PRE-ORDER ‘A RAVER’S DIARY’ HERE
ISOLADE
DUSTY KID – ‘A RAVER’S DIARY’ RE-ISSUE
RELEASE DATE: 15th MAY
One of Italy’s most talented electronic music exports, Sardinian Dusty Kid makes a return with the re-issue of his 2009 classic Techno album – ‘A Raver’s Diary’. The audio will be made available on vinyl for the first time on 15th May. As well as delivering a number of remixes from a range of electronic producers, that breathe new life into the album. Paolo Alberto Lodde AKA Dusty Kid also releases a package of never before heard B-Sides and singles. To mark the start of the project, tracks ‘Moto Perpetuo (Heat Engine)’ and ‘Pluk’ (Nicolas Bougayeff Remixes), is available to stream now.
Since its release in the late ‘00s, ‘A Raver’s’ Diary’ his set the mark for groove ridden melodic techno LPs. As it surpasses it’s 10th Anniversary, Isolade help to deliver a full package on double vinyl. Set to include new remixes, versions and B-sides; never before heard.
First appearing in the early-00’s with a string of well received releases, Dusty Kid was one of many sparks that helped usher in a new era for electronic music. With releases on globally esteemed labels such as Systematic, Bpitch Control and Mau5trap, he saw himself catapulted into the spotlight and saw support come from key international artists such as Richie Hawtin. Dusty Kid had grown organically into his global position and saw himself become a permanent fixture on the international touring circuit.
Upon its release in 2009, the album demonstrated Dusty Kid’s extraordinary flair for producing intelligent dance music. A truly versatile and classically trained musician, his eclecticism and ability to embrace diverse sounds is what has made his music so timeless and sees ‘A Raver’s Diary’ continue to electrify and inspire.
Merging direct dancefloor tracks with deep and hypnotic productions, ‘A Ravers Diary’ inspires trance inducing atmospheres that make the music engaging from the first beat. ‘The Fugue – Contrapunctus X’ pays homage to Bach’s experimentation with monothematic instrumentation. The track directly references the theory as the basis to the track with two pieces of music occurring dependently together. Instantly commanding the attention of the listener with a melodic intro and austere bassline, Dusty Kid delivers this as a darker version of the original.
Reworking original ‘Moto Perpetuo’, Dusty Kid’s ‘Heat Engine’ rework reveals an uncompromising techno track laced with trance elements. Meanwhile Freedom Fighters, adds progressive psytrance to his remix of ‘Moto Perpetuo’. The ‘Klin (Enaxri Point)’ rework is pitched up, embodying a deep electro beat, whilst ‘Amazon’ infuses ambient tones with emotive breaks. Filled with melancholy ‘America’ is a 17-minute-long opus – a lengthy piece that calls for its own ‘director’s cut’.
‘Cowboys Titles’ slows down the tempo on the album, layering synths amongst dreamy tone and edges down further with the Winter In June remix. Upping the ante, producer Ferlin’s remix of ‘Cowboy’s’ invokes acid lines whilst Andrea Cossu adds ambient and deep techno sounds. On ‘Nemur’ Dusty Kid utilises lyrics and vocals in a folk-pop techno crossover. The track receives its own acoustic cover on the project alongside a mystic remix from Grizzly and a classical ‘Walls Of Guitar’ version from Italian producer Odyzë.
Canadian Nicolas Bougayeff looks back at his roots in 90’s rave music with his remix of ‘Pluk’, delivering both his two ‘Journey’ and ‘Tool’ remixes. Italian composer and violinist Vito Gatto also remixes ‘Pluk’, delivering a string heavy track. ‘Lynchesque’ also receives a trio of remixes from Italian electronic artist Marascia, Isreali Eitan Reiter and Acid Techno Pioneer, Robert Babicz.
2020’s re-issue holds a diverse range of remixes, new versions and remasters from both Dusty Kid and friends. ‘A Raver’s Diary’ is set to reaffirm the prodigal Dusty Kid and his abilities as an electronic music artist.
Dusty Kid’s ‘A Raver’s Diary’ Vinyl Release will be available 15th May via Isolade.
