“‘God Made You Strange’ is about letting go of the trappings of social acceptance or the rejection that houses you! And when I say you, I also mean me! It’s about embracing all of those unique things that put you outside the box, the beauty of your authenticity and nature … and not hiding away.
“I started writing this song knowing, it could easily be a letter to my teenage self or to my son or just plain old anyone with shoes. High school to me, felt like I was walking down a broken escalator, in a busy mall while (for some reason) just in my underwear, as people all around me started coming over to point and laugh. I was super awkward and I was uncertain of my future. I was dropping out of school, failing my classes, pretending I needed to go to the bathroom just to breathe. God Made You Strange is a call out to anyone who needs to keep stepping out, a little bit of encouragement… it’s a personal anthem of some my story.”
Today’s release follows earlier songs ‘Once Upon A Hilltop’ and ‘Alone Together’, from Shacks & Palaces, two colourfully spirited tunes premiered at Billboard and Consequence of Sound respectively.
The Australian-born, Brooklyn-based artist creates buoyant, folk-informed indie pop, sparkling with likenesses to eclectic icons from Modest Mouse to Beach Boys, Dr. Dog to Hamilton Leithauser. The music ranges from infectious to truly exultant, a blissful blend of bouncing melodies, boomerang hooks and colourful production. Aherne’s voice — a jubilant, stony sort of roar — is recognisable from his contributions to the mid-aughts sensation, but here rings absolutely reckless with spirit.
LISTEN/WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CX1LqXonRs
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Where are you currently based?
I’m currently living out of my car, so I guess kinda based nowhere atm. I’m on a road trip along the central coast from Sydney, completing my mixtape, stopping in towns along the way from Sydney to work with artists like Airports, Lovemedo, Doolie and more.
I started writing my own songs in 2013. I was selling handbags out of the back of my station wagon to ladies boutiques along the south coast and was listening to Bertie Blackman’s 2014 ‘The Dash’ album on repeat. When I couldn’t listen to it anymore, I started singing my own songs I’d make up on the drive and then record voice memos on my phone in motel rooms, using cutlery and plates to create beats. I posted an ad on gumtree and met Ben and started my first band, Bec and Ben. Ben was a music teacher so he taught me to play the drums and I converted my floor kit to stand up kit with my bass drum on legs and full body configuration so I could dance and sing whilst playing. Then I taught myself acoustic guitar on a cruise ship I went on with my brother (who bought a 21-day romantic cruise for him and his girlfriend, but then they broke up so he took me). From there I started RACKETT and moved towards the electric guitar and now I take my midilab and laptop with me everywhere.
At the start of covid, I conceptualised, cast and produced a digital TV series called ‘Loud n Queer TV’ in partnership and with Heaps Gay and Create or Die, which I just found out has been nominated for an FBI SMAC AWARD. It was focused on giving artists from LGBTQIA community a platform during venue foreclusore and I produced over 60+ artists on the show over 3 seasons. Once that wrapped in September I started making my mixtape. At first, it was just an opportunity to refocus on writing music, but I was exploding with melodies and lyrics and every session I did with a new artist would produce a song that felt ready to release. Over 8 weeks I’ve worked with Taka Perry, Kim Moyes (The Presets), Jim Eliot (Ellie Goulding, EAST), Muki, No Frills Twins, Tasker, Clara Fable, Joesph Delahoyde, Korkey Buchek, Airports, Lucy Nevile, Cam Nacson, Xira and more. Covid gave me an opportunity to fully focus on what my life might look like as a full-time songwriter and cement my desire to make that happen.
Beks is an extension of myself personally. I’ve been on a journey of self-discovery through music, writing with producers and artists from all around the world. I’ve been writing so much music that has informed me more about who I am as an independent songwriter and what I can create with confidence in myself. I’ve chosen to adopt my new artist name Beks to signify a new era for me as a songwriter. A new beginning, one that will carry my new work cohesively into the future.
Stars in My Eyes is based on a personal confession or realisation I had the day before entering the studio. I’ve always struggled to balance my personal life with my music, the latter taking priority. Finding myself in a familiar cycle of imbalance, holding onto the threads of an unravelling relationship, revealed a phrase that felt symbolic of my fantastical obsession with music; ‘I’ve got stars in my eyes’. This phrase became the closing statement of the relationship and the beginning of the story told in the song. Sound wise, this song was really inspired by my playlist, its a mash-up of all these influences – https://open.spotify.com/
How did you go about writing ‘Stars in My Eyes’?
Tasker and I had never worked together so I wasn’t sure what would come out of the session. We both went into the studio in Marrickville with no pre-made ideas and walked out 4 hours later with ‘Stars in My Eyes’ completed top to bottom.
Expect full pop vibes.
I’ve worked with Taka Perry, Kim Moyes (The Presets), Jim Eliot (Ellie Goulding, EAST), Muki, No Frills Twins, Tasker, Clara Fable, Joesph Delahoyde, Korkey Buchek, Airports, Lucy Nevile, Cam Nacson, Xira and more, both in person and over Zoom, to create my upcoming, 12 track mixtape set for release in 2021.
Everything I’m listing to is here, it’s a pretty rad playlist with mostly pop artists from Australia and some OS icons like Charli XCX, Dorian Electra, Caroline Polachek. https://open.
I love fashion and design and film so when I’m not actually making music, I’m working with local designers and filmmakers for visuals for my music, so umm, music. I have no balance, I work 7 days a week on my art, so it’s music or sleeping and going on the occasional date if I’m lucky.
