Music Interviews

What is Your Name and Role Within Peak Park?

Hey my name is Mitch Summers, I’m the lead vocalist and rhythm guitar player for Peak Park. Additionally, as is the case with all our band members, I have played an active role in our songwriting process, predominantly contributing to melody, lyrics, soundscape and structure for our most recent releases.

Where are you currently based?

We are currently based in the South-East suburbs of Melbourne (technically on the Mornington Peninsula). We spend most of our time at Cal’s house in his super-groovy bungalow out back.

How did you first start playing music?

I first started playing music in grade 2 when I was about 10 by learning the guitar. When me and my sisters were little my Dad would serenade us with some of his favourite songs on guitar, introducing me to classic tracks like Space Oddity (David Bowie) and Leaving on a Jet Plane (John Denver). At the time he had me utterly convinced that he himself wrote the songs, so much so that when I heard them on the radio, I was annoyed that they’d ripped off my Dad’s music. I mainly learned the guitar through the chords Dad taught me and then through YouTube, but it was always with the intention of singing along to my own playing, and so naturally singing progressed along with my guitar playing and was never something I really had to teach myself, purely because when I played I sung.

Your new single ‘Please Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

Because we’d been working on this song for around six months, the influence pool was quite large for this track and was constantly evolving as time went on, depending on how the vibe of the song was feeling over time. Some definite influences during this time were artists like Mansionair and Rufus, along with Radiohead and Billie Eillish. In terms of songwriting, Tom came up with this incredible marimba loop in the very early stages, and that pulsing, thumping kick is what has driven the song through the whole writing process. We wanted a song that felt like it was pushing and moving with force and purpose, while overlaying it with vocals that were scattered, spaced out and dissolving into themselves.

Lyrically, the song deals with struggling with mental health, and notes experiences of anxious thought spirals that cause anxiety and a feeling of hopelessness. It also deals with the internal stigma that opening up to someone is something to feel shameful about, and that to do so is to burden them with your feelings. The lyrics are largely based on personal experience, and try to depict how it feels to be overwhelmed by the number, and severity of ones own thoughts and emotions.

How did you go about writing this track?

This track has been in the works for a long time, longer than we’ve ever spent on any song before. Initially it started with a few chords that I thought sounded interesting that I played to the guys, and the next week Tom had configured this really cool marimba loop based on the chords, and the song grew from there. The main focus was always the pulse of the bass and kick, along with the boppiness of the marimba loop. The goal had always been to eventually lead to a more atmospheric explosion of sound, which it does, however quite late into the process we thought a section following the ‘climax’ would be really interesting and complicate the feeling of the song even more.

The main line and eventual title of the song ‘Please Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself’ actually came from one of our jam sessions in which we were trying to come up with vocal ideas by literally just looping the song and forcing ourselves to sing something, until Tom came up with the line Please Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself. A call and response happening between Tom and Cal (singing please don’t be so hard on yourself) and me making up a line that would later become the lyric ‘Don’t Give Me Up’ that you can hear in the back of the mix. I wrote the rest of the melody and vocals a couple of weeks later, centered around these kinds of ideas, and reflecting on particular thoughts I was having around this time.

Please tell us about the bands DIY approach to recording and production:

It’s interesting thinking about this, because we’ve only ever recorded and produced our own stuff, so it seems perfectly standard to me on the inside, but isn’t this case for a lot of artists. There’s obviously pros and cons to doing this for us; we get to have full creative control of the sound, we can give ideas plenty of time to develop and grow without the pressure of deadlines and time constraints weighing on us. At the same time, it means that we have had to put in a lot of work behind the scenes than we otherwise might have had to, particularly in relation to mixing, which Tom has done for every song for us.

It also means we’ve had to put ourselves through a lot of trial and error along the way having no real experience in the field, to try to get a sound that sounded both professional, and how we wanted it to. Sometimes a professional sound is hard to achieve if the equipment and set-up itself doesn’t feel professional, and this has been a definite challenge for us along the way, but one we feel we have been able to overcome through a fair bit of experimentation. We’re still learning HEAPS about the process with every new release, but this one feels like a massive step for us on both a professional and creative level.

Where and When did you record?

