Photo Credit: Sam Monendo

This is a huge week for Chicago’s Neptune’s Core. Not only are they dropping ‘Called Upon’ on August 25th, but they’re also playing a record release show for all the hometown fans at Metro the very next day. Exciting times for an even more exciting band, and we not only spoke of the thrills that are set to transpire this week, but also how they’ve evolved since their last release, insecurities, self-love, and so much more! 

Kendra: It’s been a couple of years since 2021’s ‘Evolving.’ In that time, how would you say you’ve evolved as an artist? 

Jackie Cywinski: Individually, we’ve all improved and grown as musicians – digging into different genres of music such as classical and jazz, and just experimenting more with the sound of our instrument. As our skill sets individually change, together we can truly flourish which has happened a ton over the past couple years. I got a lot more into using pedals, especially experimenting with them in the studio (Jamdek Studio with Doug Malone) which helps heighten the emotion or feeling the listener is experiencing. 

Hannah Ricter: Over the past two years we have really learned to collaborate more during the writing process which has helped make our songs more meaningful to each of us. In the past, Sofie or Jackie would come to the band with a song almost fully written and we would each write our own parts from there, but more recently we would have jam sessions where we would all just play together randomly and sometimes those jam sessions turned into songs. For example, our song “Mermaid Song” started with Jackie’s entrancing guitar part at the beginning and one day when we were practicing we all joined in and started to experiment more with it. Ever since then, our writing process has evolved into a more joint effort than it used to be.

Sofia Richter: Music is shaped by life experiences, and as we’ve grown and experienced new and difficult things, our songwriting has changed. I write songs about harder topics now because life has gotten harder. I’ve dealt with more, and I need to write about what I deal with. As we grow, our music grows with us. Not only have we grown as artists, but we’ve grown as people. 

Kendra: Looking back, you all were dropping a new record annually but then did take that two-year break. Do you think artists should allow themselves more time in between creative endeavors? Because some artists will work themselves to death…

Jackie: I believe everything is truly up to the artist and how they feel they can release their craft and truly be proud of it. At the time, releasing an album per year was the way to go, but with this release, we wanted more time to sit with the songs and send them around to people before releasing, which is working perfectly for this release. 

Kaitlin Cywinski: I think that because releasing music is so vulnerable, artists should be allowed to take their time. At this time we were also coming out of Covid, which made it a bit harder to find inspiration. Creating music isn’t something that just happens. We write new songs when it feels right to do so. Rushing this would cause us to compromise our creative process. 

Hannah: At the end of the day, I think it all just depends on what these songs that they are releasing truly mean to them. Back then when we were releasing more regularly our songs didn’t have as much meaning since we were younger than we are now. But now as we continue to experience more things and to grow as humans, our songs strike a nerve that really made us think before releasing them to the rest of the world. So overall, I think it just depends on what’s best for the artist.

Sofia: As we’ve progressed as musicians and people, our creative endeavors have started to take more out of us. I can’t write the kind of songs I want to write every day; it takes me a couple of months until I’m ready to write another. Not all artists are the same, though. Music comes from different places. For me, I see it as an outlet and a way to be vulnerable. A lot of emotion goes into our songs, which is why it takes time before we can create another. 

Kendra: Now, I listen to a lot of music doing this – and I gotta say “Inside” is definitely one of the handfuls of new songs I’ve heard this year that I truly love. Everything about it felt tailor-made for someone like myself, as I also waste way too much time in the depths of my anxious mind. Do you think that social media has pushed us to dissect our worth and insecurities more than we used to?

Hannah: Social media has some positive traits, but also some negative. I found that especially with younger girls, they feel as if there is a sort of standard they have to live up to and oftentimes that has a big toll on their mental health. I know personally I used to decide my worth based on how many Instagram likes and comments I got on a certain post. So to answer your question, yes. I think social media lets people think they have to be someone they are not. Just be yourself.

Sofia: I think social media prevents us from being in tune with ourselves. We spend so much time immersed in a whirlwind of social situations, and when we finally get the time to decompress, we open social media instead. People deserve the chance to be with their own thoughts. 

