Finding Joy in Juxtaposition: A Conversation with Plantfood

This year, I have found a seed of admiration for jazz begin to take root. Previously, this genre, on all fronts, seemed inaccessible to me. I quickly dismissed it as pretentious, heady, and random.  As someone who prizes lyrical honesty above all else, I struggled to see how erratic and shifting instrumentals could evoke feeling. My god, sometimes I can talk out of my arse. Plantfood puts my previously small-minded rationale to shame. Their music exudes energy, playfulness, and a genuine curiosity for sound. I sat down with Woolley, who plays the Baritone Sax (amongst other instruments) in the collective, to discuss their album Carnivores, Leeds’ music scene, and the chosen family that can arise from shared creativity. 

From their days as Leeds Conservatoire students, Woolley claims that Plantfood’s creative process has been insular in nature. Formed in the pandemic, Plantfood’s roots seem to lie in introspection. Likening “the genesis of Plantfood to that of an untouched island,” he outlines how reflection and refinement is crucial to the band’s process. This is not to say, however, that they’re all cooped up in a dark and damp room – unless a clarinet is involved apparently. Woolley stresses that each member brings their own voices, influences and background to the collective. To add or remove any member would permanently change the ecosystem of their isolated island. The band seem to find genuine joy in challenging each other creatively: “our music seems to call for just slightly more than what I am capable of at that moment, and acts as a force to keep me improving and expanding my ability.” So, whilst Plantfood might consider themselves an island, it’s clear that some element of community still drives them. Woolley, rather sweetly, adds, “I feel obligated to the collective; the success of this band is more than just my own. I owe my best for them.”   

It’s within this fusion of personal taste and reflective nature that Plantfood’s music blossoms.  Ever unpredictably playful, the EP Carnivores is a varied collage of the band’s own interests, combined with an over-arching apocalyptic theme. Their track Executive Decision (a personal favourite of mine) embodies the shift from the earlier, more contemplative stages of creation to their live sound. The band’s intent to “keep writing music that makes people move and shout” becomes clear as the track encourages you to dance out your dilemmas. By translating internal conflict into outward movement, the track allows you to explore the joy in juxtaposition. Woolley repeatedly stresses that Plantfood likes to place emphasis on surprise. It is almost as if the collective is inviting the audience into their isolated island and feeding off their energy, letting them influence the music itself. As he said, “the tunes are never really done; they continuously grow and morph over time”.  

When asked to name their biggest influences, Woolley lists an impressive lineup: Comet Is Coming, Nubiyan Twist, TC & The Groove Family, Nubya Garcia and Sarab, to name a few. But he also emphasises how Leeds itself has shaped their sound. From recording in scrappy Hyde Park basements with “one main socket and an inadvisable amount of power trips” to the “eclectic and weird” bands Leeds cultivates, their love for the local scene is obvious. Tracks like Y.U.S. featuring Yung Yusuf emulate the dynamism of Leeds’ scene. An impressive eight minutes long, the track ranges from an energised and spirited celebration of live performances to vulnerable spoken word.   

Plantfood’s ability to not only embrace change, but let it spur them onwards, gives the collective a fresh and unique voice. Their symbiotic relationship with the audience allows them both to embrace movement and energy, cultivating a welcoming space focused on curiosity, exploration and joy. If you want to take a step onto Plantfood’s island, I’d recommend starting with their most recent release Y.U.S (SAMIEL remix), which captures the energy and excitement of the original track but adds the posed against a nightlife backdrop.  Woolley promises that “fans won’t go hungry for long”, with much more on the way. Similarly, if you want to catch Plantfood live, you can find them at Jazzin’ in the Park in Preston on the 7th June, the Hootananny in Brixton on June 11th and playing the Colbolt in Newcastle on October 25th. Or give them a follow here to keep up to date on gigs a little closer to home.  

Words by Bea Butterworth, she/they