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Where are you currently based?
I am currently based in Sydney, Australia.
How did you first start playing music?
Music has always been a big part of my life from playing the recorder in my childhood years and then moving on to playing clarinet, guitar and the drums. My upbringing with also living in remote places such as Arnhem Land and Papua New Guinea has definitely had a positive influence on me as a person and into my song writing.
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far?
The year 2020 has been a year of growth and re-connection to my inner self. I have been going for walks in nature with my Staffy Flo, meditating and enjoying practising the Wim Hoff method. During COVID lockdown, I found myself picking up the guitar a lot more and revisiting my song writing. You could say that ‘Endure’ was born in a year of great worldly change.
Your new single ‘Endure’ is out soon, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
I am very excited to have released my new single ‘Endure’. My influence for this song comes from a belief that we are living in world increasingly challenged by lack of social connection and isolation from nature. Endure is about the endless importance of harmony with the natural world, and a gentle reminder of what has and always will be important.
How did you go about writing Endure?
Firstly, by playing around with chords and sythn progressions in the studio and I then came up with the lyric ideas to lay over the top, and it all unfolded from there. Originally the instrumentation had a strong electronic influence, but I decided to strip it back quite a bit. Overall, I wanted to go for a simple vibe to drive a clear message – that was really what I was looking for in this song.
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with?
All done in the home studio, with the help of my multi-talented muso husband.
How did you approach the recording process and what did you most enjoy?
Just knocked back a few shots and off we went. Not really, it was all quite focused. Once I had a clear vision of what I wanted, it was just a matter of having several studio sessions to get it all down. I loved the process of laying down the vocals in my own personalised green coloured vocal booth with an ornamental frog light-catcher. Just bringing in the rainforest vibes!
What programs/instruments were used?
Logic, with programmed synths and drums. Plus added live guitars and bass.
How did the concept for the music video come about?
My vison for the Endure music clip was to simply be walking along a forest trail and absorbing the energy of nature. I wanted to show the beauty, nature and love. And yes, there is a tree hug in there! The video is a powerful reminder that the simple things in life have never been more important and reflects on lost memories and intimate connections.
Where and when did you film and who did you work with?
It was filmed in the The Cumberland State Forest, which was perfect for the forest trail walk, and to our surprise also the ideal spot for the filming of the drone shots. The way I connected with the Videographer John Mamutil was via Instagram, which was amazing, as we found out later that we actually already knew each other outside of Instagram. To work together on the Endure clip was the perfect collaboration for both of us.
What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of the music video?
I really enjoyed the editing side of things, and I loved the creative process of putting all of the footage together. To see the storyline come to life is very rewarding. But the challenging thing for me would be the grading part of it – though I got through it and am pretty happy with the whole outcome.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
So many different things – new and old. I made up my own Spotify playlist called ‘Random Friends and Finds’- which pretty much sums up who I love to listen to.
What do you like to do away from music?
I love to Roller skate! That is my new thing to do either at the skate park or at the roller rink. I am a visual artist and have a fashion label called Luvlok too. I have shown my art in solo and group exhibitions in Sydney and the ACT, and my paintings were recently featured on the ABC TV series Black Comedy. My fashion label Luvlok, is very Artisan style having a focus on one-of-a-kind garments made with natural hand painted fabrics. I have been blessed to have had these featured in US fashion magazines, Elegant Magazine, SALYSE, and Prolific.
Any gigs coming up?
Not at the moment, but in 2021 – I hope so…. readers – feel free to follow my Instagram account to keep yourself in the loop.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?
It’s almost Christmas Partae peeps, so celebrating is on the cards. And for 2021 – Recover, continue writing and reconnect with family after this crazy year that we all have had. And I have a whole library of songs that are just bursting to be released into the world. So, keep tuned.
Favourite food and place to hang out?