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There aren’t a lot of artists out there who can turn one of dance music’s greatest classics into a genre-crossing masterpiece, but Charlotte de Witte is clearly one of them and has outdone herself once more. Today, the widely acclaimed Techno starlet presented not one but two brand-new renditions of Jerome Isma-Ae’s ‘Hold That Sucker Down’, with both the Rave Remix and Trance Remix set to appease Techno lovers and Trance enthusiasts alike.
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Uprooting oneself and moving to another continent is no mean feat, yet for Copenhagen-based house producer and live artist, Sonny, a move from his home country Australia all the way to Denmark was a necessary one. Settling in Copenhagen and becoming instantly engrossed with both the underground scene there and Danish culture in general, Sonny now brings together notes from this journey into debut album, Union: Integration Of The Shadow.
At the core of Danish and wider Scandinavian culture, there lies the sentiments of acting with intent and for the greater good, whether this be for the better good of the environment or the better good of others. This undoubtedly influenced Sonny positively, so much so that his previous production efforts leading up to and including this new album project have included an upmost focus on quality, making music with purely analogue formats, in its rawest forms with the view to seeking out the fullest sounds. All released via his own label, Northern Underground Records, Sonny represents and pushes forward a Copenhagen-based house sound, not usually associated with the capital city most well-known for its pacey BPM techno exports.
Having previously only released in EP formats, Sonny found the longer form of an album far better suited to tell the story of his journey in Scandinavia thus far, one that he seeks to continue into the future. Throwing himself into absorbing and exploring Copenhagen and the wider culture, those initial experiences in finding ones way are reflected in ‘Euromantics’; a psychedelic offering, gently weaving musical textures representative of the bliss and freedom with new prospects at ones fingertips.
Referencing new-found cultures, Sonny paints a picture of seasonal changes in hobbies and activities spent alongside friends. ‘Transient Feeling’, inspired by hiking culture and filled with playful, bouncy pads reminiscent of a hiking rhythm, bounding across beautiful Scandinavian planes. ‘Ejskö’ named after the destination of a Swedish mid-summer holiday with friends, paying tribute to the Swedish tradition of Midsommer, in which they celebrate the sun being at its highest point in the sky.
Elsewhere, we hear stories of Sonny finding love with his now, fiancé. Opening the album with ‘The Feels (Eclectic Dreams)’ that speaks openly of his feelings for her and embellished with deep and warming chords. Whilst the 90’s jazz and jungle infused, ‘Liquid Phase’ speaks of them moving in together and the process of folding into one another, getting to know everything about each other, being emotional in front of each other; essentially becoming one person.
Dipping into Sonny’s Japanese house inspirations, ‘Ozone’ injects funky arpeggios and chords whilst also demonstrating his extensive production methods seeking to get the most out of his hardware; a new patch in his Waldorf Bloefeld taking the direction.
Looking back to his home country, Australia, field recordings of the Australian Kookaburra bird can be heard among flitting melodies and the vocals of Sonny’s Swedish fiancé in her native language, on the forward-focused acid-licked vibrations of ‘This Will Be Our Year’; seeing both cultures marry together. Whilst ‘The Great Unknown’ reflects on Sonny leaving Australia and the journey ahead of him, seeing things out with a final camping and surfing trip for a final fix of Australian nature. Rounding off, Sonny links up with close Melbourne friend, Kris Baha on ‘Sensory Systems’ for a cinematic cut; having relocated to Berlin at the same time as Sonny also made his move to Copenhagen, the pair find it advantageous to collaborate together on visits to their respective new cities.
From the sun-soaked shores of Australia to the chillier and often darker backdrops of Scandinavia, Sonny’s ‘Union: Integration Of The Shadow’ LP represents the marriage of those differences and how they have further molded him as a person; seeing beautiful overlaps in his native Australian cultures and those new-found in his now Scandinavian base.
Tracklist:
1. Sonny – The Feels (Eclectic Dreams)
2. Sonny – Ozone
3. Sonny – Transient Feeling
4. Sonny – The Great Unknown
5. Sonny – This Will Be Our Year
6. Sonny – Euromantics
7. Sonny – Liquid Phase
8. Sonny – Eksjö
9. Sonny – Sensory Systems
Sonny ‘Union: Integration Of The Shadow’ LP is out now on Northern Underground Records.