I’m the road finishing off my mixtape. Writing a lot of KPOP songs for briefs for other artists OS and trying to have a love life/personal life to draw inspiration from. Generally doing my daily affirmations and trying to connect with more people through my music and sustain the indie grind.
Where are you currently based?
Right now I’m based between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
How did you first start playing music?
I started playing guitar first when I was 13. I use to be obsessed with the game guitar hero and wanted to try and see if I could actually play the songs on real a instrument. From there everything else progressed purely out of curiosity to learn more.
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?
Since I got back from America things have really slowed down as I’m sure they have for everyone. I have been very lucky during Covid to be living in Queensland as the virus hasn’t really affected our state as drastically as other states and certainly as it has other countries. I have mostly been working on new music here and there and unwinding from the past few years of being non stop in LA.
Your new single ‘Sick World’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
I wrote Sick world in my first week of quarantine in Australia. I’d just gotten back to Brisbane from LA and everything was very raw and the world wide panic around Covid had only just started. It was a very uncertain time and still is of course . I wanted something musically that sounded sad but also had a feeling of hopelessness and disappointment . I wanted the song to not only be about how terrible the virus has affected so many lives but also how divided everyone has been about not only this but so many other important topics.
Where and when did you record/produce?
I wrote the song partly in my parents house and then in the studio with my mate Magnus Murphy. I had finished the song pretty much when I started it however when the George Floyd video came out I was so shocked by the video but inspired by the reaction of everyone standing up together. I went to a Black Lives Matter march in Brisbane a few days after the video came out and was so moved by how many people came out to support such an important issue. After that I had to mention the subject in the song. Me and Magnus then produced it from his home studio and in a few days it was finished.
Who did you work with during the recording/production/mastering of Sick World?
I worked with Producer and songwriter, Magnus Murphy who is also one of my best mates. We had been working on songs pretty much the second I got out of quarantine in Brisbane. He has a studio at his house so I would just drive to his place every day and work from there. I’ve had some of the most fun recording with him and the quality of music has only kept getting better and better. We wrote produced and mixed the track and then sent it to Sterling sound for mastering.
How did you approach the recording process?
I wanted to keep it as simple as possible. Not get too tricky with what instruments I chose. Most of the core of this song is the vocal and telling the story so I didn’t want to over shadow that. If anything I try and highlight it. I’m a big believer in trying to take the feeling of what it sounds like to play the song live and bring that to the recording. So we kept it simple and used space to our advantage, by using ambient noises to highlight certain lyrics such as “sirens blazing through these streets” and even the intro we found noises of police and ambulance cars. Because when I was in La that’s all you would hear from your apartment. All in all I think the term “keep it simple stupid” could pretty much be applied to anything I make, just let the song talk.
What does Sick World Mean to you?
It reflects not only the struggle of the year that has almost passed but the struggle that still lies ahead. We need to really look at ourselves seriously and try and find some common ground with eachother. The world is so divided and not United. But I know that at the end of the day we still hold those traits of compassion and empathy we just need to find ways to show it to eachother and stop fighting and start listening. Hopefully 2021 won’t be as divisive.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
At the moment I’ve been listening to a lot of UK rock like Nothing but thieves and Sam fender. I also recently got into a local band Selfish Sons one of my mates Jordy sings for them his voice is insane.
What do you like to do away from music?
I recently got obsessed with Golf. Had a lot of down time while I’ve been back so I decided to pick it up and now I can’t stop. I’m usually like that when I get into a new hobby I get very obsessive and can’t focus on anything else. Maybe I’ll quit music and head to Augusta next year!
What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?
The plan is to focus on new releases and collaborating. I’ve been lucky enough to run into some really talented Aussie artists since I’ve been back and I’m super keen to get stuck into writing with them. As for me I’m not pumping the brakes it’s full steam ahead on new music out as soon as a possible and then touring!
Favourite food and place to hangout?
I’m a sucker for grilld although since I moved to the goldy I’m pretty much down in Burleigh at the Pavilion every second day!
Where are you currently based?
Vancouver, BC.
How did you first start playing music?
We both started off with free writing and poetry. That eventually led to us writing our first songs together in our junior years of high school. It wasn’t until late 2016 that we formed Snotty Nose Rez Kids, but it felt like it was a long time coming.
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far?
The 2020 experience has been a weird ride that has taken a lot of adjustments to say the least. We were originally slotted to perform our first headline US Tour in April and had plans of returning to Australia this fall, but 2020 had other plans for us and our tours were derailed. We are working on new singles and collaborations with artists that we have a growing relationship with like Drezus, Dj Shub, Electric Fields and Mo’Ju. We’ve been taking our time with our new album too, figuring out concepts, themes and sounds that we want to explore.
Your new single ‘Where They At’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
If you are just getting familiar with our music you’ll come to realize there is an “Atlanta Trap” influence when it comes to the beats we use. Our latest full length album “TRAPLINE” is the perfect example of this and artists that want to collaborate with us have taken notice of our sound and often come to us with beats that fit our vibe. This is one of those instances, Drezus came to us with the “Where They At” beat from Canadian producer “Pops” and as soon as it played through those studio monitors, shit popped off!!! A lot like our critically acclaimed “Snotty Nose Rez Kids” sound, our lyrics and songwriting have their own signature style. The majority of our catalog comes with thought provoking lyrics that are meant to either challenge or empower the listener. “Where They At” is the mood we felt coming off an extremely busy 2019 into what we thought was supposed to be “our year,” 2020!
How did you go about writing Where They At?