Formaggi Ocello in Surry Hills, Sydney – that would be my fav. You really need to experience their ‘Cheese and Wine’ nights. In summer, my perfect hang would be somewhere with a pool, palm trees, and a cocktail bar…. either by the beach or nestled somewhere in the Aussie bushland.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
Spotify: https://bit.ly/MiaLovelock
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What is your name and role within Big Orange?
Daniel. Songwriter
Where are you currently based?
Western suburbs of Perth
Congratulations on the new album, ‘An Ode To Odious’! How does the record sit with you guys as a band, now it’s finally out and released?
Thank you. While others enjoy the album it’s good for us to be able to sort of forget about it and move onto something new. We went back to the studio the week it was released.
Would you say the approach to songwriting/arranging differed much during the creative process of this album? (If so, how?)
No, it’s the same process where I bring complete songs demoed to the band and we work out how to play them.
What was something you learned about the way Big Orange works together, over the course of making ‘An Ode To Odious’?
Well Jamie our drummer is a fairly new addition and our first time with him in the studio so it’s all been learning really.
Were you particularly inspired by any sounds or records going into making this album?
I haven’t been listening to a lot of music over the last few years because I don’t wanna get too influenced by it or rip off a song or something. Especially when I’m working on stuff and I’m always working on stuff. But there are lots of influences on the album.
If ‘An Ode To Odious’ was THE album for newcomers to Big Orange’s sounds, what tracks would you recommend they listen to first to get a good scope of the type of band you are, and why?
Our sound is pretty all over the place so it’s hard to give an idea of what type of band we are but maybe I Wanna Know and Goodnight Kiss Vampire Bite because it displays some of the variety in our styles going from rock to a more piano based pop song.
Beirut-born, Dubai-based Bachir Salloum is an artist turning heads right now with his blend of deep and progressive house music. We caught up with him around the release of his new EP on 3rd Avenue ‘Head Above Water’…
Hey Bachir, thanks for talking with us! Where are you right this moment?
Hello guys, thank you for your interest in me, and for having me on your radar.
I am from Beirut but living in Dubai for the past 5 years.
You’ve loved music since you were young and got into the Beirut scene where you’re from, but what was it that brought your big break?
Well, music was always a big part of my daily life, so I think every achievement in my musical career seems like one of many big breaks to me.
You’ve played alongside some amazing artists, what was the biggest pinch me moment for you?
Can’t really decide which one was the best moment, all my shows are very special to me. But one that always stays in my memory was playing alongside Black Coffee in Dubai. I reached the venue early, it was only the two of us on the bill, the venue was completely empty, which is my favourite scenario because I like to fill up the dance floor and start ambient vibes. Also, on that specific night, one of my favourite producers and influencers was there to listen to me play, that person was Guy J. I don’t think I will ever forget that night.
You’ve just released ‘Head Above Water’ on 3rd Avenue. Congrats, it’s an awesome release! What was the inspiration behind these tracks?
I wrote these tracks after ADE festival, it’s one of my favourite festivals, plus Amsterdam is a great city. The whole experience is an amazing inspiration, you listen to the best quality of music from great artists.
Where did you write them? Which track is your favourite if you had to pick?!
I did these tracks at my home studio, it’s where I spend most of my time, creating and learning. In the music universe you learn something new every day. To be honest I really like all 3 tracks, the EP is versatile as it caters to different audiences. But if I really had to pick one it would be the title track, “Head Above Water”.
How are you finding the current situation, as you’re based in Dubai, how is it there?
Dubai is an amazing city, super-advanced and safe, I believe we all learned how to cope and adapt to the current situation, but I always say, amazing things are coming along for all of us.
Have you found that COVID has helped you get motivated and inspired in the studio, or has it been hard – I guess do you find the gigs inspiring when it comes to writing new music too, or have you been able to stay focused with all this time we’ve had to stay in?
This pandemic was a big mental challenge for all of us, and like most people, I had my ups and downs, but I am also grateful that this pandemic has given me the opportunity to truly focus on creating music and improving my techniques to go deeper into music production. This has been the silver lining for me.
