Chords Of Indigo Unleashes New Single "The Thread" and Connects With Us to Dive Deep Into Its Powerful Sound
- STAFF
- Sep 6
- 8 min read
By: Staff
“The Thread” is a breathtaking masterpiece that flawlessly blends raw emotion with sonic brilliance.
Chords Of Indigo is back with a spellbinding new track, “The Thread,” a piece that takes you on a journey through tension, distortion, and raw emotion. We spoke with the mastermind behind the project to dive deep into the sound and vision that shaped this gripping song. It’s not your typical indie anthem. “The Thread” challenges the boundaries of structure, emotion, and expectation.
From the very first note, the track is a slow burn, building in intensity with almost agonized vocals that give way to explosive distortion and soaring harmonies. It's a sonic rollercoaster that pulls you in and won’t let go. But what truly sets it apart is its duality. It’s both mythic and intensely personal, a tension that is felt from start to finish.
In our conversation, we dug into the meaning behind the track’s title and the deeply personal themes it explores. We asked about the character at the heart of this EP, "The Evil," whose voice leads much of the narrative, and why this voice takes on a higher pitch rather than the deep, ominous tone we usually associate with villainy. We also explored the unique structure of the song, which features dual bridges and a delayed chorus that pulls listeners into its emotional landscape.
There’s a cinematic quality to “The Thread” that we couldn't ignore. We wanted to know: If it were a scene in a film, what would it look like? The conversation only grew more fascinating from there, as we uncovered the inner workings behind Chords Of Indigo’s bold new direction.
Don’t miss out on the full interview, where we delve into the mind of an artist pushing the limits of creativity and sound.
Here’s how it went:
Begin Interview:
Hello Chords Of Indigo, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more intrigued to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
Q. We loved “The Thread.” The opening is instantly gripping. The dynamic shifts and almost agonized vocals are thrilling. Then comes the slow burn that transforms into intense distortion, swirling harmonies, and a vocal delivery that feels almost magical. We were floored. When did you first realize the power of your voice and creative expression? What moment in your life transformed it from something personal and internal into a way of sharing your story with others, ultimately laying the foundation for the powerful career we see today?
A. Thanks so much! I’ve always loved to sing and express myself through music. First listening and singing along to my favourite records (or my mam and dad’s favourites) as a kid in the north of England, then learning guitar as another outlet, then other instruments, then producing bits and pieces – a bit of a meandering journey really, born out of love and personal fulfilment. I wasn’t ever super confident singing in public or sharing my voice until very recently, with the start of Chords of Indigo. Mostly a f*ck it moment, to be honest. I think it was always there but took me a while to unleash it. Glad I did – and still a way to go.
Q. What message do you want to express with “The Thread”? How do you hope that resonates with fans?
A. The Thread is a bit of an epic opener to the concept EP (Evelyn and the Evil), so it’s part of the story. The Evil – some dark influence, person, presence in our protagonist Evelyn’s life – has engulfed her completely. This mythical entity, obsessed with her, has dragged her down to the depths of some hell in the name of “love.” The whole EP is inspired by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, with a few twists and flourishes, so some of the themes might feel familiar. At a base level it’s about desperation, self-deceit and delusion – that haunting sense that “none of this can be.”
Q. Why did you choose to title it “The Thread”? What does that metaphor personally represent to you in the context of this story?
A. It felt like a strong visual metaphor for things falling apart, but still being connected. The thread is unravelling, but it’s still there – these two entities, and the feelings on show, are still entangled. It’s also a nod to another Greek myth – Theseus’ thread in the labyrinth, which Ariadne gave him to help him find his way out after killing the Minotaur.
Q. The song opens your concept EP but is told mostly from "The Evil's" voice, what guided your decision to lead with this perspective?
A. Throughout the EP, The Evil isn’t a comic-book villain – it’s a personification of the terrible things we’re all capable of doing to ourselves and to others. I like writing about the grey areas of the human condition – those muddy, hard-to-confront feelings we all carry. I wanted to write from multiple perspectives to deepen that angle – to hear directly from those depths, those characters lurking in us. In this case, in and around Evelyn.
Q. “The Thread” feels like it teeters or borders on chaotic but brilliant movement and emotion. Was there a moment in writing or recording where you felt that tension most vividly yourself?
A. For me the strongest feelings always come in the initial writing – when I’m sat with my acoustic guitar and it’s all flowing out. I try not to overthink, just feel and see what comes. Making sense of it often happens later. And oftentimes it’s nonsense and you move on – that’s part of the process too. With The Thread, the verses and choruses came together quickly. When it feels authentic and sticks with me, then I’ll refine, refine, refine before recording. By then it’s about trying to recapture that initial spark in a different way – one that hopefully people don’t mind listening to!
