Music Interviews

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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Where are you currently based?

I’m currently based up in Northern NSW. I’ve been spending a lot of time in Byron finishing off a few EP’s this past year. Before Covid I was commuting fortnightly between Sydney and the Gold Coast for 2 years for DJing.

How did you first start playing music?

I started writing songs when I was 14. For me music saved my life, it was something I could turn to when I felt like I couldn’t talk to anyone. It was always there, it never judged me & it made me feel good. I wasn’t a very popular kid in school so I kept to myself and spent a lot of time writing music during lunch times or in my bedroom at night.

Your new single ‘On My Mind’ Feat Amela is out now, what influences the sound and songwriting?

There was never really anyone we looked to as an influence for this track. I usually just sit down and see what sounds inspire me & the song always writes itself depending on what situation I’m dealing with in life. Making music is like having a therapy session. I feel like working with Amela and her voice inspired me to re-work the production, especially in the chorus. I re-sampled Amela’s voice to create the low sounding vocals in the chorus and I made the synths to complement her voice. This was a song that we just kept chipping away at until we were both happy with it.

How did you go about writing On My Mind?

I made it about a year ago and had written a top line for it although I felt like it didn’t suit me as an artist. So I decided to reach out to Amela and we re-wrote the track together. Amela and I first started writing together when we were around 15, so we’ve always had this great chemistry when it comes to writing. We did a few zoom calls back and forth and once we solidified it I got Amela in the studio to lay down the vocals. 

It’s been 10 years since your last release, how did you get back into releasing?

I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I wanted to master everything in production before I felt like I could put my music out. Thankfully I had a lot of friends and family who pushed me to release my music and I finally accomplished my goals this year. I was sitting on it for a while and didn’t know whether to approach labels or just release it myself. It’s a bit overwhelming when you do everything yourself but collaborating with Amela helped me to get past that fear and just put it out.

You have an EP coming soon which will include some more massive singles, please give us an idea of what to expect.

I’ll be singing on the rest of the tracks for this EP. The next single is called ‘Good Life’ & I did everything from making the sounds, writing, producing, mixing & singing. To me it’s something I’m really proud of because it’s a very self accomplished track of completing my long term goals as a producer.

I’ve basically based all my EPs around the consistency of how the songs I’ve made ‘sound’ and this is my most commercial sound.

You were the winner of Your Shot DJ Competition in 2018, how did things change for you as a result of this great accomplishment?

I feel like winning Your Shot gave me credibility as a DJ where people took me seriously. As a full time DJ I played a lot of commercial gigs over the years which kind of pigeon holed me as being super commercial. I wanted to show people that I could play Trap & Bass music so it was a great platform to show people that I’m not just a commercial DJ & I can play any genre.

You have been writing music from a very young age, how did you first start and learn how to write music? 

I started getting keyboard lessons at the age of 6 but I always loved guitar. I was shown some chords at the same time I started keyboard and after a few years of begging my parents they finally bought me a guitar when I turned 10. During school I wrote a lot of poetry and won a few competitions for it. So writing songs came quiet naturally to me when I would hear chord progressions and writing music was something I started doing every day.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I came across a really incredible rapper named Phora. He’s lyrics are like poetry. I kind of listen to anything and everything depending on how I’m feeling on the day. Amy Shark, XXXTENTACION, Alison Wonderland, Flume, Willaris.K, Elton John, Tash Sultana are my most recent listens. 

What do you like to do away form music

I love keeping active to keep my sanity. Working out, meditating, hanging with the people I love & surfing keeps me sane. Music takes up a lot of my time so I don’t get to do it as much as I’d like.

what’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?

I’ve got about 6 EPs I’m solidifying which cross over to a few other genres like trap & R&B/Grime. So the main focus is getting as much done as possible so I can just keep releasing music over the next few years.

Favourite food and place to hang out?

Favourite food is definitely thai or Japanese. I love hanging out in Byron or being by the beach when I’m not making music.

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Where are you currently based?

