Music Interviews | The Partae

Electronic Music Inclusion Initiative launched to promote a speak up culture and...

April 14, 2021

AMY SHARK’S NATIONAL TOUR TO PROCEED IN FULLY SEATED CAPACITY IN JUNE/JULY...

April 14, 2021

DUCKS LTD. (FKA DUCKS UNLIMITED) SIGN TO CARPARK RECORDS + ANNOUNCE GET...

April 14, 2021

Ball Park Music, Beddy Rays, Sycco, No Money Enterprise and MZAZA to...

April 14, 2021

TINY LITTLE HOUSES RELEASE NEW SINGLE & VIDEO ‘CAR CRASH’

April 14, 2021

LUCY DACUS Announces new album Home Video Shares new single & video...

April 14, 2021

ERIKA DE CASIER Announces album Sensational out May 21 Shares new single...

April 14, 2021

ELECTRONIC MUSIC HUB XE54 IS HOSTING A ONE-OFF DAY PARTY AT THE...

April 13, 2021

MARCELO DE LA VEGA REVEALS DEBUT EP ARRIVES WITH LEAD SINGLE AND...

April 13, 2021

MOUNTAIN BIRD CONFRONTS THE INTERNET WITH HIS NEW EP ‘ONCE WE WERE...

April 13, 2021

Introducing: FLOURISH Self-Taught Producer & Multi-Instrumentalist Makes His Debut With ‘Time Stops’

April 13, 2021

THE LATHUMS release ‘Oh My Love’ a song of hope from a...

April 13, 2021

Enigmatic Producer & DJ Claptone Remixes Storm Queen’s Latest Single ‘For A...

April 13, 2021

Music From The Home Front 2021 | ANZAC Day Eve – Sat...

April 13, 2021

$NOT DROPS NEW SINGLE & VIDEO “WHIPSKI” feat LIL SKIES Produced by...

April 13, 2021

RENOWNED COMPOSER DANNY ELFMAN ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM ‘BIG MESS’ VIA ANTI- /...

April 13, 2021

MAPLE GLIDER ANNOUNCES DEBUT ALBUM ‘TO ENJOY IS THE ONLY THING’ OUT...

April 13, 2021

INTRODUCING EYEDRESS AND HIS GLOBAL HIT ‘JEALOUS’

April 13, 2021

CLOSE COUNTERS RELEASE ACCOMPANYING MUSIC VIDEO ANNOUNCE ‘FLUX’ EP AND TOUR DATES

April 13, 2021

DJ GOMI, MIKE IVY & SARAH MATTEA – RELEASE ‘WHAT U DO’

April 13, 2021

Lulleaux & Aukoustics & Anna Graceman bring Anthemic pop made for the...

April 12, 2021

DJ Gomi, Mike Ivy & Sarah Mattea -‘What U Do’

April 12, 2021

QUENTYN ‘ENROUTE’

April 12, 2021

JERRICA ALYSSA

April 12, 2021

R3HAB & Andy Grammer Reunite for Emotive Fusion of Dance and Pop...

April 12, 2021

AVALANCHE SHARE NEW SINGLE & VIDEO ‘SECOND HAND BAND’ + ANNOUNCE NEW...

April 9, 2021

THE TESKEY BROTHERS RELEASE COVER OF ‘NEVER TEAR US APART’ BY INXS...

April 9, 2021

UNIFIED Music Group & Bolster Partner With Creative Victoria To Produce The...

April 9, 2021

MATT GUDINSKI ASSUMES ROLE OF CEO MUSHROOM GROUP

April 9, 2021

EX-OLYMPIAN Afterlife Remixed EP is out now! Second Melbourne launch show announced

April 9, 2021

Good Lekker – Unveil Hypnotic Accompanying Video For ‘Hard to Be Alone’

April 9, 2021

Introducing Behind You who share caustic new song ‘Burning’

April 9, 2021

ONSLOW UNVEIL COLOSSAL DEBUT SINGLE ‘LET ME RUST’

April 9, 2021

Groove City

April 9, 2021

SOMEPLACE, SOMEWHERE An arts & music culture event by picnic. (partnered with...

April 8, 2021

AGUNG MANGO REFLECTS ON CANDID A+B SIDE ‘120FPS / WISEFOOL’ JOINS GENESIS...

April 8, 2021

Queensland Music Awards Announces first round of 2021 finalists, Billy Thorpe Scholarship...

April 8, 2021

MICRA RELEASE TWO-TRACKER ‘UNDERCOVER LOVER’ AND ‘I SHOULDN’T HAVE LISTENED’

April 8, 2021

CRUMB Share two new songs ‘BNR’ & ‘Balloon’ Video for ‘BNR’ out...

April 8, 2021

HORSEGIRL Sign to Matador Records Announce Vans Channel 66 Livestream Concert on...

April 8, 2021

Moovin Festival announce 12 hour barn party w/ Congo Natty, Mr Scruff,...

April 8, 2021

DON DIABLO DROPS WORLD’S FIRST FULL LENGTH CONCERT NFT ‘DESTINATION HEXAGONIA’

April 8, 2021

The Avalanches confirmed as inaugural Artists in Residence at major new winter...

April 8, 2021

Opening night of Parrtjima – A Festival in Light, Friday 9 April,...

April 8, 2021

YouTurn It Up Postponed – Saturday 19 June 2021

April 8, 2021

RADIOHEAD Announce new series of streamed archival live shows! January 16, 2008...

April 7, 2021

HOKO release official music video for latest single ‘Big Mistake’

April 7, 2021

THE WRECKS release new single I WANT MY LIFE BACK NOW

April 7, 2021

DJ GOMI: Kazuhiko Gomi MIKE: Mike Ivy SARAH: Born Sarah Kate Sporleder and Sarah Mattea comes from my great great aunt Deensha Matthee who was a famous Opera singer in Czechoslovakia during the days of Vaudeville. I slightly changed the spelling and Mattea means “Gift of God” or “God’s Gift” in Hebrew. How did you all three come together for this special collaboration? Mike & Gomi had great success on previous collaborations together in recent years, and we all came together in 2019 to do “Touch” which was released on Toolroom Trax under Sarah's moniker Luv Junkie. Mike & Gomi wanted Sarah to sing this new cool track they produced and of course, She was all in as a Sarah Mattea release instead of Luv Junkie for this one. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? SARAH: That’s a loaded question it’s been quite a year! So much has happened for all of us. It has certainly made it hard to get in the studio with everyone. Right now, it is all about building back our communities and making sure our loved ones stay safe. MIKE & GOMI: It has been tough at times, working on music and taking things day by day. Many gigs have died down or basically disappeared with quarantine, but we do the best with what we have and stay creative at home or in the studio safely. As a collab the three of you have written the single 'What U Do' how did you all decide on the direction to take the songwriting? Mike & Gomi had this incredible track and we all got together for a writing session back in July 2020. Sarah had these two song ideas on her voice notes that fit perfectly so we mashed those together and added some adlibs along with all the magic! What influenced the sound and songwriting? Sarah was in Ibiza when she wrote those two song ideas, giving Mike and Gomi the idea of taking that ibiza sound influence to the track and the melodies flowed perfectly. How did you all go about writing What U Do? We were in Gomi’s studio just throwing around ideas to the track him and Mike created, and it was truly a group effort. Each of us have our creative forte’s and it really makes for a perfect production when we all come together. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with? Gomi’s studio and all the above were done by the three of us. How did the recording/production process take place? Mike & Gomi wanted a vocal on this track idea and I was excited to work with them again. What programs/equipment/instruments did you use? MIKE/GOMI: Logic Pro, UAD Apollo, Avalon compressor, Neumann microphone, some Roland gear, Korg M1, Fabfilter plugins, UAD plugins, and many other plugins, some drum samples from splice. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the writing and recording/production process? COVID made it a little challenging, but we put this together and recorded it in one night. Mike & Gomi spent some time on the production of course, but we always have a great time in the studio, laughing, sharing ideas and bouncing around our ideas. Will you all be working together in the future on more music? Yes, Mike & Gomi already have a track that they are waiting on Sarah to get in the studio to put my vocals on for the next LUV JUNKIE project! Who are you listening to at the moment? GOMI: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven MIKE: I have an eclectic taste and variety of genres so just about everything depending on the mood. SARAH: I have a huge spectrum of styles that I like to listen to, so I toggle my Pandora between the top pop radio hits, old school R&B and house music stations. What do you like to do away from music? SARAH: Real estate career by day and love to coach young women in gymnastics and fitness. I also give my time to local charities such as Sing for Hope and New York Cares. GOMI: Go to the gym and exercise. MIKE : Hanging with my family, watching movies, going out and spending time together. What's planned for What U Do and the remainder of 2021? Purple Tea has some great plans for the release….. So play it loud and hopefully get some summer performances/gigs! We certainly hope the fans love it, grab a copy and stream it on all platforms worldwide! Favourite food and place to hangout? GOMI:Ramen shop- ICHIRAN in Brooklyn. MIKE:I’m a foodie so there’s too many to mention but I love Astoria and Williamsburg in NYC, where you have a great variety of cuisines. SARAH: SUSHI! SugarFish in Union Square is one of my favorites but hanging out anywhere that’s outside right now perfect ha! Long Island City boardwalk and Central Park are probably my favorite places now that it is warming up but cannot wait until the pool parties start back up or indoor venues so I can support all my DJ friends and dance my bum off! https://www.facebook.com/djgomi https://www.instagram.com/djgomi/ https://www.facebook.com/djmikeivy https://www.instagram.com/djmikeivy/ https://www.facebook.com/sarahmattea https://www.instagram.com/iamsarahmattea/

DJ Gomi, Mike Ivy & Sarah Mattea -‘What U Do’

JERRICA ALYSSA

JERRICA ALYSSA

Groove City

Groove City

Hoko

Hoko

Elke Schon

Elke Schon

Flyght Club

Flyght Club

Jus Kno'

Jus Kno’

Where are you currently based? Melbourne, Australia. How did you first start playing music? Music has always been a part of my life. I came from a lineage of piano players so having a musical instrumental around the house growing up was a normal thing. I taught myself how to play the guitar and started teaching myself how to produce music on Acid Pro, when that was the thing back in the day. I did all the music subjects throughout high school and just started writing and studying songs for fun, never knowing it would lead to this someday. What's been happening recently? Been a little crazy, just released the second single, Just Another Love Song and the promo around that has been a little taxing. It's super exciting though, just really happy to get some new music out there and to be working with an amazing management team (Cartel Management), who have really helped to streamline the process. Danny Hacket has been your long-time writing partner and has been instrumental in writing your new single, how did the two of you meet and please tell us about your journey up until this point: Danny and I met many eras ago lol! I was actually his singing teacher back in the day and he came to me with some lyrics that he'd written, and we sat down, and things just started to flow. Originally, we were working more on Danny's solo stuff with his vocals on the songs but as time progressed, we felt that my vocal would be more suited to how we wanted the stories to be told. Your debut single 'Treading Water' made it to the final of the international songwriting competition, how did this song come about? Honestly, don't know how it came about. We were very surprised but nevertheless, humbled, and very thankful for the opportunity. One thing we can attribute to its success is the amazing director for the video clip, Herson Delos Santos. Herson really saw the vision we had for the video clip which centred around the awareness of mental health and really brought it to life. If anything, we've got him to thank for making it as a finalist. Your single 'Just Another Love Song' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? The song concept actually started as being a sappier type of love song but as we started to write it, Danny came to me with some lyrics that were a little more painful and about unrequited love. As songwriters, Danny and I both seem to lean towards the more honest concepts around life. If we're going to write about love, we're going to write about the little honest thought processes that go on in someone's head, like how worried we are about being uncool in front of someone they're attracted to. The sound was really influenced by the indie pop sound going on at the moment. As a producer, I really wanted to find the balance between acoustic and electronic sounds, incorporating acoustic guitars and pianos with synths and subby kicks etc. For me, using thick harmonies has always been an Eli Dan trademark so I had to put it in the hook of this song. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? JALS was 100% recorded, produced and mastered at my home studio and I did it all on my own. All of our tracks have been produced this way. What does this single mean to you? It's the second single and especially after Covid last year, which effectively ruined all of our plans, this single means a heck of a lot. It's about just getting back out there and being free to just speak truth. As a private person, there's a lot of things that I write in songs that I'd never say out loud and that's what these songs do. In effect, being able to speak my mind without actually saying any words. We're really excited about JALS and for the rest of this year with some follow up singles but JALS is the first cab of the rank and we can't wait to see how she goes. How did you find inspiration during Covid? Well, Covid was a little of a blessing in disguise. Both Danny and I found that we had more time to write and focus on our music. We were in Zoom sessions every couple of days, just writing our little butts off and JALS was actually a song that was written in Covid. I did a streamed show as well which was pretty fun and slightly awkward because I was clapping at myself at the end of each song. Who are you listening to at the moment? I'm really loving JP Saxe at the moment. I love how clever he is with the way he crafts his melodies around the honesty of the lyric. What do you like to do away from music? I've recently started taking up bike riding. I'm not very good at it but it's a good way to get out of the house for some fresh air whilst also incorporating some exercising. What's planned for 2021? We're really excited about 2021. We've got another 2 singles we're looking to drop and hopefully an EP towards the end of the year or early 2022. We're also looking to get out there and do our own shows hopefully in the second part of this year. Favourite food and place to hangout? Favourite food? That's a tough question, ummm, everything! Being from a Filipino background, food is definitely a huge part of me. If I had to boil it down to a specific cuisine, I'd have to say Malaysian food because it's got such a broad variety of flavours. Favourite place to hang out? I love being outdoors, going on hikes or going camping so one of my favourite places to go to just get grounded would be Wilson's Prom. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eli.dan.music/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EliDanproductions Website: www.elidan.com.au Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/26JuiVTaxKBh7msNFcVxKw?si=C0PkfgrdS0Wb_nHJZD7Lrg&utm_source=copy-link YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43JWQIw2x3Q

Eli Dan

OLY SHERMAN

Kayex

Kayex

Leaps

Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5

Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5

What is your name and role within Kyoshi Mother? My name is Leah Wilkie, I front the band playing keys and singing, and I do quite a lot of the song writing as well. Where are you currently based? I live in Newtown, the boys all live in and around Newtown and Marrickville too so we’re more or less based in Sydney’s Inner west - a great hub for local artists. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? Well, Covid for me personally was amazing. I loved being able to slow down, and to do a lot of self-work and self-reflection. We don’t get a lot of opportunity to do that in our society, we really have to make time for ourselves if we want it. I felt that collectively too, everybody really needed to realise the importance of slowing down and learning to sit with ourselves. On the other side of that, I am also excited that things are opening up again for everybody - although I do hope that everyone can find a bit more of a balance coming out of their experience in 2020. Your new single 'Mother' is out today, what influenced the sound and song writing? Collective feminine energy was the big inspiration for Mother! I really felt energised by a lot of the amazing women in my life, and inspired by some of the leading female artists in the scene too like; Allysha Joy, Moonchild and Nai Palm. I really wanted to honour the creativity, and the divinity that lies within us and is all around, through nature, connectivity and love. How did you go about writing Mother? Well, I was sitting at the piano, I had the bass line and the vocal melody in my head already, and then I settled on some chords. The lyrics really just flowed straight out of me at the time - something that does not happen often in the writing process for me. It was something that I just really needed to express - It was also a reminder to myself to honour my own creativity and divine femininity too. To always show myself more love! Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? We did most of the recording at Coda Audio and at Yianni’s house (our guitarist and synth player) over 2019 with our recording engineer Felix Abrahams. Felix also mixed our record, we did that at his place, and Madalyn Henly from Viking Lounge Studio is our mastering engineer. How did you approach the recording process? We went in a little blind, it being our first record and all. We definitely learnt a lot coming out of the experience, we know what we would do again and what we would totally change next time round. But we had a lot of fun recording and adding parts in, we really took our time with everything too. We preferred to sit on ideas and flesh things out as they came rather than rushing. You're playing 8th April at Waywards - Newtown, what do you have in store for this gig? Yes! We are so so excited for this show, I am bursting to play live again. The show is going to be huge, we’ll be playing some tunes off our upcoming record, there will be ethereal soundscapes and improvised interludes and jams (amongst other things) - we always love throwing in some improv and just vibe off each other. You have a debut album pencilled in for around August 2021, can you give us a hint of what to expect? The love child of a caramel slice and a sticky date pudding, but for your ears. Who are you listening to at the moment? I’ve been loving Edu Lobo’s album Cantiga De Longe, some delicious Brazilian music, Yussef Dayes' and Tom Misch’s latest creation What Kinda Music, Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange - some crazy creators from Melbourne, and Epoch by Alfa Mist. What do you like to do away from music? I love to read actually, always got a couple of books on the go. I practice yoga often, I run small groups for friends too - honestly it keeps me sane! I’ve just started running women’s circles too - something I am extremely excited about continuing. Cooking is also a very cathartic practice for me. I’m also a music teacher, so I pour lots of my energy into that. I absolutely adore the crazy cycle of knowledge, and sharing something that I’m so passionate about with others is just so incredibly rewarding. What's planned for 2021? For me, 2021 is all about honouring my own needs, and really becoming the person I want to be, surrounding myself with beautiful humans, and creating my own opportunities. I’m also really excited to see how Kyoshi’s path unfolds this year, really focus on expanding our flavour but mostly just really enjoying one another and enjoying the journey. https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/kyoshi https://www.facebook.com/kyoshiband/ https://www.instagram.com/kyoshi_band/

Kyoshi

Alicia Toner

Alicia Toner Premiere

Where are you currently based? I still live at home with my parents in Temecula, California. What's been happening recently and how has you Covid experience been so far? My COVID experience has been pretty positive because that's been the most time I've ever had to work on music and to really just delve into what I love. How did you first start playing music? I've grown up with a lot of music. Mormons have an entire hour... Well, not an entire hour, but they sing a lot in church and a lot of Mormon kids get piano lessons. So, my family was always musically inclined and all of that. So, I've always played instruments and stuff, but I got my first guitar and I'm the best at the guitar. I got my first guitar when I was 13. Your new single 'Violent' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? I would say the sound, it's a Lil Peep type beat. So of course, Lil Peep influenced it. The writing, what influenced the writing is honestly, I wrote that song really fast. It literally just came to me, but at the time, I was in kind of like a bad relationship. So, I'm sure the reason those kind of painful lyrics came to me so easily is because that's kind of what I was feeling on the inside. How did you go about writing Violent? I just found the beat and then it was really catchy. I just decided to write to it, and in 30 minutes, it was done. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? I recorded it in my bedroom on my Apple headphones late at night. I actually couldn't even sing that loud because my parents were sleeping. So, on the, "... back door," part I had to kind of do it quietly, which it probably wouldn't turn out maybe better if I had full done it, but I don't know. Then it was produced by a guy named Khalil in Turkey. Yeah, it was a YouTube beat. Violent blew up on TikTok, how did this come about? Someone just asked for it on TikTok. They were Like, "I need Violent on TikTok," and I was like, "Say less." So, I put a screen recording of it up and then it kind of just went from there. How has this massive exposure impacted your life, I hear it led to you being signed? Yes. I got signed, which has been really great, and it's also impacted my life. It's stressful in a way to have that many eyes on you, but it's also really rewarding in a way that I feel kind of a responsibility to speak out on issues and just be really honest and be a good person in the industry because obviously, there's a lot of good people, but I feel like there's a good place for me to... I'm really relatable and a lot of people can... I'm a good story of success because I came from a really bad place and look at me now. You grew up as a Mormon with a very strong connection with your mother, how has life changed over the years? I've always been really, really close to my mom. I think I would say the person I got closer to, I didn't used to be very close to my dad, but I'm really close to him now, too. I have a really good relationship with both my parents, but I left the church when I was 13 or 14. I just kind of stopped going and told my parents, "Oh, I don't believe in this." But they've always been very, even though I don't believe in... Obviously, it's been a struggle telling your parents you don't believe in that and I was always super rebellious and kind of a bad kid sometimes. So, our relationship was really strained, but I think my parents understand now. They just understand who I am, why I did those things. Yeah. Who are you listening to at the moment? I listen to a lot of Slug Christ and I was into a lot of Future and Earth Eater. I listen to a lot of Midwestern emo music like The Story So Far. That's lately. What do you like to do away from music? To be honest, my other hobby is literally just smoking. I like to bake, and I like to cook. I really like to eat. I'm a foodie. What's planned for 2021? To release the best album that's ever been made. Favourite food and place to hangout? That's my favorite food and my favorite place to hang out in my garage. I know it sounds crazy. I love my garage. I have done everything in this garage. There are so many memories here, but now, we have a nice TV and a couch. Yeah, I just like hanging out in my garage.

carloesdaughter

Where are you based? Glasgow, Scotland What influenced the sound behind your debut EP on In The Event of Capture Records, titled Pàrtaig? I wanted to make something that combined my love of warm, emotional, electronic music with my Scots Gaelic heritage. Trying to bring a stomping barn dance vibe and the club energy of Glasgow together. I tend to see my music on two sides of the fence. Either being industrial and driven, like Glasgow or slow and melancholic, like the Outer Hebrides. I wanted to try and fit these two headspaces together, so set out to make a bunch of tracks that contained both, rather than being opposed to each other and this is the result. How did you approach the recording and production process for the EP? It was varied. Mostly trying different composition and structural techniques and pieces of equipment out. The majority of it was made on my modular system, mostly just jamming with bleeps and bloops, hooks, samples and percussive things then fleshing out ideas and parts until they came together in a satisfying way. What track are you most excited to play live when the time comes, and why? Hard to choose! The title track definitely, but it's Yamazona I'm most excited to hear. It's got a dense thump and a slightly odd but glowing feeling to it. I think it will be potent over a big system. The title of the EP is the gaelic word for Partick which is where you’re from in Glasgow. What do you think makes the city’s nightlife and club scene so special? A satisfied Glaswegian crowd is a formidable force. When an artist plays the right song in the right setting, crowds just explode with energy. It’s spontaneous, No one can really predict it but when it happens, you get this intense feeling in the air which is palpable for everyone involved. It's hilarious, genuine and long may it continue! I personally think it's a combination of endless optimism and being continuously disappointed by the weather that gives us that extra special something. What is your creative process like and how much has lockdown influenced this? Good question. It's definitely changed since last year but I'm not sure if that's entirely lockdown related or just that things were naturally at a crossroad for me in terms of my workflow. I’d been working on my studio setup for about 3 months prior to lockdown to encourage this new process so they weirdly dovetailed in March. Suddenly I had a lot of extra time and a new studio environment to distract me from the external chaos. I think I possibly did a year's worth of problem solving and ironing out snags in a week, and got straight into making music with a sense of urgency which I think was in part due to the anxiety of the situation. In my creative space, I’ll typically have thought about something that day or I’ll become aware of being in a certain mood. Pick a sound, possibly manipulate a sample or find a nice oscillator tone and within about 5 minutes I'll have a basic idea, then I just follow my instincts. Sometimes I can feel it instantly adding up, sometimes it doesn't. I just try to trust my gut and ignore my head. How did you begin working with ‘In the Event of Capture’? Through a mutual friend who had sent ITEOC a bunch of tracks I’d been working on late in the summer. We then got in touch and discussed the possibility of doing something together and it all just seemed to naturally take shape from there. When did you first decide you wanted to make music? 7 years old. Listening to a compilation of electro music. As soon as I heard a synthesiser/drum machine/sequencer combo for the first time. I will never forget it. I was instantly obsessed. Who are your biggest musical influences? Cristian Vogel, UR, Boards of Canada, Delia Derbyshire, Carl Craig, KDJ, Aphex Twin, Stefan Betke, CAN, Parliament Funkadelic. Also by my two grandfathers, who were both musical. Once the world can dance again, where are you most excited to play? Any outdoor music event, preferably in the sunshine What does the rest of 2021 hold for you? Clearly keeping myself and those around me safe and well, and hopefully lots of interesting musical adventures. Getting more confident performing with my modular system (in the studio for the moment). Releasing more music, I have an album ready that I think explores the more experimental/weird side of my musical mind. It's turned out sounding like I am having an internal conversation with my ancestors via a modular synth! Really keen to work with a filmmaker and bring other dimensions into that. Have an EP in a similar vein to Partaig which is done and dusted and some other tracks recorded and ready for something. A thumping summer party track that's almost finished. Lots of music, Be nice to get to the Western Isles at some point later in the year (lockdown permitting) just to breathe and remind myself of life outside the city. I daydream that I’ll be able to take a battery operated drum machine with me and I'll find a PA system setup on the beach to entertain myself with the seagulls and sheep all nodding along.