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‘4 Siblings’ is the impressive new single from North London rap artist Natty Wylah, following his breakthrough releases ‘WHOAMI’ and ‘Feel U’.
The heartfelt track showcases Natty’s thoughtful lyricism as he pens an open letter of comfort to his family and comes to terms with the siblings he never got the chance to meet. Though underpinned with themes of loss and identity, Natty’s impassioned lyrics and hip-hop tones carry a message of contentment.
Speaking on ‘4 Siblings’ Natty said: “4 Siblings is a homage, and a letter of reassurance to family. It’s for siblings where the conditions weren’t ready for them to come into this world. It’s for siblings that are not blood related, but are connected through the electromagnetic forces of spirit. It’s a song that moves on. It encompasses a blueness but also an acceptance, and finally a message of gratitude, love and comfort in that no matter what happens, it’s alright.”
Known for his deeply personal approach to rap which often tackles social issues, Natty’s work has caught the attention of Radio 1’s Toddla T who included him in the latest release of Freshman Cypher 2019, a selection of his artist tips for 2020. Support also includes Huw Stephens, Don Letts, Phil Taggart, Jess Iszatt, Rinse FM’s Jyoty and Soho Radio’s Kish Kash amongst others, while Natty’s live performances see him collaborate with members of London five-piece ‘Sunken’ who he’s been performing and recording with – recently appearing at Camden Assembly’s Spotlight Series.
His artistry also extends to art and design, with Natty creating the artwork for each of his releases and will be directing a supporting video for ‘4 Siblings’. Favouring a mixed media style that mirrors his rawness as an artist, Natty is immensely inspired by his mother who was an abstract painter.
With a full length release on the way as well as a new monthly podcast for Mixcloud named ‘babbLe on…’, Natty’s releases continue to provide a source of reflection and prove he’s an artist to look out for in 2020.
Where are you currently based?
Toronto, Canada
How did you first start playing music?
I first started playing music through singing. My dad used to spin Motown records and eventually my mom saw my passion for music and bought me a guitar. I then started playing and posting covers on youtube. Might I add, *cringey* covers. I’ve taken them all down and stored them in a memory bank that I hope to never access again! lol
What have you been working on recently?
Writing, writing, writing! I spend my days either in front of my computer and keyboard, or with a guitar in hand, with a notepad. Staying home has freed me from a lot of distractions that would otherwise keep me from writing. Now I can focus on music….and baking cookies.
Your new single ‘Go Slow’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
Falling in love inspired the content of the song, I can’t say any specific genre or type of music inspired the sonic sound of the track, we just did what felt fitting for the melody and lyrical content. It all happened very naturally! But I definitely wanted to make sure that the song had some bounce to it, you have to be able to dance.
How did you go about writing the music for Go Slow? How did you approach the recording/production process?
This song started with the melody and words “go slow, slow, slow”, that you already hear in the finished product! Eric and I put some demo production behind it just to get a vibe, then brought the track to our producer/songwriting partner Benjamin Nudds. After that, we started working on the production with Joel Stouffer.
Where and when did you record and who with?
Benjamin Nudds, Joel Stouffer. That’s the dream team right there! We just all click, it’s like they know what my ears are looking for even before I do. We work so well together.
What programs/instruments did you use?
We use logic and ableton mostly for production and just a keyboard or guitar when we’re trying to get a particular vibe.
How did the concept for Go Slow music video come about?
We wanted the video to feel sensual, empowering, passionate and hypnotic! The neon lights and the backseat of a car filled with smoke is sexy, and the darkness of the night is alluring. It wasn’t so much of a concept, but a feeling we were trying to evoke in the visuals – I think it came together perfectly!
Where and when did you film and who with?
The one and only Kelsi Lux! Look her up, she’s a dope creator!
I can’t tell you where we filmed it, it’s a secret location 😉 sh!!