What’s next for you?
I’ve got a track ‘Transverse Waves’ dropping on Hoomidas’ ‘Hoom Side of the Moon’ compilation on Dec 18th. More releases are coming up which I am really excited to share with everyone. And of course, hopefully 2021 will see us back playing and dancing.
Bachir Salloum’s ‘Head Above Water’ EP is out now on 3rd Avenue, get it here: https://www.beatport.com/
https://www.facebook.com/bachirsmusic/
https://www.instagram.com/bachirsalloum/
https://twitter.com/Bachirsalloum
Where are you currently based?
I am currently based in Brisbane, about 30 minutes north of the city.
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far?
My Covid experience has been a bit rocky. I play gigs for a living, and have done so for the past 4 years, and I took a big hit during Covid. I also ended up being lost and unmotivated with nothing to do. But after a while, I picked myself back up and made the decision to figure out and reinvent myself. I also had loads of free time to work on new music.
But things are starting to pick back up. And for all the bad of Covid, it did have some positives in there.
How did you first start playing music?
When I was 5 my mom enrolled me to get piano lessons, which I continued till I was about 11. But when I was 16 is when I first picked up a guitar, and got serious with my music.
You’ve changed up your sound to more RnB pop style, why’d this come about?
During the lockdown I had endless amounts of time to listen to a wide range of genres and experiment. I was unclear about my direction with my music and so I tried heaps of sounds with my guitar and loops to arrive at my current R&B/ Pop-esque style. I also made changes to my look with the blonde hair.
Your new single ‘Crazy Crazy’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
“Crazy Crazy” came about during the lockdown period. When I write music, I usually lay down a beat and chord progression using my looping rig. The chorus was the first thing I wrote in that song. This was when I was experimenting with my new style.
After getting the live version of the track complete, I headed over to the studio where myself and Josh Beattie added the crazy elements you hear in the song. For example, there is a percussion section in the song where Josh plays on two glasses using a fork and a spoon. After putting the studio version together I did a rewrite of some of the lyrics, which resulted in “Crazy Crazy” as you hear today.
How did you go about writing Crazy Crazy and what is the story behind the track?
The track was based on a past relationship. Where everything seemed great at one point, but this was just the honeymoon phase. You turn around a few days later and its over, just like that, with no warning whatsoever. Makes you wonder if the signs were always there.
Where and when did you record/produce/master?
“Crazy Crazy” was recorded with and produced by Josh Beattie at his studio in the Gold Coast, and afterwards was mastered by Paul Blakey.
How was your experience working with Josh Beattie the producer?
This is the 2nd track I have done with Josh Beattie, and we have always had a good chemistry in the studio. We seem to have the same wacky curiosity for trying different things and weird sounds which we never think would work, but almost always end up making the final cut of the track.
Working with Josh is a blast because he is great at filling in the missing pieces, as well as encouraging artists and making them feel at ease. I know this for a fact because I recorded my first song with him and was very nervous heading in to record.
We recorded “Crazy Crazy” over 2 days, and this was the first track recorded in his new studio. Plus he also lets me sleep in the studio, so I don’t have to commute back and forth from Brisbane, which is a bonus.
What’s the Brisbane live music scene like post Covid?
I think things are slowly starting to pick back up in Brisbane. The first few weeks back playing live gigs were a bit tricky, with the “no dancing” rule. I’d see people vibing, only to be approached by venue staff who inform them they need to be seated.
However, things seem to be returning to a state of normalcy. I believe that there are still less live gigs going around, and still some limitations, but hopefully in the next few months we will be back to the usual.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Someone asked me recently who my favorite artist was and I said something along the lines of “I don’t think I have a favorite artist of all time, but if you asked me who my favorite modern artist is it would have to be Khalid”. He has a unique style, which is unmistakable. Some other artists I’m really vibing with right now are Childish Gambino, Bruno Mars and Daniel Caesar.