Most of the vocals and bass were recorded at Cal’s house, and the guitars, along with the mixing was done at Tom’s house. Because we’re self-recorded and produced, we have the benefit of being able to record really whenever we want. Weirdly enough we often record, mix, and write a song all at the same time as one big process, this song being no exception. So we would often draft an idea for the song, Tom would incorporate it into the mix, we’d record it properly if it needed it, and then move on to other ideas. So our process of writing and recording a song kind of happens all at once. We had essentially finished all of our recordings just before the start of the COVID crisis, so fortunately it didn’t affect the work on this release as much as it could have.

What programs/ instruments did you use?

This song has a fair bit going on in terms of instrumentation; guitars, vocals, bass, synths, sequencers, modulated and acoustic drums, a subtle brass section towards the end of the song and some resampled vocal work to top it off. What is probably most notable to me however is the amount of layers that we managed to put in the song with the final the Logic file nearing 200 total tracks. What’s interesting is that a lot of the effects and sounds, including all of the drums, were done entirely on Logic, as we weren’t able to record them in real life. I think it’s a testament to Tom’s mixing ability as to how convincing each part sounds in the end.

 How did you approach the recording process?

As I touched on a bit before, we recorded, wrote, and mixed this song all as one big process, so a lot of the recording was done on the go when we decided to throw something into the mix. The vocals were probably the major ‘recording session’ focus we had, in which we did actually spend a solid couple of days trying to fully flesh everything out. We knew we wanted the song to have a lot of vocal lines and layers, and so this was probably the most time consuming recording that we did for any one instrument. We also dedicated a session to getting Cal to record the bass for the finished product. Other than that, most of the recording (including the guitars) was done either by Tom at home, or by drafting ideas together in a jam and then refining them and recording them as we went.

Where can we listen?

Our new single, along with all of our other music, is available on all streaming platforms. This includes Spotify, Apple Music, Triple J Unearthed, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and YouTube (Links down below!)

What do you like to do away from music?

If I’m not playing music I usually like to be active and do some form of exercise every day, and then usually spend time hanging with friends or playing videogames (League of Legends a big one there). I also have a habit of watching a lot of YouTube.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Currently still listening to Stella Donnelly’s debut album which is an absolute treat please check it out if you haven’t, as well a fair bit of Joji, Billie Eillish, and Two People. And then as always my standard daily dose of Radiohead for good measure.

What’s planned for 2020?

With everything changing as it is at the minute it’s hard for us to have a fully locked in plan, but at the minute we plan on running out this release and uploading a stack of supporting content that we’ve been working on behind the scenes, and then probably start looking towards finishing writing, recording and releasing a couple of new tracks we’ve got in the works later in the year. On the gigging front, we’re super hopeful that the Aus live music scene will be back on its feet as soon as it can be so that we will be able to give these new singles proper launch releases. Obviously it’s super important for this crisis to be dealt with properly however, so in the meantime we’ll just be keeping insanely active on all our socials to keep providing content to people and doing what we love as best as we can.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Tough one. On the savoury side I’m a bit of a sucker for a bit of Guzman and Gomez, can’t really go past a spicy burrito with guac. On the sweet side, I usually can’t say no to a cheeky Krispy Kreme donut. I don’t really have a favourite one place to hang out, I’m usually just down to hang out with friends, wherever that is. If there’s food, I’ll be there.

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Soundcloud:             https://soundcloud.com/peakpark

Bandcamp:               https://peakpark.bandcamp.com/

When and how did you first get into making music?

I started out making music as part of a high school band when I was 14. This led to song writing and production in my late teen years while studying at University. My early inspirations for creating music came from listening to Kanye West’s singles from 808’s and heartbreak, and the song writing aspect came heavily influenced by Drake.

How would you describe your music style to someone who doesn’t know you?

My music can be both a mix of R&B and Melodic Hip Hop. I usually switch between the two and I enjoy making one as I do the other. Sound-wise it’s ominous and the lyrics always tell a story that people can relate to.

Your Newest single Reload came out on the 29th of May, tell us more about it:

Reload’ is basically my come-back single after a few months off since my EP ‘Come Alive’. I just wanted to get a lot of things off my chest. The track expresses my ability to reset and keep moving, despite the barriers I encounter.