We are currently based in North London.

How did Théa Marie form?

I began my music carrier as a singer songwriter simply called ‘Théa’. As I started studying in the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in London, I realised I needed a band to portray my songs exactly how I wanted. One thing lead to the next, my flatmate Julianna became my drummer and our friend Peter became my guitarist. They both add a ‘rock style’ to my soul/jazzy compositions, which I absolutely love. Two years later, we created Théa Marie – a soul rock trio from London.

Your band members are based around the world, how does Théa Marie operate as a band?

Yes, Julianna is Franco English, Peter is American and I am Franco American! It’s crazy to think we all just randomly met in our uni in London. We are very good at getting the job done and concentrating on our music. We operate very well together because we are first of all friends and have the same work ethic.

For rehearsals, I will bring a new song, sing and play it on the guitar and we’ll all just jam on it and feed off of different ideas.

You released an album a few months ago, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

Some songs on the album were written about five years ago, while others were written two years ago. They all express the emotions I used to have like homesickness, loneliness, falling in love for the first time… This is why the album is called ’THEN’ – emotions of the past. The songwriting was influenced by folk artists like James Vincent McMorrow and soul artists like Amy Winehouse.

How did you go about writing the music?

I find a progression of chords first, then melodies and lastly lyrics. Usually, my best melodies and lyrics will be written late at night. For some reason, the emotions that I’ve felt throughout the day become more intense in the evening… I don’t know why. In a way it’s great because it means I have more inspiration for my writing.

How did you approach the recording process?

So we recorded the album in two different sessions: one in December of 2018 and one in April of 2019 – we took our time. I kept all the stems of the album for a long time because I wanted the perfect person to mix the tracks – someone who understood the atmosphere I was going for. Luckily, I spent the London lockdown with my flatmates and Jimmy, a brilliant sound engineer and producer. He was nice enough to mix the whole album within 2 weeks – amazing! He now has his own mixing/mastering/production studio called Vakant Studios, you should check him out!

Where did you record?

We recorded in the recording studio of my university.

Please tell us about your latest collaboration:

I wrote ‘Settle Down, Love’ with The Dunwells, two brothers from Leeds. We met in 2018 during one of my school’s events and have kept in touch since. During our songwriting session, I was very anxious by my life. I was explaining to them that I wished I could calm my mind and tell it that everything will be okay. That’s how the idea of ‘Settle Down, Love’ started. We personified my anxious mind and built a conversation with it trying to settle it down.

As soon as we finished writing the song, we knew we had to release it. We knew that so many people would connect with it.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I am still listening to James Vincent McMorrow, I love all of his albums. I recently discovered Lucy McWilliams – her sound is so groovy, chill and elegant.

What do you like to do away from music?

I love finding new places to hang out at. When I’m free, I love walking around London and finding cute places I can come back to later.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?

We’re preparing a new set up for our live sets: I play bass instead of guitar, and Julianna and Peter do backing vocals while they play their instruments. It’s fun to change it up and it adds more spice to our authenticity and style of music.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Théa: Favorite food is the Bufala pizza from the Salusbury Food Store in Queens Park. Favorite place is at the top of Alexandra Park on a clear day.

Julianna: Favourite food is the veggie breakfast at La Diva Kilburn and favourite place to hang out is on Primrose Hill on a warm evening.

Peter: Favourite food is a vegetable red curry from Spicy Basil – Kilburn’s hidden culinary gem, and favourite place to hang out is Hampstead Heath on a sunny day.

Are you still based in Canberra?
Born and bred! Besides a brief stint living in London town back in 2006 (some cracking parties back then).

Canberra is not a particularly big place, how’s the underground scene there?
Canberra has always had a thriving, close knit underground scene since way before I was old enough to go out partying.

Unfortunately, I have personally witnessed the demise of nearly every single last left night club and festival venue in the city over the years due to a rapid rise in rental costs, liquor licencing costs and residential properties spreading too close to the last pockets of music venue hope – which of course comes with sound complaints. To top that off a global pandemic hit and we are left with just two last venues in the city that regularly offer electronic music. It’s a real shame to think that when I started Djing there were countless pumping nightclubs and late-night venues in Canberra and now we are left with nearly none at all.