You have an EP coming out later this year, please tell us about the progress and what we can expect:
It’s so funny how they say it takes your whole life to make your first album! Well this isn’t even our first album and it feels like it’s been a lifelong process haha. The process has been an amazing learning experience because we’ve been able to grow through it and do so many cool things as a result. This ep is about just that actually- Personal growth, Self-reflection and love.
What do you like to do away from music?
Photography, mostly digital, but lately I’ve gotten really into film. I just love how it’s so tangible. It looks timeless which is always very appealing to me!
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Anything that makes me want to dance really- a lot of Dancehall/Reggae/soca, I love it so much!
Oh! Check out stefflon don if you haven’t already, if you haven’t heard her on Boasty, you’re missing out!
What’s planned for 2020?
Hopefully being allowed to leave my house haha. I want to play a lot of shows! And record all this new music I’ve been working on!
Favourite food and place to hangout?
Anywhere there is Pho and beer! Haha To be honest, any Asian cuisine is my favourite! I’m obsessed! I don’t really have a favorite hangout spot… Any cool bar in the city really! I’m not picky, I just want good people around me. That’s all that matters to me.
https://www.facebook.com/aisforarrows/
Carl Cox’s leading Awesome Soundwave label in partnership with Beatport is bringing together some of the best live acts in the game for a special online festival on April 25th. It will be streamed live via Beatport’s social pages and various other prominent online channels, with the boss himself appearing alongside label co-founder Christopher Coe and a host of other carefully chosen performers including Marc Romboy, Saytek, The Oolluu and Honeysmack and more.
Awesome Soundwave is a live electronic label with a big reputation for releasing music from the cutting edge. It is exclusively for artists who play and perform it live and recent times have given rise to standout albums and EPs from a host of the artists lining up for this special online broadcast.
The artists will all be playing from their own lockdown locations around the world, with Carl Cox and Christopher Coe playing an hour each from Carl’s studio in Australia and Hannes Bieger – whose recent new single with Ursula Rucker made a big impact thanks to its environmental message – playing an hour from his studio in Germany.
Elsewhere, The Oolluu, a two piece live act crossing over electronic fusion with live drums and amazing dynamics. They’ll be joined by the always on-point and legendary Marc Romboy, fellow live wizard Saytek and the likes of rising Irish live act Nancy and Australia natIve Honeysmack and you have an unmissable online party that will take you away from your lockdown woes for a few essential hours. This is a fantastic showcase of the Awesome Soundwave live sound that will keep us dancing and coming together through these difficult times.
Awesome Soundwave stand in solidarity with their artists and, as such, have set up a donation platform whereby 50% goes to the artists performing and 50% goes to a grass roots aid organisation.
Label Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/
Donate here (50% to Awesome Soundwave artists and 50% to Crisis Kitchen Bali
PACHA IBIZA PRESENTS ‘HOUSE PARTY’
AN INTERACTIVE CLUBBING EXPERIENCE BRINGING THE ULTIMATE FEEL OF PACHA DIRECTLY INTO YOUR HOME
FEATURING
CLAPTONE, FELIX DA HOUSECAT, PETE TONG
AND MORE
PACHA IBIZA – HOUSE PARTY
APRIL 25th @ 6PM CET
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SIIGHTS – Blue Skies
SIIGHTS are an electro-pop duo made up of Mia Fitz and Toni Etherson, whose music is packed with infectious melodies, strong production and carefully crafted songwriting. Their latest release Blue Skies is an earworm that touches on topics of loss, grief and a much needed message of hope.
Roman Rogue – Need A Friend
Hailing from El Paso, Texas, Roman Rogue has got R&B embedded into his DNA. The singer-songwriter entered the industry from an early age, and has always found himself on stage. Roman’s latest offering, titled Need A Friend, showcases Roman’s trademark sound and an intricate vocal performance.
Glvsshouse
Mike D’Andrea began his musical career as a punk-rock frontman, touring New England back in 2010. Now 25, Mike has since rebranded to glvsshouse and relocated to Los Angeles, rebranding his sound alongside best friend and Grammy Award winning producer Mike Hector. His debut single Games picked up support from Respect Magazine and Fresh Pressed after catching fire on the internet scene, and now the single is on all platforms.