Musically, I worked with an up and coming producer, FRAAN, who’s known for his high-octane hip-hop productions to create this beat. The track has a lot of energy!

We also dropped a music video on the 25th of May so be sure to check it out! 

(Link: https://youtu.be/EJBrQctCxco)

What’s the first song you remember liking?

Homecoming and Heartless by Kanye West.

Who are your biggest influences?

Kanye, Drake, and The Weeknd. Here’s why.

The Weeknd is the greatest ‘artist’ alive right now. He covers a theme, has insane production and great melodies. Drake because of his simple but effective lyricism and Kanye because he’s just the GOAT..

Who is Lakshane outside of the music game?

I’m a pretty laid back guy and a nerd with music. I love events and being out and about if I’m not in my studio. I’m always sprinting up new ideas and love executing them, whether it’s with music or my work career.

What’s your outlook on Australia’s music scene at the moment?

Australia’s Hip Hop scene is definitely in its International boom right now.  I feel like we still have to find what makes us unique instead of adopting or copying others, Youngn Lipz, Chillinit, and Kid Laroi definitely bringing that though. I hope we can move past the boom-bap and onto something new.

With R&B there’s a lot of artists killing it from AU who aren’t talked about like the rappers. They’re putting up great numbers and doing big things. Let’s hope we can make Australia’s urban music industry more profitable for artists.

Who do you want to work with in the future?

From AU I’d love to collab with Youngn Lipz and Chillinit. International wise Saint Jhn, and maybe Drake!

Where are you currently based and how did you wind up there?

I’m currently based in the central highlands of Bali, Indonesia. The waves initially brought me here, I landed a 6 month surf coaching job just as the English winter was about to begin in 2010. It’s been my home base ever since.

How did you first start playing music and singing?

My dad taught me guitar at age 11 but a had piano lessons since I was 6. He and my mum were big Beatles fans and he would teach me a lot of their songs. I especially remember learning blackbird in the garden along with my brother – this was my first intro to fingerpicking. I overcame the ‘singing whilst playing conundrum’ pretty quickly somehow, so I was blessed in that sense, I learnt a bunch of songs from tablature from the internet and from my dads books ranging from Black Sabbath to Van Morrison. My first live song performance was at a friends living room and we only played one song, Daytripper!

How have you been dealing with the current COVID19 situation?

It’s a shocking time and I’m doing my best to stay positive. I’ve been keeping  busy inside recording, I have an album of songs ready to get down and my plan is to release them as singles as I go. I’ve also been getting into some gardening that I’ve been wanting to do for a while but never made the time – it’s nice to do something different and give my ears a break for a day or two. I really like the idea of growing your own food and being self sufficient, plus it feels great to be out in nature. It’s super easy to do in the tropics because everything grows so fast.

You have a new single ‘Lucky Kid’ out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track?

Lucky Kid is a kind of postcard to myself. A reminder of where I’ve come from and what I’ve got to be grateful for. It came to me one day out of nowhere and I wrote the whole thing at the kitchen table in one sitting, which is super rare for me. I always have this nostalgic feeling when I play the song live and I wanted to capture that when it came to recording, which meant performance was key, so there weren’t many takes and it all came together quite quickly.

How did you go about writing Lucky Kid?

It was this rare moment where everything happened at once. I was hanging around downstairs with my acoustic guitar drinking tea and thinking of England and how I got to where I was, just playing around with a few chords and all of a sudden the verse melody came to me and I just started writing out what came into my head.

How and when did you record/produce Lucky Kid and what programs equipment did you use?

I recorded and released Lucky Kid in April 2020. I have a little wooden bungalow next to my house that I use as a studio. It’s helpful to have all my gear and instruments set up so I can just go in when I feel like it. I use an Apogee Duet as my audio interface and Logic X. My go to mic is the Rode NT1a, I also use other condensers and dynamics for different purposes. I started by laying down a scratch guitar and vocal and making sure the tempo is right, then add a live performance of my kick and tambourine and make sure it’s in time. Then once the song is mapped properly I can comfortably go for a real guitar take, then vocals/harmonica and slide guitars and light percussion were added after.

How did you learn how to record/produce?