“Where They At” is pretty much a lil’ flex on a society we were forced to grow up in, that often looks at indigneous people as less than. A society that think indigneous people either come from poverty or come from casino and government money. We tell ‘em we’re doing just fine in this world we were forced to live in while letting our fans/youth know there are financial opportunities in the arts. This is a celebratory song where we raise a toast toast to indigenous people succeeding in a world that was built for us to die out. We understood there would be a bit of backlash from some of our fans that hold us to a certain standard but we also have come to realize that this is our artform and that not every song we put out is like this one.
Where and when did you record/produce?
We recorded this near the end of this summer (2020). Pops and K Notes produced the beat and we all got into Nova Studios, based in Vancouver, with Jamie Kuse, who engineered, mixed and mastered it.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
‘Say Wait’ by Willow
‘Baptize’ by Spillage Village
What do you like to do away from music?
Covid has made life away from music kind of difficult but usually we like to get in the gym and get a few runs in a week on the (basketball) court. We have a lot of homies here in Vancity that we make sure we see regularly and a lot of them are musicians so we grab some drinks and vibe out.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?
We are finishing the year with a couple singles and videos. ‘Where They At’ is getting a video. We got a new track called ‘Screaming Indian’ out November 27th. We did that one with South Asian producer, Skinny Local, and the track blends Indigenous and South Asian cultures and sounds. We got a dope video for that one too. And, finally, we got a track with DJ Shub called ‘War Club’ dropping December 4th. The year has been rocky, but now we’re getting back into album mode and we’re eager to get more music out next year.
Where are you currently based?
I’m currently based in Melbourne, Australia.
How did you first start playing music?
I’ve pretty much been singing ever since I was born. My parents have hours and hours of home videos to prove it. I have this really vivid memory of singing Sk8er Boi by Avril Lavigne at a school assembly when I was in Prep. I guess it all started from there.
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?
Lockdown was intense, not gonna lie. For a while there, we were really reconsidering whether or not 2020 was a good year to release a debut single. In retrospect, it makes a lot of sense for someone like me to launch an artist project in such a chaotic year. It’s also been really cool finding new ways to collaborate with people, using Zoom and Facebook. I guess, in short, my COVID experience has been like any other: challenging, but we’ll all be stronger for it.
Your new single ‘Matches’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
I listen to a lot of Scandinavian music. My own music is heavily inspired by artists like Sigrid, NOTD, Boy In Space and SHY Martin – just to name a few. There’s still a stigma around pop music in Australia which needs to be addressed. That’s why I look overseas, particularly to Europe, for inspiration. Pop music there feels less inhibited.
How did you go about writing ‘Matches’?
It’s funny you ask. Matches is actually quite an old song. I remember coming up with the hook while catching the train to a writing session in Sydney back in 2018. It’s a song that kept evolving every time I revisited it. For that reason, I knew it deserved a release. I describe it as angsty pop with a drop. I’m a firm believer in that heartbreak is the secret formula to writing a good pop song.
Where and when did you record/produce and who did you work with?
Matches was well underway by the time my first single Dopamine dropped. At the time, Melbourne was still in lockdown so most of the production came together remotely. Matches was produced by my mate Ben Field. He’s an absolute legend. We first started working together when I finished high school. Prior to that, he worked on a bunch of really cool projects, including Mallrat’s Uninvited – EP. Ben has produced all my material so far. I’m so lucky to be able to work with him.
How did you approach the recording process?
Most of the vocals for Matches were recorded at the start of 2020. By the time Ben started working on the song, all that was left for me to record were the harmonies and ad-libs. That’s my favourite part. That’s what really brings a song to life. Vocal production, in general, is so fascinating to me. It’s my favourite part of the production process.
How and why did your transition from songwriter to artist come about?
Truth be told, I never intended to release my own music. I was quite happy writing for other people. Slowly but surely, however, music bureaucracy started to wear me down. I had hundreds of songs piling up, looking like they’d never be released. Conversely, as I started to deal with more personal subject matter in my music, songwriting began to feel suffocating. It felt like I was bottling up feelings without a means for expressing them. I guess I needed a little extra breathing space. That’s how TRYHARD came to be.
Please tell us about your law degree and how you manage to juggle music and law:
My law studies were a huge consideration when it came to releasing my first single. I guess it also factored into why I got my start writing for others as opposed to writing for myself. I was under the impression that music and law were totally incompatible. That if I wanted to pursue one, I would have to give up on the other. To be honest, my reasoning there was totally flawed. I think the idea that a person can only be ONE thing is crap. I never want to stop learning. That’s a value my dad instilled in me from a very young age. If I want to be a lawyer/pop artist, you best believe I’m gonna do it!
How are you feeling about not being able to play or attend festivals?
It’s pretty depressing. Festivals are like therapy. They were also super formative in my development as an artist. I love the platform they give to new and emerging artists. There’s something so magical about the atmosphere festivals create. It’s the marriage of good music and good people. I miss sharing those moments with my friends 🙁
Please tell us about your European influences, especially that you write songs in French:
I grew up learning both French and Italian. I was lucky enough to spend a few months on exchange in Belgium towards the end of high school. Then, one of my best friends moved to Paris. Languages, French in particular, have opened a lot of doors for me, so releasing music in French is definitely on my to-do list. I’m really excited by that prospect, especially considering the demand for multilingual music in the streaming age.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I’m obsessed with everything Kota Banks has released lately. Cheat Codes have also been dropping bop after bop. There’s so much exciting music coming out right now. It’s really made 2020 bearable.
What do you like to do away from music?
Away from music, I’m usually studying or hanging out with my mates. Going for long drives is also a vibe.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2020, going into 2021?
