Josh Cashman On His New Single ‘Law Of Attraction’ And Up Coming Debut Album
{interview by Emily-Layne Kapetanovic}
There’s something about finding an artist who’s music is earnest and soulful while also demonstrating an innate ability to connect with almost everyone. Chances are you’ve heard of Josh Cashman, either through the grapevine or at one of his many gigs. His folk-rock and roots combination is sincere and distinct – it’s the reason so many have their eye on him and what he has planned. He dropped his newest track ‘Law Of Attraction’ on February 14 (how fitting considering we absolutely love the track) and it’s getting us so excited for what is to come for Cashman.
how does it feel to have ‘Law OF ATTRACTION’ out in the world?
Pretty good! I’d been sitting on this song as a demo for about a year, so it was nice to explore it in a studio setting with the band and piece it all together and let it out for the world. It’s a nice little taste of some more solid work to come.
What kind of things inspired this track? Were you listening to any specific songs / artists that you drew inspiration from?
I promised myself at the start of the year to spend a lot more time digging deeper into finding new music, new sounds and new artists that gave me an “excited to be hearing something for the first time” kind of feeling. This has lead me to finding some of the best music I’ve found since before I can remember! Some of these artists inspired different parts from beats, to guitar tones, to some vocal arrangements: Still Woozy, Feng Suave, North Downs, Nightmares On Wax.
In what ways have you changed stylistically and as an artist since some of your earlier music in 2015 / 2016?
I used to just own an acoustic guitar and a few pedals and I knew how to play some basic guitar and sing some nice words over the top. Over time I have built a small collection of guitars, learnt some new instruments and production, I’ve put a lot of time into learning the craft of songwriting and have learnt a lot the more I release. Of course, sound changes over time as I develop my catalogue. It’s the fun part of creativity/discovery and I feel my sound is still changing and will continue to as I gain more and more inspiration and new tastes. It’s kind of like tastebuds - I used to hate eggs, but now I eat them daily. I don't want to be pigeon holed. I have also branched out by playing and writing with some other really inspiring musicians over the years, leading me to new avenues of creativity with sound.
You’ve been releasing music for the last five years now, what advice would you give to your past self?
Theres no right or wrong in this field, theres no textbook to art so do what feels fucking right. And stop caring about what others think so much!
You played the Lemonade Fest in Sale earlier this month alongside Wafia, Slowly Slowly, Alice Skye, Safia to name a few. How did it feel being part of such a massive line up?
Was so much fun - one of the best shows we’ve played as a band - great crew - great lineup, we had a ball. Looking forward to the next one!
You also just wrapped a string of shows in Canada, what was your favourite song to play live?
In Canada, my unreleased song, ’25’ was my favourite to play over there. I got to record it in Edmonton whilst I was there too.
You’ve mentioned on your socials that you’re currently finishing up your debut album, what can listeners expect?
An honest summertime daydream.
What was the creative process like behind the new album? Are you the type of person to slowly record the album track by track or try to get it all done in one sitting?
This record is my debut – and has been about the last two and a half years of work, demos, songwriting sessions and life lessons. I’ve taken my time with this one. About this time last year the process began, and a year later we’re almost finished. Plans change along the way, delays come into place, songs I once loved got replaced with new songs which I now love more. It’s been slow, but I have learnt a lot and have not rushed a single thing with this record, I want to be proud and content the day I release it to the world.
When can we expect the album to drop?
September!
What does the future look like for Josh Cashman?
Plenty of music, plenty of shows, plenty of smiles, plenty of good times ahead.
Josh Cashman shared a post on Instagram: "A freshly squeezed weekend. 🍋 Thanks for having us @lemonade_festival ! 📸 @blakexbourne" * Follow their account to see 1,039 posts.
You can stream ‘Law Of Attraction’ here.