What do you like to do away from music?
When I’m not working on music or related material, you can find me at the gym. I train in mixed martial arts (Kickboxing & Jiu Jitsu) which I personally believe improves my focus, discipline and drive in other aspects of my life.
I also love the occasional binge, with my most recent being “The Queens Gambit”
Any new music on the way?
I have another track set for release early next year, potentially in February/ March. Don’t want to give out too many hints just yet, but I thought I would start the new year by releasing something a bit laid back and chilled out.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?
Well, I just had my sold out single launch show at the JunkBar, Brisbane. This show was set to be my final big event for this year. I will be releasing a couple of videos from my show, as well as a little animated video & lyric video over the coming weeks leading into January.
Apart from that, I have a radio interview at Juice FM in the Gold Coast set for Friday the 11th.
Favourite food and place to hangout?
Korean Fried Chicken is hands down my favorite thing to eat.
The favorite place to hang is kinda a tricky one, theres a couple because I drive around a bit for gigs. But once in a while, my housemate and I (also a musician) would go to Shorncliffe pier and have a late night jam sesh at like 2 AM.
Melbourne based artist JXCKY (pronounced: Jacky) is finalising his 2020 with RnB, pop infused single titled What’s So Good About Brandon?
Following his most recent release Lockdown Lover which gained JXCKY a massive amount of industry and audience awareness, this new release promises to showcase a wider range of creativity and soul.
“Jxcky captures the melancholy and heartbreak being felt the world over, but through his silky vocals shines a light of hope” – Australian Music Scene 2020
The single underlines that post summer break-up despair, a position many individuals have found themselves in. The denial and anger, struggling to come to accept. In the midst of secrets, confessions and constant comparison, that the ideal outcome that they sought in this affair is never going to happen.
Artist Biography:
It is the pursuit of every artist to captivate their audience and transport every listener to a sonic fantasy that captures both the objective and subjective aspects of life. For Melbourne based artist JXCKY (pronounced: Jacky), this pursuit is integral to his brand overall, seeking to capture the dramatic, tumultuous and fleeting moments to create a lasting, sentimental effect on anyone and everyone who is willing to listen, empathise and understand.
Seamlessly blending contemporary pop with modern R&B flair, JXCKY utilises his literary influences and passion for writing to uniquely detail his personal experiences into memorable hooks and melodies. Inspired by artists who are intrinsically authentic like Taylor Swift and Zayn, and those who explore spiritual complexity and the power of sincerity like Daniel Caesar and Bruno Major, JXCKY unites these qualities to create a truly synergised sound with the ability to intimately navigate through deep musical labyrinths.
The future looks bright for JXCKY with multiple singles slated for worldwide release over the next few months of 2020, leading into a cosmic album project in 2021, exploring the universal themes of anger, jealousy, revenge in a signature dark pop / R&B soundscape.
Facebook – https://facebook.com/jxckymusic
Instagram – https://instagram.com/jxckymusic
Twitter – https://twitter.com/jxckymusic
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB9KPzeyHmQ0C0j4S95vtxg
What is your name and role within Dust Of Us?
My name is Lloyd and I am one half of Dust of Us. I mostly do the synths/drum programming side of things while the other half, my brother Edward, does the live instrument/vocals/lyrics side of things. There are no hard and fast rules though.
We are based out of the Central Coast, NSW, as that’s where the writing tends to happen.
Same as most people, I’m sure. Just spending a lot of time at home, consuming media that years ago you had flippantly promised to friends that you would “add it to ‘The List'” after they told you about it, but unless there had been a pandemic you probably never would have.
For this particular track, the sound and texture side of things just sort of fell together quite nicely. We weren’t necessarily looking to create any one particular soundscape or channel any one particular artist. Simply going fishing with different VST instruments, looking for those sounds that made us go “ooh that’s interesting maybe”.