Rob Macleod

Where are you currently based? Currently I'm based in Tuscany, Italy where my girlfriend is from. We were previously based in London but after the pandemic happened there was only so long we could stay because of obvious financial reasons. My girlfriend grew up on a farm here so we moved last June to be with her family. How did you first start playing music? Well I was writing from a pretty young age. I wanted to be a screenwriter/actor and star in my own films so I was brimming with ideas for stories etc. I used to play amateur rugby for my local hometown under 16s and broke my leg when I was about 14. I had had an interest in music but it didn't really blossom til my mum brought a copy of Walk The Line home to watch when I was at home in a cast. I was just mesmerised with the Johnny Cash story and his music and that lead me onto Rock bands and Blues artists like Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and Muddy Waters. I was still pretty fixated on screenwriting and acting, however, until me and a group of friends snuck off to Glastonbury in 2009 when we should have been doing our exams. There I saw Bruce Springsteen headline the festival and it was like nothing I had ever seen. I didn't really know any of his music but after that show I was totally converted. I felt like I was at church and I had found my religion. Since then it's been all I want to do. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? Well we've been in Tuscany for almost 10 months now and I couldn't be more grateful for it. When the pandemic kicked off my girlfriend and I were not in great financial situations. I had been busking full time in London for 4 years, at that point trying to move onto gigging full time for various hotels, bars and agencies, and she was a barista trying to get onto the London Underground for a better wage. Our financial situations were precarious at best. When the pandemic happened I lost a hotel residency I had in Kensington, the agency I had literally joined 3 weeks before lost all their gigs and she was fired from her job. I had no money and had to take a job working for the forestry commission on the Scottish border just to cover some rent for the initial couple of months. When the job had finished by May it didn't take us long to make up our minds and head back to her family's home where the difference in pace, the familial solidarity, the weather and the food has certainly made a huge difference on our mental health. Outside of working for her old man I've really been able to sit down and focus on how I want to get my recorded music out there. Your track 'Come Bring Your Hype Here' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? The song had a lot of influences to be fair. The opening riff came first which I kind of felt was like what Alex Turner might do if he did an impression of Jimi Hendrix and that kind of set the tone for the rest of the song. My band and I took a lot of classic Funk and Disco style tropes and just kind of meshed them together but wanted to keep that very British, Arctic Monkeys-esque attitude. Then came the lyrical content. At the time I was busking there were protests nearly every weekend and it was frustrating if you were depending on the weekend for the vast bulk of your bread and butter. It could get a little frustrating because a lot of the time you’d agree with the cause which made it all the more frustrating when you couldn’t earn any money or get home. It was annoying when you’d speak to people in the protests and they just wouldn’t seem to get that or, worse yet, even know a damn thing about the reason why they were there almost as though they were joining ‘a hype’. But one of the best things I noticed was come the evening time us buskers, when we finished, usually cracked open a few cans and sometimes even had a jam and that would attract all sorts of people over. Sometimes you'd get two completely opposing opinions from the protests/counter protests and just watch as they'd argue and then just talk it out as human beings. Agreeing to disagree. Social media and mainstream news has us believing there are these huge divides in society and they have a lot to answer for in my opinion. You’ll be surprised how reluctant people often are to get into disagreements if they’re face to face like human beings. Now, obviously it wasn't always the way but when it did happen it was great. It reminded me of a Bill Hicks skit where he's making the argument to legalise weed and how much the world would just be a better place if they did. "Shut up and smoke this!". Well for me it was much more British. "Come on, why don't we settle this over a pint?". So the song kind of evolved out of this idea of 'what if utopia were this crazy dive bar where there was only one rule; you leave your differences at the door'. How did Come Bring Your Hype Here come about? Well that was all the beginning of the song. After that I kind of based the bar on the pub I worked in for two years when I was 19 which just made sense because it was an Indie Rock Bar and the style of the song was very much heading in that direction. The other great thing about it was that everyone in the town seemed to pass through at least once in the night. It was class. It just had this universal appeal. I'll never forget that. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? So the funding for the track came about after a Kickstarter crowd funding campaign I set up in the back end of 2019. My fans subsequently funded the recording of my debut album, which is due for release October 22nd, and CBYHH is the next single from that. The song has been recorded with one of my best friends who saw me busking back in 2016. He was in his first year of a music production course at university and asked if I wanted to work with him and we've been working together ever since. Minus the drums, which we did at his university, the bulk of the album was recorded in the various bedrooms he was staying in in London. Come Bring Your Hype Here was his flat in Richmond I believe and was one of the ones we had to finish during lockdown in May/June. I was renting Boris bikes and cycling to his flat, avoiding public transport for obvious reasons, just so we could get the album done before my girlfriend and I had to leave the country. How did you approach the songwriting process? Well I always try to make sure the song is either playable or malleable to being played solo because I can't always afford my band mates, The Ginkgo Milk, who also play on this track. So it's important the songs are engaging with or without a band. Interesting guitars are a priority as is a vocal melody. My main passion is for the lyrics though. As a writer I try to make them as impactful as possible with respect to the theme or mood of the song. What programs/instruments did you use? So the program we used was Pro Tools. Instruments wise it's your classic Funk Rock song. Drums, Bass, Guitars. What else do you need, right? Haha Who are you listening to at the moment? At the moment I'm listening to a lot from the Black Pumas who I've been in love with since that album came out. A lot of Frank Zappa too. What a genius he was! Hailu Mergia and the Dahlak Band's album Wade Harer Guzo is not far from my ears these days as well as various Jazz artists. I'm also pretty big on John Mayer and Norah Jones. What do you like to do away from music? I've done MMA in my spare time, on and off, when finances have allowed since I was about 20. It's purely amateur, hobby and fitness related though. I just find a lot of them totally fascinating, character building and great fun. I'm hoping to compete in amateur bouts some day but I think there's a long way to go. They also keep me out of the pub which I think is my number one hobby as a true English man haha! I also love film, literature, hiking/camping, cooking, history, politics...I'm a bit of a Jack of all Trades master of sod all haha! So many interests so little time, I guess. What's planned for 2021? For 2021 I'm going to be releasing singles until the full album is out come October. I'll also be growing my YouTube channel, recording more music and just trying to connect with current fans and building new ones to the best of my ability. It's a great time to be a musician because of this first hand access social media allows us to have with our audience and I look forward to trying to use these tools to reach out to potential listeners. Favourite food and place to hangout? Crisps and pubs haha!

Andy John Jones

Ben Wright Smith

Ben Wright Smith

Flow & Zeo

Flow & Zeo

What is your name and role within Inklines? Will - I sing and play guitar. Where are you currently based and how has your Covid experience been so far? We’re all based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. The last year has been interesting, with how much the whole environment of live music has changed. There’s been a lot of down time but we’ve kept busy writing and recording new music. Jamming heaps! How did Inklines form? I asked Tom if he wanted to drum with me after I saw him playing in a mate’s band, at a local show. My brother Jason was playing bass for a while, but he wanted to do other things so we called up Dan, who Tom knew from school, and convinced him to join. What's been happening recently? We’ve been jamming heaps which has been really good. Keeping busy with promoting and preparing singles. We played our first show in 12 months just a few weeks back, which was great fun! Your new single 'Blossom' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? I think I was mainly just going for simplicity. I got the idea for wanting to do a big outro riff from Madison Cunningham’s song – “Song In My Head”. How did Blossom come about? I recorded the riff into my phone recorder a year or so ago. It just randomly popped into my head one night and I started writing bass lines under the riff. For about a week, I would record a different little line or chord voicing and add it on there until I just worked out what I wanted, where. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? We recorded this and 6 other songs in a house on a farm just outside of Goulbourn. Lachlan West engineered, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered the whole session. What programs/equipment did you use? You’d have to ask Lachlan about the programs – I think Logic? The guitars in this track are primarily a Fender Telecaster & a Gibson SG Custom, with a J45 for some extra percussive textures. Tom played on an old Ludwig kit that Lachy owns. Dan uses a J bass & a P bass, I’m not certain what he used on this track but my guess would be P. How did you approach the recording process? We always like to get the fundamentals down from a live session. So, all the bass & drums and some rhythm guitars are taken from one of the 7 or 8 takes we do, of each song. Then I add all the extra guitar layers and vocals in later. Who are you listening to at the moment? I’m not actually listening to much at the moment. I’ve just kind of been relistening to things from the last 2 or 3 years. My most recent obsession was The Neighbourhood’s “Chip Chrome and the Monotones”, and I still love to listen to that, but I haven’t much else that I’ve been super excited about since. What do you like to do away from music, now things are less locked down? Recently I’ve mostly been busy preparing to be a father! My daughter is due in May. So I’ve been spending lots of time with my girlfriend, building cots, shopping for small clothes and all the rest! We also have a small business so I’ve been focussing on pushing that as much as possible. You’re playing Saturday, March 27th Secret Location, Brookvale Sydney, what can we expect from an Inklines show? We’ve actually just rescheduled the show for April 2nd! Normally you can expect us to play loud and hard, but for this one we’re taking it down a notch and giving the acoustic “unplugged” thing a go. What's planned for 2021? We’ve got a bunch of songs to release so that will be the main focus! We’ll definitely play some shows when we can but it’s a strange world out there at the moment, so we aren’t rushing into anything.

Inklines

Zac Stellars

Zac Sellars

What is your name and role within Full Power Happy Hour? G'day I'm Alex, I'm the lead singer & play rhythm guitar. Where are you currently based? Brisbane/Meanjin How did you first start playing music? I've been singing in choirs since I was like 5, but it wasn't until my older sister bought me an acoustic guitar for my 14th birthday, that I started writing songs and playing music. How did the band form? I had a heap of songs that I'd written a while ago that didn't fit with my other bands, so I was playing them solo for a while. One day I decided I wanted to record them with a band and set about finding some people to record with. I'd played with Caroline and Joe in other bands before so got them on board, then did a call out for a lead guitarist and Grace put her hand up and became our resident shredder. I missed my friend Finn, and thought if he joined the band I'd see him more regularly. He played drums, but the drummer role was already taken by Joe, so Finn agreed to come on board as our tambourine player and also filled the role of resident hype person quite nicely. It began only as a recording project, but then people asked us to play shows so we did, and that's how we became Full Power Happy Hour. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? We didn't see each other for about 4 months when we initially went into lock down, which was tough, but we were lucky that before Covid hit we managed to record our album. Basically the last 6 months or so have been all focussed in getting this album out. We signed with Coolin' By Sound which was bloody amazing, and we are so grateful for their help with all of this. It's been almost normal here covid wise, we are very lucky that we've been able to play some gigs to help promote the album, and we got to make a film clip a few weeks ago on a cute farm. How did the transition from playing in the Brisbane punk scene into indie-folk/alt-country realms come about? Folk and country were my first loves, I was a tween when I started listening to all the 60s folk songstresses like Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Peggy Seegar, which was probably really weird for a 12 year old in the 2000s but I was really into them so my songwriting was influenced by that whole vibe. So that was always at the back of mind, that one day I wanted to play that kind of music again. The only reason why I started off in the punk scene was because the first band I was in was a punk band. But in the background I've always been writing songs, and they just so happen to fit now into the folk/country genre. It wasn't really an active decision. I suppose I don't see that much difference between punk and folk except I was way more tired screaming in a punk band than I am now in Full Power Happy Hour! Your album will be released on March 19, what's it called? Full Power Happy Hour What influenced the sound and songwriting? Friendships, growing up, getting rid of toxic people out of your life, nature, mental health, climate change, shit politicians. Musical influences include Joni Mitchell, The Clean, The Weather Station, The Pogues & Paul Kelly. How was the album written? I wrote these songs a while ago, over about 8 years. A lot of them started off as poems then I put them to music, and played them solo for a while. When I formed the band, I just brought these songs to the rehearsal room, and we spent a year working through them, we were really focussed on working hard on the songs for as long as it took for us all to be happy with them. Please tell us about the lyrical themes/threads for the album: Hmm there's not really an overarching theme...I suppose what they have in common is that they all came about through my processing of various experiences of friendships, mental health issues, learning to grow as a person, and being absolutely sick and tired with the status quo in this country- the apathy and inaction on climate change, women's safety and First Nations rights. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? We recorded over a few weekends with Nell Forster at The Moon Room here in Brisbane/Meanjin. She honestly was kind of a producer too, she definitely gave us heaps of coaching during that time. Then we sent the tracks off to Chris Chetland, at Kog Studio in Aotearoa/New Zealand, who we got recommended by Holly Arrowsmith (who we played a gig with when she came here) as we really liked the sound of her album. How did you approach the recording process? We rehearsed for about a year and then when we thought we were happy with the songs, we went into the studio. Often you don't really know what a song sounds like until you hear it recorded, so there was some tweaking that happened with the help of Nell, who was kind of like our band coach for those weekends as well as recording engineer! How did the band end up with two drummers in the ranks with one (Finn) taking up the tambourine/backing vocals role? So Joe was already on board as the drummer, but as Finn is a mate of ours, we wanted to have him in the band too, I think he was originally gonna to just come along as a back up vocalist, but I think he needed something to do with his hands, so we thought he could play some extra percussion. I think a tambourine was all we could afford to buy at the time, so that's how he ended up with that role, and we haven't' really expanded since haha Your live shows are really fun with a lot of laughs, is this intentional or just the band's default demeanour? We're just vibin. Who are you listening to at the moment? The Stress of Leisure, Bad Sext, A Country Practice, Loulou, King Stingray, Madboots, Megan thee Stallion, JK-47, The Weather Station's new album Ignorance. What do you like to do away from music? I'm at Uni studying Early Childhood education which I'm really liking, but I also like to go for walks to see some nature, reading books, eating food with friends, netflix & chill. You'll be playing in Ballarat and Melbourne this weekend, what do you most enjoy about playing interstate? Playing to new people and making new friends, playing with bands we've never played with before, and just seeing what music scenes are like in different places, cold weather! What's planned for 2021? Getting this album out, recording some new stuff, touring interstate some more, and fingers crossed covid pending an Aotearoa/New Zealand tour later this year! Favourite food and place to hangout? Burritos in my house.

Full Power Happy Hour

Bill Jr. Jr.

Bill Jr. Jr.

Where are you currently based? Toronto, Ontario, Canada How did you first start playing music? I come from an incredibly musical family and in a way, music was a part of my life right from the beginning. I still have vivid memories of my mom singing in 5-part harmony with her brothers and sisters and father around campfires when I was very young and my parents singing to and with me even long before then. Music was a big part of my life until I started royal conservatory piano lessons, which honestly turned me away from it for a while, haha. After a bit of time away from the rigidness of the lessons, I started to fall in love with playing songs by ear again and making things up on guitar and piano. This led to me eventually write my first songs. I loved the process and the outlet so much that I never stopped and haven’t looked back since. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? If Covid had to hit, it happened at the perfect time for me. I absolutely love performing live and miss it like crazy, but because of how often I was playing for people before Covid, I never took the time to finish a recording project. In the forced solitude and open time that the pandemic gave me, I finally finished my first EP. My days consist now of everything that’s involved with sharing the music I made and it’s an incredible feeling that I didn’t know I was missing. Your debut EP 'Only Pieces of The Truth' will be released on March 12, what influenced the sound and songwriting? The songs on this EP were written over the past 6 years of my life as a performing artist. They explore a desire to deepen my relationships with the people in my life and with myself. Sonically, I was influenced by all of the music that has inspired me most throughout my life as a musician. I think listeners will be able to hear everything from my love of roots, electronic, orchestral and experimental music. I think all of those influences thrown into a mixing pot with who I am as a live performer, and tossed around within the boundaries of my simple home studio set up created the unique and eclectic sound of this EP. How did you go about writing Only Pieces of The Truth? Only Pieces of the Truth was lyrically inspired by a couple in my life who really love each other but are fighting through a distance that came with a build-up of little unresolved tensions over a significant period of time. While I can say what it is about with confidence now, this inspiration happened subconsciously, as almost all of the melodies and lyrics in this song came from an improvisation. I find that my favourite lyrics and melodies that I write come when I am able to get my brain out of the way and flow in an improvisation. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? I recorded and played all of the instruments myself in my home studio in Toronto, as well as a bit in Alberta while I was visiting family using my portable studio set up. The EP was then mixed by my friend Jason Dufour and mastered by Joao Carvalho. How did you approach the recording process? Each song on this EP came with a different approach. For example, Docks (the opening track), came together as a collage of improvised ideas. Nothing was pre-envisioned; it was all just done by playing with interesting delays and sounds, massaging them together and then improvising over the result. In contrast, I Don’t Want to Let You Go and Freedom (both of which I had been performing for quite a while before I brought them into the studio), were put together very intentionally with a clear vision in mind before laying down the first tracks. Only Pieces of the Truth was probably the most difficult. I must have produced more than 10 distinctly different versions of that song before I found one that felt right. What programs/instruments did you use? I primarily use Logic as my DAW and use software from UAD, Fabfilter and Soundtoys daily. In terms of instruments on this EP, I played a variety of guitars, percussion instruments and keys as well as many different software instruments ranging from pianos to synths that I created myself. What does the EP mean to you? This one means a lot to me! It’s the first body of work that I created fully on my own. I am planning to explore collaboration with many different writers and producers in the future, but it will always be special to be able to look back and know that I started with something that was just me. With all of its flaws and imperfections, it’s a snapshot of who I am at this time in my life. I really hope that this music helps people find peace and vulnerability in themselves as they listen to it and that the songs become theirs now as much as they are mine. Who are you listening to at the moment? Right now, I can’t seem to turn off Leif Vollebekk’s music! His vibe is just perfectly complimenting the way I’ve been feeling lately. Other than that, I always love to hear songs from Matt Corby, Frank Ocean, Bon Iver, Labrinth, Jacob Collier and Novo Amor, just to name a few. What do you like to do away from music? I love playing basketball! It’s been tough now that it’s winter and the gyms are closed for the pandemic. I’m itching to get back out when it all clears up. Other than that and music, my favourite thing to do is to be in beautiful places with people I love. Give me a campfire by a mountain lake, a guitar and my friends and family and I will die a happy man. What's planned for 2021? I am actually just putting the finishing touches on another EP that I am planning to release soon after my first! After that, I hope the pandemic clears up so that I can sing with and for people again. I have so much pent-up performance energy. Feels like I could tour for a couple years straight now and not take it for granted. I hope that’s in the cards for this year or next! Favourite food and place to hangout? My favourite food right now is sushi and I love hanging out in this secluded spot by the water in Toronto where my friends and I go to have driftwood fires in the summer. I don’t want to say exactly where it is because for now, we seem to be some of the only people that know about it but if you ever come this way, we’d love to take you there! https://www.jordanhartsound.com https://twitter.com/jordanhartsound https://www.instagram.com/jordanhartsound/ https://www.facebook.com/jordanhartsound

Jordan Hart

jofi

Jofi

Where are you currently based? Locked down in Liverpool, baby. How did Generation form? We just fell into it, really. Music presented itself to us and we took to it like fishes to water. We’re constantly changing. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? We’ve just released a retrospective album with Tri-Tone - Full of teenage angst and fast guitars. The whole covid thing has kind of put us on pause. Gigs are looking *fingers crossed* like they may be happening again this Summer, so we have that to look forward to, at least. Other than that we’ve been writing. The sound has completely changed - we’re more electronic now. Distorted saw synths, massive drum machines - that sort of thing. Your new mini album 'Suicidal Champagne' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? It’s literally an album about us being dead young. We didn’t really think about what it was about whilst we were making it, we probably didn’t even know what music was back then. I guess it’s just about things we were feeling at that time and the things every 17/18 year old goes through (coping with becoming an adult by excessively drinking and partying). It’s one big, self-indulgent party - and everyones invited. How did the concept for the mini album come about? Drinking. How did you go about writing the album? We write most days, so we just had loads of songs knocking about with nothing to do but play them live (circa 2016), then Simon - who we recently released the album with - approached us and threw us in the studio. From there the songs just developed and became what they are now. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? It was in this lovely converted barn house in the countryside of Leeds or something. There were two new foundland dogs (massive) that would walk around the studio while you were tracking. Was a stay over experience in the barn. I don’t think it’s there anymore. It was with James Kenosha, who is a great producer and musician (he played drums on the album also). What programs/equipment did you use? For all our demos we use Logic Pro X, but James probably used Pro Tools, I can’t remember to be honest. In terms of gear, we used all kinds. I remember putting my guitar through a vintage Selmer bass cab, but that’s about it. The rest is clouded by red wine and beer. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of Suicidal Champagne? It’s always the vocals at the end. Trying to find the right tone for deans voice. The most rewarding thing will probably happen when we’re 40 and we listen back and go “ah remember that time, we had a good time making that”. Who are you listening to at the moment? Loads of stuff. Our music taste has no range like. A lot of 90s rave stuff, hip-hop, bit of industrial, bit of reggae/dancehall. A musical cocktail of debauchery, really. What do you like to do away from music? Tough question that one. All we really do is music. Feels like the hobbies section on your CV this question. Should I put ‘Reading, exercising…’ Urm, we do all kinds really. Mostly mad Sh** no one would believe or even understand the reasons why. I guess we don’t either. Recently got back into skating, which is a blast from the past. What's planned for 2021? HOPEFULLY, lots of gigs (toward the second half of the year). We’ve been hard at work recording new songs as well, so there should be some new music soon(ish). Favourite food and place to hangout? Tough one this ‘cos we’ve been in lockdown for like a year. I’d say Elif on Lark lane provides the best scran. It’s a Turkish grill joint and it’s so good. Favourite place to hang out right now is our mums conservatory aka the beat laboratory. wholovesthisgeneration.com IG: @wholovesthisgeneration

Generation

Where are you currently based? Currently my kitchen table; I haven’t moved for a while. How did you first start playing music? I first started playing as an 8 year old because my brother was learning guitar and I wanted to do everything he did. I actually learnt the trumpet as my first instrument. I’m pretty crap now but it’s a cool party trick (and I really respect anyone who’s actually good at it). Where are you currently based and how has your Covid experience been? I’m super lucky to be quite sheltered from the virus over here in WA but the few months we were locked down were definitely instrumental (haha) in getting this song to a happy place. Obviously covid sucks, but in a strange way I appreciate it for the time it gave me. Your debut single 'Full Grown' was released March 5, what influenced the sound and songwriting? The song itself was written a couple years ago though it has come a long way since then. Because I started it yonks ago the production is super influenced by the artists I was pumping at the time, mainly Panama and Roosevelt. The lyrics are based on a struggle of mine at the time, as I felt ill-equipped to enter a relationship. How did you go about writing Full Grown? I actually started producing the beat on a family holiday in a hotel room, but as with most things I make I just went through a stupidly long loop of producing, taking it away and listening, writing down notes then coming back and making changes. The lyrics were the complete opposite and finished in one sitting though. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? All recording and producing by myself, in a number of places actually but none of them being a proper studio. Then the legend James Newhouse fattened it up with his master. What does Full Grown mean to you? It means having it all together. Bit of a myth really. I feel like a kid a lot and I’m okay to admit it; sometimes it’s great thing and it sometimes it kinda sucks. Who are you listening to at the moment? At the literal moment I am listening to Candid by Sevier; some cool Perth dudes who happen to also share my release date. I’ve been listening to a bunch of Perth folk lately, such as Michael Day, Jacob Wylde, Grievous Bodily Calm and Kyle Charles Hall, among others. What do you like to do away from music? Mainly eating, reading, date nights and walks with my dog. Also love a good game of bananagrams, though I wouldn’t say I’m good at it. What's planned for 2021? More releases, more eating, reading, date nights, walkies and defs more bananagrams so I can actually get good. Also very very keen to start playing live real soon around Perth! Favourite food and place to hangout? Always big on Mexican food. There’s a taco joint literally 2mins walk from our front door called Hermanos En Cantina which is kinda the go-to hangout for us. Big recommend. https://soundcloud.com/rhyanlj/full-grown/s-YZKjGTQkXsN Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhyan_lj/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicbyRHY/