I’ve always been messing around with recording since I was a kid and I used this Tascam 4 track that was my brothers, but never had any formal training. I schooled myself from copious YouTube videos and blogs and just learnt what I needed to know as I went along – a kind of trial and error approach. By no means am I a pro but I know what I want the song to sound like and I’m now proficient in the various parts of the process to get a decent version down.

Please tell us about how you came to send the mix to a guy in Amsterdam that he ran through his Ampex Analogtape machine, how did this come about and how did the process effect the track?

I sent the mix of Lucky Kid to a friend and we were discussing tape vs digital sound. We started riffing about sending digital mixes through a tape machine to see what it would sound like. I was curious to do an experiment, so after some googling I found this guy in Amsterdam at Lullabye Studios who had an Ampex Tape Machine from the 60’s. So I flipped him the mix and he put it through in various speeds and saturation and sent back 4 different versions. I could really tell the difference, the guitar and vocal and percussion seemed more present to me. I chose the 15IPS setting with normal saturation, It just sounded more full, thicker and clean. Some of the other variations sounded cool but at 7.5IPS with higher saturation it just sounded too gritty for this acoustic song. It was amazing really to be able to do this process remotely. It doesn’t beat actually recording everything to tape of course, but you can get a little bit of that analog colour on your mix for a small price, and I’m stoked with how it turned out. I’ll definitely be doing this with more of my recordings.

Where, when and how did you master Lucky Kid?

So I received the mix after it had gone through the tape machine and I mastered it myself here at home. The process it quite simple really, you are in essence just making the track louder and balanced. I usually just do a bit of EQ, light compression and make sure the loudness meets the optimised standard for streaming platforms like Spotify etc.

What did you find most challenging and rewarding through the process?

I normally have a hard time getting my acoustic guitar to sound good, it’s often quite boomy and involves heavy EQ in the mix, but I played around with some unusual microphone placements and found a spot near my strumming elbow that required almost no EQ whatsoever. I think mic placement is super important and it’s something I’ve overlooked previously.

Where can we listen/buy?

Go over to Spotify, Apple Music or any music platform to listen to Lucky Kid. Its available to purchase on iTunes and Bandcamp too.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I’ve been listening to the Beatles recordings a lot at the moment, they are just fantastic and always inspire me to get into the studio. Been getting into some Dr Dog, Phil Cook and Hiss Golden Messenger to name a few.

What do you like to do away from music?

I really like to travel so I try and go somewhere new each year. I feel like it’s important to go somewhere so I can come back with new ideas and experiences that can weave their way into the music.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

My girlfriend and I have been trying out new recipes and there’s lot of yum food coming out of our kitchen right now. And since I decided to be vegetarian 2 years ago it’s opened my eyes to a whole new world of dishes, hence to say I’ve never looked back. So, actually here at home is my favourite place to eat and hang out right now, and it’s the safest! Plus all my dogs are here too, they love that I’m home so much.

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Where are you currently based? 

Sydney. Marrickville. Coogee. Ashfield. All bases are loaded. 

What’s been happening recently? 

Our debut single If I Knew has landed and we’re very glad that we get to share something new and exciting. On the back of that we’ve been finishing clips, building websites, and all the associated behind the scenes stuff that you need to do to be a band. 

Your new single ‘If I Knew’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? 

We’d gone into the studio on a Saturday morning, and by Sunday afternoon we had the beds down for 10 songs. If I Knew was almost an afterthought, and made it 11. After waiting so long to record an album, the sound of If I Knew is the sound of us making a jubilant, celebratory, messy noise and loving every minute of it. We kept getting to the same point in the song and grinding to a halt, but each time we honed the emerging vision and got closer and closer to nailing that down. The ‘train track riding’ rhythm of the guitar only came out as we were doing the early takes, so each time we stopped it was a chance to really capture that seat of your pants chaos and energy of a song still forming. We’d played the Sebadoh song Magnet’s Coil in the studio, just as a reference for the energy we wanted to capture, and we feel like we got that, and possibly more. The recording is the sound of three friends celebrating the sheer joy of playing together, trusting each other, and having a tonne of fun on the way. 

