AYCE (All You Can Eat) is the project of Sara Bunge, Jessica Heming, and Ramsey Ord, and their debut EP is exactly what it promises: a generous, no-holds-barred spread of rock that refuses to sit still in one lane. With Sara’s raw, effects-free powerhouse vocals up front and Ramsey’s production threading the needle between gritty and gleaming, these three have something genuinely exciting on their hands.
We caught up with Sara and Ramsey to talk about the EP, the road to finding their sound, and why a perfect AYCE show might just be better than yoga.
“All You Can Eat” is a deliciously bold acronym for the band. What are you actually serving up for us eager listeners?
Ramsey: Jess actually suggested the name originally to mean “unlimited possibilities,” and that’s how we’re thinking about the music. We don’t want to get locked into too specific of a style and want to keep people guessing! The songs on the EP are all some form of rock, but they don’t necessarily all sound like each other. And I think that’s a good thing.
‘Go’ is my personal favourite on the EP. It hits that sweet spot between raw and polished. What was the production process like?
Ramsey: Once Sara came on board, the production became far easier and way more exciting. It was actually difficult to find that sweet spot because Sara has a strong enough voice that it didn’t require post-production effects, but most modern songs have a lot of effects. So we were trying to find that balance of having somewhat of a retro rock sound, but not too retro. Each song ended up with its own type of mix because of it.
The process had a lot of challenges, but we persevered. And honestly, it was a blessing in disguise that things took so long. Now we have a whole backlog of material ready to record, and the process will hopefully be a cakewalk compared to what it was.
We love it! If someone presses play on AYCE for the very first time, which track tells them exactly who you are?
Sara: I’m gonna say “Turn It Around” because I just love the juxtaposition in the music and lyricism. The sound of the song is dark, angsty, almost nightmare-ish, but the lyrics are literally just telling you “I know everything’s bad, but let’s try to turn it around, girl!” Like… okay! Sing me to sleep, why don’t you!
There’s a real sense of energy across the EP. What does a perfect AYCE live show feel like from your perspective?
Sara: I still have yet to crowd-surf… and dancing. Lots of dancing. A container to release whatever you’ve been holding onto through sound and movement. Like yoga, but a lot louder. And probably don’t wear leggings.
You’re getting some great traction on Spotify. What’s next? We’re excited.
Sara: We have new melodies and music rolling in, but before anything, we want to get out there and share our energy and gratitude with audiences.
Ramsey: We have strong roots in both LA and the UK and plan on doing gigs in both areas this year. Jess lives in Brighton, and Sara spent some of her formative years in the UK before landing in Southern California. We also plan on releasing more singles later this year!
Well, we’d love to have them on these shores. And AYCE’s debut EP ‘All You Can Eat’ is out now. Keep an eye on their Spotify and socials. This one’s just getting started.