Alfie Templeman continues to show the world why he's one of the most exciting artists on the rise, this time coming through with his brilliant mini-album Forever Isn’t Long Enough (via Chess Club Records). He can do it all — he's a multi-instrumentist, producer, songwriter and overall, an extremely talented human. You can't tie Templeman down to one single genre and it's one of the many reasons why his music is so special. He recently took some time to take us through the ingredients behind Forever Isn’t Long Enough for us below.
London:
I grew up in Bedfordshire and normally tend to sing about my experiences there like school and nights out with friends but with this album, I sing a lot about leaving education and diving headfirst into the world of being a full-time singer. After I left school I spent a lot more time in London and it made me realise many things about my life up until now and what I wanted to do in the future. I recorded/finished bits of the album in London. The opening track ‘Shady’ was recorded with Tom McFarland from Jungle over at Universal Studios, which was so much fun for me going into a proper studio as I’m used to doing stuff in my bedroom.
Todd Rundgren:
Todd has always really inspired me. I’m really into his production and the way he crafts his songs. He is a true individualist and I really admire that. When I put together this record I was listening to Todd non-stop. The way every single song on each of his records was so different to the last really helped me get a sense of direction for my new album.
Dusk:
During lockdown, my mind couldn’t focus near as much as it usually could in the day. It just felt way too real, yet I couldn’t get out the house and do the things I wanted to do, so it felt like torture to me. But when it came to the evening, my mind was able to settle down and focus a little more. Although it took me a lot more time to work on music, the dark nights really inspired the feel of this record. To me, the whole album sounds like a late night with my lamp next to me, at my little desk recording synth lines or bass parts.
School:
By the time I started making this album, I’d just dropped out of school. Leaving at 16 was a pretty crazy decision but I knew deep down it was the right move as a music career was the big dream for me. Once I left school I realised how much I took friendship and socialising for granted, especially once I went into lockdown. A lot of the record is my way of dealing with growing up and accepting that as you get older you’re probably going to have less and less mates, but you grow stronger and stronger with the ones you do have.
Love:
Truth is, I can write more openly about love now I know how it feels to truly be in love with someone. A lot of my songs nowadays are for my girlfriend Ra, because during the last few years of my life, she’s kept me going. There’s not too much I’ve taken inspiration from recently, but she’s helped me stop myself from burning out.
Check out Forever Isn’t Long Enough below:
Listen to 'One More Day' (with April):
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