John Dhali – Plain Sight
Pook Hustle – Wawa
Paisley Park – Hey Lady
Stock Footage – Broken Together
Punt Guns – 3pots
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Photo: Will Cornfield
Where are you currently based?
Rochester, New York
How has your isolation situation been so far?
It has been refreshing. Granted I get stir crazy fairly quickly, I’ve been able to focus more than I ever have.
What have you been working on recently?
More music! And recording some covers when I’m less inspired. I also just finished building a bathroom set piece consisting of two walls, sink, toilet, mirror and cozy artwork to make it feel like home. It’s sitting in the middle of my backyard right now.
You’ve started a side solo project aside from Joywave, how and why has this come about?
After touring and being in the band for 7 years I wanted my own vehicle for expression, and the stars happened to align with time off between album cycles.
Your new single ‘Joshua Tree’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track?
The production is influenced by slow-motion movie sort of drama. It feels epic and drawn out like something catastrophic just happened. Living in your perceived moment.
How did you go about writing ‘Joshua Tree’?
The lyrics were inspired by a literal cleaning lady that drove a Mercedes-Benz. My mind filled to the brim with ideas and assumptions about what their life might be like. I wrote them all down with a flow in mind and that became the song.
Where and when did you record and who with?
I recorded this in my home studio (spare bedroom) all by my lonesome, about a year and a half ago? I think that’s right.
What programs/instruments did you use?
I used Ableton, and a few analog synths/drum machines. This project I kept 100% analog. Even the opening choir sound is all me stacked/and pitched around. Full instrumentation is Roland JX-8P, Ensoniq ESQ-1, Yamaha RX-11, piano, voice memos, vocal, and my partner screaming before the second verse drops.
What do you like to do away from music?
I enjoy cooking, running, reading, and travel. I’ve made what feels like over 10 pounds of pasta from scratch since I’ve been isolated.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Rina Sawayama’s new record, my friends Ynough and Jessica Genius, Steely Dan, and some Ravel.
What’s planned for 2020?
More music!! Releasing a few more singles, and *fingers crossed* getting started on an EP or some sort of longer collection of tunes. I also want to make some focaccia.
Favourite food and place to hangout?
There’s been a boom of great restaurants and eateries in Rochester the last few years, it’s usually quite difficult to pick a place. But Fiorella is my favorite Italian restaurant in town. Very quaint, dimly lit, and the food is on par if not better than some I’ve had in Italy (shhh don’t tell them I said that) .
Rochester-born, Atlanta-raised recording artist Jazz Ingram today shares his new single ‘2AM’. The single is available to buy and stream today on all partners via b4.
Musing on his potential retirement from the party scene, 21-year-old Ingram considers the next best alternative to being out at 2am: being home at 2am. “People party like it’s their profession, you know,” he remarks. “When I wrote this song I was really at the beginning of my ‘I could not go out’ phase. This song is kind of a record of my intentions changing from being out all the time to where I’m at now.” ‘2AM’ is produced by NYC-based hip hop producer and Princess Nokia collaborator Owwwls and is the latest addition to Ingram’s now dependable output of punchy rap gems – or “diary entries”, as he calls them. His growing catalogue of tracks covers everything from his undying love of hip hop (‘Blue Gatorade’) to cathartic midnight freestyles (‘U Turn’), all released through his label partner, the buzzing NYC-based imprint b4.
Born the son of a poet in Rochester, NY, Jazz Ingram’s proficiency with words developed at a young age. Moving with his immediate family to Atlanta, one Jazz’s earliest exposures to rap was via his cousin Audra the Rapper who encouraged him to rap over preset beats.
Uploading his first single at the age of 15 – entitled ‘Make Em Bounce’ – helped build Jazz a small but devoted online following. Now, with 2 EP’s worth of weird and wonderful tracks under his belt, Jazz’s latest cut further cements his cult status as one of Atlanta’s most exciting new voices.