Once the beds were down we did some guitar doubling, and then for the outro, added the duelling guitar lines and counter vocal melody. Josh sang lead and Eliot sang killer harmonies that really kick the song into another realm. Nick joked that what had started sounding like the Verlaines had ended up sounding like the 3Ds. 

How did you go about writing If I Knew? 

The song had been kicking around for a while – in its previous incarnation it had a feel like Iggy Pop’s the Passenger – so much so that we’d do the La La La bits at the end. It had almost been dead and buried but some songs dig in their hooks and don’t let go. The week before we were due to go in and record we started messing around with an alternate time signature and an alternate feel, but it really wasn’t until we got into the studio that the song found its way. Watching Wilco tear apart songs in the doco I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, and the love of jamming through different incarnations of an idea gave us the freedom to just try different things, which is a real theme across the whole album. If an idea worked it stayed. If it didn’t, it left. 

Lyrically, the song was also a rebuild, with the final lyrics only being completed on the morning the vocals were recorded. It had been another song about escape – but nothing that had been particularly coherent. Whilst that would have been something we’d settled on in the past, the opportunity to record doesn’t happen often enough for us to just waste the chance, so we set about tweaking, tuning and weaving a narrative in the verses, and leaving the chorus untouched. It’s now a song marking how lucky we are to have people in our lives who encourage us to play music, and to be there through all the twists and turns of a long partnership. So in a small way, it’s still a song about escape – that we get to play in a band and live in an alternate universe that’s not plagued by the logistics of jobs, and kids and dishes. It was also a chance to sing in honour of a Fugazi first date. 

Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? 

If I Knew is the first single from our debut album You Don’t Have Time To Stay Lost. We recorded the whole album with Tim Kevin, whom Nick had played alongside in Knievel, and we’d all known to varying degrees through mutual friends. Tim has recorded Youth Group, Holly Throsby, Peabody, Toby Martin, Buddy Glass and stacks of other great records that we really loved. His Tempe River Studios is not in Tempe, but it’s close to the Cooks River and is located in a building adjacent to an old Holden Factory. It has great lino floors, and a hallway that people occasionally walk through as you’re tracking. We can and will always recommend people work with Tim – he’s talented, patient, kind and diplomatic – all qualities a great producer/engineer needs. We started recording in late 2018, and we mixed in 2019. The album was then mastered by JJ Golden in California. JJ’s a second generation mastering engineer, who has mastered albums by Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings, Soundgarden, Neko Case, Calexico and loads of others. 

What programs/instruments did you use?

The sessions were recorded using Pro Tools, with a stack of analog gear to warm things up at all stages. Tim has some beautiful ribbon mics, a collection of fine sonic toys, and some great tricks up his sleeve. Josh played a 1960s Fender Jaguar throughout the whole record, and it ran split through an old cream piggy back Bandmaster and a Vibrolux. He used the amp in Tim’s Ferrograph Tape Machine for the breaking up slide sound, and his Princeton amp to run a Hotcake through for the other outdo line. Nick played a very fetching green DW kit with Meinl cymbals, and had a second floor tom that feels like a truck veering off a highway when hit. Eliot played a Fender Jazz Bass running straight into a DI and then re-amped through a Hi Watt Head and speaker box with a touch of fuzz.  

How did you approach the recording process and did the single turn out as you first imagined?

Across the album we had an almost even split between songs we knew really well, and songs we didn’t. Consequently, there was a real sense of tension and of exploration. By the time we hit Sunday night, and If I Knew, we were really firing on the enthusiasm and confidence we’d built up over a weekend of tightrope walking. Everything we knew was going to work had, and the stuff we hadn’t know would work had locked into place too. It was one massive exercise in trusting ourselves, and each-other.  We were also safe in the knowledge that if it something didn’t work, it really didn’t matter. This was all about having fun, recording some tunes and making good on a promise we’d made to  each other a long time ago. 

In terms of If I Knew, it turned out WAY better than we had imagined. Just before we mastered it, Eliot made the call to kick the song off with the snare roll it now starts with, and that was that. 

What do you like to do away from music?

Hang out with our partners, our kids, our friends, our pets. Laugh, and love. Watch films. Eat cheese. Try not to despair when reading the news. Go swimming. Go walking. Talk politics. Talk music. Read books. Rediscover hope.