The positive side to this is that the ‘underground’ scene is building up and forming together stronger than ever with new ideas for the future.

What’s it like trying to make a name for yourself in a place like that with deep house and breaks?
I started Djing and dabbling in music production in way back in 2002 when I was still in high school.
I have been fortunate enough to have held residencies, helped promote parties and have awesome friends who ran some of the best parties this town has ever had and still do.
The scene was quite strong in Canberra in the early to late 2000’s, so I had many great festivals and late night venues to play at! The scene here has always been very open minded to different forms of electronica, so I find the vibe here less biased towards one genre to the other here than some other AUS cities tbh.

How did you first start playing music and how did you evolve into electronic music?
The first music I ever loved was The Prodigy’s ‘Music For the Jilted Generation’ when I was literally in primary school! I got into Gatecrasher style trance in my first year of high school. So I have basically had a love in electronic music since I knew about music.
I started making tunes with Fruityloops v1 and have stuck to it till this day.

There are a lot of breaks in your portfolio, where did they come from?
It is an interesting story.
I moved on from my passion of Trance music on to Progressive House and Techno in the early 2000’s. Then in early high school years I actually randomly won a crate of vinyl full of the entire Finger Lickin’ Records discography via a competition on the ‘In The Mix’ website. I didn’t even know I was in a competition! But I just got home from school one afternoon and there I was with all of the best Breakbeat the world had to offer at the time. This basically got me into Breaks and then as I was already into Progressive, it merged to become my real love of ‘Progressive Breaks’. I always wonder if I would have DJ’d and Produced so much Breaks if I never won that random crate?

Which artists have been your biggest influences? 

In reality, there are way too many to name through many genres, though I have to mention the big guns like: The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, Aphex Twin, John Digweed, Sasha, Nick Warren, Andy Page, Hybrid, Phil K, Hernan Cattaneo, Underworld. The list goes on but they have to be some major inspirers.

What’s been happening recently?
Due to the pandemic, no DJ gigs besides the odd livestream and recordings on Mixcloud and select radio shows. Though lots of music production has been happening which is a plus.
Oh and I got engaged! (Congratulations! – Anthony.)

Any upcoming releases we should keep an eye out for?
I have an EP coming out on ‘Late Night Music’ in November with two new originals ‘Distant Source’ and ‘Fargone’ with some fantastic remixes from Jamie Stevens, B-Tham, Kazuki and Tidy. I have had some great feedback on these tracks so far! It’s a fun EP as every track in the package is quite different so it makes for an exciting release.

Do you prefer to DJ or play live?
Djng is always fun and less stressful, but live shows which are much more rewarding.
I aim to do much more live stuff after the pandemic.
I also do a side project live show with Tidy under our name ‘Stact’ which has been the best fun I have ever had performing live. Its more of an experimental breaks/drum and bass/ idm project that we do completely live and improved on the spot with pallets of sounds, synths, vinyl and drum samples we have made. Basically, a live jam that never sounds the same twice. https://soundcloud.com/stact

What are your top 3 plug-ins to use in the studio, and why?
They change over time but at the moment I’m loving Gulfoss.
It is a live eq that balances out the sounds on the fly as they play. It’s really smart AI in a simple interface. It does wonders to the mix.
Native Instruments Guitar Rig has always been something I use on all sorts of sounds to re shape and texture. I use it in a much more subtle way than its designed for, but it really works for me.
I’m also loving Pigments by Arturia at the moment also, it’s a really full textured synth. The Arturia range is amazing.

Where can we hear you DJ? Do you have any future ambitions for your music?
The last gig I was billed for was to warm up for Booka Shade in back March but that got cancelled due to the pandemic, so at the moment you can only hear me on various livestreams and radio shows that I will always announce on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/fourthstate
The future is shrouded in mystery at the moment.

