the future? Any plans for live gigs?
Not to be vague, but that is still in the works. I will say I am actively writing and recording. Some of the songs I am working on now are the best I have ever written by far, so I am very excited about that. What most people don’t know is that I had a pretty extensive shoulder injury on my strumming arm a couple of years back. Last year alone, I had 3 surgeries, with my most recent at the end of September. Working around very long recovery times has been a challenge, to say the least. But as a writer, I can’t put my mind on hold; I have to let the songs out!
With my physical energy being limited, recording is my priority at least until I “catch up” with my writing. My current backlog of songs written is over 50, and of those, I have about 15 in mind that I would like to record for the next project. I think I would like to release an EP this summer, but I love the album format so much that I am still on the fence. Stay tuned to find out!