Amber Renee and Graham Marsh are CLAVVS. Since their inception, the duo have carved a niche for themselves with richly-produced, hook-laden indie pop reflective of the sheer human optimism that set the scene for their own chance meeting at the start of their friendship. Had they not both accepted a text invitation to a stranger’s house party, they likely would have never connected, and all of what they’ve achieved thus far would have never seen the light of day. Between Renee’s background in Americana and theatre and Marsh’s as a hit-maker for the likes of Bruno Mars and Gnarls Barkley, the two strike a collective musical chord not heard that often, tucked snugly between their two highly individualistic worlds.
“Lay Back” is their newest single, and one that offers a well-rounded showcase of what it is that they hope to convey as CLAVVS. Exemplifying a world-aware consciousness as well as an appreciation of world music, the Brooklyn duo construct a vibrant soundscape for listeners to lean into and get lost in. Along the way, there is a message of self-care which pervades the work, as Renee tells PopMatters.
“‘Lay Back’ is the first song I wrote after we moved to Brooklyn in the middle of winter,” she says. “It was a stressful (but also magical) time, so I wrote it as a reminder to take care of myself, especially when I’m anxious or sad.” She goes on to note CLAVVS’ attention to world influences on the track, telling us, “We’re both really inspired by world music, so there’s a lot of that influence in this song.”
Marsh states, “It doesn’t usually happen this way, but when Amber sang me the song, I immediately heard the exact instrumentation I wanted to create. It came together very quickly.” Marsh includes one final tidbit on the song’s background, saying, “I knew we were onto something when we played it back, and our two dogs were dancing in tandem on their hind legs.”
CLAVVS’ infectious new single, “Lay Back”, will release on 12 September.