Is there anywhere you’d really love to play, or any labels you’d love to release on?
I’d love to play at Rainbow Serpent festival for sure!  And my main goal is to support John Digweed one day and especially feature on his Transitions radio show.
Getting a release on Johns label Bedrock would be paramount.

What do you like to do away from music?
I love to get away from the electro-concrete jungle and head into real nature. camping, the beach, bushwalks etc.

Who are you listening to at the moment?
I’m always finding new tunes and shazaming ones I love in mixcloud and soundcloud sets of artists that I keep adding and following on those platforms. And I’ve been listening to John Digweeds Transitions radio show religiously every week for years and years now.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020?
Write more tunes, try and play at a real gig and get to the beach as often as I can.

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Interviewer: Anthony Huttley

Where are you currently based?

Hello! I’m in Melbourne, I’ve lived here for 7 years and am originally from the Northern Rivers of NSW.

How did you first get into music?

I first got into music pretty young. An early memory was going with mum to choir when I was 5. I still recall most of the songs, some were African, in different languages and were really rhythmic. It was pretty magical to hear all the different melodies and rhythms of the voices coming together as one.

What influenced the sound and songwriting for your new single ‘Sweet Mellow D’?

With this song, I’m not exactly sure as it was pretty intuitive. I resonate with alternative folk artists like the storytelling of Adrienne Lenker and Angel Olsen, the abstract and quirky characteristics of Aldous Harding, the melody and lyrical style of Hand Habits, the finger picking of Jose Gonzalez, and endless inspiration from local queens Maple Glider, Nai Palm, Angie McMahon and Harmony Byrne.

When and where did you record it?

I recorded SMD in June during Lockdown, with legend friend Nick Herrera in his studio known as The Grove, in Coburg. 

How do you usually go about writing music?

There’s no rules and honestly my ‘process’ is pretty random. I usually pop my phone on record, and then forget about it and just go stream of consciousness for ages. Then I listen back and deconstruct little gems that I can collage together and workshop. The improvising helps me say what I actually feel.

What instruments do you use?

I play guitar and I’m hoping to get a piano soon, which has been on the dream list for a while. I play my lovely old nylon, which I picked up second hand in Tasmania, or I play my ‘85 Japanese Strat which I found in a flea market, that was a good day!

I’m left handed and originally learned left, but 4 years ago started playing right handed. Not only can I now jam at parties, but also all the chord shapes I play are upside down and I like the different fingerpicking patterns, and new chord shapes I find. All the songs on my record are written this way.

How do you approach recording/production?

I first found freedom in demo’s. I see them as a carefree and messy thang where there is no room for perfectionism, which can hinder me. As I don’t have a laptop at the moment (sad story) I keep things simple with an ipad and Garage band. It is the perfect way to get a vibing demo as a reference for proper studio time. I quite like the inbuilt mic, and I feel rebellious by not having a monster set up.

Then in the studio is where the music is expanded upon and that is so satisfying. Nick really dug the lo-fi sound of the iPad demo’s and it ended up becoming a stylistic feature in the music –  hi-fi lo-fi if you know what I mean.

Please tell us about your new video, how was it filmed and where?

The video was a rapid fire creation, that timed itself well with the lockdowns. I teamed up with my friend Joli.vision, and we managed to get it filmed the day before stage 4 came in. He suggested the time-lapse idea with ‘masking’ elements, I don’t have much language or experience in video, so Joli is the man behind all the tech.

The vision was to set up my lounge room pretty much exactly how it exists in my room somewhere in coastal nature. We found an incredible spot looking over the water to the mountains of Wilsons Prom in the background, which is a prehistoric nature reserve to the south east of Melbourne. 

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Today I was listening to Godtet from Sydney, and their live performance at the Opera House. I found Duval Timothy whose mostly instrumental sample-based piano music had me in the feels. Also Maple Gliders debut track ‘As Tradition’ has had many plays this week.  

What do you like to do away from music?

