We caught up with local indie-rock duo Aline & Wes for an exclusive livestream performance, interview, and tour of their home studio and practice space. Read through their interview below, click through the slider for a tour of their studio, and be sure to catch their performance on our IG.

When the pandemic hit this year, Aline & Wes’s aptly-named EP, Armageddon of Love, was already close to completion. The lockdown threw a wrench into their collaborative process, making in-person communication more difficult and options for recording slimmer. 

“I’ve been thinking about how many people are being forced to record in their own space,” said Wes. “If we listen back to all the music that is made now, I’m wondering how it’s going to differ from stuff in the future that’s recorded in studios.”

While the pandemic has made the logistics of collaboration and recording more difficult, Aline & Wes haven’t felt those struggles impact their writing. “Regardless of what’s happening at the time — as long as you’re really truthful — it always applies,” Aline said about her songwriting. 

Wes stressed the importance of creating music that’s able to transcend the circumstances and not wanting to fixate on the misery of the pandemic in their work. “Everyone is already experiencing that. We don’t really need to be reminded of that [in our music],” he said.

Aline and Wes have both created music solo in the past but appreciate the collaborative process that working with another musician brings. “When you write with someone else, you have to consider their feelings, too, and you might not always agree. When you write by yourself it’s more of a monologue,” said Aline. 

Wes agreed and said he enjoys the harmony and complexity achieved when they combine their different styles. “[Aline and I] both had those moments where we were like, ‘Well that’s not what I would have said there, but I accept your perspective,’ ” he said. “It’s important that you [both] get to say what’s necessary.” 

Aline & Wes’s willingness to give each other this breathing room is evident in their music, which layers many influences and styles that recall roots, blues, and classic rock. Both are multi-talented musicians and invigorate each track with their distinctive vocals and instrumentation.

“I always say it’s like gumbo when you mix it all together,” said Aline.

When we talked with them in their practice space in Wes’s home, the pair were excited to be performing for an audience as the pandemic has offered few opportunities for live music.

“Oh my God, I feel nervous again,” said Wes excitedly, joking about the welcome return to performance and its accompanying jitters. 

Click through the slider below for more photos of their space, and don’t forget to watch their live performance on IG. You can listen to their latest music here.

We livestream a set with Aline & Wes in their home studio space.

Red and black soundproofing foam lines the ceiling and walls.

Vocalist Aline Vida, one half of the indie-rock duo that is Aline & Wes.

Abstract paintings fill the walls of Wes Speight's home practice space.

Dan Ray livestreams Aline & Wes's performance on the Dan's Tunes IG.

Speight lends his talents on keys, vocals, guitar, and harmonica.

Vida provides soothing vocals on "Live a Lie" for the livestreamed set.

The studio features a wide variety of instruments, microphones, and computer equipment.

"If Bob Dylan can do it, so can I," Speight jokes about playing the harmonica at the same time as guitar or piano.

Brainstorming, practice, and recording all go down in the converted studio.

Aline & Wes's latest EP, Armageddon of Love, was released in October of 2020.

Quirky decor provides a unique and cozy vibe in this creative space.

Old vinyl albums make a fun aesthetic and a great soundproofing barrier.

The duo shares a laugh while speaking about the process of producing music together (and apart) during a pandemic.