RHY

Bridget Allan

Bridget Allan

Where are you currently based? Perth, Western Australia How did you first start playing music? I started making it after years of story writing and eventually poetry, but my first opportunity to really play live was thanks to GOAT 6K at The Bird. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? Covid slowed down the release of many visual stuff like the OUTLAW! Music Video for one, but gave me time to create heaps of innovative music and really experiment. I made heaps of music and watched a lot of movies too, which are usually my biggest inspiration for music Your single and video 'Outlaw' are out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? The whole track and visuals were inspired by a short story I wrote ages ago called You Can’t Run From The Outlaw! where Wesley Black was a character who had to overcome vices and a bad conscience to become the best version of himself. The visual themes include a masked gang, a masquerade mask and a passenger seated Wesley, all working towards his journey in becoming the Outlaw- the alpha male, the best version of me How did you go about writing Outlaw? Inspired heavily by my short story, I wrote OUTLAW! as something positive and aggressive. It’s a track that reflects my un-anxious side, to say the least, which in a sense is the polar opposite to RED! This song is about achieving your highest heights and challenging yourself to the fullest. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? As I do with most of my tracks, I scout beats from a collection of Soundcloud trap producers. Once leased, I take my stems down to Shake Down Studios and record it, and then take it down to Boy Banks who co-produced and mixed and mastered this one. He is going to be mixing my entire EP, he really knows my sound. How did you approach the recording process? A lot of tea and a lot of energy. I rewatched Eyes Wide Shut before I recorded it, because that was such a big influence on this track, and helped me get into the whole Wesley Black character- I brought a lot of rage and energy to the session, and went hard on the ad-libs What influenced the video concept? The video was mainly inspired by my short story I wrote in my late teens about Wesley Black and the Outlaw, a neo-Western, where Wesley Black succumbs to his vices before turning around and standing on his own two feet. It’s just a cool revenge story I wrote, and a lot of visuals were also inspired by Eyes Wide Shut Where did you film and who did you work with? Justplay Media shot this one, and I directed and edited it myself using my storyboard I created a while back. We went all over the place, the red room scenes were shot in a sea container in Rockingham, the tea party were shot at a friends parents house and the horse scenes were shot at Sandeli Park. Everyone was super helpful. How has the creation of the video differed from your previous video's? In a lot of ways, it’s tied together. OUTLAW! features a lot of references to previous music videos, but it feels like a whole new level. I tried a lot of guerilla effects like crashing a car and using car mounts, but the lighting and camera movements feel much more cinematic, and the storyline works really well. Who are you listening to at the moment? A lot of Dominic Fike, Smino and Travis Scott. A strange mix, but they all offer something I’m really liking at the moment. What do you like to do away from music? Write stories, watch films and watch wrestling. All of these things inspire my music in the long run anyway. What's planned for 2021? A project I’m super proud of. The hardest tracks I can possibly do- it’s a whole new sound and i’m aiming to make a new subgenre off the backend of it. After that, I wanna try releasing something acoustic and raw. A whole variety this year. Favourite food and place to hangout? Haloumi cheese is the best. I love Asian and European food, Formosa Garden is sick too. Wesley is playing has a show this Friday 5th at Milk Bar in Perth FB - https://www.facebook.com/wesleyblacktv/ IG - https://www.instagram.com/wesleyblacktv/ TWITTER - https://twitter.com/wesleyblacktv

Wesley Black

David M. Western

David M. Western

Where are you based? I’m from a small town of Pravdinsk (Kaliningrad region, Russia). At the moment I live in one of the districts of Kaliningrad. What influenced the sound behind your debut EP on Soma Records, titled Rave Is Dead? I started working on the release in the first wave of covid, when we were all at home, it was spring, I remember it like it was yesterday. It was warm enough and the windows of the house were constantly opened. A public warning system was often triggered on the street, where police told everyone through the loud speakers to stay at home and follow the rules. At that time only food stores and pharmacies worked. Everything was not clear, what's next?! This made me angry. But at the same time I had a lot of free time and was locked in 4 walls. It all pressed psychologically, I wanted to destroy these walls. So I began to write this EP. What inspired the title of the EP? Rave Is Dead is a kind of "scream of despair". We're all locked up, the rave is out of breath and needs a new impulse. Hope it happens soon. Very soon ... What is your creative process like and how much did lockdown influence this? At that time, nothing distracted me. I devoted most of my time to music, so I could distract myself from everything that was happening around. Only occasionally I watched TV series or my brother and I went into the woods to the old broken bridge so that the police would not catch us and issue a fine, then it was impossible to leave the house, and there we listened to new demos through small speakers. Then we discussed them. Sounds weird, but it was also a weird time. How did you approach the recording and production process for the Rave Is Dead EP? When I sit down to work, I immerse myself in it. Sometimes I don't even hear when my family members call me from the next room. I have a laptop, sound card, microphone and headphones at my disposal. I record a lot of live sounds; how the car brakes outside the window or for example, the metallic sound of a pan, a lot of things. Then you process it all and choose the best moments. I experiment a lot. Have you always been a fan of Soma Records? Yes, I've been following the label for a long time. And to be honest, I couldn’t even imagine that my tracks someday will be released on this label. I am very happy. When did you first start playing music and how did this evolve into electronic music? It was about 2006, I don't remember exactly. I was in high school and began to make the first steps in creativity. I was listening to drum'n'bass and started to write it. Over time tastes and quality changed and in the end I came to the music that I make now. Who would you say are your biggest musical influences? This is my brother. It was he who "hooked" me on music: The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, etc. I fell in love with this music. Once the world can dance again, where are you most excited to play? Let me dream a little. I haven't traveled outside the country for a long time. Now it has become much more difficult, but I really hope that this is all temporary. I would like to visit and perform in cities such as London, Berlin, Amsterdam and many others. What does the rest of 2021 hold for Namesis? New releases, new collaborations, preparing a live performance and that's not all. Soon you will definitely hear and see everything yourself!

Namesis

Sarah Jane is a prolific Alt-Rock, Indie singer, songwriter from Sydney, Australia who has amassed a huge online following. ‘Lately’ is the first single from her new EP and is out now. With over 290,000 subscribers and 30 million views on YouTube it would be accurate to call the young musician a viral sensation. The new EP follows two solo albums “Absence’, an acoustic album released in 2019, and the album ‘Tainted Timeline” released late in 2020. Sarah Jane has released two full-length records with her band ‘The Violet Stones’ over the same period. Sarah Jane has over 80,000 streams on her single ‘Backwards’, over 10,000 streams on both ‘Sleepwalking’ and ‘Control’ on Spotify and has been played on Home & Hosed on Triple J. Sarah Jane – ‘‘Lately’ is about the anxiety felt when you feel like you’re not needed anymore in a relationship. Even when you know it’s in your head, it’s hard to bring yourself out of it. Tying in with the video, it shows the emptiness and the dark emotions that come with anxiety.” Sarah played and recorded all the instruments on Lately. The track was mixed/mastered by George Pauley. Where are you currently based? I’m currently based in the Inner West of Sydney! I just moved to this area in January How did you first start playing music? I’ve always had an interest in music but it wasn’t until my dad pushed me to learn piano and over the years I slowly moved over to singing, guitar & drums. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? This past year has really given me some time to just buckle down and record as much as I can. Sometimes it’s hard to balance playing shows & recording so I’m not sure if I would have released an album and be able to work on another EP if Covid didn’t happen. I did miss out on playing some really cool shows mid 2020 which is such a shame as I love playing live but there was a silver lining. Your new single 'Lately' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? I wrote the song in March of 2020 and I had been listening to a lot of PJ Harvey and Hum at the time & what I love a lot about those bands are the dynamics and production. I guess I have been trying to match the vibe of PJ Harvey’s ‘Rid of Me’ & Hum’s ‘You’d prefer an Astronaut’. Where and when did you record/produce/master? I recorded everything myself in my (my dad’s) small home studio around September 2020. My dad’s a drummer so he has all the equipment which I’m super lucky to have access to as well as a bunch of recording gear. I also played all the instruments myself as it’s so much easier to come up with parts as I know what my vision is & there’s no messy communication. I also got really into different recording techniques & I originally wanted to mix it myself but I decided I shouldn’t put too much pressure on myself. George Pauley ended up mixing and mastering it! Please tell us about how the concept for the video came about: The song is mainly about unreasonable anxiety and feeling as though you’re not needed anymore in a relationship. The way I see it connect to the video is that is a representation and visualisation of anxiety. Being in one room, just indulging in the feeling and then walking out like nothing ever happened can just visualise some anxieties. You know it’s unreasonable but you’re still anxious! We just wanted to portray a certain set of emotions that were connected to the songs meaning. Where and when did you film and who did you work with? The whole of the video (direction, concept, editing, filming etc.) was done by Jack Barratt. I wanted to have one less thing to worry about when it came to the release of the song so he basically come up with everything haha We filmed it in around 4 hours at a budget hotel in the Inner West. It was a tiny room and even smaller bathroom, but we made it work! What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation on the video? 100% the shower scene. It was so uncomfortable getting wet in clothes and it was even worse in the last scene where I had to walk out whilst I was still wet. It was so cold! But the shower shot is definitely my favourite so it was worth it! Please tell us about any upcoming shows: I have a show this Sunday (28th Feb) at The Factory Theatre with our friends Monstahouse and Jerranis supporting. This will be my first live show where I have a band backing me. I’m so excited to finally play my songs live and loud! How did you prepare for live shows? I’m definitely a stress head when it comes to playing shows. I’m always scared of running late or forgetting how to play the songs so I definitely prepare by getting there early and just having some time to chill beforehand & making sure my voice is warmed up & drinking plenty of water. You have an EP on the way, what can you tell us? I’ve been nonstop working on new music! This EP will be a little bit different from my last album. It’s less full-on grunge, more light, a little post-rock, think Mogwai meets Failure... Who are you listening to at the moment? I’m listening to a lot of Failure, OH and Hayley Williams just released a new album and it’s been on repeat ever since. Some Queens of the Stone Age, A LOT of Radiohead (as usual) & Porcupine Tree. What do you like to do away from music? This is sort of lame but I love planning things & cleaning (super lame I know but it’s therapeutic!). I also just like to chill and watch TV shows, play games with friends or go thrift shopping. Favourite food and place to hangout? I love going to Newtown, so many yummy vegan restaurants to choose from. Gotta love Gigi’s Pizza! Lately Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl0-5IrBVTY Linktree https://linktr.ee/sarahmusicjane

Sarah Jane

I live in Thornbury, Melbourne/Naarm. My mum used to play in bands. She was a huge rock chick so she inspired me big time. I listened to all the music that she listened to so Norah Jones was actually my idol when I was super young. I loved to dance when I was younger too so I ended up doing musical theatre classes to get my music hit. COVID was a particularly grounding time for me. I had been writing for over a year before I released by debut single in April 2020. In terms of music, the stillness of last year enabled me to focus intently on each release. I held a lot of space for growth. Vigor is all about life force and energy. I wrote a poem last year and it was about unlocking that potential, reaching that high whether it be through your own doing or by being around someone that has that affect on you. I wanted to write a song that encapsulated that feeling. I caught up with my producer and he had put down some nice chords. We played around with this drum beat and slowed it down until it almost flickered like energy itself. That’s when I remembered the poem I wrote and it was pretty wild how seamlessly it fit into the track. I recorded the song towards the end of last year in Melbourne/Naarm. It was actually recorded in my producer Jahn Rae’s home studio. It was mastered by Becki Whitton. This whole process felt effortless. The vocals you hear in the track are the very first vocals I ever put down for it. I grew up doing musical theatre and have gigged across Melbourne for years so I love singing live. I always think my best work happens in my first few takes. Of course sometimes it can take a little longer but I love hearing the emotion and authenticity in vocals so once I’m trying too hard – I can hear it and I don’t like it. Vigor however, came together very quickly. Music changes depending on my mood. If I’m cooking I listen to Four Tet, when I’m relaxing I listen to Rhye, when I want to move I listen to Kllo. If I’m feeling reminiscent, I will listen to Bon Iver or Augie March. Away from music, I’m quite a Nonna! I love to cook, cuddle my dog Bentley, knit and do all kinds of arts and crafts. My partner Lochlan is an artist so we spend a lot of time manifesting, thinking and creating. I’ve got a fig tree in my back yard so spending my weekends making jam at the moment. I also love being outdoors, going for long bush walks or going away in our van. I have lots of fun things coming up. Planning an EP release at the moment for this year, I’ll share some more info on that soon but at the moment it is still a work in progress. Other than that, writing and gigs. It has been really hard during COVID to go out and sing live and forward plan for that kind of thing, but I am super hopeful for this year. Favourite food: I’m Italian so I can’t go past pizza or pasta. Luckily we’re spoiled for choice close to home but nothing beats a home-made meal at Nonna’s house. Favourite place to hang out: Nonna’s house. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_jiordy/Jiordy Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5jkxZg4bKJM4PEUW29fy7f Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jiordy.music Twitter: https://twitter.com/_jiordy

Jiordy

Where are you currently based? I'm based in London (UK) How did you first start playing music? I used to play the guitar when I was 12, I was in love with that instrument and after few years I start recording myself and then I put all myself into the electronic music world. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? This year was so hard! Nobody was expecting something like this, I feel so sorry for all those people who have lost someone ; For me was a great great year about my music, cause I had a lot of time for give a shape to all my ideas, I finished my album and I'm really proud for this. About my personal life as well, I had a lot more time for listen music, enjoy my time with my girlfriend and more, but of course I want to come back to a normal life. Your latest album 'Plastika | Music for a Film ' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? Yes, the album was released the 9th of January, there is a lot of different influences inside, I took a lot of inspiration from the album 'Anima' by Thom Yorke, from the first time I heard it I felt in love with that album, then clearly I am very influenced by all the music I listen to, But when I work on a record I try to listen to new things as little as possible so as not to be influenced to much and always be original. How did you go about writing Plastika? I started writing it before the lockdown and the pandemic, I had may ideas but I didn't have the material time to finish it, then as we all know there was this bad period and I found the time to immerse myself in the production of the album, I had 3 songs already done, and I started from those songs to build the mood of the work, it was easy, I had all the ideas in my mind, I just gave them shape, I really like the final result. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with? I produce all the album in my flat in London, I start around February 2020 and I finished it in December 2020, I did everything by myself, production and mixing, the master was made by a really friend of mine in his studio in London, I also worked with the artist Alex Kuznetsov for the artwork of the album, I wanted to give to the album a surrealistic mood, and with Alex's paint is absolutely perfect. What programs/equipment did you use? For 'Plastika | Music for a film ' I used Mixcraft 9 pro studio, A great software! My computer, audio Interface and headphones, then synthetisers, sampler, midi controller and a lot of VST and field recordings. How did you come to release with American label Cleopatra Records? It was a coincidence, I was working for a song with the great artist ' Prison Escapee ' and we start chatting, after few months he signed for Cleopatra Records, so I decided to send to them the demo of the album, they loved it, and here we are! Is a great honour for me to be part of this great label! Please tell us about the sadness around your music: There is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time when we were happy . The sadness for me is the purest and real feeling, there is no lies in the sadness, I think happiness can be fake sometimes, the sadness no, is real! Then after all the world where we live is a bit sad most of the time, for this reason I want my music as a mirror, a mirror for reflect this life seen with my eyes. Who are you listening to at the moment? I would need more then an hour for write all the music I listen to hahah. Radiohead, Tim Hecker, Eartheather, Caterina Barbieri, Alessandro Cortini, Saffronkeira, Sigur Ros, Nils Frahm, Deru, Four tet and in the last months I felt in love with Pluhm, an Italian artist, unbelievably good. What do you like to do away from music? I would like to be a painter! I paint sometimes, but I'm not so good hahaha, I love art and I love litterateur and movies, I would lo to work as a director as well. What's planned for 2021? Hope this pandemic is going to finish, I really want to go somewhere around, maybe Japan or USA, but even some nice place in Europe will be ok, and of course I'm already

Michael it’z

Ameli Paul

Ameli Paul

CORDUROY SPACESHIP returns for 2021 with new single 'I DON'T CRY'

CORDUROY SPACESHIP

Gardens of God

Gardens of God

VYNES

VYNES

Midnight Oil to play 'Makarrata Live' intimate warm-up show on 25 Feb at Sydney's Enmore Theatre with First Nations collaborators

Midnight Oil to play ‘Makarrata Live’ intimate warm-up show on 25 Feb at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre with First Nations collaborators

Where are you currently based? On Gadigal land of the Eora nation aka Sydney. How did you first start playing music? When I was little I copied everything my older sister Jeanie did. She brought a guitar home one day when I was 10 and I adopted it. I was painfully shy back then so I started writing songs as a way to communicate. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? As weird and depressing as a lot of things have been politically/globally/culturally during this pandemic, the whole experience has been a wake up call for me. Waking up to what’s important in life and what’s not. Waking up to the future we face as a species and the environmental crisis in our hands. Waking up to contributing my skills to make change. I was unemployed most of last year until I got a job with an environmental NGO run by a small group of incredible women. It’s the first time in a long time I’ve felt like I’m working towards something important. It’s made me feel a lot of hope for the future but also know how urgently things need to change. In terms of music though, I have missed playing shows and watching live music a lot. Having an imposed break has made me really appreciate it. Now when I go see live music you can hear a pin drop because everyone is so focused on the music. The audience is soaking up every note. I haven’t played a live show since I left Australia in September 2019 which is weird after playing every week or so for years. Can’t wait to get back on stage. You were overseas in 2019 and then came back to Australia due to Covid, please tell us about what you got up to: I had wanted to live in Europe forever and got a three year working visa for the UK in 2019. So I released my second album Hysteria! in September 2019 and a week or so later I left. I spent three months in London, three months in Paris and three months in Athens walking 20 kilometres a day exploring the streets, parks, music, galleries. I taught myself a music recording program called Logic and wrote songs every day and demoed them in Logic. I was basically by myself working on my craft with jobs on the side to fund adventures. Then in Athens, I was working for an NGO supporting LGBTIQ refugees and the situation politically got pretty scary - there were anti-refugee riots and people started burning refugee camps in Lesvos. They had to shut the shelter I worked at due to threats so I lost my job. The next day I got an emergency text from the Greek government saying a lockdown was going to happen because of COVID and no-one could leave their house without a permit. Trump announced he was closing the US borders. My family called and said Morrison was about to do the same. I had to make a very quick decision. I didn’t even have time to tell my landlord I had to leave and threw all my shit in a bag, went to the airport and got the first plane back to Sydney I could. It was the right decision - it would have been hard to stay living alone in the current climate. And now seeing all these stranded Australians still trying to get home 14 months later. Your new single 'Waiting For Time' will be out on Feb 16, what influenced the sound and songwriting? I wrote this song walking around London with a heart that fell full and empty at the same time. When I left Australia I had just fallen in a terribly timed romance. I decided to leave anyway with the hope and a promise they would join me eventually. This song is about feeling in limbo, wondering when and if I’d see them again. Talking to them on the other side of the planet at odd times of day and night due to the time difference. In terms of the sound, I penned the term Stargaze for this new collection of songs I’m releasing this year. Think shoegaze but instead of looking down you look up at the stars, trying to absorb and reflect the sound of their beauty, darkness, silent noise, infinite space, twinkling hope in the distance. I'm always using the stars for inspiration. How did you go about writing Waiting For Time? I wrote it in winter in London when I was feeling pretty lonely but also experiencing a weird long-distance love bubble. I didn’t have a guitar at the time so I wrote it on bass with lyrics and melody and stitched the rest together in a kind of patchwork from random recording sessions in Paris, Athens and Sydney. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with? When I got back to Australia during the first wave of COVID, I did a (socially distanced) session at Harvest Recordings in Marrickville to get the bones of the song down. Kat Ayala laid down some beautiful lush guitars for it. And Sarah Fenn-Lavington smashed out drums. I co-produced the song with Ben Moore (Harvest Recordings), who also added his guitars and synths. We kept layering things on, rearranging, adding things and taking them away. It was the first time I'd worked on a song in this way and the first time I'd worked closely with a producer. It felt so good to collaborate creatively like this in a safe place - my living room mainly. We did vocals in my bathroom and Ben mixed it too. I got Casey Rice in Melbourne to master. I'm really proud of where it ended up sonically. Who are you listening to at the moment? RVG, Vagabon, Arlo Parks, Spiritualized, Sol Seppy, Brian Eno, Grouper. What do you like to do away from music? Spending time in nature mainly. Solo swims at the beach, exploring rock pools, I love going on ferry rides in Sydney and taking my dog for walks near water. Also I love my friends and laughing as much as possible with them. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? I'm working on and releasing a bunch of new songs this year and going to work with a director for a special music video or two. Mostly I'm excited about rehearsing a new set with a new band and getting back on stage on on tour as soon as possible/ Favourite food Cheese Favourite place to hangout? Lady Bay and Camperdown Park :) https://www.instagram.com/juliawhymusic/ https://www.facebook.com/JuliaWhy/ Twitter: @Julia_Why

JuliaWhy?

Chutney

Where are you currently based? Geographically, in Melbourne, emotionally, somewhere on another planet. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? We’ve just come back from seeing our beautiful friends & family in Perth which was such a huge opposite to what our COVID experience was. No friends to so many friends, feeling depressed to crying with laughter. The only constant has been we drank and ate way too much. Your new EP 'Starters & Appetizers will be out Feb 19 2021, what influenced the sound and songwriting? We wanted a bright, 80s pop sound that sparkled with a little mystery & weirdness. We wrote all the songs during lockdown so a lot of those feels are incorporated into a few melodic moments and definitely through the lyrics. When you’re stuck at home by yourself, you start reflecting on things a little too much, and so a lot of the lyrics are reflections on past experiences and feelings. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? We recorded & produced everything in house, and by that we literally mean in the house. Noni recorded vocals in a wardrobe padded with yoga mats. One of our super talented friends Joel Dowling mixed all the tracks for us - all of his stuff is bloody incredible and has worked with so many cool artists like Matt Corby & Samsaruh. The EP covers various topics of depression, anxiety / social anxiety, heartbreak and finding out who you are, how did you approach the writing process? It was different with each song… For Jules, he would be up late with a bottle of wine and a MIDI keyboard - definitely how all the melancholic magic happens. For me, I would often lock myself in a room and listen to the Jules’s track over and over again until something stuck. One of the songs took 10 minutes to write, the other took 5 weeks. I think that time alone & apart from each other allowed for an introspective & emotional canvas. Please describe a bit about the background of each track: Track 1: Butterflies & SSRIs This is an instrumental track that we hope paints a melodic journey about addressing depression & anxiety through therapy and medication (SSRIs) and finally being able to function and see the world in colour for the first time. For Jules, this has been a super long journey and so we felt it would be perfect to open the EP with an instrumental that would frame the topics of each track after - there are a bunch of different elements that you’ll hear repeated in other tracks to draw the whole thing together. Track 2: Ultra Passion We originally released this Nov 1st last year. Ultra Passion is about foolishly jumping into a bad relationship with your heart on your sleeve and having it break your heart. For me, this recounts a particularly heartbreaking time in my life. The first line sums up the song: “21 and a fool, we didn’t know what we were doing.” Track 3: Sober Spaceman Another re-release from last December. This one is about being held back from making decisions in life for fear of disappointment and living life passively on ‘autopilot’ because of crippling anxiety. Almost like you’re floating through space, unable to redirect where you’re going in life and finally sobering up to the reality of the situation. Track 4: Sad Champagne Is about trying not to jump into a relationship after heartbreak - not wanting to be alone, but knowing that you need to be alone to heal, and reflecting on the brokenness of past relationships. Track 5: Private Wine Story through an introvert’s eyes at a party and struggling to ‘be normal’ and fit, because of social anxiety. I wrote the lyrics to this one with Jules in mind. It’s about finally finding your rhythm and ‘dance’ in life, something we both found in 2020. What did you find most challenging and rewarding through out the creation of the EP? I think its always tricky working with your romantic partner, and we both have very different working styles and processes. But the reward was the fact that we produced this together and got through it on the other side and we still like working together. Who are you listening to at the moment? I’m listen to RAYE (@raye), LEON (@Leon), & SayGrace (@callmesaygrace). All powerhouse female artists. What do you like to do away from music? Personally I like to binge watch TV shows on Netflix, nap, eat and clean - I guess classic traits you’d find in most Racoons. For us, a perfect day is a drive down to Mornington listening to music and then grabbing a gin & tonic. What's planned for 2021? Fingers crossed our first show! We’ve got a bunch of new singles lined up after the EP (some cool collabs in the mix). Also a sneaky music video or two. Favourite food and place to hangout? Definitely Japanese - we are huge suckers for ramen, particularly Shujinko in the city, hands down best ramen in Melbourne. I love a trip to the National Gallery of Victoria - it’s super igniting on a creative level, plus I love to make memes out of the Renaissance paintings.