I’ve got a lot of new music planned. And I mean A LOT. Hopefully as Melbourne starts opening back up, additional opportunities will present themselves too. There may also be a few collaborations and co-writes in the works…
Favourite food and place to hangout?
Ahhh, that’s hard. Either entrecôte or HSP haha. Fave place to hangout? Probs the local pub with my mates, otherwise anywhere picturesque late at night. I’m a sucker for a good aesthetic.
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Spotify: https://open.spotify.
Apple Music: https://music.apple.
Is really hard to be positive during this strange time, but music always makes me dream and always gives me good vibes.
A place that influences my sound so much is Hackney Wick. I have always lived in East London (Hackney Area) and I think it’s the right place for a musician.
I was born and raised near Naples, many artists have influenced my path starting from Lucio Battisti up to Four Tet. I think Bibio is the artist who influenced and still influences my productions, he is a genius for me. Check him out if you don’t know him!
Yeah it was hard to find the right vibes, during the first lockdown but after a while I started to feel a good sensation. 2016, La Magia Della Noia and my debut album (as Tia-Mellow), Memories, have all been created during this period. So a really fruitful period for me for sure!
Well, I actually study music and sound design, and I have learned a lot of new skills this year, especially the mixing part, which gave me a new perspective of my sound. I’m always learning!
Why do this new alias anonymously? What is the thinking behind that? Because I have another project which is more tech house and techno-focused, so I like being able to split the two projects. That’s it!
Yeah there is a big difference between this is more dark, more ambient with different vibes, the other is more for the dance floor, really another kind of music.
I use a lot of machines like Roland TR8S, moog minitaur but during this period i used a lot of the plug in with my computer I find some of them really useful and they give me a unique sound.
2016 is an up and down of emotion for me, was the first that I produced after I came back to London from Italy, all the background sound, the ambient part is totally registered in Naples near the Vesuvio vulcan.
Yeah I want to grow up with this new alias as much as I can, because this sound is part of me, and I want to share it with the world.
Is more for listening and less for dancefloor, is not for different audience, but I would love to do a live and play all the Tia-Mellow discography.
I think first of all is London, this city everyday spread to me a lot of good vibes and sensation, after artists like Four Tet, Bibio , Caribou.
Aside from music, can you tell us a bit about your inspirations?
I have always been very sensitive to sound in general, I have always had a passion for recording sounds and voices, since I was a child, in fact I have a childhood memory where using an old director of my father, I recorded my grandfather talking, and thanks to those recordings now we can still remember his voice.
It was not easy to create these tracks, because I had to face obstacles especially in looking for the right sound, but my experience has helped me a lot.
What else you got coming up/are you working on? I started a new album that I would like to release on some big label, let’s see the upcoming news 🙂
Tia-Mellow’s 2016 is out 27/11. Keep up with Tia Mellow on Facebook, Instagram and Soundcloud.
Where are you both based?
We are both based in Glasgow.
Your latest EP Leatherbound – released on Soma Records – dropped at the beginning of this month, what influenced its sound?
Being forbidden from clubs and the absolute nick of 2020 has made a lot of producers ramp up the pace of techno and we think we went down a similar route with this release!
French producer Felicie is behind a huge remix of Leatherbound – how did this collaboration come about?
We were looking into a few different names around the time of making the EP – Felicie had not long released her debut on Soma and had been on our radar for quite some time before that. We both felt that her sound really matched what we were going for with the release, so it felt right to have her on board. She delivered an absolute stomper of a remix and we really couldn’t be happier with it.
When did you two start making records together?
In 2019 we got in the studio for the first time to produce a remix of a classic soma track by Equus. The workflow and idea’s we had were so similar it made sense to continue the journey of making tunes as a duo.
Do you have similar approaches to the way you produce music?
As we have a similar taste in music that kind of draws out our collective creativity when we produce together. We generally have an idea of what we want to create when we sit down in the studio and the process is very much 50/50. We always know what the track might need, or not, and generally work fairly quickly once we have an idea going. Two heads are definitely better than one in this case.
Once the world can dance together again, where are you each most excited to play?
We had a few gigs lined up before everything shut down so hopefully we’ll pick these back up. One particular one was with the Voxnox crew in Berlin and would be the first time we both play under the Animal Farm banner abroad together. We’re also looking forward to being back at our home in the Sub Club. We’ve missed the events in there loads during this pandemic and can’t wait to see the explosive energy of the Glasgow crowd once we return to the basement.
www.facebook.com/quailafr
www.facebook.com/aisha.gla
www.soundcloud.com/animal-farm
https://www.somarecords.com/artists/quailaisha/
https://www.beatport.com/release/leatherbound-ep/3159184
What is your name and role within The Kids?
In a therapeutic manner, I wrote punk songs that was blatantly directed at people and things I hated or was frustrated with.
When I then decided to take the song writing seriously, I surrounded myself with my band who were and are my best buddies still to this day and we haven’t stopped since.
It took us 2 days to record the whole song, we approached our parts aggressively but the process mostly inspired us all. We were heavily involved with the producing process this time round. Controlling the sounds direction, which is why the song sounds like organised chaos with a sense of tightness overlapped with a roomy sound. It’s a perfect mixture of a more developed old school hardcore song with a modern spin. The tone our guitarist William used ended up suiting the song perfectly.
Our bassist Tomas uses Warwick Basses, a TC Electronic amp and cab, spectraflex cables and pickguys picks, that’s what he has been paid to say by his endorsements.
And our guitarist William uses a blackstar ht50 amp for live shows and a diesel vh40 for recordings. And he has his beautiful Gibson Les Paul on his side all time like a wife.Oh and our singer has a Samson meteor usb studio microphone.
