Following a debut album release back in 2022, the Glasgow-based project Traquair has made a welcome return with his five-track EP, Held the Pulse, which is out now via Levelled Records. Helmed by musician Stewart Traquair, who is originally from South African but now calls Scotland his home, this new record combines innovative psychedelia, soulful songwriting and many unexpected flourishes that’ll keep listeners on their toes throughout. With his trusty 12-string guitar adding its own shimmering textures to the EP, Traquair explores wide-ranging themes of connection, uncertainty, romance and resilience through his heartfelt lyricism. Produced, recorded and mixed by Roscoe Wilson (The Colts, Anton and the Colts), the EP moves seamlessly from one track to the next, such as the hypnotic opener ‘Girl, Your Mind Is a Dangerous Game’, the captivating title- track ‘Held the Pulse’ or the quietly hopeful closer ‘A Great Time to Be Alive’. Rooted in the artist’s own experiences, this EP holds a universally relatable message of what it means to be human. For our On The Record feature, we caught up with Traquair to discuss the stories behind the songs, his distinctive approach to songwriting and why human connection sits at the heart of his music.
Welcome to Unrecorded! For those who aren’t already familiar with Traquair, can you introduce yourself?
Thank you, my name is Stewart Traquair and I am a singer songwriter based in Glasgow Scotland, releasing records under the banner of Traquair. I have been doing this for a long time and have released about 10 records/EP’s. Some of those records are now harder to find than others, even for me.
Congratulations on the release of your new EP! How would you describe Held the Pulse in three words?
Thank you, three words: ‘Psychedelic Street Soul’
You’re originally from South Africa and yet you were drawn to Glasgow. Did this move and the new surroundings change who you are as an artist?
I was originally born in Pretoria South Africa to Scottish parents and when I was 10 my parents decided to move back to Scotland, Glasgow specifically. So you could argue that I am more Scottish than South African. My earliest memories though, are of long road trips in my dads car, crossing the most beautiful landscapes in South Africa with music constantly playing while the sunshine danced through the car windows. The music that was playing: ABBA, QUEEN, Ultravox and Bob Marley. When I hear certain songs I am transported back to that place, even though my young mind has no doubt romanticised the memories. I think there is a juxtaposition that this has brought me in terms of songwriting and being an artist. I was born n the sunshine and I exist in the rain soaked streets of Glasgow. Although not a conscious decision. I can definitely hear those two worlds colliding in my songs.
Another integral part of your creative identity is your 12-string guitar, which is a unique choice of instrument. What special qualities does it bring to your songwriting?
What a great question and I’m glad you picked up on this. The 12-string, despite being a nightmare to re-string and tune is such a gorgeous instrument and has a warmth to it that is unrivalled. I find it can take just one strum or note on the 12-string and listeners ears are tuned in and hooked from that point onwards. Mines definitely are. It is a huge part of the Held the Pulse Eps sound. I love 1960s culture and I think this is where my fascination with the instrument began, the Byrds specifically and of course the Beatles. I have been playing 12-String for about 20 plus years now, so think I have my own style. I like that people assume I down-tune the guitar but I don’t, its just my style of playing that has evolved over the years.
In the EP, many personal themes come up, from connection to uncertainty to romance to survival. Was there a particular time in your life that you’ve based these songs on?
Yes I would say so, I have to live it to write about it and these songs were born following a traumatic experience but more specifically coming out of this experience and finding yourself again. Almost like seeing in colour when for a while, it was only black and white. I think this EP and songs are rooted in the human experience and human connection. For me these songs are very positive and although things can be hidden with imagery and imagination, ultimately its never too late to connect to another person, to crave that kiss or touch and to never feel lost for words in those late night conversations. Of course with any human connection there can be uncertainty and that is a beautiful things as well and can make that experience unique in its own way. The period of my life taught me to open up and embrace those connections, they can be rare but they are vital. Held the Pulse, like catching yourself in a moment and your heart is working okay.
Opening track ‘Girl, Your Mind Is a Dangerous Game’ seems to directly address a significant other, so what’s the reason for starting off the EP with this?
‘Girl, Your Mind Is a Dangerous Game’ was always going to be the first song, especially with the 12-string riff, it was screaming to kick things off. I also love the juxtaposition of the title. For me its a very positive song. I’ll leave the Dangerous Game open to interpretation but its in a broad sense that moment when someone comes into your life and they change your DNA almost, you see things differently and they challenge you in the best way. It ties back to your earlier question as well about experience. So from a lyrical stand point it also felt like the right starting point of the EP especially as you can read the lyrics from your own viewpoint and your own experience and set the tone in your own way.
Let’s look at title-track ‘Held the Pulse’, which eschews genre expectations with the gospel tones. What’s the story behind this one?
I love this, ‘eschews genre expectations’. I also love that the gospel element of the song is shining through. This is the key song of the EP and the title track. Another positive song I would say, its a reflection on the human psyche, by acknowledging that we are not perfect and that’s okay. Its okay to say I can be better or do better next time. The main point is the human experience and making sure we take part and show up. I was obsessed with Aretha rankling on this one. I could imagine her singing this one and I tried to channel her when I was doing the vocal takes. Strange currency, I had been mentioning prior to recording that I needed to be like Aretha on this song even though there’s no way I can sing like that. Fast forward and just as I was about to do the vocals I noticed that there was a pic of Aretha in the vocal booth, It was there the whole time and I just never noticed! I took that as a good sign..hahahah
Another stand-out number is ‘A Great Time to Be Alive’. Was it important to you to close the EP with a subtle sense of optimism?
YES, that was really important. Once I have a collection of songs I start to focus on a bigger piece and I love putting together a product, it might be an album or an EP and I always find that the songs will paint the picture and lead the way and start to connect in ways I never envisaged at the start of the process. Not to sound boring and say juxtaposition again, but I loved the mournful cello on ‘A Great Time to Be Alive’ yet lyrically it was optimistic and it ends with the line ‘Undress the moon, let the night time through’. The possibilities are endless but it made total sense to me that the theme was human experience and connection and that this song would end the EP. Everything has a pulse, the heart, the sea, the rain, street-light’s flickering, the moon undressing, the night-time coming through…. everything.
When the EP was finished I googled Traquair Held the Pulse and…it turns out its a famous medical phrase honouring Dr James G. Traquair, who pioneered the observation of the radial pulse at the wrist and how this provides clues about how well the heart is working. The synergy was astounding and I knew then that I was on the right track.
What else do you hope listeners will take away from Held the Pulse?
We live in age where we are immersed in technology everyday, people walk the streets looking at their phones. We have an abundance of information at our fingertips but are we using it in the right way? Do we know how to use that level of information? I think there are positives with this as well though in terms of connecting and discovering art, music and culture at the click of a button. That is cool and I hope that tech can bring us together but not at the expense of human experience. We need to remember to live and if anything I hope Held the Pulse gets this across. We need that connection, we need those moments to happen to help us tell stories and put ourselves out there and be prepared to live life and be open to connection.
Following the release of this EP, what will be next on the horizon for you?
In the short term I am heading back into the studio to record a double a-side single. So two new songs and these will come out later in the year along with a short tour of the UK, probably solo to play the Held the Pulse songs and the yet to be recorded singles. In the long term 2027, sights are set on a full length record. Who knows what will happen in-between though but I’ll be ready whatever that might be.
You can find title-track ‘Held the pulse’ in our Outsiders Club playlist.
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