‘Not About You’ is a rock-pop based track based primarily around the electric guitar, riff and drum beat.
“[With] the main hook, I thought I’d heard it somewhere before. It was one of those paranoia checks. It’s ‘Not all these songs are about you, only the best ones are’ and I kept playing on that and I was convinced I’d heard it somewhere before but after Googling it I realised I hadn’t so I ended up finishing it up.”
The accompanying video, which sees Malin performing in a band stand in Battersea Park whilst an unconventional love story takes place around him, is a favourite here at KBPS. It also features an unscripted appearance by some dogs from the local dog’s home!
“The director of the video put out some ideas along with a few others competing for the job, and we liked the way the story overlapped with the busking in the park.”
The basic tracking for the song was done in Wisconsin, before Malin flew to Nashville to finish the mix, a time he describes as “phenomenal”.
“You’re soaking up the history and all the experience and talent in that town; it’s just amazing.”
Malin has also been recording more music, and his latest work has been mixed and mastered. “We’re adding a few UK mixes and then we’ll put that together as an EP. We’ve got more stuff in reverse for a second EP or to combine them into a record in the fall. Hopefully we’ll be touring for that in the summer!”
A fan of Crowded House and Squeeze, Malin describes them as the band’s who release songs you’d wish you’d written. “Once you start digging inside them and learning them, whether it’s the melody, the vocal delivery of Neil Finn (of Crowded House) or certainly with Squeeze I’m amazed how within one verse they can squeeze in some sneaky chord changes for the second verse, adding a little more depth to the music, and the writing is always inspiring to me!”
Malin takes his stage name from the area of water near Northern Ireland used in the shipping forecast. “I always find myself separated from Ireland and the UK by the sea and it’s always there and certainly growing up that was a word that was always floating around.
“When I began writing more original music I was always looking for twists and hooks, not just musically of course, in the lyrics as well. One of the things is that Malin Head itself is the most northerly part of Ireland, but it’s technically in the South but it’s more North than Northern Ireland and it’s west of where I grew up so it’s got most of the parts of the compass in there.
“If there was a perfect lyric to capture that, I haven’t found it yet, but it’s a perfect analogy for what I’m looking for!”
Alongside his recording Malin has also been planning some unplugged sets. Malin told us his live set changes depending on who he’s gigging with, sometimes with the full band, sometimes just acoustic. “I wouldn’t quite say Simon and Garfunkel but we interpreted some of the songs as a duo. For the summer I’d like to do it with the whole band.”
And what’s Malin’s big ambition for the rest of the year?
“Just getting out there and getting [my music] known and increasing the reach. It’s nice that people who haven’t actually seen me first hand and asking me when I’m coming and when they can see me play live. I guess a goal for this year would be to have four or five significant shows, perhaps opening for larger acts alongside shows of my own.”
This interview will feature in KBPS #9 available Saturday 14th May.
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