FancyNormal

Where are you currently based? Montreal, Canada How did you first start playing music? Picked up a bass at age 16 after listening to (and being blown away) by Steve Harris, the bass player for Iron Maiden. Haven't been into metal for a while, but that's how it all started. How has your approach t0 creating music changed over the years? I've been in an indie rock band for many years, and for most of that time, our approach to music involved jamming out complete songs. Lately, we've been more into splicing parts together on a DAW. And for my solo work, I write beats, jam out a live bassline over them, and add on keyboard parts on that. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? I've been lucky: COVID hasn't impacted me that much. Musically and otherwise, things have been relatively normal. Your new single 'Teacups' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? The feel and mood of the song was inspired by Yves Tumour's album Serpent Music. Amazing album, by the way. I love the field recordings in the album and just the feeling of mystery. How did you go about writing Teacups? Teacups started with a beat I tapped out on my knuckles, and then recorded. I then added a reverb effect and some drums, and the bassline. I put a melody over it all using a keyboard patch. Lastly, I put some field recordings of my daughter playing with a small porcelain tea set and talking, and saturated with reverb. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with? My first LP - called The Gamins - was recorded at my home studio. I did the mixing myself, and mastered it online. In my band we've used other people to mix our stuff quite a bit - but for Nimrawd I felt it made more sense for me to do it myself. My music is very lo-fi and intense - so the album was forgiving of my possibly inexperienced mixing technique. How did you approach the recording process? I start by tapping out a drum line on my iPhone, more often than not. Next, I put a live bassline down. I feel that live bass is key to my music. There's something about the analog nature of it that really just lets the rhythm breathe and open up. I then add other instrumentation on top. The actual "recording" process will typically happen over sessions that last a few hours. Then the arranging and tinkering happens. I'll do that over a period of months, in short bursts - sometimes of just a few minutes. What programs/instruments/equipment did you use? iPhone for beats. Sometimes an iPad, sometimes a drum pad. I used a Warwick fretless 4-string bass for all the basslines. Everything was recorded on Logic Pro and using MIDI patches. How did the concept for the Teacups video come about? I felt the song had a movement to it, and one day the idea of doing a ballet-type of video came into my head. It just felt right. Where and when did you film/produce and who did you work with? I hired a dancer on Fiverr to do it. It's crazy what you can do online these days. I sent her the song, the words my daughter says in the music, and she took it from there. I gave her full artistic freedom to do what she felt was right, and I think she did a great job. You have an LP to be released later in 2021, how has the progress been so far? The progress has been great. In fact the album is mostly done - but with a big asterisk. I have a series of songs, but I need to make sure they work as a whole. I also need to see if I need to add a new song to make sure I'm covering all the styles I'd like to have on the LP. And, of course, there might be some situations where I have to cut a song I like because it doesn't fit with the others. How are you approaching the creation of the LP? I would say the songs on this new LP are a bit more electronic foused, and less "beat tape" focused. I'm also experimenting with shorter "ditties" which push the music a bit more in terms of experimentality. Who are you listening to at the moment? Ras G, Madlib, Mike Ladd, Actress, Brian Eno, Dakim, Inga Copeland, The Beach Boys. What do you like to do away from music? Skip this question What's planned for the remainder of 2021? Complete the album, and start the next one. I'm in a bit of a netherzone right now. Once I'm nearly done with an album I find it hard to really get into new songs. I've started experimenting with some texture ideas, but the next step is really to release my second LP. Favourite food and place to hangout? Skip this question

Nimrawd

Known for his worldly folk sound, BOCEPHUS KING (James Perry), has played music for crowds around the globe as well as collaborated with master musicians from all over the world, and quite fittingly. Bocephus King carries a sound from places near and far, familiar and foreign, rooted in folk tradition and infused with his contemporary, unique approach. He is a troubadour through and through and his ability to connect with his listeners transcends cultures. "I wrote this song wanting to start with a first-hand account of the modern version of this gypsy-style life and to finish with a reminder of the very message the original Troubadours tried to hide from the dreaded, soulless inquisition. That is this: enlightenment is a choice, everything you need dwells in you. You are the universe trying to understand itself. You don’t need a middleman to reach spirituality." - Bocephus King LISTEN: https://open.spotify.com/album/6jyWd4uuidUV9oZl5u7sek?highlight=spotify:track:4HxrORO6Gjl9Jb82MPWIgP SOCIALS http://www.tonicrecords.com/artist/bocephus-king/ https://twitter.com/bocephusking?lang=en https://www.facebook.com/BocephusKing/ https://www.instagram.com/bocephusk/?hl=en

Bocephus King Premiere

Where are you from and where are you currently based? Born and raised Australian, from Western Sydney. Sacrificed the sun and moved to East London, 8 years ago! How did you first start playing music? From a young age I was given a “thing” by my parents, something to keep me preoccupied and out of trouble. Some get sports, others dancing, it was singing for me. What's been happening recently for you and how has your Covid experience been so far? I managed to put out a record through the pandemic, so most of 2020 was based around that. Kinda think it was a good thing, kept me busy in what was a really difficult year. Always trying to see the silver lining, I learnt a lot last year and was forced to think outside the box creatively. Your new single 'Revolution' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? Revolution was written in 2019 about the person who brings out the best in you, encourages a change within. I love the Woodstock era, empowered female singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Janis Joplin. I suppose they inspired the sound in many ways. Some songs go on to have more depth as they exist in the world, the more I lived with Revolution the more meaning it had. In light of 2020 and the shift in global conversation about equality across race, gender, environmental justice - Revolution was that song I put out to help face the days with. How did you go about writing Revolution? I took in the concept, I’d seen a street sign in capitals saying “Revolution” on the way to write. Small things sometimes funnily inspire songs. I wrote it with Paro Westerlund and Professor P in Sweden. Professor P specialises in lyrics predominantly, I was working on my storytelling at the time and it really helped to have those two to bounce ideas off. To take such a grand concept and make it into something relatable and close to home - that was tough. So happy with how we managed to make it work though! Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? Revolution was written in Sweden, but produced over in LA. I’ve always been really lucky to have people believe in my songs and get on board because they’re excited by it and wanna see me win. Onree Gill produced the track and got the gospel choir Ella + Q to record over it. Onree’s worked with Alicia Keys, John Mayer, Gwen Stefani and Ella + Q with Prince and Whitney. I mean, I’m just a small town girl from Western Sydney so pretty mind blowing! We then had additional production done by a Maestro The Baker, a Grammy award winning producer here in the UK. How did you approach the recording process and what did you find most challenging and rewarding? I executive produced my album “Hunger” alongside Joe Garrett and my managers, I think getting 12 songs and bringing them into the same sonic world proved to be our biggest challenge. Even now there are a few different sounds across the album, but we managed to get them all sounding like they lived in the same world. No one ever prepared me for listening to 7+ mixes per song, but it was so important for me to be a part of that process. Who are you listening to at the moment? I’ve started to rehash some 2000’s power pop women Robyn, Gossip, Florence. Also I’m always listening to Bon Iver, James Blake, Ólafur Arnalds. What do you like to do away from music? I spend a lot of time away from music walking in nature, which helps me to clear my mind. What's planned for 2021, what other projects / releases do you currently have in the pipeline? I’m taking this new found down time to focus on writing songs for other artists, I have a few features I’m excited about coming up! I’m also working on a side project in the dance world which is nothing like anyone’s heard from me before called AR/CO, so watch this space.

Mali Koa

https://open.spotify.com/track/0q2gvD5W0dCBTGPWPxOqFi?si=PC66-CNkQY-D2SDwgdR_6A&nd=1

SJUR

Sarah McLeod

Sarah Mcleod

Where are you currently based? Gold Coast, Australia. How did you first start playing music? I first picked up a guitar in grade 4. I had just moved schools and pretty much everyone I wanted to be friends with played in a band together. I actually started playing bass first because they needed one for the band - but before long migrated to a 6 string. I began writing songs for the band and it pretty much went from there. What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? I feel pretty guilty about this answer, but it has literally been an excuse for me to hermit in my studio and make music all day every day. It sucks that live shows had a massive break, but we’re getting back into it now. You’ve teamed up with Namaste with your new single ‘OneNotTwo’; how did you come to work together? Namaste reached out to me after hearing one of my tracks on TripleJ Unearthed and sent me a few beats. They were obviously talented producers so I started sending them every song I would write. They heard the chords for OneNotTwo and instantly jumped on board. What influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? I’d be lying if I said anything other than my fiance. The song is pretty much the story of how we met, and a sticky situation that came up super early in our relationship. How did the creative/songwriting process take place? I wrote the full story out one night, then spent probably the next 2 months going back and forth with Namaste tweaking lyrics. We added instruments, took them out again, fiddled with structure, changed melodies etc. but we finally decided to keep it as simple as possible, and let the story of the song do the talking. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? Hahah, I recorded the vocals in my closet with a mattress flipped up against the wall, in an attempt to mute out all the cars that were driving by. Guitars were literally just plugged straight into a Scarlett Solo that I bought from a Cash Converters for $80. Quality investment. What programs/instruments did you use? FL Studio till death. Not 100% sure on what Namaste uses, but they definitely have secret sauce that they dribble on everything to make it sound fucking mint. They pretty much took my ratchet demo and converted into what it is now. What did you find most challenging and rewarding throughout the process of creating OneNotTwo? Honestly, getting everything ready in time. I set a ridiculous timeframe to get it sorted by and it was an absolute miracle it worked out. Please tell us about your goal to release a new track each month of this year? I just want to give more music to the people who have been supporting me. I think albums are the ideal way to consume music, and it’s definitely my preferred way to listen - but I just don’t feel I have the resources to properly promote an entire album of songs. When, say Drake, drops an album, he can tour the world for 6 months to a year promoting it. I cannot! Also, at this point in my career, I’m still figuring out my sound (and my life) and can’t pinpoint a musical sonic that I can stick to for an entire album. I want to just put out my favourite songs month by month, and see what happens. Who are you listening to at the moment? I listen to a lot of different music, but Anderson .Paak, Frank Ocean, J.Cole, Kendrick, James Brown, Earth, Wind & Fire, Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, JK-47, Dave; are all in my recently played. What do you like to do away from music? I fucking love cooking, I find it very similar to making music - in a weird way. Making handmade pasta, pizza, bao buns etc; I just love making dough ahah. I also love skateboarding and have been doing that since I was like 14 too. What’s planned for 2021? I’m fully independent and plan on staying that way, so this year I want to make as much music as I can, and learn as much as I can from every release. I’m bound to make mistakes but that’s all part of it. Favourite food and place to hangout? I make a pretty skitz pizza? So I would probably just want to eat that in my little apartment with my girl. Instagram Facebook

Lemaire

Where are you currently based? Hello. I live in Berlin, already my whole life. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid/Isolation experience been so far? In 2020 I was pretty busy releasing my music. There was the double 12" AI on CLIKNO, then Post Techno Crisis on Goldmin Music, two EPs with my project rand with pianist Jan Gerdes, then my album Drones & Tones For The Free II under my alias Anomali and various podcasts, the last one, Yarncast072, came out just before Christmas. I also re-released seven previous EPs and albums on my own Bandcamp page. And of course, I've been spending time making new music. I haven't felt lonely at all, although I've reduced my contacts extremely. I have to say that I live together with many people in a cool house in the middle of Berlin. That turned out to be an advantage in a situation like this. Living alone on my own is not my thing anyway. Your new EP Muaco is out now on CLIKNO, what influenced the sound and songwriting? Last year I read the book "Jaki Liebezeit" about the former Can drummer, which explains his rhythm system. Without being too theoretical, I adopted it intuitively and composed a number of percussive layers to achieve that mesmerizing sensation of polyrhythm that we also know from gamelan and a lot of African music. The pulse and flow were important. Another influence is Burnt Friedman, who also worked with Jaki Liebezeit, and Fela Kuti, but also drone music and techno a la Voices From the Lake, for example. Sonically, there are no influences other than the sound of the acoustic guitar itself. The acoustic feel was a premise. How did you go about writing the EP? I didn't conceive the EP. I just had the idea to make a techno track with sounds of my acoustic guitar, that's the title track Muaco, which is just a short name for MUsic Against COrona. I had so much fun with the samples that I ended up making three tracks. I wanted to release them as an EP right away, but pushed back the release date since the last year was already filled with releases. Now it feels great to launch with the Muaco EP in 2021, even during another lockdown period. What programs/equipment did you use? First, there's my Höfner acoustic guitar, which I simply recorded with a Sure SM 58 microphone. All the rest - processing, sound design, arrangement and mixing - was done in Ableton Live and with the help of several plug-ins. Where and when did you record/produce/master? The complete music was recorded and produced at home. The mastering was done by Sebastian Mehl, a good friend with great mastering skills. Did you work with anybody else during the creation of Muaco? Nope Please describe your creative process and why you create music? The creative process usually starts with a recording of real sounds from the real world or I dig into my archive of those recordings. It's more fun to start with something fresh and new, it triggers my curiosity about what I can do with it. The samples are imported into my computer and Ableton Live, where I assemble, disassemble, cut, tweak, modulate, pitch, stretch the material until I get stuck on a particular sound or segment. That might be a rhythmic or melodic phrase or just a textural sound. I'm looking for emotional content, at least for me. From there I add and explore, playing around with the sound clips until I have an idea of the track. I then do the arrangement live in a recording session. I can't answer the other question of why I make music. It's an inner urge that drives me to do it. I can't live without making music. I'm a sound nerd and fascinated by the impact that sound and music have and how music connects. I'm also very amused when I see people dancing to my music because I know how I created it and it might just be a random noise or a very childish, dubious instrument or just an object that I like the sound of. Has Covid resulted in more webstreams/home-clubbing/listening? Yeah, people are listening to more music at home now, or on their headphones on their walk or way to work. Home clubbing sounds kind of sexy to me. It's something new to explore. I mean, are people really dancing at home? Possibly. I do, I can't wait for the clubs to open! Web streams are very welcome, of course. There are way too many, I think. Even when Facebook launched with its livestream feature before Covid19, I quickly got bored of webstreams. It's not just about the music or the sound anymore, there should be a narrative and a reason to do a stream and the images should reinforce that. It's a new form of entertainment. There are interesting projects on the way. For example, what the CTM Festival is doing right now. What has been motivating you in the last year or so with no live shows to play? I lacked a bit of motivation, the pressure to produce. But as I mentioned before, last year I focused on releasing and re-releasing. But I know that one day there will be parties again and it's better to be prepared. For the Muaco EP, the motivation actually came from picking up the guitar and recording some new acoustic sounds. The idea was still to produce some groovy tracks, but with a different sound concept. So I was curious how it would sound in the end and if it might work. How do you think Covid has changed the path of music culture? Well, apart from the crushing of any performance, I feel that many producers who felt trapped in a production process have now allowed themselves to break out and be more explorative and creative. I hope and wish that electronic music and music in general will become more free from all these commercial rules and guidelines. There is a great opportunity for music. After Covid, it won't be the same anymore. What do you have planned post Covid? Kitchenparty is the first thing that comes to my mind. It's a private event I usually host once or twice a year in my kitchen, more or less an informal gathering with friends and guests. We have DJs, live acts and visuals and usually international guests. The next one will be remembered for a long time. I also want to travel again, somewhere to get out and discover new places. I'm also curious where my next booking will take me. What do you like to do away from music? I'm quite interested in cultural things, art exhibitions, performances, concerts and so on. During the lockdown, a lot more happens on the net now, so I try to balance my time on the computer with going to the river and lakes and woods with someone, and I love hanging out with my girlfriend. Who are you listening to at the moment? Last year I discovered the London label Well Street Records. I'm very excited about that. I've never heard the names of their artists, but I just love the music.Lately I've been listening a lot to Laurine Frost's album Lena, Kraftwerk's Autobahn, Talking Heads' Remain in Light, Bohren & the Club of Gore's Geisterfaust, Wang Inc.'s Mediterraneo EP and in between music from Hubble, Steevio, Steve Reich, Burnt Friedman, Jan Jelinek, Villalobos.... ah, too many to mention.... I listen to a lot of music. Favourite food and place to hangout? My favorite way to spend time is at home or with my girlfriend and housemates. My other friends are getting the short end of the stick at the moment, but I hope that will change in the summer. My favorite food has to be fresh. I love raw vegetables, hummus, good bread, salad, fruits. Now in winter sometimes a hot soup.

Dr.Nojoke

Where are you currently based? I’ve been residing in LA for the past almost 4 years touring the American circuit. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? 2020 was pretty uneventful as it was for most musicians, but currently I’m in Australia and very lucky to be doing some covid free shows! How did you first start playing music? I’ve played guitar & piano since I was a child, played in many different bands throughout my teens before discovering EDM. Your new single 'Enemy' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting & How did you go about writing Enemy with Shane Told of Silverstein who features on the track, how did this come about and how was the experience? I’ve been doing the whole rock/metal EDM crossover thing for a while now (usually on the more heavier side) but since the lack of shows over the current year, I’ve been exploring the more melodic side of things. I originally wrote enemy using a Silverstein Acapella as a place holder and it worked too perfectly, so then I hit up Shane to see if he’d be down to write some original vocals for the tune and he was super into the idea and so easy to work with! Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? I do everything myself from my home studio & Shane recorded his vocals in his home studio. Enemy mashes up EDM with Heavy sounds, how did this mash come to be? That’s the PhaseOne sound. Once I discovered EDM I was still very much into writing metal too, so figured why not combine them both haha. What programs/equipment did you use? I use ableton. For synths on this song I used the VST Serum & a guitar simulator synth called Heavier7strings. What do you like to do away from music? I like music that catches me off guard, I love obscure time signatures and frequent changes. Nerdy music basically haha, but I also thrive on the energy that heavy music brings. Who are you listening to at the moment? Northlane. Periphery. Polyphia. Fat Freddys Drop. What's planned for 2021? At the moment just taking advantage of some actual shows out here in Aus. Music wise, I plan on releasing a lot more melodic music and another EP at some point in the coming months.

PhaseOne

A ten-track blend of folk, pop, blues and jazz influences, the album showcases the strikingly poetic lyrics and inimitable sound that make Rosie one of Scotland’s most coveted talents. Produced by Marc Pilley - ex-Hobotalk vocalist, composer and front man who is now releasing music under his own Arksong moniker. With a sound reminiscent of Billie Holiday, Alison Kraus, Patti Smith and Dory Previn, her music floats in the minds and hearts of fans long after listening. Live, Rosie has been performing for years. From Edinburgh’s renowned International Jazz and Blues Festival to Celtic Connections, to audiences in the UK and France. Throughout the pandemic Rosie has performed several online gigs and has hopes for performing live this year when gigs can return. Her journey toward music began with a career in art therapy. After achieving an A in Higher Art, Rosie studied art therapy for two years and was subsequently offered a job with Barnardo’s Skylight Project, working with children who had been victims of sexual abuse. Although she loved being able to help people through art, the job could be harrowing and Rosie found it difficult to switch off from it. To counteract this, she began to do more of something she loved: playing music. You can listen to the album here: http://bit.ly/3r57fZr and download the full press release, song stories, press shots and WAV of the forthcoming single ‘ Could Have Been' here: http://bit.ly/3mwxJzhwhich is out today. The single was inspired by a poem by Peter Roche titled Somewhere on the Way, Could Have Been is a heart-breaking account of love lost, and the hindsight that follows. It would be great if you could please include the Bandcamp link for the single which is out today: http://bit.ly/2Mbdw5Q Where are you currently based? Edinburgh, Scotland. What inspired you to write your latest single, Could Have Been? This song was inspired by an inscription in a book of love poetry which read 'Happy Birthday, 1978. Love John. Xxx Could have been so good - (see Somewhere on the Way)'. Somewhere on the Way is a poem by Peter Roche and is a heartbreaking account of love, lost due to an inability to communicate his feelings, and of hindsight. The poem uses the phrase 'I wanted to say....' about several things and this, combined with the inscription and a new guitar part I had just developed, resulted in this song. A gift to a songwriter!! What’s your song writing process like? Oh boy, that’s a hard one to answer. Having been asked it many times though I have come to realise that where it starts is usually me noodling with the guitar, maybe learning some new skills/parts, and then playing about with this and ideas that are beginning to formulate in my brain. Eventually, a song is born!! What’s behind the title of your forthcoming fourth album ‘Where Time Suspends’? This album had a working title of Music is Sunshine for most of its life and it only changed on the night before the actual CDs were to be pressed! I lay awake that night wondering if I’d called it the right thing, as the original title didn’t work with the cover art (a definite) and didn’t really give much of a clue about the content either or reflect the zeitgeist. After much tossing and turning, the line ‘where time suspends’ from the song, Music is Sunshine, jumped into my head as being the absolutely correct name for the album as it leaves the listener with a sense of wondering where life will go next. It felt very apt for the times we’re living in and also perfectly complemented the ambiguity of the artwork - in my opinion :). Can you tell us some more about the album’s production? This, my fourth album, has been almost five years in the making and I was really enjoying the actual process of its development. Several of the songs were brought to fulfilment using the process I’ve described above and, because this album wasn’t rushed at all, they developed in a very organic way. The producer, Marc Pilley, and I have worked together on all four albums and we just thought we’d allow it to take its time and see where that led us. We had a lot of fun and creative development in the course of the five years! The way we usually work is that Marc comes to my house, we have a chat and then he records ideas and songs that I’ve written. He then takes that away and adds his musical parts to it. All of the recording is normally done that way - my loft/studio is basically a recording studio as well as my studio for making art. We only had two songs left to finish when the pandemic struck and we were unable to meet up like this. After a few months of us not getting any work done on the album as we weren’t meeting up at all, I suggested that we could try to use my Tascam recorder as a means of me being able to send him really high-quality files. After a little bit of trial and error we found that this works really well and were able to finish off at last :) What is behind the artwork for the album? The photo in the cover art is of a scene in France that I’d photographed many years ago and which I felt was incredibly atmospheric. It was always going to be the album cover as it’s one of my favourite photos and I love it as an image. How does Where Time Suspends sound compared to your previous releases? It’s so hard to be objective about this as it’s like asking about a favourite child, although I know that’s not quite what you’ve asked! It sounds like a development in my work, like a mixture of songs and styles that, in some part reflect my inner world and personal experience but that will also (I hope) have resonance and connect with others who hear it. Musically it records my progress as a musician and songwriter and the work I’ve put into learning the craft of guitaring over the last few years. For example, one of the songs, Choices, sprang from me having just learned the guitar part for the classic jazz song ‘My Funny Valentine’. I loved the chord progression in that song (which is the same as Stairway to Heaven btw…) and wrote the song around some of these chords, which were new to me. It's definitely the best work I’ve done to date and I’ve also been told this by others who have heard it and who know my music. Why and when did you first start playing music? This is another long story….. Just over 20 years ago I worked as an art therapist in a children’s project dealing with children and youngsters who had experienced sexual abuse. I found it very difficult to leave my work behind when I got home and my supervisor suggested that I took up something that would bring me joy and give me a better balance in my life. She asked what that might be and I said I liked singing and sang all the time around the house. She gave me contact details for a voice coach (who went on to become a friend) and the voice coach encouraged me to sing, to start my own band and to see where that would all take me. I’d played guitar very badly since I was a teenager so I then decided to practice that properly too. There’s a lot more to it than that but this was the origin of my musical life. So I started off by playing other people’s music and then started writing my own songs a few years later and my first album, Lazy and Mellow, came out in 2009. Where are you most excited to play when live gigs return? I really enjoy playing small, intimate gigs where I can engage directly with the audience. One of the gigs that was cancelled due to Covid was in the National Gallery of Scotland and that’s one that I really enjoy so that would be in the top three. I can’t wait to get together with my band again as we had just really started to gig as a coherent band, playing my new songs as well as the older ones, when all of the restrictions happened. We were looking forward to doing some house concerts too so these would be high on the list. In addition to this, I usually do some petits concerts in France and that will be another thing to look forward to this year - fingers crossed!! There may also be something in this year’s Edinburgh International Jazz and Blues Festival in the pipeline so I’ll wait to see if that happens as that’s a fun gig too. How do you spend your time when you’re not making music? I’m an artist, a dog owner and nature lover and have an allotment. These things, together with my family, take up most of my days. Who are you listening to at the moment? I’m very much an old-fashioned music lover and my default musicians are Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Van Morrison, Paul Simon, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, James Taylor, Joan Armatrading, k.d.lang, Nick Cave, Mary Gauthier and others of that ilk. So, mostly singer-songwriters, although I do also love the blues, some jazz, and lots of rock music, including Thin Lizzy, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC etc. Several of my friends are musicians too and I like to keep up with what they are doing. Marc Pilley, my producer is a perfect example of that. He has produced a lot of music recently, since the pandemic started, under the name of Arksong. Lovely stuff :)

