Benjó James discusses the creative journey behind Kairos, his DIY recording philosophy, fearless genre experimentation, and the perfectly timed opportunities that are turning Flowers for Juno into a live act.

Coyote Music: Unlike a traditional career-spanning compilation, Kairos arrives just a few years into Flowers for Juno's existence. At what point did you realize you had enough material to tell a coherent story about Flowers for Juno?

Flowers For Juno / Benjó James: It was more that I wanted to condense the many releases I've done into something more cohesive than a scattered selection of EPs and singles. The sequencing is supposed to mimic a setlist for a Flowers for Juno show. In truth, doing the release is moreso just a really practical way of promoting all those tracks altogether.

CM: You described Kairos as the setlist for a hypothetical Flowers for Juno concert. Looking at the track order, what journey did you want listeners to experience from "Electro Hippies" all the way to the instrumental closer "Pink Noise"?

FFJ / BJ: I want the listener to experience the spectrum of the Flowers sound, whether it's hazy shoegaze, stripclub witch house, or the more classic post-punk and gothic rock of the early demo era.

CM: The title Kairos refers to the "right" or opportune moment, and you mentioned leaving your bar job just before opportunities to perform started appearing. Did that timing strengthen your belief that you were making the right decision, or was it still a leap of faith despite the encouraging signs?

FFJ / BJ: The timing definitely validated my decision. I went from getting no gig offers to having three the week I handed in my notice. Every time I'd check my DM's I'd see a new request. It's all felt like opportune timing.

CM: Your catalog spans shoegaze, gothic rock, industrial, synth-pop, grunge, darkwave, witch house, and even hints of funk. Do you consciously set out to write in different styles, or do you simply follow wherever a particular song wants to go?

FFJ / BJ: Mostly the latter. I'm a big fan of shoegaze bands, but I never really considered my music as such until critics and listeners described it as such. As for the witch house tracks; I'd produced hundreds of tracks in the style in the early '10s so it's just become part of my musical vocabulary. Nothing contrived or pre-determined.

CM: This compilation introduces more collaborators than some of your previous releases—Jack Wilson, Jack Reed, Mark Corrigan, Robert Grayson, Freja Crozier, and Tyrion "Bigfoot" Jackson. What did each of those musicians contribute that changed the character of the finished songs?

FFJ / BJ: I think in general introducing outside influences introduces more dynamism to the track, even if it's following what I've written. I feel in a mystical sense just literally having another person involved has a profound effect on the way the music turns out, however intangible. Don't tell them that though, or they'll ask for a larger percentage of royalties!

CM: Freja Crozier's Northumbrian harp appears on "Message to Lana" and "Lipstick and Furs," which isn't an instrument most listeners would expect to hear alongside industrial beats and heavy guitars. What inspired that combination, and what did the harp bring to those arrangements?

FFJ / BJ: The instrument reminds me of the serene, almost medieval nature of Northumberland where I grew up. I feel in the 2020s we live in a post-genre world, so really it makes no sense not to combine whatever instrumentation I feel best serves the song, regardless of style boundaries.

CM: You recorded these songs across several home studios, with the Crack Den becoming something of a recurring location in the Flowers for Juno story. Has that DIY approach become part of the project's identity, or do you eventually see yourself moving into larger commercial studios?

FFJ / BJ: Absolutely it is. No, I don't see the point in paying through the nose just to have at very best a sound I could achieve myself for much less time, hassle, and money. People get in touch and offer to mix my tracks for me all the time, which I don't understand. I mean, the music I release sounds exactly how I want it to sound, however unpolished...why would I outsource that to someone who can't possibly understand my vision?

CM: Your version of "Just Like Honey" takes on one of alternative rock's most beloved songs. That's a bold choice. What made you feel you had something new to say with that track, and how did you balance honoring The Jesus and Mary Chain while still making it unmistakably Flowers for Juno?

FFJ / BJ: Funnily enough, I intended to keep the song as close to the original as possible, in the spirit of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". But when it came to recording for whatever reason I put my own spin on it, hence the heavily effected vocals, huge distorted guitars, and 80s synths.

CM: Songs like "Physical Culture," "It's Not My Fault," and "Without Love" feel much more introspective than tracks like "Buckcherry Wrote a Song About Girls Like You." Was that contrast intentional, or is that simply another side of your songwriting?

FFJ / BJ: It's less about contrast and just more about being as candid as possible. One of my favourite bands is HIM, but it would be pretentious of me to write sentimental love songs all the time when I'm going out clubbing and doing drugs, having one night stands etc. Likewise, I'm not trying to project a hypermasculine image either, hence why I have songs exploring romance in all its forms...whether the perspective is innocent or extremely cynical or anywhere in between.

CM: Now that Kairos serves as an entry point for new fans, where do you see Flowers for Juno heading next? Should listeners expect you to push further into the darker gothic and industrial elements, or are there still genres you haven't explored that you're eager to experiment with?

FFJ / BJ: You'll have to wait and see, and that includes me.

CM: You've said promoters began contacting you almost immediately after Kairos was released. Since the album was originally imagined as a hypothetical live set, has that suddenly become a real blueprint for your first Flowers for Juno shows, or has the prospect of performing live already changed how you're thinking about future releases?

FFJ / BJ: The prospect of playing live is great, but my priority is always going to be writing and recording, and I'm willing to turn down tours if I have songs I feel I need to get out there.

CM: Thanks so much, Benjó, for taking some time to share your thoughts with us and our readers. It's always a pleasure!