Who are you listening to at the moment? 

Big Thief. The Beths. Field Music. King Gizzard. Talking Heads. Aldous Harding. Tropical Fuck Storm. 

What’s planned for 2020? 

Ha! Who could have planned for 2020? Our plan is to (hopefully) release three more singles, and then our debut album You Don’t Have Time To Stay Lost in August. 

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Vietnamese. Mexican. Thai. Home. In a rehearsal room. In a cinema.  

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How did you first start creating music?

I don’t have a musical background and was generally discouraged in this regard growing up. I got to point in my life where I simply had too much bottled up inside myself and had to find a medium through which to get it out. Rap seemed like the genre with the easiest entry level and I set myself the goal of creating a mixtape. I learned as I went, approaching and overcoming obstacles such as not being able to sing, and not having any references of someone creating contemporary rap with an Australian accent. I haven’t stopped since, and I now think the lack of musical training is actually an asset forcing me to be more creative with how I approach my work. 

Your latest single ‘Dirt On the Name of Steven’ is out now, what influenced the punk trap sound for this track?

The song itself is nostalgic, looking back at a period of time I am now distant from and comparing it to where I stand today. The Emo/Pop Punk instrumentation by Lil Aaron is reminiscent of the music I listened to in the years during the events expressed in the song’s lyrics. 

You have an EP on the way, what different creative elements do you have in store for us?

After the release of my EP I’m going to be focusing on finalising my book. It will be a collection of my ritual photography as well as a snapshot of my personal philosophy as it is in this moment. 

But before then I have my most ambitious videoclip yet planned for the first song on the EP, it’s my most favourite song on the EP “Lava”.  I don’t want to give it away, but I think it should make people smile, we all need a little bit of escapism right about now. 

How has The Zheani Sparkes EP progressed or differed from your previous releases?

I think I approached it with a slightly tighter concept than other projects. I aimed to provide context about my past and give people more insight into the background that shaped me. It came out extremely grim so at the very end I sprinkled a bit of positivity like adding sweetener to medicine. 

 What did you find most challenging/rewarding during the creation of the EP?

 Most of what I speak about on the EP is deeply embarrassing. These are memories I tried very hard to suppress and forget. Making music out of these memories is like alchemy, I take something terrible and make art out of it. Then the memory is out there for everyone to experience and I am no longer as ashamed. Transmutation.

I hope this process will allow me to finally leave all that baggage behind, rather than having darkness hidden inside, I want it out of me. I genuinely want to be a happy person. I hope the reward for my transparency will be getting to move on. 

What direction can you see your music taking next?

I want to take a moment and work on some more light-hearted music. However, I’m also considering taking some time to myself in preparation for working on my first album. Technically I’ve released an album-length project, but I’ve never approached them as such. 

What are you listening to at the moment?

City Morgue, Grimes, Nicole Dollanganger, Aphex Twin, Young Thug, Bright Eyes, Tracey Chapman, Neil Young, 100 Gecs. 

What do you like to do away from music?

Cooking, gardening, audio books, stretching/laying horizontal… Waifu Shit. 

What else do you have planned for 2020?

It all depends on when they let us out of the country ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The Zheani Sparkes EP is out on May 29. Stream the latest single ‘Dirt On The Name Of Steven’ here.

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What is your name and role within Dadub?

Daniele Antezza: Post-shamanistic deconstructed recursions

Marco Donnarumma: Infinite old school dub resampling via metamorphic anime sagas.

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

We’re atm both Berlin based, and as you might guess there’s pretty much everything your taste could be hungry of.

How did you first start playing music?

We were both playing in bands since we were kids, since then our interest in music creation has grown exponentially. You just do it, really. There isn’t any particular reason.

What’s been happening recently?

A massive pandemic which is making pretty clear how the neoliberal system we live in is totally inadequate in terms of sustainability and prone to exploitation of everything that lives (or not). Besides the full dystopia we’re going through, we’re doing our best to keep on and to feed Dadub. And more dystopia, of course. 

Please tell us about your up coming EP, influences, where you recorded, who with..?

