Irish Lights, the transatlantic ambient music duo of Benjamin Fox and Gordon Cooper, have been capturing imaginations with their ethereal soundscapes and evocative compositions. Deeply inspired by the mystique of Irish lighthouses and the untold stories they guard, their music weaves together electronic, acoustic, and ambient elements to explore themes of isolation, nature, and the sea. Their latest single ‘Haulbowline’ is a haunting tribute to Ireland’s maritime legacy.
We talk to Irish Lights about the release, creative process, influences, and the secrets behind their sound.
“Haulbowline” feels both haunting and serene. What inspired you to create such a vivid, atmospheric portrayal of the sea in this track?
I think the initial direction of the sea would be the way Gordon slightly knocked on his acoustic guitar while playing the riff of the song. It was most likely a way to keep time or something technical than atmospheric but it was immediate for me when I heard it as a listener. It a long-winded way it sounded haunting to me in a way because I think it created tension, like waves or an unsteady wind direction. I thought I should counterbalance that with emotive pads that I wanted to convey lovely dawn weather, which for mariners is not always the best thing.
Your music often conveys strong emotional themes without lyrics. How do you approach storytelling through instrumental music, and what story were you telling with “Haulbowline”?
Creating emotive music is far trickier without lyrics in just that lyrics put you in a certain space quickly and definitely which a lot of people like when listening to modern music. When there are no lyrics the zoom lens gets pretty wide which in turn can make people think outside the box more with instrumental music. I think we have made so much of it now that we definitely make up stories to go with songs of ours for fun, to be honest. In turn, I think that bleeds into the music quite a bit, certain sounds can sound like fog horns or waves crashing. Haulbowline is inspired by a dawn trip out to check on things at the lighthouse in the Carlingford Lough. Slow and steady trip in the early morning.
The blend of ambient electronica and acoustic elements in “Haulbowline” creates a meditative yet raw sound. How do you achieve that balance, and what was the creative process like for this track?
We like to create pretty freely in our own studios and then share ideas and we almost always work remotely so it’s a more thoughtful approach than just jamming in a room together. As far as blending electronic and raw acoustic together, it’s not something we haven’t done before in the Lights but we just haven’t done it so predominantly in a mix I think. We like to combine pretty extreme ideas musically. We are both from Ohio where bands like Devo and Pere Ubu came from a kitchen sink approach to making music.
Isolation and resilience are central themes in “Haulbowline.” How do these concepts resonate with you personally, and how did you reflect them through your music?
Isolation and resilience are constant and current themes in Irish Lights. Gordon and I grew on on an Island turned peninsula in Northern Ohio. It truly was like Siberia in the winter. We were like 8 miles from the Canadian border over Lake Erie. It was a truly beautiful but isolating place to grow up, we used to ride our bikes around the cliffs overlooking the lake where rum runners used to receive shipments during prohibition. Bob Dylan used to come through our hometown to fish! I think whatever we do musically we are reflecting all of that with a bit of underdog spirit too.
The track evokes imagery of a creaking wooden boat adrift on open waters. How do you translate such vivid, physical sensations into sound?
I think by pure imagination and luck really. Going with your gut when you first hear something and expanding off of that really. Also not overthink anything when it comes to Irish Lights rules. We like to amuse each other I think with new sounds and directions and also from a production standpoint to not overthink it when it comes to a perfect mix.
“Haulbowline” marks a new sonic chapter for Irish Lights. How does this track differ from your earlier work, and what inspired this shift in direction?
I think the new chapter sonically is to leave more space and preserve what you have because a character will evoke more than technical or sonic perfection. Rick Rubin has been a huge influence on us by leaving things alone and giving a pretty convincing argument on why not to try and fix things that give it your own special twist on it. Don’t sound like anyone else. The track differs like I mentioned earlier that we went pretty heavy on the electronic/acoustic element than anytime previously.
The title “Haulbowline” refers to a specific place in Ireland, known for its connection to the sea. What is your personal connection to this place, and how did it shape the mood of the track?
Unfortunately, neither of us has been up to Carlingford Lough in person. We do a lot of research and we follow The Commissioners of Irish Lights social media pretty closely. We have some dear old friends who are from Co. Down also. Randomly though a lot of our acoustic ballads have gotten lighthouses in Northern Ireland. So I think that does shape the mood in some way.
You’ve created a soundscape that feels both expansive and intimate. How do you approach production and composition to create this sense of space and texture?
That’s a lovely compliment. I think that using more space and not overthinking or overcrowding can create an expanse but intimate sound, you can kind of hear everything well, allowing you to focus on a single instrument if you like. Making it intimate too.
The track taps into the natural sounds of wind and waves. How do elements from nature influence your work, and do you often draw inspiration from your surroundings?
We really focus on that and growing up where we did we had incredible nature surrounding us all year around. I grew up feeling like nature was like a friend of mine because I got to witness so many amazing sunsets and snowfalls. It really influences our soundscape.
As listeners anticipate your forthcoming album, can you share any insights on the themes or moods that will define it? How does “Haulbowline” fit into the bigger picture of the album?
I think to be honest Haulbowline is not much of an indicator of what the rest of the album is going to sound like. We have discussed it as being like the last song on the A side of a vinyl album. I think the new album will be way more expansive because we will be using a producer and mixing it will be more in-depth in a studio. So it will be nothing like we have done before.