The same way we write most of our music. My brother and I will usually get together for a day and carve out several musical ideas, most of them shit. The ones that we still like after sitting on them for a bit are then expanded on, both together in person and remotely via e-mail/text/phone calls.
Technically, the song was recorded in three places! Most of the instrumentation was recorded at my brother’s place in the Central Coast. The vocals, as I mentioned, were recorded in London at our friend Jess’ home. The song then made its way to Los Angeles where our mixer/masterer extraordinaire Matthew Neighbour put the finishing touches on it.
Our approach, generally, is that we write and record simultaneously. As a result, things are abandoned quickly if they aren’t working for us, either as a structural or recorded element. The great thing about being a two piece, but also being siblings, means there is little to navigate when it comes to creative decisions. There is an open and honest dialogue and no bruised egos. Being able to say “I think that sucks, let’s not go down that rabbit hole” and then move on quickly is key.
Our friends and labelmates Fresco Kyoto (Brisbane band) did one and this dude in Melbourne called Super Magic Hats did the other. We couldn’t believe how much love they put into it – both remixes are amazing.
It was actually suggested to us by one of our wonderful publicists Sammie. It was a bit of a lightbulb moment and kinda bizarre that we’d never considered remixes ourselves, given a lot of the projects that we modelled Dust of Us on (eg. Massive Attack, Gorillaz, The Avalanches) always get loads of remixes done for their stuff. It’s such a fun way to collaborate.
Brilliant. A++, would remix again. The whole nature of our project is supposed to be highly collaborative, with different guests coming and going – and remixes are just an extension of that. It was like Christmas came early when the remixes landed in our inbox.
They’re super different. The Fresco Kyoto one picks up where the original left off and takes the instrumental into new territory, but still keeps all the vocal melodies intact. And they added another vocal – Robbie Balmer their singer sings the second verse on their version – and he’s an incredible singer, so that was a nice surprise.
Just gotta finish our EP. 2 more tracks to go, they’re almost there. Trying to get it ready for Feb release.
Right now just trying to decide on my album of the year. I’ve managed to whittle it down to either Caribou’s ‘Suddenly’, The Strokes ‘The New Normal’ or Fleet Foxes ‘Shore’.
Nerd stuff – like build lego, read comics and other similar past-times.
Japanese cuisine is my jam, and I’ve recently discovered this awesome little Izakaya joint called Nakano Darling in Haymarket, Sydney, which has become my favourite place to be. The food is delicious, the staff are lovely, and the beer/whiskey is plentiful.
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Following a hugely successful launch of their debut single, new Yolŋu surf-rock band King Stingray have released a mesmerising new video for ‘Hey Wanhaka’.
Premiering at the Clipped Music Video Festival this past weekend, the animated video for Hey Wanhaka was created by the band’s guitarist, Roy Kellaway, along with artist and long time mate, Kayla Flett. “This clip tells a story of the Stingray man travelling around the Territory.” explains Kellaway, “The Stingray man meets up with the Lorrpu (white cockatoo) and they party and celebrate together. The cockatoo is then putting the word out to everything “Hey! Wanhaka? Whats everyone up to?“.
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John Carpenter has shared a new single and visualiser for “The Dead Walk,” a track from his first album of non-soundtrack music in nearly five years, Lost Themes III: Alive After Death (set for release February 5 from Sacred Bones).
The song’s pulsing synths and skittering hi-hats calls to mind a zombie apocalypse situated in a discotheque, a mental image reinforced by the accompanying visualiser in which artwork by Boneface is given creepy life by Liam Brazier’s animation. The clip also hints toward a more detailed visual collaboration to come.
Underpinning Carpenter’s musical renaissance has been his ongoing and evolving collaboration with Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies. They’ve composed and performed as a trio since the first Lost Themes album in 2015: on studio albums, on soundtracks, and onstage.