Kendra: I also do a podcast called Crushgasm, all about the different crushes we’ve had in life, and recently I’ve had a lot of guests who were promoting various programs about self-love. “Inside” very much deals with the lack of that, so I gotta ask – what’s the last form of self-care you did for yourself?

Hannah: I’ve been reading a lot more recently so probably that. I gave it up for a while because I was reading a boring non-fiction book, but recently I haven’t been able to put the book I’m reading down.

Kaitlin: Personally I love to spend time outside and in the sun. Whether it’s walking the nature trails, gardening, or being at the lake, being outside helps me reconnect with myself. I’m able to let go of the crazy world around me and naturally sort out my thoughts. 

Sofia: Honestly, being in nature is the best way for me to ground myself. Walking on the nature trails just north of my house is something I do every day to get outside and get out of my head. Being in nature is what inspires a lot of song ideas for me too. I’ll be walking through the trees, and that’s when a melody will come to me. 

Kendra: “Inside” will be heard alongside more music that I cannot wait to hear when ‘Called Upon’ drops in late August, and you’ll also be playing a record release show that week at Metro. I’ve never been, but I’ve often heard Chicago’s music scene is impeccable. Why do you think that is?

Jackie: SO SO SO EXCITED for Metro!!! I’ve been going to shows there since I was a kid. A couple of years ago, Kaitlin and I got up on stage with Snail Mail and sang Pristine with her on the Metro stage. I remember how special that felt, so being back up there with our own original music will be such a lovely full-circle moment. 

Hannah: Chicago’s music scene is honestly just so supportive of one another. We’ve met so many amazing people who you can tell really care about music as well as the people making it which is something hard to come across. Everyone in the scene is so genuine too. You can feel their love for music and it honestly just makes you want to play more and grow as musicians. Every artist is so diverse and I’m honestly just so glad to be a part of the community. 

Kaitlin: The music scene in Chicago is so connected and feels so small, despite the vast amount of creative individuals involved. The smaller venues such as Schubas, Metro, and Thalia Hall create the perfect place for bands and fans to intimately share their love of music. It’s rare I go to a show and don’t see someone else I know. 

Jackie: Chicago’s music scene is collaborative and supportive, that’s what makes it so special. All the people who are a part of it are so passionate about music and are always excited to play with new up-and-coming artists. Sima from Finom is the perfect example of this. She holds a festival called Postock up on a farm in Wisconsin every year. She’s had more established bands, up-and-coming bands, and bands who just formed play together. It’s so special to be surrounded by a group of people who are so kind, passionate, and just willing to help each other out. 

Sofia: It’s such a cool thing to be able to go to these small, intimate venues, watch beautiful music being made, and see familiar faces in the audience around you. There’s this sense of love and support that’s unique to Chicago. We love each other and we learn from each other. Going to see live music in Chicago never fails to inspire me. Bands that play on the Schubas stage, the Bottle, Metro have this magnetic energy that just makes me want to create music.

Kendra: Time for a side note – So August is a huge month for me, with so many loved ones’ birthdays being celebrated, so I’d love to know what song you’d dedicate to your loved ones, be it friends, family, or both…

Hannah: This might not be the answer most people would expect but I would say “Bring Back the Light” from our second album ‘Evolving.’ That song was written by Sofie when some people she really cared about were struggling with their mental health. It talks about how she desperately just wants to make them happy and “bring back the light” which is something anyone would want to do for the people they care about. It’s a song full of love. 

Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Called Upon’ out on August 25th, what else can the people out there expect from you as 2023 rolls along?

Jackie: We are definitely cooking up some new songs and more shows to be announced. Nothing is set in stone yet, but we’re excited for what the future holds. 

Hannah: Similar to what Jackie said, we are still in the planning stage of what’s to come after but I can assure you, it will be great! 

Sofia: Our songwriting process has really taken off. These new unreleased songs have something different to ‘em. They feel magical to us. We’ve tapped into a new level of collaboration and cohesion. The future is so exciting to us. Bring it on!!!!