Less can indeed be more, and Pure Bathing Culture prove just that with their new album, Pray For Rain. In 2012, after touring as part of Vetiver's outfit, Daniel Hindman and Sarah Versprille relocated from New York to Portland and sprung out with their own project. In 2013, the duo debuted with their dreamy release, Moon Tides, full of ethereal, reverby pop and soothing beats. When it came time for a follow-up, the two decided it was time to change pace. They were invited to Dallas, TX, to record with John Congleton (St. Vincent, Swans, Angel Olsen, The Walkmen) who pushed to cut the ambient fringe and focus on the true meat of the songs themselves. The result was Pray For Rain, a solid, larger sound. There's a level of confidence that anchors the hooks (specifically on the title track) that gives the listener something more tangible to dig into. PBC took a moment to explain how that came about.

Homebase: Portland, OR

On the road absolute necessity?: Water + Coffee

For Pray For Rain, you two decided it was time to take a big leap. How did you come to that decision, and was there a clear vision in mind, or more of a need?

It wasn't our intention to “take a big leap” per se, we were really just excited about the songs we wrote for this record and went into the studio pretty open to what might happen. How the record came out sounding was surprising to us but also felt really natural and organic as well.

Pray For Rain was recorded in Dallas, TX, with John Congleton, who held you to high expectations in the recording process. How did this differ from previous recording experiences?

John was pretty demanding in terms of keeping things minimal. He really pushed us to only record parts that were impactful and direct.

New material, recording in a new city, with a new producer who pushes the boundaries. I can imagine that stripped you both down to the most vulnerable state. How do you feel that affected your approach during these recording sessions?

It was a bit scary and uncomfortable at times, but most of all as we delved further into the process there was a feeling that we were beginning a new chapter creatively.

I think a lot of people will be surprised how stripped down and straightforward these tracks are. No layered effects, all analog gear. Now having space from the recording process, do you hear these tracks as raw or as whole? Both?

Both... On our first record everything was so ambient and soft. It's sort of like we created a dream landscape to wander through and use as a vehicle to express our interests and influences. With this new record things are definitely simpler and a bit more stripped down, but the sounds are a lot bigger and it allows for a more precise impactful mix.  Artistically speaking, it's very freeing to realize that there's more than one approach you can take to record and present your songs to people.

Since Pray For Rain is such a direct reflection of your real sound, does it bring a level of confidence to the live show?

Yes absolutely. It's also been an inspiration to keep growing and to become a better band. It's rewarding to keep setting the bar higher in order to see what spaces we may find to flow into.

At the time of Moon Tides, you both had somewhat recently relocated to Portland. Now having lived there for a few years, how do you think it's shaped your experience with Pure Bathing Culture?

Portland has been a great incubator for this project. Living there has allowed us to really focus on the music in ways we maybe wouldn't have been able to if we had stayed in New York.