Sylvan Esso

The US synth-pop duo tell Si Truss how a new studio, a love of modular and touring as a 10-piece band inspired their new LP

- Si Truss

When Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn formed electro-pop outfit Sylvan Esso in 2013, Meath was performing with her traditional folk vocal trio Mountain Man and Sanborn was creating Flying Lotus-esque electronic grooves as Made Of Oak. Despite these disparate seeming backgrounds, the duo’s musical tastes and ambitions clicked pretty naturally, resulting in a pair of attention-grabbing albums – 2014’s Sylvan Esso and the Grammy-nominated 2016 follow-up What Now?

Much like synth-tinged pop luminaries like Robyn or Christine and The Queens, Sylvan Esso are at their best when pairing infectious dancefloor grooves with rich, emotive motifs underpinned by a hint of tonal ambiguity. That contrast has never been more clear than on their third LP Free Love, released this month, which pairs the optimistic pop of tracks like Ferris Wheel or Rooftop Dancing with a more sedate, reflective side.

The album comes hot on the heels of a new live album and film, titled With, documenting the band’s 2019 tour, which saw them expand from an electronics and vocals duo into a full 10-piece band featuring members of Wye Oak, Hand Habits and Mountain Man. FM caught up with the duo via Zoom to find out about that tour, Sanborn’s newfound love of modular, and how a new studio has helped the pair – who have been married since 2016 – separate their home and creative lives.

When did you do most of the work on the new record, was it finished before the current pandemic hit?