Acclaimed songwriter Rosie Nimmo announces beautifully written fourth album ‘Where Time Suspends’

Where are you currently based? Melbourne What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? Akaysha: 2020 was an absolute write off, I feel like I literally stared out the window for 8 months. Did manage to cook up some pretty good food. Hannah: I reincarnated and became Hai Priestess.. the cocoon was pretty dark for a while there. Sal: I mixed herbal teas and sent them to my family and friends (sorry family and friends). I also wrote some terrible apocalyptic songs and talked to my greyhound (a lot). How and why did Queens of Club form? Akaysha: Our periods all synced & Mercury was in retrograde. Hannah: The planets aligned in all seriousness, it just clicked. It feels like we were meant to meet each other, and the first time we hung out it just made so much sense. Initially it was just three female producers coming together to hang out, share ideas and support each others work in a male dominated field - but naturally we started chopping up and adding to each others songs. Queens of Club was born out of play. Sal: all the above What are your musical backgrounds? Akaysha: I started learning piano, guitar and drums as a kid, I always wanted to start a band but could never find anyone. Around 14 I started making electronic music & Djing as it was something I could do solo. I released a lot of electro house under Kaysh then evolved into more downtempo electronica as Ok Sure. 20 years later I have finally managed to start that band! Hannah: I learned piano and guitar and began playing folk music shows at around 15, I was never an amazing musician, but loved songwriting, construction and performing. I always wanted to be in a band and it wasn't until I was 26 when I formed Bonnie Doom and Pow Pow Kids, I spent a number of years playing around town. I loved the production side of things, and after we recorded albums for both those bands and I got an insight into recording, I started to get the itch to produce myself. I released a solo album that I wrote and produced in 48 hours called Bonnie The Kid - Xanadu, and from there I was hooked and developed as the producer Syntax/Semantics for some years to reach my final incarnation Hai Priestess in Queens of Club. Sal: I started with jazz and classical piano, and dabbled with electronic music software in my early teens. My mum made me take opera lessons (why?!) so for a while there I was singing dramatic operatic German pieces after school with an unnecessarily strict teacher – maybe one day I’ll tap into that (Queens, consider yourselves warned). How did your track 'Bones' come about? Akaysha: This was one of my old songs back from 2015 that was never officially released, the girls had some ideas and it evolved to what you hear today. Sal: I fell in love with Akaysha’s original version of Bones and needed more it in my life. How did you go about writing the track? Akaysha: Sal took my original version and added more lyrics, a proper hook & rearranged it, all skills that I lack in songwriting, if I’m left to my own devices I’d probably be stuck in an instrumental loop for 5 hours. Hannah: I didn't have much to do with this one except tell them it was a banger and a bit of "woo woo" high vocals. Sal: For a few weeks, I listened to Akaysha’s version obsessively every time I did the dishes, singing new ideas for it as I went. The dishes weren’t cleaned well, but I’m very happy with this version of Bones and that’s more important. Where and when did you record/produce/master and what equipment did you use? Akaysha: I started recording this 6 years ago, I can't remember what gear I used, probably all soft synths, I don’t use a lot of hardware. All produced, mixed and mastered in my bedroom studio. Sal: ALL the magic happens in Akaysha’s bedroom studio. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation process? Akaysha: As I said I have a habit of getting stuck in an instrumental loop. Sal and Hannah are more in tune with vocals & arranging & catchy hooks so it’s great to collab with them, they breathe new life into all the half finished stuff I have lying around. Obviously there are always a few creative differences but nothing major and we can generally all agree on a final outcome. Hannah: The most rewarding thing is getting to hang out and be creative with close friends, it's just super fun. Sal: I respectfully agree with my Queens. You are very much a sensory live act with the use of costumes, visuals/audio - how did this come to be? Akaysha: We wanted Queens Of Club to be just as much of a visual experience as an audio one. Instead of us all standing behind computers we thought putting placemats on our heads and dancing around would be way more interesting. Hannah: It's a natural evolution for us, we all love dress-ups, costume, theatre... all kinds of art forms. This is a playground for us where we throw ideas around and see what sticks and what doesn't, and there's some wacky shit in those minds of ours. We are so different, yet so complementary and so because QOC is so authentically who we are when we come together it's a natural unfolding - we don't look at or listen to others and try to copy or follow trends. We're just being creative with the things, sounds, looks, ideas we like. Sal: because Akaysha cannot stop herself from attaching homewares to her person. How do the costume, visuals and audio creatives for the live show come about? Akaysha: A lot of hot glue guns, trips to the Kmart homewares section and tassels were involved. Hannah: We are very DIY, and between us we have some pretty random skills so we manage to make it all ourselves (so far - but we'd love to collaborate). We share images, videos, anything really that catches our eye and is inspiring, and pretty quickly the visual elements just started to come together - it's a very strong vision and we somehow could see what the others were seeing too. We wanted to create an entire world and experience.. It's so boring standing around watching people with egos play their instruments. We wanted to remove the ego, and make it about the audience.. not us. Who are you listening to at the moment? Akaysha: Louis Theroux’s podcast 'Grounded' Hannah: Shamanic Visioning by Sandra Ingerman Audiobook and In Too Deep Podcast by Jack Rowland Sal: Judge me if you must - A 10 hour playlist of Gregorian chants (it’s my new must-focus music). Other music-wise, I’ve been listening to “Tipper” (Gulch is my favourite track) and “HAAi”. My enduring faves are the album “Thora Vukk” by Robag Wruhme, and anything electronic that involves mallet percussion or grainy, crunchy bits. What do you like to do away from music? Akaysha: I’m a big foodie, I do a lot of visual art, I also have a major wig obsession. Hannah: I run a start-up called The Local Green Pages which is a free local directory for Creative & Sustainable people. I also work in Social Change, so am a passionate Social Entrepreneur. Sal: At the moment, I fan-girl Ryan Shelton, read my greyhound bedtime stories and dance. What's planned for 2021? Akaysha: I think I better freeze my eggs. Hannah: Lots of Queens of Club, releasing new music, we're planning a clip for our next single at the moment so bringing all those pieces together. Sal: all the above. I have some solo music to finish and release this year (like the other Queens). Favourite food and place to hangout? Akaysha: The 10 course degustation menu at some fancy restaurant Hannah: Kaysh's balcony and fancy Uber Eats Sal: 10 course unfancy Japanese, potentially on Akaysha’s balcony https://www.facebook.com/thequeensofclub https://www.instagram.com/queens_of_club/

Queens of Club

Where are you currently based? Lethbridge, Alberta. Canada. How did you first start playing music? I've actually grown up playing music. My folks are musicians and helped start my home town music festival in the 80's, my sister and I like to joke that it's their oldest (and favorite) child. I started with playing mandolin when I was nine, then I moved on to guitar at 13 like we all do. I couldn't ever feel satisfied with playing one thing though, I always wanted to play them all. I had lots of great role models around that played lots of things so I didn't have to look too far for help or inspiration. It was really just a "put one foot in front of the other" sort of situation. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? I've been really lucky through all this Covid business. So far all my immediate people are healthy and carrying on as best they can. I'm actually particularly lucky to be able to put a record out during this mess. When all this began I didn't think I'd be in a position to put a record out, but Tonic and everyone working on the release have done an amazing job. It's lent a degree of normalcy to this otherwise abnormal time. I'm super lucky to get to spend more time at home too. I haven't spent this much uninterrupted time at home with my wife and cats in years, so that's definitely been a source of joy for me. It was hard when everything shut down though. I was on the road in the USA and made it across the border just as it closed, which was harrowing. We were making a record in Vancouver just as things were getting serious in Canada and by the time I returned home the country was in its first lockdown. I went through a bit of a spiral after that with my mental health and was diagnosed with clinical depression after a time. I have a really great support system with my wife and family though and they helped me get back on the up and up and I'm doing well now. I think I'm not very good with change at the best of times, so I kind of had a system overload. My wife is an elementary school teacher and she's so incredibly strong. Whenever I feel like I'm having a hard day being an artist in lockdown, I talk to her about her day and put it all in perspective. Teachers and nurses man, they're the serious heroes in this thing. Your new single and video for 'Where Are My Blue Eyes' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? I really love old-timey bluegrass and have really been immersing myself in the lore and tradition. I was on tour in California last year with Leeroy Stagger and the Rebeltone Sound and found this old banjo from the 1890's in a music store in San Rafael. It was tuned in double C tuning, which I'd never played but immediately recognised as the modal signature of all my favorite old recordings. I got back to the van and tuned my banjo to double C and 'Blue Eyes' was the first thing that came out of my fingers. How did you go about writing the single? The banjo part came first. After I'd figured out a few moves in my new tuning the form developed quite rapidly. Lyrically it came as a revelation as well. We'd been on tour for the better part of the year and I was starting to feel pretty homesick. I'd also been thinking a great deal about the atomic bomb and the new atomic age we've been living in since Aug 6, 1945 and how quickly the world can change. I wrote the first line "where is my blue eyed girl, where on earth is she?" and the rest just poured out of me. I think the whole thing took about ten minutes. That's how it is though. Sometimes you have to work for it, and sometimes it walks right up to you. Where and when did you record/produce and who with? The record was recorded over about 18 months in 2018/2019 at the Rebeltone Ranch in Lethbridge, AB. The other band I play in (Leeroy Stagger and the Rebeltone Sound) was touring all the time, and I was finishing my undergraduate degree at the University of Lethbridge, so I chipped away at the record as I could. I'm a recording engineer and engineered most of it. Leeroy produced and did the lion's share of mixing. The band were all my fellow Rebeltone Sound alumni. How did you approach the recording process? I wanted to do something that really fit the aesthetic of the songs. I write in kind of an anachronistic way and always want my songs to sound like they've come from 80 years earlier or something. I've always loved analog gear too, so with those things in mind we decided to approach making the record as old school and analog as we could. The console we used was a Trident 88 which was really neat. We recorded almost everything live off the floor and tried to keep things to one or two takes. Not everything on this record is perfect, but that's totally where the beauty is for me. It feels authentic, if I do say so myself... How did the concept for the video come about? I was talking to my videographer friend Evan Uschenko, who shares my love for antiquated artistic methods and we got talking about how fun it would be to do something using 16mm. We had the idea to shoot a video on film and to hand paint the frames to create a multimedia piece of art. Where and when did you film and how was the experience? The process was hard but great. It was fun to struggle with film again, Evan loading the camera blind with his hands in a canvas bag so as to not expose the film, not being able to see what you've just shot, all the trials that the modern age has corrected were present and I think the final project was better as a result. The painting is what really took time. To paint 17 minutes of footage was approximately 24,000 frames and took 40 hours. When it was done I was glad it was over, but immediately was looking forward to the next time. You have a new album coming out on the 15th of Jan, please tell us a little about what we can expect: I'm so proud of this record. It's a collection of twelve songs spanning old-timey bluegrass and Canadiana folk that focus on where we are, how and why we got here and where we might be going in the end. I really challenged myself on this record and I think that shows. I tried to make music that I liked personally, and that I hoped people would like to listen to, but most of all I tried to write songs about real, important things. I'm a big fan of the Clash and always idolized how their work had an important message, mostly about trying to be a better human being. That's what this record is to me, and I think that comes across. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of the album? Getting out of my own head. Being an artist is a funny thing because we tie our personal self worth so tightly to our professional success. I had to practice getting out of my own way a lot on this record. I tried to be very vulnerable on this album too, and that opened me up to a level of risk that I'm not used to. It's a good risky feeling though, I don't think there's any going back to the way it was before. Who are you listening to at the moment? My top five records right now are Noam Pikelny - Universal Favorite, Miles Davis - Miles Smiles, Chris Thile/Michael Daves - Sleep With One Eye Open, John K. Sampson - Winter Wheat, and the soundtrack to the movie Empire Records. I've been listening to a lot of other things too. Gillian Welch put out a really cool record last year that is so hauntingly good. I've been listening to Tony Rice a lot too, he did so much for guitar players everywhere and it was a real tragedy when he passed. I'm also working through Bach's cello sonatas on my banjo, so I've been listening to a lot of Yoyo Ma as a reference for those. What do you like to do away from music? I'm a private pilot so flying is a big thing for me. I have such a love for aviation. I'm a long distance runner, which is great because I can run at home or on tour or wherever. I like to ski and play chess. When I'm home I love to cook. I paint, mostly acrylic and watercolour portraits of historical figures (with varying degrees of success). I also love to read. I'm big on classic literature, Hemingway, Vonnegut, Thompson, Camus, Pasternak, etc. I also do digital audio research on analog and digital mixing practice and perception through the University of Lethbridge, which I'm not sure counts as something I like to do AWAY from music, but is definitely a thing I've been doing. What's planned for 2021? You know what, it's hard to say! The record comes out on Jan 15th and I have a few things coming down the pipe as far as touring and performance, but it really is too early to tell what is and isn't going to be possible. All I definitely have planned for 2021 is to do my best to make it as safe and responsible as is in my power. I'm itching to get out and play, but only when it's safe and responsible to do so. So I think my plan is to stay home until directed otherwise. Favourite food and place to hangout? I like a really great slice of pizza. When it has that thin crust that's charred but chewy and when the ingredients are fresh and properly prepared. New York, NY has the best pizza I've had so far. And I think Bø, Norway has the worst, (so far). My Favorite place to hang out is a local place called The Owl in my home town of Lethbridge, AB. The place is a shining light in this city and we're so lucky to have it. If you're in the area, definitely stop in, and tell Steven I sent you. Second place goes to the entire city of Berlin, Germany. Third place goes to Sonny's bar in Brooklyn, NY. https://www.facebook.com/rylandmoranz/

Ryland Moranz

Where are you based? Currently, I’m in sunny Govan. A stones through away from the Clyde River. Sitting in my studio answering my third interview of the day! That no mean city they call Glasgow. Glesvegas! How did it feel to release your debut artist album, The Last King of Scotland, last month? It was a pure mix of emotions actually. Overly proud, a little relieved. But also sad and sort of Stockholm Syndrome. This has been a labour of love for the last 2 years. I’ve fallen in love with, out of love. It’s kept me driven, focused and inspired throughout this horrific year. Now I feel a bit lost! Like the vulnerable mother. Watching their kid walk into school for the first time. It’s flew the nest, into the wilderness. To be devoured by whomever it falls upon. I couldn’t have asked for a better reception to be honest. The reactions and support around the world have completely blown my expectations to pieces. What is behind the album title? It’s pretty much an acknowledgment, a nod - to the country I love. The place that inspires me. You can travel the globe week in week out. But nothing beats the feeling of home. And little self proclamation as well just for good measure! Did you do anything special to celebrate the album launch? Yes. I officially launched the album from arguably Scotland’s iconic venues, The Arches. "It only seemed right to take it back inside those hallowed brick walls of The Arches. When I moved to Glasgow from Orkney in 2008, it felt like every other night out ended up here. What started out as a hobby turned into an addiction. The addiction led to an education. A pilgrimage to this clubbing mecca we all know and love. Nowhere could be more fitting. I have to say, I had mixed emotions reading back all the comments. So many stories, experiences, shared by people, tagging their circles of friends, clubbers - bringing all that together felt even more special than the stream itself. And it really brought home just how special The Arches was. An institution in it's own right. Friendships forged, memories set in stone. There was only one place I could have launched this album. Egypt has the Pyramids. China has the Great Wall. Glasgow has “Oor Arches." From Paul Van Dyk to Gary Go, theres a host of huge collaborations on the album. How did these come about? I worked with a plethora of international artists on this album. Hailing from Berlin to LA. London to Oban. Some were heroes, others were friends. Then some were just insanely talented songwriters. But all with one thing in common. The potential enrich my sound and add a new, exciting twist. Otherwise, is there any point in collaborating? I’m a control freak when it comes to the studio. Thus I’m not ideal for collaborating with. I need to have my stamp on everything. I know how I want it to sound. The track is already finished in my head before I’ve even written it. If I don’t realise that vision, then the track is dead in the water for me. So collaborating is difficult for me. Unless I am passionate about the artist, and the potential outweighs the compromise. All these artists ticked that box. Some tracks began as singles. Awakening with Paul was a melody I had sitting on my computer for around 8 years. Until it finally came to life as a demo for Vandit. Then Paul decided to join me on the record and collaborate. Other tracks started out as indie demos. Happy Hours was an Ed Sheehan style pop record before drafted in DC Breaks who turned it into a rib rattling D&B masterpiece. The track with Gary Go was originally a sort of progressive indie track. My manager John brokered a deal at ADE, Amsterdam. Basically give me a shot at the stems and subsequently turning it into a brooding crossover Trance meets cinematic Rock cut. Each collaboration has its own wee story. But they are all with artists that excite and energise my sound. Whats your creative process like? It’s pretty temperamental to be honest. It comes in random waves so I always need to near my laptop if I’m not in the studio. Some of the best melodies have come to me in a dream. There have been tracks finished backstage before I walk out in front of 5000 people. Other tracks have been started on airport floors and finished in hotel rooms. I have no control. But one thing I’ve noticed is if if I’m going through a particularly rough time, I’m able to channel this into the most emotional and thought provoking music. It’s like a supernatural ability. The only problem is I have to go suffer or experience unwanted feeling to channel it. Other times I’ll be in the kitchen making a cup of tea, hear an advert from the TV and bang - I’ll have an instant hair raising topline melody. I can tap inspiration from a multitude of sources. But emotions and experiences are most fruitful for me. Can you tell us about your approach to production and recording? After the bolt of inspiration - which could be a melody, a bassline, a hook idea - then comes the groundwork. Putting the scaffolding up to host this ultimate vision. From there it’s like a process of jenga. Building the foundations, taking away, adding. Until you find the winning formula. And achieve that ultimate vision. Who inspired you to make electronic music? Initially my mum. She got me into Judge Jules. From there, I distinctly remember hearing one of his live sets from Creamfields 2001 I think it was. He played a track called Angelic - Stay With Me. It was a live broadcast and I’ll never forget the reaction. The screams. Whistles. Horns. I was 11 years old. So I wasn’t aware there was a producer sitting in a room making these sounds gel in harmony, but I knew I wanted the ability to create that energy and emotion. When the time comes, where are you most excited about playing live? Mexico for it’s electric, hot blooded atmopshere. But closer to home, Glasgow. Here we fucking go. And what track from the album are you most excited to play in front of fans? Kismet Energy. It’s a high octane, euphorically driven Hard House track. It sums up my journey from the past. My influences. An era that shaped me but reimagined through my eyes. As I wasn’t actually old enough to live it. What can we expect next from Will Atkinson? I’m putting the finishing touches on one last single to close out this shitter of a year. It’s a 145bpm power Trancer. The melody will break your heart. There are multiple climaxes. You’ll be left a hollowed out shell after listening to it. There’s a strong sense of hope, maybe a feeling of loss. 7 or so minutes of relentless ecstasy. It’s called The Last Rave On Earth. ‘Will Atkinson’s album ‘The Last King of Scotland’ is Out Now on Black Hole Recordings. Get it here: https://will.complete.me/lastkingofscotland

Will Atkinson

What is your name and role within Stuck Out? Josh - Vocalist Where are you currently based? Born and bred in Melbourne, Aus. How did Stuck out form? We're all mates from high school who hung out on the weekend, jamming in a garage/ basement. Once we finished school we decided to try and take the whole band thing a little more seriously and now here we are. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? I've been one of the extremely blessed people who has kept working throughout the various lockdowns. Working isn't something people are normally thrilled about but it kept me busy and now with everything opening back up again, the band is in full flight and very keen on releasing the new EP. Your new single 'Inverse' is out now off your forthcoming EP 'Lie Through Your Teeth' how did Inverse come about and what does the single mean to you? Inverse was written about 2 years ago then kind of trashed cause it wasn't good enough, then about a year ago we opened up some old files and came across it and basically re-wrote the song into what you hear today. It was certainly a long process from start to finish but I definitely think it's a good representation of the thought and effort we put into our songwriting these days. Your new EP will be out on Dec 18, what influenced the sound and songwriting? Honestly, we just want to write good rock songs with good hooks to match. Each song sounds (relatively) different to each other and I think it's a great representation of the scope of our sound. We didn't specifically draw on a particular band or project when it came to LTYT, we just wanted to take what Stuck Out was and make it better. How did you go about writing the tracks? Each track was vastly different. Tracks like Inverse and Mindless were in the works for two years, then we wrote Hollow about a month before we went into the studio. Ultimately it tends to be an individual who will start a song then everyone will come together to rip it apart and re-write the whole thing to be the best it can be. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with? The EP was recorded in Feb/March, we actually finished vocals a week before Melbourne went into the first lockdown. We worked with Jack Newlyn (Paradise Club) from start to finish on this record which was really nice. He felt like a member of the band by the end and his attention to detail was amazing, I can't recommend him highly enough. How did you approach the recording process? We really wanted to create a record that would translate to a live setting. We pride ourselves on our live shows so we wanted something that would match that energy and aggression in a recorded form. What programs/instruments did you use? 99% of what you hear on the record is pure guitar, drums and vocals (obviously with effects added over the top). We had a lot of fun messing around with delay and harmonic pedals to try and warp what we already had and we relied heavily on the JHS Double Barrel for the guitar tones. What did you find most challenging and rewarding through out the process? The start of recording is always difficult because there's alway so many directions you could go with tones, production etc. but once you get into the groove with it, it starts to record itself. The most rewarding part is definitely hearing the finished product. Every song on the record came out better than I imagined and that's a big testament to Jack's work on the record. Who are you listening to at the moment? BMTH released that ripper record so that's been getting a lot of spins.Loathe, Alpha Wolf and Nothing But Thieves have probably been the most consistent appearances this year, all of them released phenomenal albums. What do you like to do away from music? I'm very chill with my time. I just want to catch up with mates, socialise and have a drink. That's probably been enhanced even more after the year we've had. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? Our EP Lie Through Your Teeth is out this Friday and our EP Release Show is Saturday night so that should keep us relatively busy. We'll enjoy the New Year break then get right back into things at the start of next year! Favourite food and place to hangout? Our local is Hello Sam's burger joint. Honestly, anywhere you can get a burger and a beer is perfect for us. http://stuckout.com.au/ https://www.facebook.com/stuckoutband https://twitter.com/stuckoutband https://www.instagram.com/stuckoutband

Stuck Out

Velvet Code / So Fierce Music

Velvet Code / So Fierce Music

Like Angels

Matt Storm + Ivan Hartle

Matt Storm + Ivan Hartle

Where are you currently based? I’m currently based in Sydney, Australia. How did you first start playing music? I saw Frenzal Rhomb playing at the ARIA Awards on TV in 1999 and it changed my life. I wanted to be a musician so bad but didn’t really know how to do that. I then had some family friends in Newcastle start a local band and that inspired me to no end. I started a band pretty quickly after that with some friends from school. We eventually got instruments and learned to play, well after the fact of calling ourselves a band. We played all through high school at anywhere that would have us, scout halls, surf lifesaving clubs, town halls, youth centres. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? Yeah it’s been really strange, to say the least. I’m an early childhood teacher during the day, so I’ve been working as an essential service all throughout this whole time. It’s strange having that part of my life stay the same, when so much of the other aspects of my life have changed so dramatically. It’s been really hard for me to not go and see shows. I get a lot of fufillment out of the music community, and it’s been tough not seeing artists that I love do their thing. Your single 'Blood' and debut album 'Middle Everything' are out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for the album? I have a stack of different influences - from Bloc party to The National, from watching old professional wrestling matches to Beetlejuice, from Batman to Kurt Vonnegut. But more than anything, the sound was really influenced by having my live band present for the recording, and having it be produced by Jonno Tooke from Cry Club. I just feel so lucky that I get to work with artists I respect so greatly. How did you go about writing the music? I’d meditate and go for really long walks; where I would write down almost random thoughts that I had. I’d come home and spend the night working shopping these random thoughts in to songs on GarageBand on my phone. I then brought these ideas to the band and Jonno and they helped bring them to life. Where and when did you record and who with? I recorded in Sydney during April 2019. I was with Jonno (Cry Club), Emily Duncun (an amazing solo artist), Marcus Tamp (Amends, Burn In Hell and Vices) and Lauren Guerrera (Columbus). How did you approach the recording process? We all spent quite a long time workshopping and learning the songs before we got in, so the actual recording process was pretty straight forward. What programs/instruments did you use? It was a pretty straight ahead band format, with guitars, bass, drums and keys How did Blood come about and what does this track mean to you? Blood came about in the same way that most of the record came about, just through meditation and reflection. It’s about leaning right in to being frustrated, and finding resolution within that. You're playing Vanguard in Sydney on Nov 10, how do you prepare for live shows and what can we expect? There’s going to be an intimate solo show first, with a few B sides and rarities, and a band show after, that really showcases the bigness of the record. To prepare I spend a lot of time practicing the songs, and getting the sequencing right for the set. Who are you listening to at the moment? The usual suspects: Phoebe Bridgers, Skepta, The National, Bloc Party, Action Bronson What do you like to do away from music? I really love watching really old Wrestling matches; there’s just so many memories and nostalgia attached to it for me. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? I’ve got the next album written, and I’m gonna spend the end of this year and beginning of next year putting it together. Favourite food and place to hangout? I’m going to say Nachos, but there’s really too many faves to mention. I love hanging out with my girlfriend, Michelle - wherever we are is pretty ok.