The EP is the result of a really long process. The influences are too many to be listed, but include artists in Dub, Metal, Trap and ritualistic music. These are tracks we have been composing, mixing and remixing several times throughout a few years. What’s interesting about the EP is that it marked our loving relationship with metal distortions and their insane richness when plugged in dub feedback systems.

You’ve also had a recent line up change, how and why did this come about?
That happened about three, four years ago. Daniele and Giovanni did amazing work together and then came the time for each of them to take different directions. Since a few years now Daniele and Marco have joined forces to bring the Dadub sound beyond its comfort zone and explore new sonic territories.

What’s planned for the April 9th launch at Tresor with SCORN!?

Well, we were very excited about this, Scorn is a hero. Unfortunately, as everyone knows, at the moment all public events are blocked due to the COVID-19 Emergency. We truly hope the show can happen some time in the near future.

What do you think about the current state of world affairs and how is it effecting you and your music?

It’s a dangerous times, especially for people living precarious lives. Life in capitalistic societies is going to change for good. We don’t think anything right now, other than caring for our loved ones. It’s very important that people worldwide do not take this pandemic lightly. We recommend to read less news and more science. Virologists have the most useful things to say these days.

What do you like to do away from music?

Have mystical experiences through combinations of vapors and fluids. Read books. Loads of ‘em.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Scorn. Empress Sativa. Blasphemer. Daighila. Griselda Records. Mønic. Ena. Swarmm. Lemna. Death Qualia.

What’s planned for 2020?

We had shows and other public outings which at least for now are obviously not happening any more. So we will try our best to convey frustration, desperation and perhaps hope into new music fitting these times. 

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Dadub Studio with homemade Parmigiana.

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Where are you currently based?

I have recently relocated to Melbourne, AUS

How did you first start playing music?

My skills began back when I was around 12 years old. While learning to edit videos In spare time… I became obsessed with music production.

How has your COVID19 experience been to date?

Weirdly good. I’ve been able to work intensely on myself outside of the music. Being able to read, learn and practise more skills and ideas has been great. Wishing it were better circumstances but where there is a crisis there is an opportunity.

Your Sophmore album is dropping on the 29th of May 2020, you’ve just released the single ‘Level With Me’ what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track?

I wanted to make some more upbeat and fun to counteract the weird times that are happening around the globe. The idea behind it came from the majority of the world being put in the same position.

How did you go about writing Level With Me?

Started like most of my songs with me writing some chords and putting sounds together. Just after that, the body started to take place. I Wrote the lyrics then had to sit back and take another look.

I ended up making a new beat behind and kept the lyrics and melodies.

Where and when did you record/produce and who with?

I produced this record in 2019 by myself in my apartment. Production, Lyrics Mix and master.

What programs/instruments did you use?

I produce my music in Ableton Live

What did you find most rewarding/challenging during the process of creating Level With Me?

Trying to figure out the correct way to structure and build the record. I actually had to call an Aria award-winning buddy of mine ‘Illy’ to get a second opinion.

Where can we listen?

Spotify, Apple, Tidal, Youtube and Soundcloud.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Im diving deep into the electronic scapes of Max Cooper and Floating Points.

What do you like to do away from music?

I like to read, study and practice psychology specifically in the mental health field.

What’s planned for 2020?

MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Get me with them burgers! Youll catch me hanging at a cafe probably drinking coffee.

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Where are you currently based?

I’m currently based in Brisbane, Australia

How did you first start playing music?

I started playing violin when I was 4 years old… It’s always been a passion of mine.

I was part of many orchestra’s and ensembles growing up.

I had been told by various influential people that I would end up as a concert violinist, but that direction changed when I started improvising and experimenting with music; and that’s when I realised I had an interest in Middle Eastern and Balkan sounds.

My singing came later on… I was actually embarrassed to sing in front of people for a long period of time … I truly didn’t think I could sing.

When I turned 18, I took an interest in song writing and music production and that’s kind of where it all began.

What have you been working on recently?

I’ve just released my new song called “Tøngue Tied” which came out on the 21^st of April.

I’m now preparing for my next release which comes out this month on the 20^th called “Not My Vibe”; – so stayed tuned for that!

Your new single ‘Tongue Tied’ is out now, what influenced the sound and song writing? How did you go about writing Tongue Tied?

