[Friday Feature] BERLEN: Interview + New EP 'Half Cooked Cowboy'

KATIE BROWN - 3 SEP 2021

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38 seconds solid of crickets. Then a wurlitzer-style synth, a lazy beat, laid-back guitar and a drawling croon sidle in with a seeming devil-may-care nonchalance, betrayed by lyrics along the lines of “From the moment, about five years ago, you said ‘bye boy, so long’, my mind has nothing more to live on, and I don’t need your show. Why do you still haunt me in my dreams, now? Your time is gone, you leave me on my knees now.”

A plaintive chorus, a jaunt on the organ. And then more crickets.

It’s a perfect snapshot that could be soundtracking an arthouse take on a Coen Brothers film, but what we’ve got here, my friends, is “Cursed”, the first track from the honestly pretty outstanding new EP Half Cooked Cowboy by new-on-the-scene Auckland artist BERLEN (aka Arlen James), and it is positively packed with promise.

I stumbled across this little beauty of an EP on Bandcamp. It had me mesmerised from the get-go, and I’ve had to give it multiple spins since because it’s so intriguing. I find it ridiculously refreshing when an artist asks something of their audience by way of leaving that hook, that catchy melody, that tempo change, until later in a song (try on “Cowboy Disco Man” for size): you never know what you’re going to get, or where the track is going to go. It’s a bold and confident approach, and it really pays off for James. Unresolved endings, disco-stylings infused with a cowboy drawl and hovering theremin effects; soundscapes merging the outdoors with the synthetic, suggestions of synth-pop, and a foot stompin’ country underbelly: it’s like a cowboy from a classic western found himself trapped in a 90s computer game, and it’s fantastic.

Half Cooked Cowboy is James’s debut EP effort, having previously only released the odd single here and there on Bandcamp and SoundCloud. As he terms it, it’s a “small collection of 'under cooked' songs. Prematurely exposed to the world in the hopes of giving you a reason to tap that foot. Dust those boots and dip them hats!” With a croon not dissimilar to that of our beloved Marlon Williams, James grew up with a love for all things western, influenced by a passion for Indiana Jones and his mother’s love for Dolly Parton. Learning three basic chords on guitar combined with an exploration of Garageband, that most excellent of toolboxes, led James to begin experimenting with sound and start to create his own unique brand of music.

There’s something particularly refreshing about James’s compelling vocal style - there is equal honesty in both his nonchalant country drawl and his plaintive croon: he’s like a cowboy-bard who you couldn’t imagine being fazed by life’s knocks and blows. And this blends in with the sense of straight-up what-you-see-is-what-you-get that runs through the EP and ties the whole project together: whether through the shorter soundbite snippets such as “False Lord” and “He Knows Your Name”, or the longer, experimental tracks like the aforementioned “Cursed” and the instrumental “Knight Rider”, Half Cooked Cowboy doesn’t come across as trying to be or to emulate anything or anyone; it translates as an honest experimentation and expression of the artist who created it - an artist comfortable enough in his own skin to have the openness to let his journey of sonic creation lead him, rather than trying to batter it into a pre-determined mould.

Half Cooked Cowboy makes for a particularly compelling listen because it contains a depth of variety in sound, but it is still essentially pretty simple in its production: it’s danceable (and dance-worthy!), but it’s not an EP of pop bangers, and, to me, it is excellent and oh-so-promising precisely because of this. Like any good story, it asks that you come along for the ride rather than spoiling the journey by knowing all along how it’s going to end, and that journey is all the more rewarding for it.

Over these ways, we couldn’t be more excited to see where this incredibly talented artist winds up: I’m absolutely certain that whichever way the wind blows it’s going to be one rollickin’ good ride.

Take a listen and read our interview with BERLEN’s Arlen James below.

Find BERLEN on Spotify | Bandcamp

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KATIE: TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF: WHERE ARE YOU FROM, WHAT DO YOU GET UP TO DURING THE DAY, AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN MAKING MUSIC FOR?

Arlen: Kia ora, my name is Arlen James (BERLEN). I’m from Aotearoa, born and raised in the Grey Lynn area of Auckland CBD. At the moment my days are slooooow. Usually consisting of me and my partner lying in bed until around 10:30, trying to conjure enough willpower to get up. Once we’re finally out of bed and in the shower we treat ourselves to a late breakfast/early lunch (cereal- sometimes pizza from the night before). After food, I usually fart around (sit outside drinking tea listening to how quiet everything is). Then I’ll crawl back into my room and have a crack at some more cowboy tunes. That’s our lazy lockdown lifestyle.