Jack R. Reilly

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.

Mia Lovelock

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. I work in my music room every day and play until something comes out of nowhere and then I go to work on that. I usually try to make sure the framework and structure of the song is in place i.e. arrangement, melody, lyrics before I start work on the production side. Though sometimes i'm a little eager to see what it'll sound like with bells and whistles. (I put bells and whistles on all my songs). 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. The band is WA-based; how have you found the vibe has been for live music and rallying together in the time of COVID? I don’t think there has been much to worry about really over here in Western Australia and from what I can tell a lot of bands have been doin fine in terms of gigs. We haven’t played much this year, have spent more time recording and working on new material, so I can’t really speak for the vibe. What is exciting you about returning to live touring in 2021? Touring is always a good, 2021 will be no different I'm sure other than we will have a record out that hopefully people know and love. https://www.facebook.com/bigorangetheband/

Big Orange

Bachir Salloum

BACHIR SALLOUM

Nandun

What is your name and role within VINNY? Mr Aubry - I play the role as the singer Where are you currently based? Melbourne, Australia. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? Not a lot, sitting poolside sipping martini’s. Laying low trying to bliss out in the sun. Iso was amazing! We aren’t ready to go back yet. How did VINNY form? We were deep in a session at an underground disco church. When out of nowhere a 7 foot gorgeous man laced in a tailor disco ball suit approached us and offered us the job. We then spent 4 years at a secret Island in VIN-CAMP learning all the ways of VINNY. Once graduating from VIN-CAMP we were placed back at the same underground disco church which is now a Chinese take-away restaurant and we’ve been following the way of VINNY ever since. Your new single 'Fire' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? We wanted a dance floor banger. Something that makes you want to move and feel good. At the time we were listening to a lot of 70’s disco and rock n roll. From Janis Ian, Barry white & Rick James to INXS, stones & The Clash. the song by sunrise.” How did Fire come about? We had this groove and feeling in our bones. We were lying poolside sipping pina coladas, watching the sun go down when out of nowhere, a topless, coconut-oiled man walked past us down to the beach playing his saxophone, shooting fire out of the bell (thus the name, ‘Fire’). We befriended him and asked if he would come into the studio that night to help us finish off the track. We worked throughout the night and finished the song by sunrise. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with? We recorded Fire in a secluded island off the Bahamas! We worked with Alex Markwell & Alex Gopher. Massive love to the whole team How did you approach the recording process? We just went in and got it done. Good vibes, good food & booze. A very relaxing and exciting experience. What programs/instruments did you use? This is private information we are not allowed to dispose of. Thank you. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of Fire? Most rewarding was spending a month on a secluded island with 6 of my best friends. Most challenging was spending a month on a secluded island with 6 of my best friends. Any shows coming up? Nothing as of yet. Will be a while before we play our debut show. Which let me tell you. Will be like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Who are you listening to at the moment? Barry White. Too much Barry White. Not enough Barry White. What do you like to do away from music? Go on river boat gambling trips. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? Coming out of 2020 with a bang. Lots of things in the works. 2021 we go into movement for world domination. The future looks bright ahead. Favourite food and place to hangout? Ramen for me atm. I loveeee hanging out at our dear friends new venue WESTWOOD in footscray. It’s a belter of a joint. Just don’t forget your passport! Adios, bye for now, thank you, love you, VINNY bless you all https://www.facebook.com/VINNYDISCO/

VINNY

Dust Of Us

Dust Of Us

Motorsports champion Christian Meyer joins Levop to deliver a joyful sunshine jam on his musical debut ‘Sacala Al Sol’ with stunning music video

Motorsports champion Christian Meyer joins Levop to deliver a joyful sunshine jam on his musical debut ‘Sacala Al Sol’ with stunning music video

Karen Lee Batten

Karen Lee Batten

Where are you currently based? Sydney How did you first start playing music? My earliest memory was listening to the Amy Winehouse album (Back To Black) at my grandparents house, they had a piano and I decided to learn how to play the song by ear. I have always loved music but that really was a definitive moment on why I wanted to start playing music. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? I just finished up on this year's season of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT, and jumped straight into the studio. Covid has given me a lot of time to think and feel to write my music so it has been good in that aspect. I just released my debut ‘More Than I’ Your new single 'More Than I' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? Writing "More Than I" I wanted the single to be Cinematic, Dark & Emotional. 'THE HUNGER GAMES' X 'BILLIE EILISH' X FLORENCE & THE MACHINE' How did you go about writing More Than I? I have had this song written for a few years now, it wasn’t until I got back from LA and had to quarantine that I spent time at the piano and put the music together for the song! What does this single mean to you? The song is very personal to me. I wrote it about a time in my life where I came out to the world as myself. There is this very silent moment between coming out and waiting for the other end to respond. For me this song is reflective of that moment and the build up to having the courage to be my truth. Please tell us about any new music on the way and what we can expect: The music that I’m recording and creating now are even more personal, they deep dive more into more obvious moments in my life, moments that I believe the audience will connect to a lot more. With ‘More Than I’ it was really the epic movie trailer music that just like a movie trailer gives you the sneak peak, in the most epic style, of what is yet to come in the all new music coming soon. What was your experience like being involved in America's Got Talent and The Voice, how do the two experiences compare? Well look, I’m so grateful for both. The Voice was very difficult for me, I was learning and growing to be the person that I am in the two seasons of the voice that I was on. There were a lot of great moments and moments I wish I could re-do but in saying that I was able to experiment with my fashion, my voice and how I wanted to present myself. AGT was a TV giant, but I was prepared, although I was still nervous, I was very confident in myself and my talent. I was not expecting to get 30 Million views on my audition in the first week. Like I said AGT was just GIANT haha! What did you learn from the experience of being on both? From the aspect of both shows, the biggest thing I learnt was that originality over predictability is key. Authenticity and truth is always the golden ticket and trusting in who you are and not doubting yourself is so important but listening and taking on critique is just as important! What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the experience of being on both shows? The hardest part really is that it is TV and everything is uncertain till the second you're actually singing. Things change and being a performer who has always been a perfection, AGT and the voice have really pushed me to work fast, work smart, think creatively and always out of the box. Who are you listening to at the moment? Billie Eillish always but right now, Catie Turner from American Idol. Genuinely obsessed. What do you like to do away from music? Fashion, I love to design and make. For me, the creative and the visual aesthetic is almost if not just as important as the music. I’m a very visual person and the outfit that I’m performing in can be the cherry that makes the performance. Just like a song written uses metaphors to tell the story I use my art to tell the story. I’m always working on something new. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? WRITING WRITING RELEASING! Favourite food and place to hangout? I love art galleries, I can walk around all day haha. Sushi is always my go to meal, I had it three times yesterday.. it's ridiculous haha. SHELDON RILEY INSTAGRAM https://www.facebook.com/thesheldonriley

Sheldon Riley

Andrew Pololos

Andrew Pololos

What is your name and role within Seabass? My name is Annie, I sing, write all the songs and play guitar in SEABASS (as well as managed the band up until recently. We also have some answers peppered in from Ryan (guitar and makes all our records) Where are you currently based? Annie: We are TRAPPED in Adelaide. Nah, its pretty cool. How did Seabass form? Annie: myself, Kyrie and Flik were asked to play with Pussy Riot as their band in 2019… We thought after wed had a taste of the big stage together blasting through huge Ampeg bass rigs and Fender twins we better keep on going. Myself and Ryan had been playing together in another project so I brought us all together a few months after that! (Are Russian activist session musicians a thing? Apparently yes. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? Annie: We’ve been working pretty hard on the release of our single ‘Burn’ as well as getting all our ducks in a row for our launch of our debut EP. Ryan: Yeah, COVID has been disappointing but it gave us time to make the EP. Your new single 'Burn' from your forthcoming debut EP 'Always Kidding' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for Burn and the EP? Annie: Burn pretty much just spilled out one morning… I was pretty wired about the mismanagement of last year’s bushfire season as well and one of the most outrageous acts of murder of an indigenous Australian at the hands of police. I was furious and desperate and so from that the song came. Ryan: Influence wise there’s some 90s rock in there. What does Burn mean to you? Annie: Burn is a call to arms, a plea to not become complacent or to turn away. Burn is me desperately asking if others can see what I’m seeing and needing to do something about it. How did you go about writing the music for Burn and the EP? Annie: I have been sitting incubating some of these songs for a few years, some are definitely more recent. I just needed to figure out what they would be used for and how we would use them. They all started as fairly low-key kind of country inspired folk tunes but now (thanks to Ryan, Kyrie and Flik) they’re face melting indie-rock bangers. Where and when did you record and who with? Annie: We recorded everything at Ryan’s home studio which he has been operating out of semi-professionally for a little while. Ryan is responsible for recording, mixing and production. Ryan: Along with any production ideas the band had along the way. What can we expect from Always Kidding EP? Ryan: We tried to get as much of a picture of the band as we could in an EP format. Each of us has a fairly wide range of skills. Some tracks are concise rocky belters others do their own thing and play by their own rules. We tried to get as much of our usual set down as possible in EP format and polish it through some extra production. It’s a power packed morsel. Annie: In all honesty we’ve accidentally recorded an almost album… It’s a long EP or a short album. Extended extended play. What programs/instruments did you use? Ryan: Annie drafts her ideas up on Logic Pro then I record and mix on Pro Tools. It’s a pretty sanded rock config with two guitars, bass, drums and a bunch of BVs behind Annie’s huge vocals. How did you approach the recording/production/mastering process? Annie: We tracked everything at Ryan’s studio. I was pretty depressed at the time so I mostly just tracked when I was asked to and the rest of the time I just played Civilisation V whilst spilling dip and crackers on Ryan’s bed. Ryan: We tracked some things completely separately and some stuff we tracked together. Vocals were done separately. Backing vocals were a riot because the band would all take turns at their part while taking turns lying down (This is what happens when you’re mixing console is in your bedroom). Annie and I had a feedback session where we boarded up the door of the studio and cranked our amps and grabbed an entire take of obnoxious noise over the whole EP - then I grabbed parts that sounded cool and mixed them in. Annie: For some reason now Ryan no longer lives with those people… Who are you listening to at the moment? Annie: Well… Obviously Phoebe Bridgers and Fiona Apple… Oh and WAP on repeat… Honestly, if I can have a day where I hear WAP five times in a row, that’s a good day. Ryan: Phoebe Bridgers and The BeeGees. What do you like to do away from music? Annie: I like gardening… I dabble in PlayStation, I’ve been playing Red Dead Redemption 2 and I finished the remastered Tony Hawk as well a while back. Ryan: Nintendo Switch - Zelda and Mario Party with my housemates. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? Annie: Crossing my fingers that we might be able to play a show in real life again soon and dropping the EP early next year. Ryan: I’m going to finish putting together my new studio space and wait for the apocalypse to blow over. When will the EP drop? Annie: I think you’re like the second people we’ve told but February 17, 2021 and HOPEFULLY we get to have a launch show in Adelaide the week after that at Jive but stay tuned. Favourite food and place to hangout? Annie: Oh man, theres this spicy nut mix thing at my supermarket that I think I’ve eaten like 20kg of over the past few months. Ummm vegan Magnums. I like hanging out at Ryans house. Ryan: Party pies and my studio.

Seabass

What is your name and role within The Bonnie Doons? Kane Kennedy. I produce the music and manage the band. Torian Brewer and I write and record the tracks. Where are you currently based? Based in Brisbane, Australia. How did the Bonnie Doons form? We officially formed the band in mid-2017. Benny Blacket (former lead singer) and I started the project. We met at college in 2014 and began jamming, writing the skeleton for our first song ‘Swing’ back in 2015 which features on our first EP. Torian was on guitar when the band first formed, Benny then moved down to Sydney and T-dawg stepped up on the mic. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? Recently we haven’t been doing any live things, just been focussing on promoting this EP and gearing up for some future shows. Your sophomore EP 'The Betweeners' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? This EP was heavily influenced by the 90’s. That was both Torian and I’s favourite era for entertainment as a whole and so I think naturally it came together in that style. The EP speaks about making better decisions through talk of relationships mostly. A compilation of our own personal experiences was what influenced the songwriting. How did the EP come about? Well I mean we were always going to make more music; it came naturally. The musical approach was slightly different though, given we changed the vibe up for Torian’s vocals. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with? We recorded this through late 2019, all over the place really. I did the drums and rhythm guitars at Alchemix Studios in Brisbane, then did the lead guitars, bass, and vocals at home. We even used some takes from our demo sessions, out in a cabin in the woods style. It was a bit of a Frankenstein project. I produced it and sent it all over to Aria-Award winning Govinda Doyle (Angus and Julia Stone) for the mixing and mastering process. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of the EP? Most challenging for me was the general learning curve of producing music, especially in a genre I’d never really done before. I’m no professional, it’s still early days. It was a fun challenge. The next chunk of music will be quite a different direction again. We’re just trying a few things out for now. The most rewarding thing is when the people that you respect express to you how much they love it. And I mean, most friends are going to tell you they love it – whether they do or not. But we got some genuine responses, and it was delightful. What programs/instruments did you use to record? Half of it was recorded in Ableton and half was done in Pro Tools. Probably the two most common DAWs. Instruments; drums, guitars, bass, keyboard, triangle, rainstick, shakers. Who are you listening to at the moment? In the last week I’ve been listening to some early King’s of Leon, Che Burns’ new EP, Kurilpa Reach’s new EP and some Sublime. What do you like to do away from music? The normal things; friends and family, make food, glass of red, exercise, soccer. I recently have taken time away from my engineering job, following up a few personal, musical, and entrepreneurial pursuits. Hoping I can break free from the 9-5. Any shows coming up? Yeah we’ll be launching this EP in January 2021 – 16th of Jan at Solbar Sunshine Coast, and 23rd of Jan at The Zoo in Brisbane. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? Relax, jam, enjoy the shows we have coming. Then see what happens. Favourite food and place to hangout? Torian started working at Mongrel Bar in Milton a couple months ago and it has become the new spot I think. It’s gotten me into Peruvian style food – the chef there is a serious pro (he owns the venue). It’s also a great location and atmosphere.

The Bonnie Doons

Hi Jori, and welcome to The Partae Hi! Great to be here. Where are you currently based and where were you born? I’m in Portugal now, in a quiet little village South of Lisbon, not too far from the ocean. Originally I’m from Utrecht, in The Netherlands. How did you first get into the music industry and what other projects have you been involved in before COLLIGNON? My father taught me how to play the piano at a young age, and as soon as I could I started playing in bands. I never went to music school, but always wanted to travel around in a bus with a group of friends and play shows. And so that’s what we did, for many years. I was in a couple of different bands, always writing, recording, producing. My last group was SKIP&DIE, a collaboration with Cata.Pirata, a singer and visual artist from South Africa. Who were your biggest musical influences growing up? I remember many days lying on a pillow in front of my dads record collection. I always loved artists that somehow take you traveling. Like Ry Cooder, or David Byrne, Eno. I was going from The Meters to Philip Glass, and a bit later also Damon Albarn, Manu Chao, Beck, Beastie Boys.. Can you talk to us about your new project COLLIGNON and the vision behind it? COLLIGNON is a solo project, but also a vehicle for me to work with different artists. I will do collaborations, set up my studio in another part of the world and launch projects from there. Having this flexibility is very motivating. Since I stopped touring I had some time to reflect on which experiences I loved most from playing with my previous bands. The memories of gigs and festivals that stuck were usually not the biggest crowds, but the ones where we could really connect and have fun with the people there. For me it’s really important, especially in electronic music, that we can really play on stage, interact, improvise, make a mess, make something happen. I love electronic music, but there are some challenges for me. Pressing a button is really a different thing from touching a string, or singing for that matter. There needs to be some character and personality. With modern production you can make everything so perfect and shiny that you might lose feeling, or essence. I think in our times that kind of conflict translates well into many other areas.. Anyway, it’s fascinating to me and I’m trying to walk that line. COLLIGNON’s debut EP ‘Pontcha ku Lua’ will be released at the end of November. What influenced the sound and songwriting for this project? I really wanted to make an instrumental record first. Nobody telling you nothing, just sounds and music to let your mind float. Moving to Portugal also had a big influence. Especially Lisbon has a rich and diverse cultural scene. There is music from Brazil, Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique, Guine Bissau, all the countries Portugal has historic connections with. There is a lot of new music here for me to dive into. How did you approach the recording/production? When I stopped touring, I built a studio in the garage next to my house and started working from there. This first EP is the result of me being able to develop my own sound in this studio. I used to be working on my laptop in the back of the bus, so to speak, now I have a nice room, some nice microphones and a cool mixingdesk. Some of the tracks are collaborations. I work a lot with Gino Bombrini for example, the percussionist of my previous group SKIP&DIE, he plays all the instruments I can’t play, so that’s real handy. We jam and explore, then I take some time to edit things together. What programs/instruments did you use? I use some drummachines, the Machinedrum and Analog Rytm and also the Octatrack from Elektron to start ideas. I have them all patched to different tracks on the mixer and can send them to different speakers or effects. I have some guitar amps and a leslie, some springverbs, things like that. I found this Revox D36 taperecorder from the 60 that I really like for compression and saturation. I have some old synths, MS20, Jupiter 6, a Voyager, Rhodes, piano and a small modular setup too. On the computer I work mostly in Cubase now. How much has international travel had an influence on your songwriting over the course of your career? Traveling and seeing the spectacular diversity in the world made me humble about all these things you think you know and just take for granted. There is so much to explore and to be curious about. It triggered me to start fighting cultural homogenisation. I believe progress lies in diversity and the flirting, dancing and clashing of ideas. You’ve also made an amazing video to accompany the single. How did the concept for the video come about? Oh thank you, that’s nice! For a while I’ve been interested in video synthesizers. I have an old school one from Atari (the guys who built the original game Pong were always stoned apparently and dreamed up this machine), but there is a company now called LZX in Portland that builds really cool modules. I found the patterns and rhythms I could make with these machines work really well with the music. And it’s a lot of fun to do too. Which other artists are listening to at the moment? Oldies like Caetano Veloso, Holger Czukay, Thelonious Monk, Yusef Lateef, Kasai Alstars or Alain Peters, Nicola Cruz, Mauskovic Dance Band, Mark Ernestus’ Ndagga Rhythm Force. What do you like to do away from music? We have a small campervan and love to drive down the Portuguese coast, but since this virus doesn’t allow us to move much, we’ve spent more time growing veggies and fruits in the garden. Feeding the chickens, reading, meditating, drinking coffee, there’s a lot of that these days. Thanks Jori, and all the best for the rest of the year, Same to you, thank you so much for the attention.

COLLIGNON

Josha Daniel

Josha Daniel

3LetterzNuk

3LetterzNuk

Where are you currently based? I am currently based in Auckland, New Zealand. How did you first start playing music? So I started playing music in High school when I started learning guitar with my best friend from then I continued to teach myself how to play whilst also writing terrible teen angst songs that had literally no substance to them at all haha, although my friend and I made this one song called C#ck Flavoured Lollipop one arvo and I gotta be real, it was a certified banger. Unfortunately no one will ever be able to hear it lol. Now I officially started producing when I was 22 my homie Hatch gave me a crack version of ableton live 8 and taught me the basics, and the rest is history. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? Covid has actually been pretty good for me. Since the whole pandemic dropped I've had more time to focus on my music and write more songs with better production quality. It's also given me alot more incentive to pursue and achieve the goals I had sidelined up until now. So yeah all in all 2020 Covid for me? Easy. Your new single 'I Can't Even' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? So going into the making of this track I was bumping a lot of 80's R&B and disco eg. Evelyn Champagne King/Billy Ocean/ George Benson etc. Thus I had that whole vibe in my head when I went looking for key samples and also in creating the drums. How did you go about writing 'I Can't Even'? For the lyrical side of the song I had just come to the end of a pretty overwhelming relationship, I won't get too deep into details but let's just say the whole thing was bad enough for me to write a song about it. I think the best thing about this track and honestly my favourite thing about most of the tracks that I love listening to is that, it's heaviness is filtered through a bouncy groove that can really make you miss the darker theme if you're not paying attention to the lyrics. Although I will say its as heavy as I'm making out to be but still haha. Where and when did you record/produce and who did you work with? So I originally produced, wrote and recorded the track in 2017 in my bedroom and ended up benching it for a few years until the start of this year when came I back to it and decided to completely rework the whole thing. Writing/Recording/Mixing was all me. But the mastering was done by Ben Feggans @ 301 he's an absolute legend. How did you approach the recording process? The same way I do with almost every track, I usually lay down the verses first which can take anywhere from 5 mins to a whole day depending on how on point I am. Then I'll lay down the hooks/choruses/adlibs either straight after or the next day. What programs/equipment did you use? My setup is super simple to be honest. For 'I Can't Even' and basically all of my tracks and beats etc. I work in Ableton on my laptop. And I recorded the vocals using a Rodes NT2A condenser mic connected to a focusrite solo audio interface, and I had a pair of 5 " JBL monitors for mixing. Who are you listening to at the moment? Well right now I'm bumping alot of D smoke's 'Black Habits' album and Logic's 'No Pressure' album and I've also had Pete & Bas in heavy rotation! If you're a hiphop head and haven't heard Lightwork Freestyle or Window Frame Cypher then you need to hand back your culture card... that's all I'm saying. What do you like to do away from music? When I'm not making music, I like to Cook/Game/Binge anime/Youtube and eat said cooking. All the good stuff you know. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? So for the backend of 2020 my plan is to keep writing and recording new music/music videos and hopefully get a couple super dope colabs finished, so that when 2021 makes it's way around I'll have a metric shit ton of content for all my fans and potential fans out there. Favourite food and place to hangout? Easy, Hong Ha IYKYK And if I was still in Sydney I'd have to say anywhere around the city circle ie. Chinatown, Darling Harbour, Broadway etc. https://www.facebook.com/BanMicah/