Well it’s funny you ask that, since I am in a crazy punk band people always assume I have a one dimensional music taste, but my taste expands to a bit of everything.
At the moment I’ve been listening to heaps of Glass Beach, Weatherday, LCD Soundsystem, Car Seat Headrest, IDLES, Have A Nice Life, Slowdive, Death Grips etc.
But my artist of the year that I can not get enough of is definitely Jeff Rosenstock, one of my all time musical heroes.And fun fact, my favourite album of all time is In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel.
We opened for Guttermouth at Frankies Pizza at the start of last year. We were also playing alongside Wolfpack Shred and Radolescent, shout out to those dudes.
It was are first gig of the year after being on some sort of hiatus and I had just spent two days with my singer/best mate Milan, doing nothing but staying up all night playing Call Of Duty and eating McDonalds.
With my stomach gurgling and not been placed into a gig setting for a little while, we start out our epic set to a sold out room at Frankies, which was one of the biggest crowds we played to at that time and it was going off.
We played a minor threat cover and it was one of our first ever moshes. I have always been the guy in the band that’s like the MC, in between every song I will talk and put on the whole stage act, and for years, Milan would go off stage for one song and we would do Killing in The Name with me singing at the kit. We don’t do it anymore because we’ve grown out of it and I hate singing while drumming.
At that point in the set, I’m half naked, out of breath, sweat leaking from every pore, and it was so humid in that room that all I was breathing was hot air. I could not get a clean breath in. Especially at the back of the stage at Frankies where the drummers spot is tucked away in its little air gap.
We begin the song, the crowd hears the first chord and immediately start going ape shit. The vibe is officially hectic. But as I start singing the first verse, my stomach has reached my throat, my mouth was dry, my breaths were short, there was vomit coming up.
A gross vomit splatters across the whole drum kit, and soaks both my legs.
But as a gift from the gods, my vulture father spots my struggles and douses me with some of the coldest and freshest water I’ve ever had in my life. I am instantly rehydrated. And I did not miss a beat, I continued to play the whole song and even sing a little, as a chunks of puke flew across the room.
We also did another 30 mins of our set, but I’ll tell you I don’t remember much. My head was spinning and It was a complete blur. Especially at the end for our last number where I repeatedly smacked my head into the snare drum. Great gig.
As a band, when we record at parliament we love walking up to charcoal charlies for a massive feed.
But as a hang out in general, this may not count but going up to Brisbane to just walk around and get up to stupid shit is just the best, we find ourselves always having the most awesome time in Brissy.
But for me personally, I always hang out at Red Eye Records. I am addicted to buying Vinyl and I’m almost there everyday flicking through records, buying albums and talking music with all the dudes there. And I love pasta. Cheers!
Hey Joe, welcome to the Partae! You’ve got a pretty epic 7 track EP ‘Texture’s dropping imminently – it might be your first EP, but you’ve been turning heads for a while, we particularly loved your track Crystal Clear. Why did you decide to release a 7 track EP?
Hey! Yeah this EP has been a long time coming – but I can’t wait to get it out there for everyone to listen to. There were a few reasons behind the longer track-listing. A big factor was that, as you stated, this is my first EP and I wanted this body of work to have some sustenance and structure to it. Rather than a collection of random songs, I wanted all the songs to weave together and feel like every song plays a significant part in the EP’s journey.
You were in bands before you started producing electronic music, right? What made you make the switch?
Yep, that’s right! The change from band to producer happened pretty smoothly to be fair. I had been learning to produce for a few months (just making random ideas with no real direction), then our band split up – which I was gutted about. However, I felt like I had to embrace the change of lifestyle and shortly after, I started to find my feet in production and the rest is history!
What bands or artists did you listen to when you were growing up? Have they had an influence on your production style?
Growing up there were so many different styles of music being played in my house. I’ve always loved class Motown and Disco tracks, which I feel like are the ‘club’ tracks of the 70’s and 80’s. I think the thing I try to take from those genres is the heartfelt harmony and melodies in Motown, mixed with the dancefloor based disco grooves. My style is obviously very different to them on paper; however I definitely feel those two genres in particular helped shape my music taste and later on, my decisions when writing and creating music.
It’s a scary time for the UK live music and events scene. Can you tell us about one or two key events you went to when you were younger that have helped shape who you are/the career path you’ve taken?
I remember the first year I went to Reading Festival I was so amazed by the spectacle of the whole place. How big the stages were, how you could see so many different acts you could see across the weekend. It’s a bit cliché, but I remember watching bands up on the main stage and thinking ‘that is the coolest thing ever – I want to do that!’ So ever since then I’ve always had the ambition to perform at one of the bigger festivals, hopefully one day!
‘Textures’ is a really varied release, with a mix of dance, vocal hooks, more crossover… is this how you naturally produce, a bit of a mixture rather than focusing on one specific sound?
Yeah that’s definitely how I produce. I have tried to limit myself to working within a specific style before, however I found that it just hinders my creativity. I think that ‘Textures’ lays a good foundation as to what I have to offer as a producer right now.
What’s next for Joe Turner?
I will be spending the winter months writing a load of new music, maybe a few livestreams thrown in there too. Despite being in lockdown at the moment, I aim to be as creative as possible. You have to accept some days you won’t come up with anything, however it’s all about managing your expectations, and writing as many good tunes as you can!
Joe Turner ‘Textures’ EP is Out Now on LG105, get it here: https://joeturner.lnk.
Where are you currently based?
I’m originally from Auckland but moved to Wellington 5 years ago and have been loving it ever since! I live right on the beach and very close to the CBD too. It’s a magical hotspot for developing creatives – the music scene especially. I’ve been so lucky to live in NZ during covid times, my band and I are back gigging, planning tours and going to a bunch of shows every week.
