Fox Reviews Rock

Introduction

Brighton yet again is proving amazing for bands! Today we have an interview with alternative rock four-piece CARNE who first came on our radar after being mentioned by Slung. Providing a modern spin on grunge and alt-rock. They write guitar driven, thought provoking tracks and are a rising band to keep an eye on!

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Interview

So, let’s start at the beginning. How did Carne first come together, and what brought you all into the same creative space?

CARNE: CARNE is a project I formed (Carmen) in late 2024. I knew Milo and Joe from the Brighton scene, and Milo introduced me to Emia through the same circuit. I was drawn to their individual musical styles and knew they’d be the perfect fit for CARNE. When they all said yes, I was buzzing!

I’m curious about your songwriting process. Do you usually start with lyrics, or do the instrumental parts come first?

CARNE: Music usually leads the way. I’ll build a core foundation with guitar and vocals, then flesh out the arrangement in Logic before bringing it to the band. Some other songs, like Polly’s Desires, are born from a more production-heavy mindset—starting with a backing track and building the atmosphere and instrumentation from there.

LURK is one of my personal favourites. I’ve got to ask, if you were actually lurking around spying on someone, how would you avoid being caught?

CARNE: Oh yeah hahaha! I’m definitely guilty of a late-night social media scroll, I tell myself off for it but to be honest I think a lot of people do. 

Just make sure to not accidentally like anyone’s posts, that’s very important!

Brighton seems to be producing some amazing musical talent lately. Can you name a couple of bands from the area that we should really be listening to?

CARNE: Shoutout to Emia our bassist who just started her new project, Girl Apocrypha. It’s very cool, she sounds like Kim Deal too but Emia is cooler! 

The Brighton scene has so many great acts, some of my favourites include M. Woodroe, City Dog, Goodbye, Opal Mag, Dirtsharks and many many more… 

I’ve noticed that your song names are all super short, just three or four letters. Was there a particular reason you chose to do that?

CARNE: It wasn’t a conscious rule. 

J.U.M was actually meant to be Junked Up Murder but Murder being a big word let’s say, it has been shortened to the acronym. 

You recorded an acoustic version of “J.U.M.” and I have to say, I love it. What made you decide to do an acoustic take, and what do you enjoy about it compared to the original?

CARNE: We wanted to strip the song back to its ‘raw core’ and see how it stood up without the wall of sound. There was something about it that was MTV Unplugged coded and it forced the songwriting to the front. It’s more intimate, but it still keeps that tension of the original.

Okay, fun question. If you were cooking me a meal during this interview, what would you make, and why?

CARNE: I would do something simple, efficient and not too heavy on the stomach I reckon. Possibly something fresh too. 

Let’s say a burrata and tomato salad with extra virgin olive oil and basil. I think it would accompany well the interview.

If you had to swap instruments during a show, who do you think would struggle the most?

CARNE: When I asked the others, Joe (our drummer) said himself because he doesn’t play guitar. However he did show some skills on bass!

What would your dream headline slot look like? Are we talking a massive festival, or a more intimate show?

CARNE: I’d choose an intimate, curated headline show over a festival. I think festival require a very ‘efficient’ mindset where you’re here to showcase your best performance and win people over. In a venue that’s entirely ours, we can control the atmosphere, the lighting, and the pacing. I like the idea of a controlled chaos show, a kind of space where every detail is intentional, but anything could happen.

When it comes to influences, what would you say is Carne’s biggest? How do you take that influence and still make it your own?

CARNE: PJ Harvey is definitely up there, I reference her work constantly in a lot of different ways. Otherwise Failure has recently been a big one on the sound especially with the new material we’re yet to release. Our sound generally leans into that 90s alternative/grunge grit. I find that when you ask, ‘What would this artist do?’ but filter it through your own perspective, it naturally evolves into something more personal.

What’s the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you guys as a band?

CARNE: We were heading to a London show recently and the rest of the band caught a glimpse of a guy… answering the call of nature right by the side of the motorway, completely in the open. I missed the ‘view’ myself, but that’s the latest funny observation that happened haha.

I have to ask about “VAST.” Can you break it down for me? What inspired it, and where did that spacey vibe come from?

CARNE: Musically, it’s a direct tribute to Jon Crosby’s project, VAST—his songwriting is genius and that first album is my favourite album. Lyrically, the song captures that strange ‘post-tour’ comedown. Trying to settle back into reality after being on the road is a surreal, nostalgic experience, and I think that’s where that spacey, atmospheric vibe comes from.

What’s the feeling you want fans to walk away with after a Carne show?

CARNE: Just the want to see us again and wanna hear more.

Your latest release, Polly’s Desires, literally just came out! It has this chest-thumping bass and drum combo, and it feels darker compared to your other releases. Was that something you intended from the start?

CARNE: It is the darkest song we have and probably the moodiest. I was challenging my songwriting at the time of writing it so it did feel different than the three other songs we released. Looking back at it now, I do think it was intentional. Most of our songs are very guitar/vocals focused whereas this one, as you mentioned, is built around the groove of that bass/drums and the ethereal atmosphere.

Following up on Polly’s Desires, I’d love to know what the band desires above all else in this world?

CARNE: Having the band continuing with more opportunities and fun 🙂 

I couldn’t finish this interview without asking. When can we expect an EP or a full album from you?

CARNE: We’re currently recording an EP which should come out later this year so yes! We’re very excited about those new songs too 🙂

Let’s end on a fun one. If you were all stranded on a desert island, who do you think would last the longest, and why?

CARNE: Joe or Milo 100% 

Me and Emia would probably die of something silly like eating poisoned berries cos we were hungry probably. 

All rights to the songs in this interview are retained by CARNE. All images were provided by CARNE and taken by Rachel Billings .