Q. This track plays with a non-linear structure, delayed chorus, and dual bridges. All this absolutely lands beautifully, but what made you want to break from conventional song form here, and what did it unlock for you emotionally or sonically?
A. I didn’t set out to structure The Thread in this way – I just followed my gut and did what felt right. I do love artists who subvert expectations in accessible ways, and I guess that seeped in subconsciously. Something off-grid just felt right for The Thread. I’m a relative unknown – I write and release music for the love of it. I’m not trying to write for radio or playlists; I’m writing for me first, so the chips fall where they fall.
Q. You return often to lyrical mantras like “None of this can be” and “The thread unravels.” How do those lines resonate with you personally, outside of the concept narrative?
A. “None of this can be” came to me early when writing the EP – it appears in The Evil too, and even in tracks that didn’t make the cut. I like it because it’s a pained plea – one that might be true, or pure denial. “This isn’t happening” vs. “I can’t believe this is happening” – sometimes both.
Q. With a very atypical choice, which we personally felt landed beautifully, "The Evil's" voice was higher pitched rather than the deeper baritone often associated with darker characters. How did you find this voice? Did it emerge clearly in your writing, or did it take some experimenting to access that character's tone and intentions?
A. Good ear! Like I said earlier, The Evil isn’t a binary bad guy but a bundle of familiar emotions we all carry – that’s how it manifested. And I never really considered putting on a “voice” for the character. It’s still very much me trying to portray those highly charged emotions.
Q. We read, "The tone is both mythic and personal, as if memory itself is starting to melt," and it feels both wild and creative, yet strangely grounded. Can you share more about what this means to you? For us, it offers an incredible and captivating window into the mind behind this amazing performance.
A. Haha, thank you. This story started forming when I began writing these tracks, drawing on Greek mythology (and Anaïs Mitchell’s brilliant Hadestown was a big influence too). But I’m in there as well. It’s not a retelling – it’s a vehicle for some of my own feelings. Evelyn is people I know, as is The Evil, as is another character hovering in the peripherals. They’re me, they’re others, filtered through myth. And isn’t that what memory is – part truth, part story?
Q. How much of “The Thread” was a writing “session”, and how much revealed itself spontaneously? Were there any moments that surprised you?
A. The verses and chorus came together quickly, along with the lyrical themes. But the second bridge came later – I lifted it from another song that never made it past draft form. It was a chorus originally, so hopefully it carries some of that big-chorus energy in this bigger vehicle. The outro actually started as the intro, but it dawned on me it worked better winding down than ramping up. In production, that ramping up was a big miss, so I wrote a new intro – open chords with choir-esque, cinematic vocals. That surprised me, but it’s what the song needed.
Q. We read that the track “builds with tension, from deft, restrained moments to towering bursts of distortion, layered harmonies, and a dynamic vocal performance that spirals toward collapse.” Did you shape that sonic structure as a kind of psychological landscape for the listener, or was there another intent guiding you?
A. I definitely wanted contrast between the quiet and loud – without the quiet you don’t feel the payoff of the loud. My vocals do a lot of the heavy lifting there, with layers and harmonies dropping in and out. I’m always trying to capture raw emotion – that weird intangible thing my favourite artists do so effortlessly. Hopefully I scratch the surface.
Q. There's a cinematic quality to this piece. If “The Thread” were a scene in a film, what would the plot line be?
A. Definitely what I was going for! Let’s go with the obvious visual: Evelyn down in the depths, held against her will by The Evil, who thinks they’re destined for each other. But the tensions fray, and Evelyn fights back with some hard truths and realisations.
Q. We love your artist name. Can you tell us the backstory of how you chose the name Chords Of Indigo?
A. Speaking of films! Once upon a time I wanted to go into filmmaking and started writing a screenplay – a UK film noir about a brother searching for his missing twin. One of the locations was a club called The Indigo Ballroom, and the house band there were Chords of Indigo. So in a way, I’m in a band from an old story I wrote.
Q. Chords Of Indigo, we can't thank you enough for sharing these intimate details! So, what's next? Can you give us the inside scoop on your upcoming projects and what fans should be excited about? We'd love to be the first to share the news!
A. Thank you for the feature and interview, I really appreciate the support. First up is my EP Evelyn and The Evil, which includes The Thread, out 20th September. Then I’m desperate to get out and play live! I started this project on my own, so it feels like a long road to finally be thinking about performing with a full band. But that feels closer than ever – shoutout to Max and Clem if they’re reading! Once we’ve got the final piece of the Chords of Indigo line-up sorted – and we’re close – you’ll see us live in Manchester soon. In the meantime, stay posted via the usual online channels.
Chords Of Indigo, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
We’re happy to have shared Chords Of Indigo’s exciting journey with you and uncovered such inspiring insights about their creative process.