Stream / Purchase – ‘2AM’ https://b4.ffm.to/
“Her talent is on par with Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and other young, gifted singer-songwriters.” – THE REVUE
Local indie rock champion Nat Vazer is about to complete a trifecta of single releases from her forthcoming debut album Is This Offensive And Loud?, with nostalgic new number ‘For A Moment’. Out today, ‘For A Moment’ rounds out an impeccable spread of offerings already available from Vazer’s debut LP including 2019’s ‘Like Demi’ and recent favourite ‘Grateful’. After much teasing, Vazer and Hotel Motel Records are thrilled to finally be able to announce Friday 29 May as the official Is This Offensive And Loud? album release day.
Full to the brim with saturated reverb and Tropicana twang, Vazer has created a lighthearted but brooding slice of indie rock on ‘For A Moment’, musing over past infatuations and future possibilities in equal measure. Grounded in retrospect yet lofty with nostalgia, ‘For A Moment’ presents an intimate glimpse into Vazer’s mind in an ongoing journalistic approach that has come to identify the impeccable songwriter’s work.
“‘For A Moment’ is a love song about an ex-work colleague. There is a strange time-warping feeling you get sometimes when you fall for someone hard, where time can appear to stand still while everything around you seems like a blur. ‘For A Moment’ indulges in that fantasy. It’s about chasing something forbidden, a longing for someone you can’t really be with and the overwhelming fear of the possibility.” – Nat Vazer
Since the release of her 2018 EP We Used To Have Real Conversations, Vazer has toured with Lime Cordiale and supported the likes of Last Dinosaurs, #1 Dads, Carla Geneve and The Magic Numbers (UK). Her fast-growing reputation as a powerful songwriter and captivating performer has also landed her on the festival line ups of St Kilda Festival, Kyneton Music Festival, Changes, Not Fest and more. Finally scheduled for release through beloved Melbourne label Hotel Motel Records this May, Is This Offensive And Loud? is sure to propel Nat Vazer from a beguiling one-to-watch, to an undeniable leading force of Melbourne’s bustling indie rock scene. Get ready.
‘For A Moment’ single out now on
Spotify / iTunes / Apple Music / Bandcamp
Is This Offensive And Loud? LP is out Friday 29 May
Limited edition vinyl pre-order now available through Hotel Motel Records
NOCON are an art-punk duo brought to you by Jamie Timony (These New South Whales + I OH YOU-signed Mossy) and Jake O’Brien. Their self-described “no-punk” project takes its name from an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm in which Jerry Seinfeld refers to Larry David as a “nocon”—the opposite of an icon.
Today they’ve revealed debut single ‘AGAG’ (short for ‘Any Goal’s a Gaol)’, a skuzzy punk number inspired by the likes of Death Grips and The Garden. On their inspiration behind the track, Timony explains “AGAG speaks to the idea of striving towards goals and questioning the value of things we regard as important.”
Listen to ‘AGAG’ on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, Soundcloud or triple j Unearthed now.
“the track kicks off with a disjoined and distorted slink – a drawn-out guitar mewl and simple drum machine snap that breaks out into a meaty and gritty sonic churn. Distorted YouTube samples and staunch vocals from the pair are added into the mix, creating a caustic blend of sound – as if disparate parts are rubbed together in order to get the friction scrape on tape. Packing in at just over two minutes, it’s an impressive debut that perfectly encapsulates the duo’s knack for crafting engaging and purposefully unpolished noise.” – Weirdo Wasteland said in their premiere of the track.
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Metalcore band The Ghost Inside will release their fifth studio album on June 5 via Epitaph Records. The self-titled album arrives as the follow-up to the band’s 2014 release Dear Youth, which debuted #63 on the Billboard 2000, and will be the first release since their tragic bus accident in 2015. The road to recovery has been extensive both mentally and physically but all things considered, they’ve shown a positive and inspiring attitude through the entire process of recovery. They will not stop fighting to do what they love and are excited to return.
Today, the band shares the first single off the forthcoming record “Aftermath.” According to bassist Jim Riley, “We went into the writing process knowing full well that every song and every lyric would be influenced by what we’ve been through, but we tried our best for them to be relatable to everyone. With Aftermath we let it be much more personal – this one is us telling OUR story. So when it was time to choose a first song to share with the world, it felt right for it to be Aftermath. It allows anyone that listens into our world, but it also lets us put final punctuation on that chapter of our lives. Aftermath is a total catharsis for us. We let it all out in the song so that it’s not bottled up inside us anymore and we can heal and move on, since after all, the beat goes on.”
