Wings of Desire release their second EP Amun-Ra today on WMD Recordings. Born out of a need to understand the world, the duos favourite musical eras include: Krautrock, Berlin-era Bowie, Early Noughties New York, and Factory Records. This musical project is seeped in the complexities of life. There is more to living than what we consider tangible and it is such considerations that influence the music of this intriguing band.
I was delighted to have an opportunity to find out more.
Welcome Wings of Desire.
Could you introduce yourselves and tell us how Wings of Desire came into existence?
May I ask if the name of the band is inspired by Wim Wenders film of the same name?
We are James and Chloe. The band came together naturally, we live together and it just made sense to collaborate. And yes the band name came from the Wim Wenders film. We love cinema and the thread between music and visuals, it felt like the perfect collection of words to represent this project.
Your debut EP End of an Age was particularly observant of the world. Would it be fair to say your music tends to be the outcome of debates between you? And if there are difference of opinion do they make it into songs too!
We are alive in the middle of what feels like a huge planetary shift, so there are going to be times when we don’t agree. We both just really enjoy learning and reading about the past, present, and future. But the collective goal has always been to evolve and remember that life is infinite.
I love your website Wings of Desire Not a typical band website – it is a stimulating combination of ideas, videos, philosophies, and images. Is it a collection of your biggest influences?
Thank you. We use it as a mood board, a way to keep track of our various inspirations and stimulations. We want it to be a place you can get lost in, and hopefully learn something new. It’s a rabbit hole for the senses.
The new EP Amun-Ra is named after the ancient Egyptian deity, the transcendental creator of the universe and the god of light. It represents unlimited and boundless freedom. This EP is more internally focussed than your debut. Was this because it was written and recorded during the pandemic?
We mused upon the world in our first EP, it felt like the observations were things we needed to say. And Amun-Ra is more about the internal journey. Pandemic life has undoubtedly changed people, many of us have realised that we have a lot of work to do on ourselves and that can only happen when you are ready to understand yourself.
Do you have plans to hit the road now that tours can finally be planned?
We will be playing live later this year and we are very much looking forward to bringing the songs to life in front of real people.
And finally, if I looked in your fridge right now what would I find?
Courgettes and vegan parmesan
The 4-track EP Amun-Ra is released on 13 August 2021 on WMD Recordings and contains both singles ‘Better Late Than Never’ and ‘Choose a Life’.
For more information on the band please check their facebook and bandcamp pages. Also their fascinating website which is a cornucopia of absorbing ideas and thought-provoking material.