The smell of popcorn
Strangers in the dark
A collective inhalation of breath
The projector whirs into life
Lights weave story and sound
“[Joelistics is] someone always at the cusp of what’s next, pushing forward new and unexplored ideas in a way that makes it feel like his specialty”
– Hayden Davies, Pilerats
Australian hip hop royalty Joel Ma aka Joelistics returns with a mesmerising new project in his forthcoming conceptual long-play Film School. A departure from Joelistics’ typically evocative, smooth and considered wordsmithery, Film School is a project of music and film ; an album of beats and synths, ‘70s Asian pop samples, psych-rock journey music and studio improvisations and a short film incorporating dance and animation. Following his serendipitous accolade as the inaugural Best Producer winner at the recent Music Victoria Industry Awards, Joelistics is thrilled to finally present the first taste of his ambitious new cinematic production with the psychedelic single ‘Yokai’.
Out today via Odd Head Music and Ditto, ‘Yokai’ is equal parts, uplifting and menacing – a blend of instrumental hip hop, post rock stylings and lo-fi synthscapes conjured from the scraps of ancestor’s vocals, dusty loops and old synthesizers. Channeling the cunning supernatural monsters and spirits in Japanese folklore known to be bewitching, mysterious and foretelling calamity, ‘Yokai’ delves deep into a meditation on the anxiety of our times and the transcendence that comes from facing fear.
“With the track, I wanted to weave an eerie feeling built from loops, reminiscent of empty streets, a distant sense of dread and the hypnotic patterns of lockdown life. With the clip I wanted the dancers to personify our collective fear of sickness and loneliness and how those fears dance at the edge of every moment we hold dear.”
– Joelistics
Moody and angular, Film School is a project fusing dance, film, animation and a sprawling soundtrack of immersive atmospherics. The roots of the project go back as far as 2016 when Joelistics took a trip to his birth land of Malaysia. Whilst in Kuala Lumpur he stocked up on Canto pop records from the 70’s and 80’s. Over the proceeding years he collaborated with artists such as Parvyn Singh (The Bombay Royale), Hailey Cramer (HAYCH) and others, often writing for their projects but then delving into some of the hypnotic grooves he had put aside for Film School.
Though you’ll have to hold out until 2021 for the LP’s release, enjoy the first glimpses of Joelistics’ enthralling new project with his brooding debut soundscape, ‘Yokai’ and look out for the Joelistics Presents Film School short film and event coming soon.
‘Yokai’ is out now via Odd Head Music and Ditto
Spotify / iTunes / Apple Music / Bandcamp
‘Yokai’ single credits:
Composed and Produced by Joel Ma
‘Yokai’ video credits:
Directed by Rhys Graham
Devised in collaboration with
Joel Ma, Elle Shimada, Yumi Umiumare, Tony Yap & MaggZ
Produced by Rhys Graham & Natalie Nalesnyik
Performance by:
Yumi Umiumare
Tony Yap
MaggZ
& featuring Joel Ma
Cinematographer – Alex Cardy
Editor – Natalie Nalesnyik
Gaffer – Hannah Palmer
Colour Grader – Daniel Stonehouse / Crayon
A production of Daybreak Films, 2020