I’ve always loved music thanks to my parents. However, my first memory of appreciating sound, was that of the magnificent voice belonging to Dolly Parton (thanks mum). I would have been around 7 years old. The combination of her hair and voice swayed me into learning guitar, I was extraordinarily lucky to have had a very patient guitar teacher who showed me the fantastic chord combo of G, C and F. Fast forward 17 years and I'm still using the same chords, only this time with a moustache. The moment I figured out how to use Garageband in my early teens was the moment I began combining stock drum sounds and crap guitar recordings. In amongst this mayhem I discovered my country drawl and have never let it go.

WHAT INSPIRED THE NAME BERLEN?

My partner and I thought it would be funny to combine our names. Turns out it makes the name BERLEN! Kinda wish I had a more exciting story for ya.

IS THIS EP, AND BERLEN IN GENERAL, YOUR FIRST FORAY INTO RELEASING MUSIC?

It surely is! I have dabbled with BandCamp and Soundcloud but only releasing the occasional single or two. Half Cooked Cowboy is the first EP/Album I have ever released under the name BERLEN.

WHAT WAS YOUR SONGWRITING PROCESS FOR THE EP – DID YOU PLAY AND RECORD ALL ITS ELEMENTS YOURSELF?

My process for creating Half Cooked Cowboy was very loose and spontaneous. Each song started as an experiment. No matter how hard I tried to surprise myself I couldn't seem to shake off my default country sound, hence why most of my songs share that familiar styling. My music is very DIY. Every song is recorded, mixed and mastered in my own bedroom, usually consisting of my Nana’s guitar and my dusty keyboard.

WHERE DOES THE COWBOY THEME COME FROM?

Ha! I love anything to do with Westerns, horses and leather! I’m not entirely sure where this love originated from (probably Indiana Jones) but I believe it has had a huge influence on my appreciation of classic country and my attempts of fusing it into my own music. At a young age (maybe too young) I was even given a whip. This definitely sealed the deal, I have loved the cowboy look ever since. Still saving for boots.

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‘HALF COOKED COWBOY’ ALMOST PLAYS OUT LIKE THE SOUNDTRACK TO AN ARTHOUSE FILM. ARE THERE VISUAL ELEMENTS TO YOUR INSPIRATION IN GENERAL?

Absolutely! I believe a large portion of my music is inspired by visual elements. Sometimes I incorporate ambient sounds into my music as a way of building a more layered narrative to the songs. In a weird sort of way I feel this can help stimulate a sort of back story to the songs? An environment for my music to play in. Having graduated with a background in Visual Arts I find myself being inspired by all kinds of images. Whether they be represented in film or illustration! I hope that makes sense!

YOUR SOUND IS VERY UNIQUE: YOU COMBINE YOUR AMAZING VOCAL STYLE WITH MORE CLASSICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ELEMENTS. IS THERE A PARTICULAR STYLE YOU HAVE IN MIND WHEN YOU’RE SONGWRITING, OR DO YOU JUST LET LOOSE AND SEE WHERE THE FLOW TAKES YOU?

Firstly, thank you, that means the world. A lot of the time I feel that I'm very selfish in the creation of my music. I just really enjoy trying to make songs that I myself would like to dance to!

My music in general is very relaxed and confused. I love combining strange instruments and traditional vocals with little to no plans. Each musical element is trial and error, and this process keeps it exciting for me and hopefully the listeners!

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC IN THREE WORDS?

Unrefined unexpected boogying

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO YOU WHEN YOU’RE WRITING, IN TERMS OF MAKING TRACKS YOU ARE HAPPY WITH?

Walking away from it. I find this to be a crucial process in the success and/or failure of my music. Sometimes I can sit for hours trialling the same song in 5 different ways. This never works. I usually have a short window when I'm the most excited, it’s at this point when I decide whether to keep or bin my songs. After I have something that I'm happy with I will hit record and sing on the spot. Once I have roughed out some vocals I will then sit down and write lyrics. I feel this is a very back to front process, but it has served me well these past years!

WHAT IS YOUR GOAL WITH YOUR MUSIC? WILL YOU FOLLOW UP THE EP WITH A FULL ALBUM?

At the moment I don't have too much planned! I would love to complete a full album in the next year but will definitely be popping out the occasional single in the coming months. Would also love to get some friends together for a gig but we’ll have to see where the world is at moving forward.

WHO ARE YOUR CURRENT FAVOURITE ARTISTS?

Marlon Williams (love you)

Robbie Basho

Dolly Parton xox

Aldous Harding

Townes Van Zandt

Creedence Clearwater Revival

ABBA

Willie Nelson

Roy Orbison (love you too)

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