I make stained glass earrings and during Covid I started Studying Glass and glazing which is cool. I build stuff from wood, I work as a carpenter’s labourer and want to upskill so I can build a shack in the bush one day. I take my dog on adventures and I’m getting into spearfishing after Covid. I’ve been reading a fair bit- I’m super interested in how trauma affects the body, and also the ability for the brain to unlearn and relearn. Also learning about this country in terms of colonisation, the untold history, current issues and my place in it all. 

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Most common shnack at the moment is A1 Lebanese Bakery for the stretched zaatar  –
Favorite spot is Eddie Gardens beers in the sun, or Warrandyte River for summer swimming. 

What’s next for you that you’re really excited about?

In terms of music, I have this unreleased album that I’m so excited to share. It’s quite a thing of beauty and experimentation, so I’m looking forward to setting it free. I hope to tour to the UK/Europe but that’s all pretty unknown at the moment, so patience is key.

I’m really excited to go free diving and GTF out of the city.

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Where are you currently based?
Currently still based in Sydney!

How did you first start playing music?
I first started playing guitar and piano through school, and from there my guitar teacher convinced me to start singing. I started growing more confident and becoming better with my craft I suppose. I then started to create my own project as
such, and everything flowed from there.

What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?
Covid at the start was tough, as my first national tour was cancelled halfway through. Like a lot of people that kind of forced me to shift my priorities and financials. These days it’s going great though! I’m in the latter stages of completing my first album, and I just recently played 2 sold out shows.

Your new single ‘The World Is In a Bad Room’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? 
I guess the song is a conglomerate of a lot of personal relationships mixed in with everything that’s going on in the world. I also took a lot of inspiration through Tom Misch’s latest album.

How did you go about writing the single?
The song itself didn’t actually take too long! It kind of popped up one day when I was in the studio. I had been playing around with a particular drum groove (the one you can hear in the song) and everything just fell into place really quickly!

Where and when did you record and who with?
I recorded the track in a few places, but mainly within Kiln Studios in St Peters, Sydney. I developed the final stages of the track with my engineer ‘Danial Notoli’, someone who I’ve been working with for the past 2 or so years.

How did you approach the recording process?
Like many of my other projects, I started this song with the drum rhythm. I find it a lot easier and, in some way, a lot more fun to create stuff over a rhythm that you can bop to to begin with.

What programs/instruments did you use?
I use Logic Pro for pretty much all of my recording! I also played pretty much every instrument you can hear in the track and recorded them all individually.

What do you like to do away from music?

I like to do a lot of things to be honest. I think the best thing I like to do other than music is hang with friends. Either going away somewhere or just having drinks really sets my mind straight. I also love a read.

Who are you listening to at the moment?
A lot of Jordan Rakei, and a lot of SG Lewis.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?
I’ve got a few more sit down shows within rural NSW before the year is up which I’m really looking forward to doing! Assuming everything eases up as it has been, 2021 should be full of touring!

Favourite food and place to hangout?
I don’t think I can go past Italian with some really good wine. And my absolute place to hang is the beach.

https://www.facebook.com/olyshermanmusic/

Where are you currently based and what’s the music scene like there?

I’m currently based in Osaka, Japan.

There are a lot of bands playing — rock, punk, heavy metal, noise, hip hop.

There are a few clubs — drum n bass, techno, house, bass music.

There are some spaces for more experimental music, ambient, IDM, modular.

So there is a good music scene, but it’s all quite hidden and underground.

Only certain people go to these kind of places which is a shame.

You recently spent a prolonged period in London, what took you there?

I actually came back to Osaka in 2012.

 The love of music took me there.

I found myself getting into music from the UK when I was in Japan, and I was curious to experience the music scene and culture for myself.

I wasn’t really into electronic music until I experienced it in London. I had some many memorable nights there.

How is it being back in Japan? Did you experience any reverse culture shock? 

When I came back to Japan, I stopped making music for a while and worked full time as an English teacher.