Ban Micah

What's your name and role within The Grogans? I am Jordan and I am the drummer of The Grogans. Where are you currently based? I’m based at 22 Almurta Road, East Bentleigh. Pop in and say hi. How's your Covid experience been so far? Oh look it wasn’t too bad, it definitely has its pros and cons. Plenty of time to hang out with housemates, do some gardening and stuff but cons are that i can't really do anything else. Your last single before the album was released - 'Got a Girl' - is out now, how did this track come about? Quin and I were jamming, during the covid period and stumbled across it, built on it with Gus a few weeks later and then recorded. It’s a bit heavier but still poppier enough to a boog. Your new album Day/To/Day is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? Ahh, I think we took a lot of influence from relaxed surfy rock like allah las, the pesos and heaps of 60s & 70s surf. Also recording the album in ocean grove added to the sound through it being so relaxing. How did you go about writing the album? I don’t think we ever sat down and said “let’s write this now”, they just all happened through jamming. We had a rough idea of what we wanted to do but never knew exactly how many tracks or what exactly those tracks would sound like. Where and when did you record and who with? Ocean Grove, at the start of the year between isolations and with Quin, our guitarist/singer. How did you approach the recording process? We were trying to record it all at home, but just kept getting too hard because of work. So we just decided to lock ourselves away for a week to just get it done, otherwise we would have just kept adding stuff at home for months and never would have actually finished it. What programs/equipment did you use? We did it all on Protools. I don’t actually know too much about Quins mics, he’s got a heap of gear. There's heaps of old vintage mics and shit. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of Day/To/Day? I think maybe in Again and Teach Me when I did heaps of different drum takes in different places because I wasn’t too happy with the sound, then it was most rewarding to finally get that right take in Ocean Grove. Who are you listening to at the moment? Allah Las, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Amyl and the Sniffers, Adam Newling and Kylie Minogue What do you like to do away from music? Either walking around the backyard hitting things with a stick, working, relaxing or just driving around. Real hectic life. Any shows coming up? Yes we have 8 sold out shows coming up in Melbourne, might add a few more too. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? Just play some, ah, sit down shows. Will be a bit of a new experience, a bit interesting. Hopefully next year play some stand up shows again, and maybe release some more music. We’ll see what happens. Favourite food and place to hangout? Right now I’m really loving ravioli, I haven't had it in a while but it is really tasty. Because of the pandemic, my favourite place to hang out at the moment would have to be the front lawn in the sun. Official Website: https://www.thegrogansband.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegrogansband/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegrogansband Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegrogansband/?hl=en Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq6DVSu-SB4I8jFhGPln_sg Triple J Unearthed: https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/grogans

The Grogans

GEORGIA DUTTON

Georgia Dutton

Where are you currently based? I’m currently based in Sydney, Australia How did you first get into music? When I was 7 years old I was listening to channel (V) used to be my favourite on a Saturday morning and I’d sing along to all the songs. “I wish I was a punk rocker” by Sandi Thom had just finishing playing I started singing it and my family relative came out of the kitchen saying she loved the song but stopped when she realised it was me singing and not the TV. She turn to my mum and said “you need to put her in singing lessons” my mum ended up working three jobs just to put me into singing lessons. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? The past couple of months have been pretty crazy for me prepping for my single release as well as writing new songs and coming up with concepts and ideas for music videos as well as other releases. I remember when everything first started getting serious with COVID I felt so strange definitely deflated because there were certain plans that I had made that got put on hold. Your house burnt down, please tell us how things have changed for you since: I tend to tell people that my house burning down in one of the best things that ever happened to me. They call me crazy of course but before my house burnt down I was not in a good place at all. When I was 16 years old I was on The Voice Australia. After being eliminated in the battle rounds I didn’t cope well at all. I suffered from depression & anxiety for 4 years, I couldn’t keep a job, I couldn’t write any music, I didn’t even want to leave my bed. That all changed when my house burnt down. It wasn’t over night, I couldn’t just forget about all the things lost. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to watch. My mum and I lived in a homeless shelter for 4 weeks following the fire, it really opened my eyes. Your new single 'Top Spot' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? I was working as a housekeeper when I wrote Top Spot, I remember the day like it was yesterday. I remember being so tired whilst driving from one hotel to the next I was working a double shift and had been working crazy hours all week. I knew why I was doing it I knew that the long hours, the sore feet it was only for one thing and that was so I was able to make music. I started to think about all the crazy stuff people do to get where they want to be and started writing. I wanted it to be relatable, quirky & new. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? My producers name is Philippe-Marc Anquetil We have been working together ever since I was on the voice. We recorded & mastered Top Spot in his Studio. Top Spot was recorded in April this year. How did you approach the recording process? I always like being prepared when heading into the studio. I normally go in with 3-5 songs that I have recorded a demo to at home. We listen to all of the song and make the decision, I was really nervous about Top Spot because it was unlike anything I had ever written before. What does Top Spot mean to you? Top Spot reminds me of where I was when I wrote it and how far I have come in that time. Who are you listening to at the moment? Post Malone for sure I love all of his stuff. Saweetie is also on repeat SZA, Kiana Lede and Mali-Koa’s new album. What do you like to do away from music? My life pretty much just music if I’m not in the studio I’m usually thinking about going into the studio. I love food so cooking & baking when I get the chance. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? I’m heading back into the studio over the next couple of weeks and starting to prep for my next release which will be early next year. I’m hoping to be able to perform Top Spot live by the end of the year if not really early next year. Favourite food and place to hangout? My favourite food is a pepperoni pizza for sure. Favourite place to hang out would have to be my studio. https://www.instagram.com/shyjanamusic https://m.facebook.com/shyjanamusic https://vm.tiktok.com/ZSq4UhNY https://twitter.com/officialshyjana https://www.shyjanamusic.com

SHYJANA

What is your name and role within Harves? My name is Matthew Wright and my role in Harves includes singing/songwriting, playing keys and panicking about things I don’t need to. Where are you currently based? Based in Melbourne, Australia. How did Harves form? Sam and I spent many years sending song files back and forth and loosely collaborating over the internet. Until mid-2020, we didn’t really have a clear vision for what we were attempting to do. Our first single (Do Your Worst) was placed in a film through our publishers, and that was really the catalyst for us getting our shit together. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? We’ve mostly been writing and preparing for our next release. Covid has certainly made things tougher for us. We’ve worked together in person only a handful of times this year, but in that time we’ve managed to launch the band, and finish and release 2 songs. We’re adapting I guess. Your new single 'The River' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? Harves take influence from wherever we can. Between the two of us, our taste in music is incredibly broad. We don’t really make a conscious effort to sound any particular way. I think our music is a perfect blend of everything we like, and the River is a great representation of that. How did you go about writing The River? Sam sent through the instrumental idea about a year ago and the vocal came to me almost instantly. It was one of those songs that takes on a life of their own. Apart from some changes the chorus, nearly everything was written within a couple of hours. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with? We record and produce our own songs. Sam is also Produces/Mixes/Masters by trade. Harves are a pretty self-sufficient unit. How did you approach the recording process? Due to Covid, The River was recorded entirely from our respective houses. I did the vocals in my bedroom and Sam took care of mostly everything else in his home studio. What does The River mean to you? The River is a metaphor for the place that my mind goes when I create music. It can be a really dark and often lonely place, but coming out the other end is almost always worth it. Who are you listening to at the moment? Right this very second I’m listening to John Coltrane. Also been giving the new HEALTH record a lot of love. We’re both massive fans of nearly everything they do. What do you like to do away from music? We’re both pretty avid gamers. I’d say we’re nearly as passionate about video games as we are about music. We draw a lot of inspiration from that world. Writing for video game soundtracks is a big goal for us. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? We’ll be spending the rest of the year writing and preparing for our next release. We’re still undecided on what that release will be, but time will tell. Now that Covid restrictions are easing, we’ll no doubt start looking into playing some shows. Favourite food and place to hangout? Honestly, my favourite place to hang out is in the comfort of my own home. I’m a bit agoraphobic, so the thought of going out makes me kinda anxious these days. My favourite food is dill pickles - I could (and often do) eat them all day, every day. https://www.facebook.com/harvesmusic

Harves

Where are you currently based? I currently live in Adelaide near the water! How did you first start playing music? I started playing music when I was 16ish I actually just decided to dust off my brothers old guitar and look up some YouTube tutorials on how to play songs I liked at the time. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? I’ve just finally released the EP 'Coping Mechanisms' via Dew Process which I’m super happy to be able to share. Covid has obviously impacted music and arts this year but personally it hasn’t been too bad for me. I’ve enjoyed a bit of down time. The one thing I miss the most is playing live and touring so I’m looking forward to potentially getting back at it and doing that in the somewhat near future. Fingers crossed! How did you go about writing Coping Mechanisms and what does this EP mean to you? I wrote the EP across 2018 and 2019. I think this EP to me is finding hope in darker times and strength in small things even when it feels impossible. Where and when did you record/produce EP? Who did you work with? I recorded the EP towards the end of 2019 in Melbourne’s Shed Studios with John Castle. Other collaborators I worked closely with on this EP are my great friends Benjamin Tamblyn and Mario Spate, as well as writing with Joel Quartmaine & Konny Kersting. What did you find most challenging and rewarding throughout the process? I think the challenge wasn’t so much the creation and writing of the music but persevering through personal issues while trying to remain creatively energised and enthused. Completing the EP and more so releasing it has been the rewarding part and seeing how it has resonated with others. Any live shows coming up? December 11th in Adelaide at JIVE I’ll be playing my first headline show of the year and I’m over the moon about it. What do you like to do away from music? Cooking, crafting, walking my doggo, binging tv series and seeing my fam and friends.

MANE

Hot Donnas

Hot Donnas

Where are you currently based? Somewhere in Wellington, well, right now at work, but you'll find me usually in my "office-turned-apartment" building in a rectangular room creating silly symphonies with whatever I have How did you first start playing music? If I knew, I'd tell you, but honestly for as long as I can remember I've just known how to play guitar and have always just loved music, I think I started writing when I was about 13, but again, it all gets blurry. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? I've just been prepping for this debut LP, though most of the work is done now and I've gotten more of a chance to start working on the second. My Covid experience has actually been great! When we went into lockdown here I had everything set up to record the whole thing, no distractions, just me and the studio for a few weeks, then by the time it was over me and the band we're ready to start playing, so I think I may have been one of the lucky few who managed to keep super occupied during these crazy f*cking times. How did Voodoo Bloo come about? I looked at a vape juice bottle. It spoke to me. I listened and carried out its wishes. Your new single 'Ha Ha Ok' is out now from your forthcoming debut album 'Jacobus', what influenced the sound and songwriting for Ha Ha Ok and the album as a whole? Ha Ha is a bit of a black sheep, in the sense that it's influence does not stem from the same place as the rest of the LP, but I'd say it definitely still had some of the same bands I liked the sound of come into its creation, I like to specifically think of it as a marriage between early "Arctic Monkeys" and "Psychedelic Porn Crumpets" for it's punk yet kinda groovy sound, but that's just me. How did you go about writing the music for your album Jacobus? A lot of it started from lyrics I wrote while I was in Japan, everything sort of just spiralled out of nowhere in a very short amount of time, as I'd been documenting things I saw every day on my notes, and then when my friend passed while I was over there, I realised that I'd captured a single moment in my life before it even happened. Written down where I was, what I was up to, all the calm before the storm was there, then when I came home all I had to do was navigate the storm and to turn it into something really personal to me. Some of the actual songs were written before, or at least the tunes of them, then I just had to piece them all together, it was a jigsaw where every piece just fell into place with ease. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with? Jacobus was recorded at my house in the suburbs of Wellington, probably around April of this year. We spent a long time working on the production and sound of the album afterwards, but finally we ended up going with Scott Seabright, Ryan Smith, and Gregory Haver for Mixing, Mastering, and Mix advising respectively. How did you approach the recording process? This is a mixed bag, I think due to the fact that we had to record, re-record, and touch bits up so many times, but ultimately I just spent hours and hours in lockdown getting it to sound exactly how I wanted it. Some of the songs were prepped before I went in, others I had to figure out while in the studio, but for any time I sung or recorded a song that was about my mate (which is a majority of this project) I usually couldn't stay in there for long as I just got overwhelmed by everything I felt towards him. It was cathartic yet painful, lovely yet bitter, yet it came out in a way that I could never have even dreamed for, it was the perfect send-off for a friend. What programs/instruments did you use? For the most part, it's your standard 2 guitar, 1 bass, drums and vocals type deal, though I did chuck some synths and other cool trickery in the mix, some of which was done by the lovely production crew, but I'm still waiting for people to pick up on the theremin sample I used. It's out there already, go look for it! What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of Jacobus? Singing "A Brother, A Son, A War that never changes" and "A Friend, Jacobus". I did the 11 minute trek in one take, and once it was over, I couldn't bring myself to do it again. I showed my friends the takes because I wasn't sure if my emotions came off as overdramatic, but they said it felt pure and honest, and ultimately I agreed, and there it sits as my dark and beautiful achievement. When will you be releasing Jacobus? December 4th, anywhere and everywhere, I think. Maybe not in starbucks or something? Though I reckon that'd be pretty cool. Actually nah, Taco Bell, hit me up if you want these sweet tunes in your store exclusively. You make the pure hangover food I desire every Sunday. You know where to find me. Can you give us an idea of what to expect from Jacobus? No, but I can tell you how I'd like you to listen to it. 1. Lay down on your bed in your room with the lights off 2. Play the album 3. Return out into the light to a room full of friends. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? I'd like to spend the remainder of 2020 forgetting about 2020, and for my 2021 to be renamed to 2020. Any shows coming up? We actually have a charity show coming up in our hometown with Miss June and Curlys Jewels, two of my favorite bands from the country, and all of the proceeds will be going to Lifeline Aotearoa, an organisation who help out heaps of kiwis daily struggling with mental health issues. It'll be an awesome night for an awesome cause. Who are you listening to at the moment? King Gizzard's new LP, King Gizzards old LP (Eyes Like The Sky, to be specific), and a whole bunch of midwest emo (with a little car seat headrest too). I'm a sucker for some dude with an acoustic guitar talking about relationship issues from illinois. What do you like to do away from music? Um. You've got me. But nah seriously, just chilling with friends, oh and I love pinball, like I have a serious addiction to the sh*t. You'll find me on my computer or down at my local coffee shop just, well, playing pinball. Favourite food and place to hangout? The food at the Coffee Shop I go to.

Voodoo Bloo

Where are you currently based? I am currently based in London, United Kingdom. How did you first first start playing music? I started spinning since I was 16 years old, from bday parties to house parties and then in clubs. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? I kinda see the lockdown as a personal isolation and time to invest in myself, even thou to have to opportunity to keep learning and experiment more with my sound. Though times for everyone but we are all in this together, so we gotta stay positive. We already wasted so much time on negative things. Please tell us about your thoughts of the importance of artist mental health awareness: I am glad this year the theme of mental illness got back up again. From an artist's point of view is kinda extreme in a sense of appreciation. We have to deal on a daily basis with rewards, rejections, opportunities, nights without sleep, expand our network and abandon the old paradigm we have been living through now. As an artist, how has Covid impacted your mental health? Honestly it is the best/worst time of my life. Like mentioned in the previous question but again it is part of the journey to shine as a musician. At the end of the day no one can kill creative souls who have been hidden in the abyss of modern society. You have a series on YouTube called 'Donut Dating' what is the concept and how did this series come about? Well, I love donuts and I love beautiful creature such as women. That serie is about self improvement I have been and I am still experiencing. My goal is at least to help/inspire someone out there who is in the same situation. How has Donut Dating been going so far? The real success of Donut Dating is to be happy by yourself in the first place in order to make your partner/partners happy. It is a value you add to your life. Who are you listening to at the moment? I am currently listening to 80s music, some goth such as The Cure, The Mission, Fields of the Nephilim. I swing from the classics Liszt/Beethoven to Motley Crue and Cradle of Filth. What programs/equipment do you like to work with when playing live and recording: I use FL Studio for production and I perform with cdjs 2000 (classic club setup) What do you like to do away from music? I eat donuts (obviously haha), I started skateboarding since I was 10 years old, I brainstorm a lot to find new ideas to finalise my creative process and I read at least 2 books a week. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? My team and I are working hard to make 2021 such a fire year. We are amplifying what was left from 2020. American tour for sure, we finalising the Asian one, getting few contacts with Australia and New Zealand. We are literally about to conquer the globe. Shoutout to my lovely team: Gabriele, Arianna, Krystle and Kayla, Julian, Boogie (Hillyhd), Dennis and Naushad. Favourite food and place to hangout? Favourite place to hangout and food? I think you have the answer already hahah (DUNKIN DONUTS MUHAHAH)

Earl The Kid

Where are you currently based? I currently live in the Gold Coast. How did you first start playing music? I’ve literally been playing for my whole life. My family was really involved in Country music competitions when I was growing up, and I started competing when I was 3. My mum is a music teacher, so I was pretty lucky that I got to grow up learning how to play different instruments and always being surrounded by music. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? Honestly Covid has been pretty lonely! I was definitely lucky because I never lost my job and I wasn’t as hugely impacted as I know a lot of other people have been so I am grateful for that, but I had only just moved to the Gold Coast about 2 months before everywhere started to shut down. I didn’t know anyone here before I moved, so when the restrictions started being implemented I spent a lot of time by myself, which was pretty tough. Recently though, things have been going really well! I’ve started gigging more which has been awesome, and I’ve been able to spend a lot more time working on my music as well which I’m loving. And with more restrictions being lifted all the time, it’s been really great finally being able to see more of the Gold Coast. Your latest single 'Cut My Nails' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? I feel like the emotion behind the song is what influenced the sound. I was writing about a really dark and heavy period of my life, and I think the track is very reflective of that; it gives off this kind of sinister and unstable vibe, which is definitely how I was feeling during the time that I was writing about. How did you go about writing Cut My Nails? It was actually kind of a hard song to start. My co-writer/producer (Parker Rose) and I were playing around with a couple of different ideas when I randomly said that I needed to cut my nails, and we kind of just decided it would be a cool lyric and then sat on it for a while before we decided to run with it. It was such a fun song to write though - super experimental which is always exciting, and it was also just really therapeutic. I feel like once we got in the zone, the whole song came together really easily as far as writing it goes. Where and when did you record/produce? Cut My Nails was Written and Produced at Parkers old studio on the Gold Coast Please tell us about your connection to the LGBTQI community: After I came out and had to move out of home, I didn’t feel like there were a lot of people in my life that I could really connect with about what I was going through, which was really isolating. Being apart of the LGBTQI community and meeting people with similar experiences to me and being able to celebrate who I am and my sexuality instead of wishing I could change it was so important. Going to Pride festivals and drag shows and meeting people who knew what I was going through and had come out the other side played such a huge role in me accepting myself and getting myself through one of the darkest periods of my life. I really feel so lucky to be apart of such an amazing community that celebrates love and individuality and self expression so intensely. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? I just finished my third single as Cut My Nails was being released so that will be coming out soon! I’m also working on releasing an EP in 2021 so that’s something pretty exciting to look forward to! Who are you listening to at the moment? I have a few of my all time favourites like Billie Eilish, Benee and Jessie Reyez. Right now though, I really love Alexander 23, FLETCHER and G Flip. What do you like to do away from music? I love dancing (although I’m really not very good at it, but I don’t mind). I also really like cooking, and I love hanging out with my friends. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? I just finished my third single as Cut My Nails was being released so that will be coming out soon! I’m also working on releasing an EP in 2021 so that’s something pretty exciting to look forward to! Favourite food and place to hangout? I absolutely love sushi, it’s easily one of my favourite foods. Either that or strawberry pierogi. My stepmum used to make them for me when I was younger, I’m obsessed with them! As for my favourite place to hangout, I love taking my dog to the beach or going out somewhere with live music. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/its.talia.rose/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/its.talia.rose

Talia Rose

Where are you currently based? I am living/working in Melbourne, whereas Thijs has moved back to Utrecht in the Netherlands! How did you first start playing music? My dad plays guitar, and so I had always taken an interest in watching him play music when I was a child. I think when my friends started playing guitar in about year 7 or 8 (Age 13-14?) that really motivated me to pick it up and try to play though! At one point I started learning from a book to read proper music notation etc, but then guitar tabs appeared that let me learn to play ‘Scar Tissue’ from RHCP, and then I was done with learning properly! Sort of regrettable in hindsight not to learn more music theory, but once I could play the songs I loved I just couldn’t be bothered learning the ‘proper’ way. I do often think that my lack of formal musical knowledge allows me to think outside the box a bit though in terms of song writing, without being bounded by what ‘should’ follow a certain chord etc. But it also limits me, which is why working with a classically trained musician (Thijs) worked so well for our songs, I could have the crazy idea, and then he would be able to add really clever additions to the chords/progressions to tie it all together! ☺ What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? I have been super busy with my work in science and also promoting our album! My Covid experience has been very fortunate compared to a lot of people, as I have maintained my employment throughout the entire lockdown in Melbourne. I was able to work from home for many weeks and then get back into the lab occasionally as well because medical research is an essential service. Although working from home was great for a while, I think being able to go back into the workplace was really good for me, and I feel very lucky for it. It was tough not being able to see my parents for around 6 months, as they were outside the ‘ring of steel’, but we have seen each other again now and it was just awesome to get back and say G’day! ☺ Your new album 'Yours to Lend' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? There are a huge amount of different influences on this album, as is demonstrated by the range of different sounds within the 10 tracks. The sounds on our album range through rock music like ‘Storm’ to piano ballads like ‘Dork’ and acoustic guitar/harmonica sounds like ‘Rory’. The influences behind all those sounds are so varied it’s hard to describe, but I guess for me personally, my strongest influences are probably as follows: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus (I love the percussive vocal lines in both of these bands, and I often try to include percussive vocal sections in our songs), Ben Harper, Neil Young, and basically anything that makes me feel emotions! I think I can speak on Thijs’s behalf to say his largest influence as a pianist/keyboard player is definitely Supertramp. How did you go about writing the music? For 9 out of the 10 tracks I had lyrics/chord structures written already in an acoustic form, and I would bring these ideas in to work with me where we would find a quiet room and start putting piano lines to them. But as the songs developed the piano would quickly become the driving force behind the songs, and I would then really reduce the amount of guitar I was playing to a minimal amount to leave room for Thijs’s beautiful piano lines ☺ As a guitarist who has played in guitar heavy punk/rock bands before, it was a really fun experience actually to play in a very minimalistic way, just trying to compliment the piano and vocals. For the song ‘Storm’ our roles were switched…Thijs came in with the whole chord structure on piano and initial lyrics, and we jammed to it, I added some guitar and played around with the lyrics/vocal style until we had what you hear on the album ☺ Where and when did you record/produce? We recorded the whole album with Steve Vertigan at Soggy Dog Recording Studios in Upwey. I have worked with Steve before on some other recordings and I knew he has a great ear for mixing, and vast musical knowledge to draw from during the recording process. The bulk of the recording was done across 2 days in March 2019, where the session musicians Jason Vorherr and Peter Maslen were present to record the bass and drums. Once the ‘skeleton’ of the tracks were down, we raced to get Thijs’s piano/harmonica and backing vocals down before he had to leave for the Netherlands in about May! After that, I basically went back into the studio once a month or so to add in my parts and work on the mixing with Steve. I also had around 7 weeks overseas in the middle of 2019 where I could listen back to the mixes and come back with fresh ears. The final mixes were sent off for mastering with Ross Cockle from Sing Sing Studios in about March 2020, so it really was an album recorded across an entire year! ☺ Although an unusual process, I love writing/recording and it was really great to have a creative project going along on the side whilst I continued working in science. How did you approach the recording process? I like to approach recording with an open mind to the fact that the songs might take on completely new forms during recording. It’s actually what I love most…the spontaneous things that arise in the studio, whether it’s a little guitar line or a particular take of the vocals, I just love it when you can drive away from the studio listening back to something that didn’t even exist when you drove there in the morning! ☺ What programs/equipment did you use? I have no idea! (Steve?) What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of the album? Most challenging was probably holding back from rushing the recording. After almost a year of recording/mixing there’s a real desire to get the music out and show it to people, but I really tried to hold on until the music was absolutely finished and mastered before I showed it to most people. I really wanted an end product that I was completely happy with, and it was totally worth the wait in the end, so I guess that is the most rewarding part…there really isn’t anything on the album that I listen to and go ‘Oh no! What were we thinking! Why didn’t we change that bit?’ Which has always been my previous experience with more rushed recordings. Who are you listening to at the moment? Spotify tells me that recently I’ve been switching mainly between Thundercat, Bad Mother Nature, Jackson Browne, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus, John Frusciante, Karnivool and Queens Of The Stone Age. What do you like to do away from music? I’m a mad scientist in most of my hours away from music. I actually really enjoy my work and particularly microscopy. I get to make time-lapse microscopy images of immune cells attacking their target cells and it’s just an incredible thing to visualise. I have a lot of fun and pour a lot of my creativity into trying to develop new techniques of visualising these events more clearly so that we can learn more about them ☺ What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? I think like most people I just want to get through 2020 and then have an awesome 2021! It’s actually been pretty handy getting all of the album out this year, so that hopefully if gigs are allowed in the new year, I can start to focus on remembering how to play guitar and get a band together to perform Dutch Monks songs at live gigs! I’m actually really excited about that, can’t wait to perform these songs! Favourite food and place to hangout? Oh gee, anyone that knows me knows that I love most food! (a little too much tbh). But I think my favourite would have to be home-made pasties that my Mum makes ☺ As for a place to hangout, this year it’s probably been the research laboratory that I work in at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre! Other years it would be a quiet place in the bush though…as a kid who grew up in the country the city is far too busy for me, I like to get away from it and gather my thoughts ☺ Website https://dutchmonks.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DutchMonks Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dutch_monks/ Twitter https://twitter.com/DutchMonks YouTube http://bit.ly/DutchMonks_YouTube Spotify http://bit.ly/DutchMonks_Spotify Apple Music https://music.apple.com/au/artist/dutch-monks/1522421212 Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/user-305369583 Triple j Unearthed https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/dutch-monks Bandcamp https://dutchmonks.bandcamp.com/releases