How did you first start playing music?
I started writing poetry when I was about 15 or 16. I looked back at some of it recently and the parts where I didn’t cringe I actually felt a bit touched. I listened to a lot of music at that age and it drew something out of me. I began by finding chords and writing poetry to it, then it was the bones of a song.
For a few years when I was 8 or 9 I played a little bit of piano – nothing substantial, I got bored from lessons. Later I taught myself through YouTube, learning my favourite tracks and discovering how each note related to each other etc. It was quite an organic experience for me.
Like many teenagers, I tried guitar lessons but it didn’t stick. I’m still sort of teaching myself (slowly and only to try to look as hot on stage as Julia Jacklin with a guitar).
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far?
This year has been WILD. First off I’m sooo lucky to have recorded in the UK in November last year before Covid hit.
I’m pretty lucky, I had a pretty stable 7 week lockdown with my best friend and her family. They were so welcoming and I felt like family. It was a wonderful space for me to get the drive back I needed and begin the work on my EP ‘this dream i had’.
I’ve been fortunate to be back working with my awesome band, working on our live set for an upcoming release show (and maybe even working on a 2021 tour).
We filmed a music video a few weeks back and I’m dying to share it with you guys, collabing with the incredible, stylish director Veronica Crockford-Pound (Vogue, i-D).
Also have quite a few projects cooking up in the studio at the moment – it’s sort of my fun safe space.
How did you go about writing Blue Boy and what influenced the sound and songwriting ?
Blue Boy was quite an intense song to write. I was so infatuated by this person I had just met, nothing beats summer love. Then he moved away, I remember sitting on my bed on a summery blue sky day and feeling so numb. That’s when I wrote the chorus. I wrote it on ukulele and took a break from writing to head to the beach with my friends. Whilst dipping my feet in the water I wrote the chorus lyric ‘lover swimming in the deep blue’.
The song gets complicated because my life was seemingly complicated. I was seeing someone else at the time. It wasn’t working and I knew it wasn’t after falling in love with someone else. I felt so stuck at the time, so many conflicting emotions of love and guilt because I feel for someone else. For two weeks straight the sky was this incredible shade of blue. I tried bathing in this new feeling of summer love and despite spending most of the time and the beach, there was an overriding sense of guilt because I didn’t know how to tell my partner.
Sonically I was so influenced by the sound of summer. I wanted it’s romantic verses to be surrounded by glittery, pop production then as the pre-chorus kicks in for it to progress into turmoil and melancholy. I was listening to a lot of Father John Misty, Sufjan Stevens and Harry Styles at the time. They somehow must’ve helped shape Blue Boy’s direction.
Where and when did you record/produce and who did you work with?
I recorded ‘this dream i had’ over 2 weeks with Ian Barter over in the UK. I was in the UK for around 4 weeks overall, doing meetings over the other 2.
I was so honoured to work with Ian, I was pretty damn nervous entering the studio on the first day, to me he was this producing god.
He has this beautiful, well kitted home studio just outside of Reading. Being out by the countryside was pretty unbelievable and a great spot to get fresh air and take breaks from the studio when it was very much needed.
What programs/instruments did you use?
It was all recorded and mixed on Logic Pro and put through a lot of the hardware Ian has in his studio.
One of my favourite things about working with Ian was his guitar skills, he’s incredible. 5 out of the 6 tracks on the EP all had electric guitar as a main instrument. To me there’s something so sonically colourful and moody about the guitar. The rest were a lot of layered drums, synth pads, electronic textures and the occasional vocoder.
How did you approach the recording process?
I let Ian take the reins with a lot of the recording process. We started around 10:30 every morning, which gave us both time to wake up, go through notes and come up with a game plan for the day. We mostly worked by doing a track a day, a surprisingly fast process for me! We’d then go till about 6pm each evening.
The hardest part was already done, I had written the tracks already so it was very much just getting straight into it and laying down the parts. We started with the chords, then did drums and bass, then guitar followed by electronic textures. After that we’d then record the vocals.
Your video for your single ‘Blue Boy’ will be out on December 4….
It sure is. I’m SO excited for it too
How did the concept for the video come about?
Blue Boy was the first song for me where I wrote so openly about my sexuality. I thought I needed to find a way to do it justice, explore myself more creatively and push myself further with my different aesthetic directions.
Where and when did you film and who with?
Blue Boy was filmed in Kingsize Studios in Auckland, it’s well known as the place to shoot a lot of fashion shoots etc.
We had an incredible, stellar team on the shoot. It was directed by one of my favourite directors and collaborators, Veronica Crockford-Pound (aka Pictvre), shot on 16mm and Super8 film by Veronica and the incredible Joseph Griffen.
Featured in the video is myself and the icons Rob and Roxie. Rob also styled us all, wearing stunning brands such as Penny Sage, Zambesi, Rick Owens and more.
Make-up by Global Senior Artist M.A.C Cosmetics and sweetheart Kiekie and Hair by the wonderful Sophy.
How was the filming experience from concept to the final edit?
I’m actually still mid filming experience hahaha, I’m yet to see the first edit! It’s so exciting working in film though as I have no idea how it’s going to turn out.
Filming and coming up with the concept with Veronica was so much fun, probably my favourite part.
Please tell us about your EP which will be out on November 13, what can we expect?