Having a routine and not having to think too much was quite nice, after my more free-like lifestyle in London.

The first year was fine, but during the second year, I started to feel like I was starting to miss something.

I missed something so much, I can’t explain what that something was, but I knew I wanted to create music again.

How has it been getting back into the music scene there?

It has been really great. I saw Andy Stott, Mala and DBridge amongst others, and I have played in various venues around Osaka, such as Circus Club supporting Machinedrum.

How did you first start playing music and how did you evolve into electronic music?

I first got into music writing songs with my acoustic guitar, and being in a band.

I still love bands. I got into electronic music after I experienced some amazing nights at clubs in London.

I also became a member of Nedry (electronic band).

How would you describe your sound/the music that you play?

My music, especially, the latest album sayonara dance is like you are under the water.

Swimming slowly, trying to get to the other side.

Last year you released a new album ‘Sayonara Dance’. Can you tell us a bit about it? 

I did everything except mastering, so it was a challenge and it took me 4 years to make this album.

I wanted to paint feelings with the sound. I was interested in the feelings in between. 

Between the light and the darkness. I was very inspired by Four Quartets by T.S.Eliot

The track in the middle of the album “The lights are extinguished “ has the lines from East Coaker by T.S. Eliot.

——So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing————

Then at the end of last year, dBridge made a remix of this song, and I was blown away by it.

The titled song sayonara dance is saying sayonara to your love by dancing together for the last time.

Was there anything in particular that influenced the sound behind it?

Not really, nothing in particular.

Can you tell us a bit about the process?

I first bought a new computer, a good audio interface(RME) and monitors

Then after that it was pretty much, trying, failing, trying , failing until I was happy with it.

Did you record the parts yourself?

Yes, I did everything in my bedroom.

What programs/instruments do you use?

Ableton Live mostly, I used to use pro-tools but I got Ableton Live and taught myself to use that.

I also used KORG MS200, and Gibson acoustic guitar

Tell us about your live set up, what do you use?

A:I use Ableton push, a guitar with various effect pedals, vocal with voice live, a RME interface, and MacBook

Where can we see you perform?

At music venues in Osaka such as Socore Factory, environment 0g

Follow me on instagram @ayu_okakita

What do you like to do away from music?

I love swimming and going to sentos (Japanese public bath)

Being in a sauna after a cold bath feels so good, and after that I love taking a walk with a drink.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I’ve been listening to a lot of UK Grime because of my boyfriend, he has introduced me to some other music too.

My favorite songs of the month are Patience by RHYE and Dismantle by Andy Stott.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020?

I’m working on my next album!!

And I’m planning to organise a music event with Jack, called 深音(shinon), a night that focuses on deep sounds.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

I love going to standing bars, one of my favorites is Ushitora in Minami.

Base Island Kitchen serves great vegan food. And for a late night Bar Muffin is a fun intimate bar with an amazing sound system.

Where are you currently based?  

Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne

How did you first start playing music?  

My mum ran a Backpackers accommodation in the 90’s and all the international guests would bring the latest cassette tapes from places like London & Amsterdam. At the age of 13, I was given the responsibility of playing music for the wild parties that were happening.

How did Uone & Western form?  

I started doing A&R for BEEF records in the 2000’s, Nick was one of the owners at the time.  Our friendship and shared passion for music grew from there. We started producing music 4 years ago after a series of successful releases on Sol Selectas, Katermukke, Beat & Path. We decided to release a concept album that focused on combining our love of cinema (spaghetti westerns), live instruments, psychedelic culture and rolling deep tribal house.

How has Covid impacted the underground electronic scene? 

It’s been pretty hard actually. Not being able to play music, and connect with humans has been challenging.  But at the same time the COVID-19 outbreak opened up the opportunity to reset and reflect on where music and DJing started. It’s been a time to reflect on my early roots and a time I was young, free and completely transfixed with the art of DJing and the music it embodies.

What are you doing to support the industry and stay creative? 

