IN CONVERSATION WITH HARVEY CAUSON

words by THORE DAMWERTH

Harvey Causon is a North London-based composer, musician, and vocalist known for his genre-defying sound and thought-provoking lyricism. Blending intricate electronic production with soulful melodies, his music explores themes of consciousness, technology, and human connection.

Causon gained widespread recognition with his debut album Square Breath, a critically acclaimed body of work that showcased his ability to merge experimental soundscapes with deeply introspective storytelling. Having toured globally with Mercury Prize winner Sampha and supported acts like Hot Chip, he continues to push sonic and visual boundaries, recently with his latest single, Flehmen Response. As he carves out a distinct space in the UK music scene, Causon remains a compelling and innovative force in contemporary music.

We're loving your debut album, Square Breath! How was the rollout for you?

Thank you. The rollout was an incredible experience. Some of it I've been working on for five years with so many different collaborators so it's been a big part of my life. I've put so much into this body of work musically, visually, emotionally and energetically; it's really a distillation of my experiences and opinions and personal life. It's also been very rewarding to have physical copies and to have a tangible piece of work that I'm super proud of. I was away on tour with Sampha when it came out so I don't think it felt like a massive thing. Self-releasing has also been a huge amount of work; I do feel a bit exhausted but I'm proud of what I've been able to achieve with very little budget. It also feels empowering to retain all my rights and not have to compress my identity or answer to anyone telling me how to make the art.

In your album, you explore themes of anxiety and inspiration. How did the concept of square breathing influence your creative process?

Square breathing was not a technique I was aware of when I wrote the album. It actually refers to something I do subconsciously when I'm sleeping or when I'm anxious or really inspired like a nervous tick and as a result breathe in a square motion; it's quite a visceral, physical expression. I didn't really know or set out to write about these things. I just pulled the songs out of a much larger pool of tunes intuitively and joined the dots afterwards.

I think a lot of my writing has been pretty anxious because I write and create everything from a point of vulnerability. I'm not really in a room with anybody when I write the best lyrics and harness a concept. I'm doing it for myself and like to tap into the unknown and I think square breath felt like a strong theme for the album as it embodied that feeling when I'm writing my best music or feeling extra connected. This album is a distillation of fervent and honest thoughts and inevitably reflects on what's happening in our lives and my take on what's happening in the world today. I hope it's an opportunity for people to take a breath and reflect on what's happening.

Your music addresses socio-ecological issues and artificial intelligence. How do these themes shape the narrative of the album?

I feel like I wanted to write a larger body of work as I struggle with the idea of shortening attention spans. I realised after writing it that the common thread was a sense of apprehension towards the way the world is going sociologically, environmentally and politically. The first half explores futurism, masculinity, commercialism, environmental issues and the idea of self. I think artists do have a tentative fear of losing authorship of their work more recently and it is something that's also explored in nostalgia'. I think these things are a reflection of our times and my perception of what matters at this point in humanity. I feel like we are on the cusp of big paradigm shifts whether it being technological advancements or global conflicts and I think the album will be an interesting marker of a perspective of the time.

Tracks like Impasse and Picking Up Smoke explore personal themes like love and ambition. How do you balance vulnerability and complexity in your music?

I think it's just who I am. I'm not trying to necessarily balance those things, curiosity and empathy are just largely the way that I think about and try to navigate the world. Everyone has a multitude of complex emotions and ways that they can feel about anything. I struggle to see much as black and white. A lot of the time I think we try to rationalise our feelings with a multitude of different philosophies, poetic analogies or scientific thinking but at the end of the day I try to be as open as possible with people around me and my work. In that way the music also leans into the things that have helped me feel grounded, confused and at peace at the same time.

You've toured with Sampha and performed at major festivals like Camp Flog Gnaw. How have these experiences impacted your artistry?

I have learned a lot about how shows work on a larger scale. I grew up listening and admiring Sampha so it's been a surreal full circle moment writing, performing and becoming friends with such an enigmatic person I've looked up to for a long time. Translating such technically intricate music with very advanced musicians feels very powerful. There's a lot of respect for each other in the team on and off stage and I think we're able to transmit the music with a lot of care. We really open ourselves up to the audience and give a huge amount of energy to the music. I want to take that into my own live show by collaborating with people that understand the depths of the music in order to enhance the experience.

You also delivered some very exciting performances in February, including London's ICA. How was that experience and which songs were you most excited to perform?

I've got a team of incredible artists who operate in multiple different technical fields. With them I feel like I'm always in safe hands in trying to interpret the more unconventional electronic side of my music live in a way that feels fresh and interesting. I'm also trying to bring all the facets to life with strings and brass which is new and exciting for me. The show was unlike any other I had done before navigating the heavier and more delicate parts of the album. I was so excited to play in such a great venue, everything I have seen there has sounded so good. It was such a beautiful show, there was a lot of love and energy in the room to feed from. Playing Flehmen, Midas and some of the more delicate and bare tracks like Impasse felt extra special.

With high acclaim for Square Breath, how do you see your artistic journey evolving?

I think it's constantly evolving. I'm currently scoring a couple of dance films and I'm about to begin composing for a VR installation in the Lincoln Centre in New York which uses 360 ambisenis and generative sound. It's a new media of creative practice for me and I'm excited to dive into a fresh realm of creation. My latest track Flehmen Response came out in February, which feels like a different and exciting direction. I never really know where my journey is going to end up because I am always curious and like to be reactive. I listen deeply and love to absorb all of the talented collaborators I am surrounded by and I'm excited to see where we all end up.

Your latest track, Flehmen Response, explores invisible communication and consciousness-almost like a sixth sense. How did this concept shape the emotional and sonic direction of the track?

Flehmen Response is a physical behaviour I read about in a donkey sanctuary. It helps some animals detect pheromones and scents. I found it interesting how certain animals have quite a physical response to communicating with and receiving pheromones, whereas humans can't see them but they're a bit like a sixth sense. The track became about leaning into the feeling of things rather than being too rational. The opening sound design plays around with compressed noise in the room and to me feels like particles that we can't see in the air but carry communication through consciousness via a web of space and time (string theory). The lyrics and mood of the track feel like they carry a weighty energy of pondering what actually matters in life and whether we actually have free will over the paths we choose and the decisions we make. It asks the question of whether we as humans 'only pass above' or whether our consciousness and energy actually leaves a mark or impact.

TEAM CREDITS:

photography GENEVIEVE REEVES

movement FOLU ODIMAYO

styling GENEVIEVE REEVES AND TEMESGEN