Dutch Monks

Where are you currently based? Gold Coast, QLD. How did you first start playing music? We all picked up our instruments in our teens and played around in multiple bands before forming this one. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? Recently, we have been rehearsing constantly in an effort to tighten up our sound for once restrictions lift and we can tour again. We took it as an opportunity to fine tune our live show so that we can be better than we were before. How did The Silencio form? Originally it was a solo effort from Vocalist/guitarist Jan Nicholas Blom. After playing a few shows here and there I determined that my style was very rhythmic so it would be a benefit to have a rhythm section with me. Once the lineup was solidified, we started pushing the acoustic rock genre into new territory and ended up here. Your new single 'Apology' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? Once our guitarist, Dylan Brann, switched to the electric guitar and started to have more input in writing, this new sound was born and Apology was one of the first tracks written for the new album. As for the message behind the song, a good friend of mine has been battling with transitioning into sobriety for a long time and with the on again/off again nature of his habits I wanted to put into perspective for those out there who have turned their backs how hard it is for him in his situation and attempt to promote more love, forgiveness and understanding towards the situation. How did you go about writing Apology? Our drummer, Kurt Winter, has a little home studio where we tinker with our ideas until they become full songs. This particular track was born out of the reverse piano sound you can hear during the intro. Dylan had nothing else written but by the end of one session walked away with this track in the bag. Where and when did you record and who with? We recorded the whole album this time last year with Nik Carpenter at Core Studios on the Gold Coast. How did you approach the recording process? We had the album fully written and recorded during pre-production months before we got into the studio so that the time spent in there would be productive rather than second guessing ourselves. We like to consider ourselves to be over-organised at times haha. Please tell us about your experience whilst working with Danny Saber: Danny has been lovely to work with and has ideas that we hadn't considered before which has been important considering we have been mostly self produced up until he got involved. Though, Nik Carpenter had helped us with bits and pieces along the way. Danny has been shaping our arrangements and helping us to understand through his years of knowledge as to how to best position our newer material moving forward to appeal to a wider audience. Who are you listening to at the moment? We all have varying tastes but recently, I have been listening to a lot of Eden, Greyhaven and Bring Me The Horizon. What do you like to do away from music? Music is pretty much everything for all of us. Outside of it is only really time for our families and day jobs. Jared owns several restaurants, Dylan is in landscaping and Kurt and I both have office jobs within the building industry. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? We have more music to release and are in the process of approving several music videos being shot to determine which song comes next. With a bit of luck, restrictions will ease and we can take our show on the road! Favourite food and place to hangout? It's no secret to those that know me that the only food that exists is pizza and my favourite place to hang out is in the recording studio. https://www.instagram.com/the_silencio/ https://www.facebook.com/the_silencio/ https://www.youtube.com/the_silencio/

The Silencio

SHACKS & PALACES RETURNS WITH UPLIFTING NEW SINGLE 'GOD MADE YOU STRANGE', WITH VIDEO

SHACKS & PALACES RETURNS WITH UPLIFTING NEW SINGLE ‘GOD MADE YOU STRANGE’, WITH VIDEO

Where are you currently based? I'm currently living out of my car, so I guess kinda based nowhere atm. I'm on a road trip along the central coast from Sydney, completing my mixtape, stopping in towns along the way from Sydney to work with artists like Airports, Lovemedo, Doolie and more. How did you first start playing music? I started writing my own songs in 2013. I was selling handbags out of the back of my station wagon to ladies boutiques along the south coast and was listening to Bertie Blackman's 2014 'The Dash' album on repeat. When I couldn't listen to it anymore, I started singing my own songs I'd make up on the drive and then record voice memos on my phone in motel rooms, using cutlery and plates to create beats. I posted an ad on gumtree and met Ben and started my first band, Bec and Ben. Ben was a music teacher so he taught me to play the drums and I converted my floor kit to stand up kit with my bass drum on legs and full body configuration so I could dance and sing whilst playing. Then I taught myself acoustic guitar on a cruise ship I went on with my brother (who bought a 21-day romantic cruise for him and his girlfriend, but then they broke up so he took me). From there I started RACKETT and moved towards the electric guitar and now I take my midilab and laptop with me everywhere. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? At the start of covid, I conceptualised, cast and produced a digital TV series called 'Loud n Queer TV' in partnership and with Heaps Gay and Create or Die, which I just found out has been nominated for an FBI SMAC AWARD. It was focused on giving artists from LGBTQIA community a platform during venue foreclusore and I produced over 60+ artists on the show over 3 seasons. Once that wrapped in September I started making my mixtape. At first, it was just an opportunity to refocus on writing music, but I was exploding with melodies and lyrics and every session I did with a new artist would produce a song that felt ready to release. Over 8 weeks I've worked with Taka Perry, Kim Moyes (The Presets), Jim Eliot (Ellie Goulding, EAST), Muki, No Frills Twins, Tasker, Clara Fable, Joesph Delahoyde, Korkey Buchek, Airports, Lucy Nevile, Cam Nacson, Xira and more. Covid gave me an opportunity to fully focus on what my life might look like as a full-time songwriter and cement my desire to make that happen. Please tell us about why you've changed from your name from Rackett to Beks: Beks is an extension of myself personally. I’ve been on a journey of self-discovery through music, writing with producers and artists from all around the world. I’ve been writing so much music that has informed me more about who I am as an independent songwriter and what I can create with confidence in myself. I’ve chosen to adopt my new artist name Beks to signify a new era for me as a songwriter. A new beginning, one that will carry my new work cohesively into the future. Your new single 'Stars in My Eyes' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? Stars in My Eyes is based on a personal confession or realisation I had the day before entering the studio. I’ve always struggled to balance my personal life with my music, the latter taking priority. Finding myself in a familiar cycle of imbalance, holding onto the threads of an unravelling relationship, revealed a phrase that felt symbolic of my fantastical obsession with music; ‘I’ve got stars in my eyes’. This phrase became the closing statement of the relationship and the beginning of the story told in the song. Sound wise, this song was really inspired by my playlist, its a mash-up of all these influences - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1mNERTaaSsvBBuRXPE0f8W?si=tivkVcL3TS28xT4oow1l3Q How did you go about writing 'Stars in My Eyes'? Tasker and I had never worked together so I wasn't sure what would come out of the session. We both went into the studio in Marrickville with no pre-made ideas and walked out 4 hours later with 'Stars in My Eyes' completed top to bottom. You have a single coming out on December 11, please tell us a little about what to expect: Expect full pop vibes. Please tell us about your recent collaborations: I've worked with Taka Perry, Kim Moyes (The Presets), Jim Eliot (Ellie Goulding, EAST), Muki, No Frills Twins, Tasker, Clara Fable, Joesph Delahoyde, Korkey Buchek, Airports, Lucy Nevile, Cam Nacson, Xira and more, both in person and over Zoom, to create my upcoming, 12 track mixtape set for release in 2021. Who are you listening to at the moment? Everything I'm listing to is here, it's a pretty rad playlist with mostly pop artists from Australia and some OS icons like Charli XCX, Dorian Electra, Caroline Polachek. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1mNERTaaSsvBBuRXPE0f8W?si=tivkVcL3TS28xT4oow1l3Q What do you like to do away from music? I love fashion and design and film so when I'm not actually making music, I'm working with local designers and filmmakers for visuals for my music, so umm, music. I have no balance, I work 7 days a week on my art, so it's music or sleeping and going on the occasional date if I'm lucky. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? I'm the road finishing off my mixtape. Writing a lot of KPOP songs for briefs for other artists OS and trying to have a love life/personal life to draw inspiration from. Generally doing my daily affirmations and trying to connect with more people through my music and sustain the indie grind. Facebook | Spotify | Instagram | Youtube

Beks

Where are you currently based? Right now I’m based between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. How did you first start playing music? I started playing guitar first when I was 13. I use to be obsessed with the game guitar hero and wanted to try and see if I could actually play the songs on real a instrument. From there everything else progressed purely out of curiosity to learn more. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? Since I got back from America things have really slowed down as I’m sure they have for everyone. I have been very lucky during Covid to be living in Queensland as the virus hasn’t really affected our state as drastically as other states and certainly as it has other countries. I have mostly been working on new music here and there and unwinding from the past few years of being non stop in LA. Your new single 'Sick World' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? I wrote Sick world in my first week of quarantine in Australia. I’d just gotten back to Brisbane from LA and everything was very raw and the world wide panic around Covid had only just started. It was a very uncertain time and still is of course . I wanted something musically that sounded sad but also had a feeling of hopelessness and disappointment . I wanted the song to not only be about how terrible the virus has affected so many lives but also how divided everyone has been about not only this but so many other important topics. Where and when did you record/produce? I wrote the song partly in my parents house and then in the studio with my mate Magnus Murphy. I had finished the song pretty much when I started it however when the George Floyd video came out I was so shocked by the video but inspired by the reaction of everyone standing up together. I went to a Black Lives Matter march in Brisbane a few days after the video came out and was so moved by how many people came out to support such an important issue. After that I had to mention the subject in the song. Me and Magnus then produced it from his home studio and in a few days it was finished. Who did you work with during the recording/production/mastering of Sick World? I worked with Producer and songwriter, Magnus Murphy who is also one of my best mates. We had been working on songs pretty much the second I got out of quarantine in Brisbane. He has a studio at his house so I would just drive to his place every day and work from there. I’ve had some of the most fun recording with him and the quality of music has only kept getting better and better. We wrote produced and mixed the track and then sent it to Sterling sound for mastering. How did you approach the recording process? I wanted to keep it as simple as possible. Not get too tricky with what instruments I chose. Most of the core of this song is the vocal and telling the story so I didn’t want to over shadow that. If anything I try and highlight it. I’m a big believer in trying to take the feeling of what it sounds like to play the song live and bring that to the recording. So we kept it simple and used space to our advantage, by using ambient noises to highlight certain lyrics such as “sirens blazing through these streets” and even the intro we found noises of police and ambulance cars. Because when I was in La that’s all you would hear from your apartment. All in all I think the term “keep it simple stupid” could pretty much be applied to anything I make, just let the song talk. What does Sick World Mean to you? It reflects not only the struggle of the year that has almost passed but the struggle that still lies ahead. We need to really look at ourselves seriously and try and find some common ground with eachother. The world is so divided and not United. But I know that at the end of the day we still hold those traits of compassion and empathy we just need to find ways to show it to eachother and stop fighting and start listening. Hopefully 2021 won’t be as divisive. Who are you listening to at the moment? At the moment I’ve been listening to a lot of UK rock like Nothing but thieves and Sam fender. I also recently got into a local band Selfish Sons one of my mates Jordy sings for them his voice is insane. What do you like to do away from music? I recently got obsessed with Golf. Had a lot of down time while I’ve been back so I decided to pick it up and now I can’t stop. I’m usually like that when I get into a new hobby I get very obsessive and can’t focus on anything else. Maybe I’ll quit music and head to Augusta next year! What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? The plan is to focus on new releases and collaborating. I’ve been lucky enough to run into some really talented Aussie artists since I’ve been back and I’m super keen to get stuck into writing with them. As for me I’m not pumping the brakes it’s full steam ahead on new music out as soon as a possible and then touring! Favourite food and place to hangout? I’m a sucker for grilld although since I moved to the goldy I’m pretty much down in Burleigh at the Pavilion every second day! Socials – https://www.facebook.com/JoelAdamsMusic/ https://www.instagram.com/joeladams/

Joel Adams

Where are you currently based? Vancouver, BC How did you first start playing music? We both started off with free writing and poetry. That eventually led to us writing our first songs together in our junior years of high school. It wasn’t until late 2016 that we formed Snotty Nose Rez Kids, but it felt like it was a long time coming. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? The 2020 experience has been a weird ride that has taken a lot of adjustments to say the least. We were originally slotted to perform our first headline US Tour in April and had plans of returning to Australia this fall, but 2020 had other plans for us and our tours were derailed. We are working on new singles and collaborations with artists that we have a growing relationship with like Drezus, Dj Shub, Electric Fields and Mo’Ju. We’ve been taking our time with our new album too, figuring out concepts, themes and sounds that we want to explore. Your new single 'Where They At' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? If you are just getting familiar with our music you'll come to realize there is an “Atlanta Trap” influence when it comes to the beats we use. Our latest full length album “TRAPLINE” is the perfect example of this and artists that want to collaborate with us have taken notice of our sound and often come to us with beats that fit our vibe. This is one of those instances, Drezus came to us with the “Where They At” beat from Canadian producer “Pops” and as soon as it played through those studio monitors, shit popped off!!! A lot like our critically acclaimed “Snotty Nose Rez Kids” sound, our lyrics and songwriting have their own signature style. The majority of our catalog comes with thought provoking lyrics that are meant to either challenge or empower the listener. “Where They At” is the mood we felt coming off an extremely busy 2019 into what we thought was supposed to be “our year,” 2020! How did you go about writing Where They At? “Where They At” is pretty much a lil’ flex on a society we were forced to grow up in, that often looks at indigneous people as less than. A society that think indigneous people either come from poverty or come from casino and government money. We tell ‘em we’re doing just fine in this world we were forced to live in while letting our fans/youth know there are financial opportunities in the arts. This is a celebratory song where we raise a toast toast to indigenous people succeeding in a world that was built for us to die out. We understood there would be a bit of backlash from some of our fans that hold us to a certain standard but we also have come to realize that this is our artform and that not every song we put out is like this one. Where and when did you record/produce? We recorded this near the end of this summer (2020). Pops and K Notes produced the beat and we all got into Nova Studios, based in Vancouver, with Jamie Kuse, who engineered, mixed and mastered it. Who are you listening to at the moment? 'Say Wait' by Willow 'Baptize' by Spillage Village What do you like to do away from music? Covid has made life away from music kind of difficult but usually we like to get in the gym and get a few runs in a week on the (basketball) court. We have a lot of homies here in Vancity that we make sure we see regularly and a lot of them are musicians so we grab some drinks and vibe out. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? We are finishing the year with a couple singles and videos. ‘Where They At’ is getting a video. We got a new track called ‘Screaming Indian’ out November 27th. We did that one with South Asian producer, Skinny Local, and the track blends Indigenous and South Asian cultures and sounds. We got a dope video for that one too. And, finally, we got a track with DJ Shub called ‘War Club’ dropping December 4th. The year has been rocky, but now we’re getting back into album mode and we’re eager to get more music out next year. https://www.facebook.com/snottynoserezkids

Snotty Nose Rez Kids

Where are you currently based? I’m currently based in Melbourne, Australia. How did you first start playing music? I’ve pretty much been singing ever since I was born. My parents have hours and hours of home videos to prove it. I have this really vivid memory of singing Sk8er Boi by Avril Lavigne at a school assembly when I was in Prep. I guess it all started from there. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been? Lockdown was intense, not gonna lie. For a while there, we were really reconsidering whether or not 2020 was a good year to release a debut single. In retrospect, it makes a lot of sense for someone like me to launch an artist project in such a chaotic year. It’s also been really cool finding new ways to collaborate with people, using Zoom and Facebook. I guess, in short, my COVID experience has been like any other: challenging, but we’ll all be stronger for it. Your new single 'Matches' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? I listen to a lot of Scandinavian music. My own music is heavily inspired by artists like Sigrid, NOTD, Boy In Space and SHY Martin - just to name a few. There’s still a stigma around pop music in Australia which needs to be addressed. That’s why I look overseas, particularly to Europe, for inspiration. Pop music there feels less inhibited. How did you go about writing ‘Matches’? It’s funny you ask. Matches is actually quite an old song. I remember coming up with the hook while catching the train to a writing session in Sydney back in 2018. It’s a song that kept evolving every time I revisited it. For that reason, I knew it deserved a release. I describe it as angsty pop with a drop. I’m a firm believer in that heartbreak is the secret formula to writing a good pop song. Where and when did you record/produce and who did you work with? Matches was well underway by the time my first single Dopamine dropped. At the time, Melbourne was still in lockdown so most of the production came together remotely. Matches was produced by my mate Ben Field. He’s an absolute legend. We first started working together when I finished high school. Prior to that, he worked on a bunch of really cool projects, including Mallrat’s Uninvited - EP. Ben has produced all my material so far. I’m so lucky to be able to work with him. How did you approach the recording process? Most of the vocals for Matches were recorded at the start of 2020. By the time Ben started working on the song, all that was left for me to record were the harmonies and ad-libs. That’s my favourite part. That’s what really brings a song to life. Vocal production, in general, is so fascinating to me. It’s my favourite part of the production process. How and why did your transition from songwriter to artist come about? Truth be told, I never intended to release my own music. I was quite happy writing for other people. Slowly but surely, however, music bureaucracy started to wear me down. I had hundreds of songs piling up, looking like they’d never be released. Conversely, as I started to deal with more personal subject matter in my music, songwriting began to feel suffocating. It felt like I was bottling up feelings without a means for expressing them. I guess I needed a little extra breathing space. That’s how TRYHARD came to be. Please tell us about your law degree and how you manage to juggle music and law: My law studies were a huge consideration when it came to releasing my first single. I guess it also factored into why I got my start writing for others as opposed to writing for myself. I was under the impression that music and law were totally incompatible. That if I wanted to pursue one, I would have to give up on the other. To be honest, my reasoning there was totally flawed. I think the idea that a person can only be ONE thing is crap. I never want to stop learning. That's a value my dad instilled in me from a very young age. If I want to be a lawyer/pop artist, you best believe I’m gonna do it! How are you feeling about not being able to play or attend festivals? It’s pretty depressing. Festivals are like therapy. They were also super formative in my development as an artist. I love the platform they give to new and emerging artists. There’s something so magical about the atmosphere festivals create. It’s the marriage of good music and good people. I miss sharing those moments with my friends :( Please tell us about your European influences, especially that you write songs in French: I grew up learning both French and Italian. I was lucky enough to spend a few months on exchange in Belgium towards the end of high school. Then, one of my best friends moved to Paris. Languages, French in particular, have opened a lot of doors for me, so releasing music in French is definitely on my to-do list. I’m really excited by that prospect, especially considering the demand for multilingual music in the streaming age. Who are you listening to at the moment? I’m obsessed with everything Kota Banks has released lately. Cheat Codes have also been dropping bop after bop. There’s so much exciting music coming out right now. It’s really made 2020 bearable. What do you like to do away from music? Away from music, I’m usually studying or hanging out with my mates. Going for long drives is also a vibe. What's planned for the remainder of 2020, going into 2021? I’ve got a lot of new music planned. And I mean A LOT. Hopefully as Melbourne starts opening back up, additional opportunities will present themselves too. There may also be a few collaborations and co-writes in the works… Favourite food and place to hangout? Ahhh, that’s hard. Either entrecôte or HSP haha. Fave place to hangout? Probs the local pub with my mates, otherwise anywhere picturesque late at night. I’m a sucker for a good aesthetic. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tryhardsongs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tryhardsongs/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/tryhardsongs Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz_JEfJQxxS34PGY_QjmZdA Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6QA3BVbH7oWcItPDe1SGXy?si=wmDLM_z6RV63im79at-Bfw Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/au/artist/tryhard/1526707336

TRYHARD

Tia Mellow

Tia-Mellow

Quail & AISHA

Quail & AISHA

The Kids

The Kids

Joe Turner

Joe Turner

Where are you currently based? I’m currently in Los Angeles during Covid but I’m back and forth to Vancouver a lot otherwise. How did you first start playing music? My mom was given a guitar from a boyfriend prior to meeting my dad. She had taken a stab at learning guitar when she was younger but the guitar had become a decoration for the house rather than an instrument. I was around 11-years old when I picked it up and got the music tablature for STP - Plush from a family friend. The following year there was a band program that all students had to participate in and there were 4-5 friends that all took up the guitar at the same time. We were all fairly competitive which helped push each other. I recall and passed around music books like “The Jimi Hendrix Experience”, “Tom Petty Greatest Hits” and “Bob Marley - Greatest Hits”. My first songbook was a simplified version “Eric Clapton - Unplugged” album which was frequently spun growing up. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? Covid has been eventful. My wife is due January 3 with our firstborn. This has been a light at the end of the tunnel for us. We also built a recording studio in the garage of our house. Other than that we have been lucky enough to explore California and neighboring states. Of course woven in the good news are trials and tribulations of living during a global pandemic. Your new album 'Bloom' will be out on November 13, what influenced the sound and songwriting? ‘Bloom’ is perhaps the product of not having a tight grip on the musical concept of what I am or where I’m going. I’m sort of allowing music to dictate my direction in a way. Trusting the journey to be cliche. It has led me to the place I am now which is not much clearer than where I started except that perhaps with each step forward I can be more free in my musical choices. The stakes seem to be lower or somethin and the concept feels more free. Like most creatives, I suppose I’m a product of everything I’ve listened to and studied to date. My musical taste is broader than ever as I see past the artist and more to the song. I think as a youngster I would be much more attached to the artist and it would dictate how I felt about a song. Now I feel the song and less about the artist. I think these sorts of realizations came with learning who wrote some of the biggest pop songs 90’s to now. It’s sort of wonderful learning the journey of a song. Sometimes it touches 10 artists before it makes it on an album into the hands of say someone like Beyonce. I think that’s a beautiful thing. How did you go about writing the music? I had prepared 25 to 30 songs approaching the booked studio dates. Dan Klenner, the producer and I went on a little boat he had at the time out in North Vancouver and listened to the songs through some speakers and then swam and thought about each musical idea. From there we decided which ones were the most cohesive and scribbled notes. Following that we hit the studio 2-weeks, and broke down the songs, and built them from the ground up. As we got into the creative flow of things, we allowed that to take over and songs were sort of born out of that. For example “Bloom” and “Don’t Turn This Bus Around” were just improvisations on the spot edited down. Other songs like “Philly Night”, “Avalanche”, and “Million Pounds” were more developed before. I will say that lyrics were mostly all written/changed in the studio. I also experimented more with co-writing. I wrote with Thomas Hoeller, Erik Alcock, Greg Bevis, Dan Klenner to name a few that made it on the album. Where and when did you record/produce and who with? ‘Bloom’ was recorded in 2018 in Vancouvers’ Space Studio with Dan Klenner whom I’ve worked with for the last 2-albums. What programs/equipment did you use? I used Teenage Engineerings’ OP-1to create the drum idea for “Found It” and for a bunch of other ideas. The Roland XP-60 we used a lot for the synth sounds and arpeggios. The TC Helicon Voicelive 3 we used to create the vocoder effect used on “Don’t Turn”, “Bloom”, and “Tow the Line”. The software used to produce was Protools. How did your single 'Avalanche' come about? Avalanche started as sort of a funk-ish type song. I brought it to Greg Bevis first from a band called Bear Mountain whom we were doing some co-writing together at the time. We worked on it for an afternoon, then I believe Thomas Hoeller, and I worked it out live and toured it for a while to flesh it out before bringing it into the studio. There it changed and lost the funk sort of side and became more vibey with an avalanche finish. What does Avalanche mean to you? A metaphor for life; If you allow your life to flow and take chances and walk forward, then it can really take you. And it can swallow you whole or you can glide and land on top. What do you like to do away from music? These days I enjoy gardening, surfing, building things, and playing with my dog, Loki. Who are you listening to at the moment? I’m all over the place on this. Anything from acoustic fingerpicking songs, Indian music, Paul Simon, Beatles, old rap and new age artists pushing boundaries. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? The next 4 months are going to be very eventful with the release of ‘Bloom’ Nov 13, followed by a baby boy due Jan 3, and renovating our bathroom. That should be enough to keep us busy. I’m hoping to start planning some touring as the world opens back up eventually. Favourite food and place to hangout? Northeastern Thai food is my favourite and favourite place to hangout is maybe a good set of stairs where you can people watch. Website | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Terence Jack

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