I run a weekly radio show called RANCH-O-RADIO, which is broadcast on 33 radio stations globally. It’s a platform to showcase local artists as well as international artists I love. I have also been doing a few live streams raining money for Multiple Sclerosis to keep my creative juices satisfied.

Your new album ‘The Lone Wranglers’ will be out on October 16, what influenced the sound and songwriting?  

The biggest influence on this album is the love of cinema that Western & I share. I remember in between studio sessions we went to see Blade Runner 2049 and had a vivid conversation about the importance sound plays in creating mood and feeling. The conversation naturally flowed into the studio and we ended up writing 3 cinematic musical interludes for the album, (Let Red Go, Cotton in the Clouds, Forest Walker). The second biggest influence would have to be Quentin Tarantino and his modern day take on western cinema culture, the album naturally developed to be a modern day western dance musical tale.

Where and when did you record/produce?  

Mostly produced at the Smith and Western Studios’ in Sydney over the last 2 years, but a lot of the tracks finalised at the Ranch-O-Relaxo studio. A special thanks to Jamie Stevens for helping us finalise a lot of the mix downs on this album. Jamie’s musical knowledge & studio skills are phenomenal, having a 3^rd party come across and give the music a final tweak really brought extra clarity to the mix. The mastering was done by Danny Bonnici from Liquid Mixes.

What programs/plugins/equipment did you use? 

We use Ableton 10, big fans of Spectrasonics’ plugin called the ‘Keyscape’. A lot of the piano, vintage keyboards & Rhodes sound come from this extraordinary plug in. We also spent a lot of time recording live guitars with different pedals, all our percussion is recorded live and then processed inside Ableton. Combining a human feel inside the digitized computer world is important. Some key synths used were the Roland Juno-106 & Nord Electro 3 Stage piano.

What can we expect from this upcoming album?   

The album is a combination of some key key influences for Western & I. Quentin Tarantino films are a big one, The Doors and Pink Floyd also heavily inspired the album.

‘The Lone Wranglers’ has a super unique sound, you can definitely hear the psychedelic influences and tribal deep house sounds. The live guitars and tribal drums really make you feel like you are experiencing the album in person.

How did Covid affect the creation of this album? 

Fortunately, it was completed before COVID fully set in, but we pushed back the release date because we felt like the timing wasn’t right. There’s no time like the present, onwards we go!

Who are you listening to at the moment? 

New Zealand based Sanoi and Beacon Bloom have been on high rotation. Plus, diving back in the late 1990s & early 2000s sounds of Underworld, Orbital, Brian Eno, Bruce Springsteen, Jimi Hendrix and Midnight Oil.

What do you like to do away from music? 

Gardening! I am somewhat of a green thumb. Here at our property we have 5 acres of gardens & vegetable patches to look after. I really enjoy mowing the lawns with my John Deer.  Also having recently become a father, spending time with our baby girl has been filling my heart with joy.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?

I’m taking part in Beyond Borders ‘Desert Dwellers’ live streaming event October 23, then we plan to follow up this album with an EP ‘Magician On Duty’. In December I’m super excited to be playing ‘Elements Music Festival’ in QLD – a return to live music!

Favourite food and place to hangout?  

During COVID it’s been our local Goat Curry at the Himalayan & Nepalese Restaurant.

Hey Mark Roma, welcome to the Partae! Your debut on DOORN has just dropped,  ‘The Realm’, massive congrats! How did the release come about?  

Hey, thanks for having me! It’s quite cool how the release happened, I started sending  tracks to Morten at the start of the year and he loved them. He supported The Realm in a  Spinnin Records X 1001 tracklist ID livestream and when I asked would he think spinnin  would like The Realm, he personally introduced me to the A&R team via email and it  stemmed from there! So really all I can say is networking is SUPER important! 

How long had you been working on the track, did it work quite naturally or did it take  quite a bit of tweaking?  