Created with producer Will Putney (Every Time I Die, The Amity Affliction, Knocked Loose) and longtime friend/collaborator Jeremy McKinnon of A Day To Remember, The Ghost Inside is 11 songs of determination, deep resolve, reflection, and newfound hope.
The band had worked on material for their fifth album prior to the accident that claimed the lives of their driver, the lives of everyone in the other vehicle, and resulted in multiple injuries for all of the band members. Jonathan Vigil (vocals) suffered from a fractured back, ligament damage, and two broken ankles. Zach Johnson (guitar) has since had 13 surgeries for a femur injury. Andrew Tkaczyk (drums) ultimately lost his leg. The band collectively came to see the ordeal as a moment to put their inspirational lyrics to the test. Songs that were once more philosophical in origin had become autobiographical.
The accident will always be a defining moment for The Ghost Inside, but never what defines them. The album taps into the raw emotional things they’ve been through, but the songs are not about reliving the worst day of their lives. “This isn’t about what happened to us,” Riley insists. “We won’t get lost in that one day. This is about our journey, our growth, and who we are.”
The ultimate victory for The Ghost Inside is their triumphant new self-titled album.
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Where are you currently based?
Beautiful Brisbane.
How did you first start playing music?
I got a guitar when I was 16 and worked my way through a Cat Stevens song book. Then started writing my own stuff.
How are you getting through Iso?
Haha it’s a bit loose at our place. I have a day job where I normally work from home, but now I also have a 5-year-old doing home learning and a husband who is trying to teach from home too. It is definately not what I thought the year would look like, but we are lucky to live in a lovely place, with lovely neighbours.
Your new album ‘Hiatus’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
‘Hiatus’ is a collection of songs that have been written over a few years. We spent a few months travelling, particularly in Italy and Bali, and most of the songs were started then. I’m a bit of a people watcher so I love telling those stories. And having a baby definitely influenced a couple. We have incorporated sound worlds from artists we love like James Vincent McMorrow, Iron and Wine, Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, Lisa Hannigan, Glen Hansard and Angus and Julia Stone.
How did you go about writing the music for Hiatus?
I really enjoy the craft of songwriting. I love telling stories that connect with people and make them think. The song ‘Our Lady of the Highway’ is a reflection of seeing highway prostitution in Italy and diving into news articles about who these women are. It ended up being two stories: hers, where she is doing what she needs to but won’t let it define her, and mine: we become what we drive past; we shouldn’t.
The song “This is forever” is a personal one. It tells the love story of a cousin and his widow. It’s about grief and love and good times and the worst of times. I was pretty happy with it but Pennay kept saying very annoying things like: “It’s great, I just don’t think it has a chorus.” After collecting my ego from the floor I wrote what I think is the best chorus I’ve written, so I guess he was right.
I wrote “Little eyelashes” as a lullaby for my son. It tries to capture what I hope for him. Thankfully he likes it.
It is amazing how songs written in a totally different context seem very relevant right now. “So, where does that leave me” is about the end of something significant. “This is not free” is a statement on how undervalued the arts are and what a bleak world we would live in without artists. I think that is particularly relevant now as the creative industries are in free-fall. “Heading home” and “Juniper trees” are about finding peace being at home.
A number of the songs were either finished or started while I was doing an online songwriting challenge with the I Heart Songwriting club. Having a weekly assignment really helped me keep the creative thoughts flowing.
Where and when did you record/produce and who with?
The only song we didn’t record at home was “Someday”, which was recorded as part of QUT’s Indie100 project with the wonderful producer Paul Pilsneniks.
All the rest was performed, engineered, produced, mixed and (in most cases) mastered by my husband/producer Andrew Pennay and I in our home studio.
How did you approach the recording sessions?
