On Friday, Chartreuse release their new album, Bless You & Be Well. The follow up to 2023’s Morning Ritual couldn’t have come at a better time for the Black Country band. Comprised of brothers Mike and Rory Wagstaff, Rory’s long-term partner Hattie Wilson and her childhood friend Perry Lovering, life-altering events occurred to certain members which affected them collectively, and gave them a challenge to tackle it together. What they chose to do was remove themselves from the situation entirely.
They landed in Iceland, where they recorded Bless You & Be Well in Flóki studios. Five hours away from the capital city of Reykjavik. You couldn’t get much more remote than that. In that isolated setting, with producer Sam Petts-Davies, they were able to rediscover the joy of being together again. Creating music with no distractions and outside context.
The album is a result of a band who gave up the reigns to Sam and allowed themselves the time to let ideas be fully realised, while relearning what it was like to perform as a band, friends and family. While it’s a gorgeous, all encompassing listen that spans multiple genres and tackles many emotions, it’s also a reminder of how light can come from dark times.
We had the pleasure to discuss the creative process behind the album with Hattie Wilson, who answered our questions in the midst of the always-chaotic festival season. Thank you Hattie for taking the time!
Check out our Peeled Back article with The Queen’s Head, and listen to Chartreuse’s newest single ‘More’ on our Dead Good Playlist.
Hey Chartreuse. How’s it going? Really good thanks! Coming into a new chapter with this new record, so feeling good!
Your new album, Bless You & Be Well was recorded at Flóki studios in Iceland. What did you think of Iceland? How long were you there for? It was! We loved Iceland. Spent two weeks in the studio five hours north of Reykjavik and one night in Reykjavik, so had the best of both worlds. The studio location was beautiful.
Did being in that setting make it easier for ideas to form? We were definitely feeling grateful to be there, so maybe that sense of peace helped. We were super focused for the two weeks and shutting ourselves away was probably the most important thing.
It seemed to be the complete opposite approach to what you had for Morning Ritual. Is it something you’d look to do for future records? Definitely. I think it just allows you to lock in on that one thing when you’re away from normal life and familiarity. We’d love to go away and do it again somewhere.
As freeing as it felt to be somewhere like Iceland, it was noted in your Rolling Stone interview that it was uncomfortable being in the studio with an “outsider” in producer Sam Petts-Davies, as well as sounding “like a band”. Does that mean it took a little while for the album to take shape? It wasn’t necessarily uncomfortable; it was just different. It took a second to give him the reigns as we hadn’t been in that position for a long time, but Sam’s incredible at what he does and helped push us out of our comfort zones. It didn’t take too long for things to take shape, he understood our music and moves really quickly, which was perfect for us. We truly loved working with him.
Did those obstacles of sorts help distract yourselves from what was happening in your lives at the time? Going away to a remote studio to just focus on this one thing of making the best album we could at that time was the perfect distraction. We were individually going through life shifts and changes, so to come together as a collective and work on this record was really gratifying.
What made you decide on ‘Sequence of Voices’ as the first single? We felt it set a good tone for the record. It has the drive behind it but dips down and becomes a little reflective, this felt like a good way to reintroduce ourselves.
How does it feel to be back in the chaotic times of festival season? It feels good. We’ve loved playing these new songs live and seeing which ones people are digging.
Bless You & Be Well is a superb record. It acknowledges the context that surrounded it, but doesn’t feel steeped in its darkness. There’s a hopefulness that runs through each song that feels like the work of a band that feels properly unified again. To shape itself as a record that wishes you well in spite of how its’ members were feeling is quite commendable, and it’s one you have to listen to repeatedly to properly enjoy its intricacies. It’s so good.
And finally, what’s your favourite fruit? Ooo that’s tough. We’re undecided on a favourite fruit but cherries, bananas and mango are favourites throughout the band!