Most of the track happened to just fall into place in about a day (maybe I was having a  good because this is rare haha!) I started searching really strange cinematic sounds on  splice and I used lots of dark sounding stabs and pads and the drop sounded cool. The  acid took a bit of tweaking to make it fit in with all these pads but not too much. I even  sampled a racoon and a dinosaur sound but it works! 

Where does the name for the track come from? 

The name came from the feeling that the breakdown gives me, like a feeling of flying over a  mountain range or over an ocean through a feeling of elation. I’m a huge lover of trance and  love to incorporate some in most tracks I create so that was the aim to give a huge  euphoric flying feeling. 

What sort of music did you grow up listening to yourself? What actually influenced  you to go into production and a career in music?  

I grew up listening to a lot of trance, mainly Tiesto, Armin and Ferry Corsten, which  eventually branched out into more electro and now I’m a fan of pretty much all dance music  genres. When I was younger I used to down synthesiser apps onto my phone and would  play about making trance melodies, then a friend of a friend I met mentioned he was doing  a music technology degree and I immediately signed up. I almost was not allowed to do the  degree as I had no previous music qualifications but I was determined and it showed so  here I am 5 years later getting signed to my dream labels. Determination and hard work  pays off! 

What advice would you give to others who were hoping to follow in your footsteps  and release on the labels of their heroes?!  

The best thing I can advise is to network. Go to ADE, go to local networking events, like  Liverpool Audio Network Sound Summit which is local to me. Make sure you setup  meetings beforehand and talk to the right people who are relevant to you, face to face  interactions are SO IMPORTANT! 

On another note for productions, finish tracks faster, don’t spend too long forcing a track to  work. I used to spend upwards of 3 months on a track and it would be trash. First time I  finished a track in 4 days, Blasterjaxx supported it! 

Also, do not give up. I get knocked back weekly by labels but I learn from it, maybe the  track did not suit, maybe the quality was not great, maybe the A&R had a bad day, do not  give up! Work hard and consistently and I promise it will happen. 

Buy Link: https://doornrecords.release.link/the-realm

https://www.instagram.com/markromamusic/

https://www.facebook.com/markromamusic

https://soundcloud.com/markroma

Where are you currently based?

I am based between London and Miami where I’m currently recording

What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far?

When Covid first came about I quarantined out in Spain with my family for a few months. It was hard to begin with being stuck indoors everyday but I just used the opportunity to work on my project creating new music and ideas.

How did you first start playing music? 

I started writing my own material when I was 14 after finding out my mum had cancer. It was a rough time for me but music really saved me. It was the only thing that could take my mind off all the bad things that I was experiencing at that time.

Your mixtape ‘Long Time Coming’ is out now, what were the influences behind the Mixtape?

I have many influences ranging from classic R&B to modern afro beats with a hint of latin rythm and melodies right back to 80’s hip hop and I love my Drum & Bass!

Please tell us about the process:

The music flowed nicely during the creative process of the mixtape. I didn’t really think too hard, it was more a case of just making music I love and making sure the record has a wide range of sonics and vibes.

How did the concept for the music video come about?

The concept for the video was to have something dark and edgy with a sexy feel to it. The video showcases the storyline that is told through the lyrics of the track with a constant movement which is what gives it that rolling vibe.

Who did you work with and where did you film?

I work with various different film crews from Miami, LA, Spain and the United Kingdom depending on and what we are trying to achieve with each project, I love Kaz Ové’s work and I’m working with a cool Jamaican director at the minute on my next video.

What did you find most challenging and rewarding throughout the creation of ‘Long Time Coming’?

To be totally honest I wouldn’t say it was challenging as I enjoyed every part of creating this piece of work. The rewarding feeling was to finally finish up the project ready for release!

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I am currently listening to mostly latin urban artists ; people like Farruko, Sech and Myke Towers.

What do you like to do away from music?

I like to work out in the gym, go for a bike ride or some basketball or hit the beach, if there is one close by of course!

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?

I am currently working on finishing up my latin project which I have been working on for some time now and I’m feeling great about it.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Jerk chicken with rice and peas and a good movie binge on the sofa!