We approached recording this album differently to anything else we have done. I write on guitar. We would record the guitar and vocals as a guide to get the song structure, then essentially get rid of the guitar and build the song from scratch. There was a lot of trail and error to find the right sound for each song. We just focused on how we wanted each song to sound so that it captured the intent of the lyrics. We included elements from our travels like a (very effected) Balinese Gamelan recorded on a walk in rural Bali in “Heading home” or a car on gravel at the start of “Our Lady of the Highway”.
Most nights we put put the small person to bed and then head into our home studio and try different instruments and sounds. Most of the songs sound very different to when they were written.
What programs/instruments did you use?
We recorded it all at home so used ProTools and lots of plugins. Everything is just the two of us: all the instruments, production, engineering, videos. There are very few real drums on the album, mostly due to necessity rather than intention. I always thought we’d get real drums in the end, but we really liked the mix of electronic drums with organic snare, toms, home-made percussion. There’s a ring on a wine glass on one song. A honey jar filled with the right mix of rice and baking paper.
Pennay is a keyboard player so this album has a lot more keyboards, organs, synths etc. than our previous work. Often I would go to bed and Pennay would work into the night. When I’d listen to what he had done in the morning sometimes he’d put a string quartet on something, or a double drum kit! One morning he had added an analogue synth to the song “So, where does that leave me” and it blew me away. I loved the rawness it brought to the track and I can’t imagine the song without it now.
Towards the final stages of mixing we called in the big guns in a few music friends to get their advice on a few of the tracks, but no one had heard the entire album when it was released.
What did you find most challenging whilst creating Hiatus?
We recorded the whole album in the evenings after the small human went to bed, so the most challenging thing was probably finding time, energy and persistence to get it done. It took a year-and-a-half in the end.
You have a live show on May 8 at 8pm via the Live on Mars Facebook Page, how will you prepare for this show and what can we expect?
Firstly, we are watching a few livestream shows and talking to people who have done them to figure out the best sound. At this stage it will probably be a striped down version of a few songs. We can’t do full band with the two of us anyway, so it will be fun to reinterpret or pair back so tracks. The dog will also probably bark in the middle of it.
What do you like doing away from music?
Hanging out with my small human and dog. At the moment we are doing a lot of wandering around the neighbourhood, bush walking, putting on unrehearsed and unscripted shows in the lounge room and reading. I also really like good TV, so I have been watching way too much lately!
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I’m watching a few great livestream concerts where the artists are either getting paid directly or raising money for great charities. Glen Hansard did a gorgeous solo show from his home to celebrate his 50th birthday.
Other than that, I’m really enjoying the new Laura Marling album, Thelma Plum, new Bon Iver and Calexico & Iron and Wine. Holy Holy, pretty much anything that Sarah Aarons has written, Grand Salvo, Darren Hanlon, Gillian Welch, Jason Isbell, Sufjan Stevens, Taylor, and the Teeny Tiny Stevies are all pretty much on high rotation in our house.
Your Bad Guy cover is out now, please tell us the story behind the track:
We love covering songs in unexpected ways. Pennay came up with a version of Bad Guy in a major key and we rolled with it. We wanted to do something fun using a mix of the instruments we used on ‘Hiatus’ so it’s a mix of folk and electro sounds. We call it folktronica. All instruments are by him, apart from my vocals. He has also made it into a game (on our website) where you can mix your own version and make it as folky or electro as you want.
How did the concept for the video come about and who did you work with during the filming/editing?
It was really Pennay’s idea. We just had to work with what we had available to us. We made the video at home on the first Saturday night we went into covid lock-down. We had one camera, a black background, a fan, a spinning chair and that was about it. I edited it (from the same room) the next day and we uploaded it that night. It’s meant to be fun. We didn’t want to overthink it.
What’s planned for 2020?
I guess we will see? If 2020 has taught me anything, it’s that we need to expect the unexpected!
I will be promoting ‘Hiatus’ as much as possible. Connecting with friends and family online. Hopefully doing good work in my day job (raising money and sharing stories of those much less fortunate than us). Writing. Growing veggies. Spending time with my family.
Favourite food and place to hangout?
Most weekends (in normal times) you can find us loitering around the West End or Northey Street Markets in Brisbane. At the moment, we are enjoying loitering outside our house in the afternoon and waiving at the neighbourhood going for their afternoon walk/ride.