On Lost Themes III, the trio reaches a new level of creative mind meld as richly rendered worlds are built in the interplay between Davies’s guitar and the duelling synthesisers played by the Carpenters. But whereas the original Lost Themes album came as a pleasant surprise after years of relative silence from Carpenter, the third instalment sees him in the midst of a resurgent moment as a cultural force. The trio’s 2018 Halloween score gave his music its biggest audience in decades, and the world he releases his new album into is one that has, at long last, given him the credit he deserves as a founding father of modern electronic music.
LOST THEMES III: ALIVE AFTER DEATH TRACK LIST
1. Alive After Death
2. Weeping Ghost
3. Dripping Blood
4. Dead Eyes
5. Vampire’s Touch
6. Cemetery
7. Skeleton
8. Turning the Bones
9. The Dead Walk
10. Carpathian Darkness
In early 2021 Midnight Oil will perform a handful of special outdoor concerts called Makarrata Live. At each show, the band will be joined on stage by an incredible line up of First Nations collaborators for a unique concert event featuring music from their #1 mini album The Makarrata Project plus iconic Midnight Oil songs of Reconciliation from throughout their career.
These gigs will seek to elevate The Uluru Statement From The Heart which calls for a Makarrata – or “truth telling” – to account for the theft of lands and displacement of First Nations people. The shows will take place in strict accordance with each state’s Covid19 protocols. Due to the huge logistical challenges involved, these events will only be staged at one venue in SA, QLD, NSW, VIC & ACT making them each a unique live experience. The band is aware that many fans will be disappointed that the tour is visiting such a limited number of locations but Midnight Oil will tour in their own right later in 2021 by which time large indoor shows can hopefully be staged safely and without compromise throughout Australia and New Zealand at least.
Makarrata Live will be previewed at Sirromet Wines (near Brisbane) on Sunday 28 February, before its official world premiere on Monday 8 March at WOMADelaide in South Australia (at which the band will also perform a one-off headline performance on Saturday 6 March). The Makarrata Live dates will then follow on at Hope Estate in the Hunter Valley on Saturday 13 March and Canberra’s Stage 88 on Wednesday 17 March before a grand finale at Geelong’s Mt Duneed Estate on Saturday 20 March. For full tour and ticketing info see below.
“We’re relieved and excited at the thought of finally playing music to live audiences again”, said Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett. “Lots of the songs which have struck the deepest chords with our audiences over the years, like Beds Are Burning, Jimmy Sharman’s Boxers, The Dead Heart and Truganini, revolve around Indigenous issues so we’re definitely inspired to be playing a set that combines older songs like those with newer songs that share similar lyrical themes.”
“The most fulfilling part of The Makarrata Project came through collaborating with so many First Nations artists during those recording sessions”, adds the band’s guitarist and keyboard player, Jim Moginie. “I think everyone’s looking forward to seeing what shape all the music from different eras takes as those gifted singers add their voices to it live. We’ve never done anything like this so it feels good to still be pushing the envelope a bit despite everything that’s happened in 2020.”
Midnight Oil originally planned to play some Makarrata Live concerts earlier this year including a headlining slot at Splendour In The Grass. Those plans were unfortunately delayed by Covid19 and were then thrown into doubt by the harrowing terminal illness of long-time bass player, Bones Hillman. However, Bones urged his bandmates to proceed with these live shows to help draw focus to the new recordings the group had all made together late last year. In fact, just a few hours before his tragic passing he received confirmation that The Makarrata Project had debuted at the top of the ARIA Album Charts. It was Midnight Oil’s first new music #1 since Hillman’s very first record with the band, Blue Sky Mining, way back in 1990.
“Bonesy leaves giant shoes to fill but we’ll need to find a new bass player for this tour”, said drummer Rob Hirst. “On this issue Bones was clear: ‘the show must go on!’, he said, ‘as soon as it’s safe to play gigs again’. We’re hoping that these Makarrata Live shows will increase awareness of The Uluru Statement From The Heart and further the reconciliation between First Nations and non-Indigenous Australians, we’ll also be dedicating the tour to Bones.”
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