Using my emotional pain and turning that into my art is kind of my escape and how I deal with things… It’s actually very therapeutic.

I feel a lot and I am very in touch with my emotions… when I feel, I write.

In the past I’ve allowed certain toxic behaviour from others to control me emotionally to some degree…

I never felt like I was fully in control of my emotions, but rather allowed people to treat me the way they wanted to, just to keep the peace.

I’m a very empathetic person… It’s my nature… in the past I would always try to please everyone before pleasing myself… and that would often be to the wrong people.

Writing Tøngue Tied was about me re-gaining my power and self-worth, as well as my healing process and journey.

Where and when did you record/produce? Who did you work with during recording/producing? Who did you work with during recording/producing?

My producer and close friend Brandon Jonak really helped me overcome a lot of insecurities and allowed me to express myself artistically.

I’ve worked with a number of producers in the past who have been controlling in some form or other – whether that be related to lyrics or melodies or whatever.

I remember I worked with one producer who constantly berated me… they would say things like “oh that was sh*t” or “why would you do that, that was absolute rubbish”- things that would really crush me as a song writer and artist. I ended up hating writing with this person as it was always about what they approved or didn’t and there was no sort of ‘collaboration’ between us but was all one sided.

When I first worked with Brandon, he sent me home with this random beat he had made 5 minutes before and said, “Do whatever you feel sounds good, then send it back when you finish”.

I remember ringing him literally the day after and was so anxious as to whether he was going to like it or complain about something and make me change it… I remember the first thing he said was “wow this is amazing Sophie…So this is the way we are going to work – I’ll do my thing, you do yours, no pressure, no stress, our creativity combined!”

From that moment on, I felt comfortable and able to really challenge myself and had finally the freedom to really create music that I loved.

Anyone who’s been in similar situations knows how important it is to have good dynamics between yourself and your collaborators.

Please tell us about how losing your hearing has affected you and how you are dealing with it:

Waking up one morning and completely losing your hearing in one ear without any previous health issues doesn’t really seem possible… but it happened, and I’m left with a completely and permanently deaf ear.

I didn’t think I would be able to continue music and there were a lot of obstacles I had to face.

A whole year later and it is what it is. I’ve come such a long way to heal and to accept what happened.

My whole lifestyle has changed because of this but it’s only given me more desire to want to help others.

Having a disability isn’t just about the physical aspect.

There’s the anxiety and depression to deal with, bullying, acceptance, rejection and much misunderstanding from people… it’s real and I’ve experienced it.

Because of my suffering, I feel I need to be a voice for those who are also experiencing and struggling with disabilities… and that is exactly what I’m going to do.

Who are you listening to at the moment? 

At the moment I’m listening to a lot of house remixes. I go through weird stages where I’ll listen to a specific genre for a period of time and then get bored and go to another completely random genre.

Who or what influences your sound?

Jhene Aiko has been a massive influence. Her music, her lyrics, her persona, has helped me a lot in my personal growth.

She’s an artist I truly admire.

Doja Cat has influenced the Urban/Hip-hop sound that I’m now incorporating into my music.

What do you like to do away from music?

When I’m not doing music, I’m painting, I’m drawing, I’m learning a language. I’m a creative. I also have ADHD, so my mind constantly wanders, and I get more easily distracted than most, so I need to be doing something at all times.

Please tell us about your experience being an Australian with an Albanian Royal connection:

My family found out we were bloodline descendants of Albania’s national hero “Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg”, who is my 14^th generation great grandfather, back in around 2011.

The importance of what this man stood for and his legacy didn’t really resonate with me at the time…I was growing up far from Europe, so culturally I was a bit naïve to say the least.

Now as time has passed and having visited Europe several times, I understand his role in European and Balkan history – I am incredibly proud and in awe of his achievements.

I’m so lucky to share his blood and I feel it’s my duty now, with my platform to really spread the word as to what a great man he was.

What’s planned for 2020?

Unfortunately, Covid-19 has really put a stop to a lot of things this year for me. I was planning to tour around Europe and perform at various places.

Right now, I’m continuing to write and produce more songs and see where life takes me.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Vietnamese food… Hands down. Place to hang would probably be in the studio.

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