Biography
Glass Vaults are a Wellington electronic pop duo formed by Richard Larsen and Rowan Pierce, who met while studying performance design at Massey University. Originally performing as Vaults — a name inspired by the vaulted ceilings of cathedrals — they changed to Glass Vaults to avoid associations with banks and crime. They began performing together around 2010 and released their debut Glass EP in June of that year, followed by Into Clear EP (2011) and Bright EP (2013), all on their own label. Early recordings were described by international outlets including Clash and No Fear Of Pop as “glacial pop” and “stoner gospel.” In 2012 the pair held a month-long residency at Pianos bar in New York, an experience that reshaped their artistic direction.
Their debut full-length Sojourn (2015) was written across a summer spent in New York, Southern Florida, and Wellington, and released on Auckland’s Flying Out label (FOLP006). Working with producer Bevan Smith (Signer) and an expanded six-piece live band, the album shifted toward “lush psychedelic folk — songs of celebration, environment, and love.” Singles “Life is the Show” and “Ancient Gates” received extensive airplay on 95bFM and Radioactive, and the record reached #32 on the New Zealand Albums Chart.
Making music is the most meditative of the arts for me. It’s a chance to work on a craft, which is something I enjoy.
Richard Larsen, NZ Musician
The New Happy (2017, Melodic Records, MELO111LP) was recorded in just three days at Blue Barn Studio, Wellington, with engineer Adam Ladley. Producer Bevan Smith spent over 1,000 hours on the mix. The album was deliberately conceived around ASMR — mixed to elicit a “brain orgasm” tingling sensation — with equipment including the Mutronics Mutator and Eventide harmonizers. Influences cited by the band included Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, and Grace Jones.
Sounds That Sound Like Music (2020, Flying Out, STSLM01) was written and recorded at a lake house in Taupō and a cabin in the mountains of Arthur’s Pass, with collaborators Borrowed cs (Cory Champion), Instant Fantasy (Gemma Syme), and Charlotte Forrester of Womb. By this point Larsen and Pierce were living in different cities — the album’s title, Larsen noted, should be “taken with a sideways smile and a healthy amount of self-deprecation.” A limited yellow vinyl pressing of 300 copies sold out quickly.
Members
- Richard Larsen (electronics/vocals, Richard Dada, Glass Vaults)
- Rowan Pierce (electronics/vocals, Glass Vaults)
Discography
- Glass EP [Digital] (2010, self-released)
- Into Clear EP [Digital] (2011, self-released)
- Bright EP [Digital] (2013, self-released)
- Sojourn [LP/CD/Digital] (2015, Flying Out, FOLP006)
- The New Happy [LP/CD/Digital] (2017, Melodic Records, MELO111LP)
- Sounds That Sound Like Music [LP/Digital] (2020, Flying Out, STSLM01)