Like it’s namesame, ‘this dream i had’ all began from an intense, vivid dream I had about the partner I had at the time, which also inspired the track ‘This Dream’. I wrote this EP spanning over 9 months, during the time I was in a toxic, long distance relationship. The tracks from start to finish tell the story of different epiphanies I had during this time. The EP begins with love songs, travels through into the complications that come with a long distance relationship and ends with ‘Crawl’, an intimate song about realising that the ball is in someone else’s court to act better. It’s accepting your situation, remembering it’s a two way street.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Recently I’ve been super fueled by listening to the likes of:
Joji’s new album – fave tracks include High Hopes, Upgrade, Afterthought & Tick Tock
LEON’s new album – faves are Die For You & Crazy/Stupid
Omar Apollo’s new EP – faves include Kamikaze & Hey Boy (it’s SO refreshing to hear a major artist talk openly about their sexuality in their music)
Lianne La Havas’ new album – tracks to look out for Please Don’t Make Me Cry & Courage
Special mention to BENEE, very excited for her debut album, the singles are incredible
I’ve been listening to a lot of R&B influenced pop and it’s certainly rubbing off on me..
What do you like to do away from music?
I love spending time with friends, going for night drives and getting out of Wellington to go on walks. My weekends usually get a bit chaotic as I love going out for drinks or to parties but I guess that’s just part of being in your early 20’s…?
The older I’ve gotten the more I realise that my closest friends and I always seem to talk about philosophical things. Partly I think it helps us try and understand us as these confused creative children are suddenly forced to grow up pretty quickly.
I spend a lot of my money on going out for food too… Dinners and brunches… it’s dangerous being a good friend of mine
What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?
Very busy couple of months ahead, VERY exciting though. It’s just jumping from one project to another. It’s great though, I love to keep busy.
May or may not be releasing a music video Dec 4th. May or may not be releasing a couple of stripped back versions of tracks from ‘this dream i had’. May or may not be planning a tour early 2021. May or may not be releasing a new single early 2021. May or may not be recording new content this coming couple of months….
As I said, busy but so exciting, I reckon this EP is just the beginning.
Favourite food and place to hangout?
I’ve been vegetarian for around a year or so. It’s kinda new to me still, so it’s exciting finding ways to keep it exciting for me, working with lots of different alternatives and recipes.
Ooooh I am a sucker for Italian food (like fresh four cheese ravioli mmmm…), Mexican food (with 3 glasses of Mezcal pleaseeee), Indian food (with a garlic naan ofcourse).
In Wellingtonhere’s this incredible vegetarian restaurant/cafe called Aunty Menas. Their roti chani (with soy slice) absolutely slaps… it’s on Cuba St, in the heart of the city. I’d recommend if you’re ever visiting!
For coffee I love Swimsuit. IT’s a great little relaxed cafe with great coffee and it’s super chill to meet friends and catch up.
Most Wednesday’s I go to the gig night called ‘Eyegum’ at San Fran. It’s free and features some of the best up and coming musicians in Wellington. $5 beers too, can never go a miss…
Weekends I’m pretty all over the place…
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Acclaimed Scottish Dream-Folk outfit Constant Follower release their double sided single ‘I Can’t Wake You’ today.
Self-released it preludes their debut album ’Neither is, nor ever was’ on Shimmy Disc / Joyful Noise Recordings having just signed a deal with the label behind countless seminal records from the likes of Sufjan Stevens, Deerhoof, Dinosaur Jr, Kishi Bashi, and Yo La Tengo. The album is being produced by the internationally renowned Kramer.
Moments last forever, but you’ll sleep through it now,” McAll’s voice carries the wistfully bittersweet lyrics with a unifying sense of sincerity in I Can’t Wake You. The track is underpinned by the sentiment that, not only do things stay with you forever, but more significantly that in a moment of grief or great pain that time seems to stop.
The second track is more instrumental, floating over haunting strings and finger-picked guitar. Inspired by the area of Hamburg where McAll’s partner and bandmate Kathleen grew up, Altona means “all too near” in German. “It’s okay,” he says throughout the track, “It’s okay…”
Where are you currently based?
We’re based in the tiny city of Stirling in Scotland. It’s a great wee place with a beautiful castle on the hill and the mountains within walking distance.
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far?
The lockdowns have been hard because of not being able to play live shows. I miss that. And I miss seeing other live music. I’ll be quite happy to never see another livestream again! Ha! But I think one thing the livestreams have shown us is that the people on stage are only a part of what makes live music so special. When you lose the audience and the setting, it just feels empty. I’ve put the time to good use – working on making this album special and reconnecting.
How did you first start playing music?
I asked to learn piano when I was about 6. My parents were recommended a teacher who took lessons in a nearby church when there weren’t services on. One of my only childhood memories relates to this. I remember walking in for the first time – all the lights were off in the church except a dull light over the grand piano in the far corner. This old guy was hunched over, playing something very sad that filled the room. I remember the smell of candles and damp. I loved going to that old guy. My parents say that he was often drunk when we went and short tempered and grumpy. But I loved him. And, though his problems caught up with him pretty soon after we started together, it was that small handful of lessons with that troubled old guy that started me off playing music.
When was Constant Follower formed?
I‘d been writing some songs for a couple of years and played them out once. Which went well but I felt like I wanted to be able to present the songs in a fuller context. Kurd started playing guitar with me after we got talking at a gig a few years ago and the band has expanded since then to include Kessi and Amy as well as a few other collaborators like Kenny Bates who plays guitar on a few songs on the album. The band around me is a fluid entity, always with the key purpose of serving the songs.
Your single ‘I Can’t Wake You’ is out now. What inspired you to write this track?
