How the Chapel Singers Helped Shape ‘Light Roast’

Every recording develops its own character. Sometimes that comes from the musicians, sometimes from the instruments, and occasionally from the space itself.

When we began work on Light Roast, the song was already well underway. The core arrangement had been recorded in the Das Spezial studio, with Abi D'Arcy's lead vocal providing the emotional centre of the piece. Rather than considering that recording complete, we saw it as the beginning of another stage in the process.

Working with the Chapel Singers gave us an opportunity to explore how new voices and a different environment might influence the finished recording.

Instead of asking the choir to record in a conventional studio, we moved the session to All Saints Church in Southbourne. Along with a portable version of our recording setup, we brought elements of the original session into the building, including Abi's vocal, which was played back through speakers and headphones as the choir developed and recorded their own arrangements.

This approach allowed the singers to respond not only to the performance itself, but also to the acoustic character of the church. The natural reverberation, the scale of the space and the subtle interaction between voices all became part of the recording. Rather than creating ambience later, we were able to capture an environment that already possessed its own distinctive sound.

What emerged from the session wasn't simply an additional vocal layer. The choir became woven into the identity of the piece, adding depth, texture and a sense of place that would have been difficult to recreate elsewhere.

Projects like this also reflect something that has become increasingly important to both Das Spezial and Sound Sanctuary: creating opportunities to collaborate with talented people from within our local community. The Chapel Singers brought not only musical ability but sensitivity and generosity to the session, making the recording feel genuinely collaborative from beginning to end.

Our thanks go to the Chapel Singers, All Saints Church, Southbourne, and everyone who helped make the recording possible.

Light Roast is available now on all major streaming platforms.