In the song is the phrase “moments last forever”, which is kind of about how our perception of time is completely relative to what is going on in the moment, but also about how momentary events stay with you indefinitely. We’re all aware of how time seems to stand still in moments of shock. I was attacked from behind one night and had a bottle smashed over my head. I remember seeing the sparkling shards of crystal tinkling past my head onto the ground in slow motion. They kind of hung in the air before time sped up to normal again and I realised what had happened. Stopping time like this, it’s a superpower!
Tell us about the accompanying video for the track?
The video was made by this fiercely creative Swedish/German artist called Nathalia van de Kerst. Nathalia was helping a friend clear the basement of an old house in Froseke when they came upon a box full of glass negatives from the earliest days of photography, depicting life in old Sweden. The images seem to marry to the music in a very special way.
What’s your songwriting process like?
There’s no process really – I just try and play guitar a lot so that I’m ready whenever a song starts to come. Every now and then a small phrase pops into my head that seems like it has something attached to it; I’ll sit down and sing it, then the next bit will come and on and on in a kind of linear fashion until there’s a full song. Most often I don’t know what I mean by the song in the moment, only later do I attribute meaning in the same way someone else does when they hear it. And that meaning changes when things in my life change. I don’t ever try to force a song out – they just come when they’re ready.
What instruments and equipment is behind Constant Follower’s sound?
Well, there are no drums to worry about – that makes it a lot easier to play live! That rhythmic element comes from my fingerpicked acoustic guitar, which is most always at the centre of the arrangements. Over that I layer synths and guitar parts from Kurd and Kenny, both of whom have very different styles. Kurd has these incredible floaty, swelling, lush sounds that fill out the acoustic guitar perfectly. But I think the most important element in the ‘sound’ if there is one, is Amy and Kessi’s backing vocals. There’s just something about the way they each sing. Amy has the most beautiful and unique voice.
What’s the inspiration behind the title of the debut album, ‘Neither is, nor ever was…’, due to be released in March?
That’s a long, and personal, story…
Can you tell us a bit about the album’s production?
We initially went into the studio with a Glasgow producer to make the recordings for the album. But the studio environment didn’t suit the intimacy of the songs. I wasn’t very happy with the performances – don’t get me wrong, the recordings were lovely, but there was something about the ‘feel’ that wasn’t right. So I decided to improve my own studio and have another shot at the songs, which has paid off. I learned that if I’m sitting writing these songs late at night while my daughter sleeps in the next room, then the best way to capture that feeling is to make the recordings in the same way. We’ve been very lucky that Kramer, the producer who discovered Low and Daniel Johnston, heard my music through a mutual friend and offered to mix the record.
How do you spend your time when you’re not making music?
I get outside into nature as much as possible. The hills are so near that there’s really no excuse not to spend a lot of time there. Being a musician is hard work for no pay, so it’s essential to nurture your mental health in any way you can – being in nature is the best cure.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I’ve been listening a lot to the Cinder Well record. Man, it’s beautiful… devastating, but beautiful. I’ve also been improving my knowledge of Mark Tranmer’s music. He lives locally now and we’ve been meeting for coffees and music chats. He and Roger Quigley were The Montgolfier Brothers. Roger’s recent passing has brought new attention to their incredible work ‘Seventeen Stars’, which is just the most wonderful record and well worth getting to know.
Where are you based?
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Your debut album ‘The Second Renaissance’ will be released November 6 2020, what influenced its sound?
Every emotion in my body and my love for Metal. In this album, the tracks are made anywhere from a couple of months ago to 8 years ago. Older tracks I revisited and cleaned up. The sum of it all tho is a collective of my emotions that express me.
What is the inspiration behind the title of the album?
It expresses change, understanding one’s past, and moving forward in a new light. A lot of the inspiration came from the animated series The Animatrix. We are entering a new era.
How did you approach the recording and production process?
Considering it was all done over an extensive amount of time there were many different processes at the beginning full digital and eventually a healthy mix of analog, vst, and samples.
How did you first start playing music and how did this evolve into electronic music?
I first started playing music when I was 6 learning the piano, I eventually moved over to drums, later I joined a metal band called Bleeding Halo. We did some small shows and “tour” which was just one other province but In Montreal, we had many shows. From there I moved over to electronic music which became my obsession.
What’s your creative process like?
I like to start my day with music. I open Ableton on an empty canvas and usually start with a kick. I take some time with the kick as the kick brings different emotions, heavy bass rumbling kick reminds me more of aggression as a small light kick with attack may bring something more melodic. From there I complete the drums and focus on the leads and hooks. All this is layered until I have the peak of the track. Once that’s done I move over to layout.
Your label Starskream is named after DJ Starscream – Slipknot’s turntablist. How much do bands like Slipknot influence the techno you create?
An incredible amount, a large portion of my day is listening to Metal, I get so many ideas that I want to incorporate in my techno, from guitar riffs to drum rolls, screams, effects, and song titles.
Why did you decide to start your own label?
As much as I love finding new music to share with the world, I wanted to do the same with talent. I wanted to be a platform for individuals to have a shot at showcasing their art. As well, I wanted a label that represents metal, healing aggression.
How has 2020 felt for you creatively?
It has had its ups and downs, full of doubt, second chances, and ambition. Each day is never the same but I push through. I also have 2 alias which helps me stay creative. Melora is synthwave and Three Faces Of Eve is faster-paced techno.
What artists are you most excited about right now?
Remy-X has been on my radar for some time I’m loving his music, Alexander Wittenby is swimming in talent, and Aahan another artist I’ve been watching climb to the top. These 3 are the first to come to mind.
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PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS reveal twisted new music video for their blistering new single ‘TALLY-HO’!
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