Music Interviews | The Partae

Chase Atlantic Upgrade Melbourne All-Ages Show On Phases Australian Tour Due To...

July 19, 2019

SWERVEDRIVER AUSTRALIAN TOUR SEPTEMBER 2019

July 19, 2019

Mac DeMarco – Live At Glastonbury 2019 Full Set

July 19, 2019

Bass Drum of Death Australian Tour October 2019

July 19, 2019

The Southern River Band – Second Best – Out Now

July 19, 2019

Tame Impala – Live At Glastonbury 2019 Full Set

July 19, 2019

IGGY POP ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM FREE – LISTEN TO OPENING TITLE TRACK

July 19, 2019

Pub-punk misfits Private Function announce album St. Anger, share lead singles and...

July 19, 2019

Vinnies Dive Bar – Southport, QLD

July 18, 2019

Open House and private drawing sessions for the NGV’s upcoming Public Programs

July 18, 2019

51st State Festival Announce Official Afterparty Saturday 3rd August Ministry Of Sound,...

July 18, 2019

Coming up at The Espy! Record Fair, The School of Life and...

July 18, 2019

Cafolla

July 18, 2019

Video Alert | Frank Iero And The Future Violents Explodes With Confetti...

July 18, 2019

JADE IMAGINE Shares new single & video ‘The News’ Debut album Basic...

July 18, 2019

CUB SPORT release music video for “Video” featuring Mallrat

July 18, 2019

LOS LEO UNVEILS VIVID VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE ‘THE END’

July 18, 2019

MONTAIGNE DROPS INSPIRATIONAL VIDEO FOR READY, NEW ALBUM COMPLEX OUT AUGUST 30...

July 18, 2019

Goochpalms Are Back Y’all!

July 18, 2019

SLEATER-KINNEY Share new single ‘The Center Won’t Hold’

July 18, 2019

CARLA GENEVE Announces Australian EP tour Shares video for ‘Things Change’

July 18, 2019

Premiere: Son Of Dave – You Keep On Buying It

July 18, 2019

J O V I A L E shares lead single ‘Taste of...

July 17, 2019

USHUAÏA IBIZA’S NEW LATIN CONCEPT MUCHO IBIZA IS PROVING TO BE A...

July 17, 2019

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Glasgow, Scotland. Glasgow has always been a mecca for musicians far & wide, and the scene benefits from this no end. Like how our famous River Clyde brought the world to our doorstep with shipbuilding/trade hundreds of years ago, & with it, different cultures & arts that can still be seen/inspired in our buildings and culture. Same goes with the music that flows through the city – makes it one of the best Music cities on this planet. How did you first start playing music? At school, they offered free 30 min piano lessons that got you out of other (boring) classes no one liked – so I signed up, and the rest is history. What's been happening recently? It’s all been about the new album ‘COWBOYS & AFRICANS’. From recording, performing & producing it (with Ross Saunders at Dusty Reel Studios) to working on album artwork / Music Videos (with Gordon Beveridge). It’s all consuming, just the way it should be. Your single '1985' from your debut solo album 'Cowboys & Africans' will be out August 22, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track and also the album as a whole? It’s very much a social conscious message throughout so I looked to the greats for song writing inspiration – D’Angelo, Dylan, Withers, Prince, Bowie & Talking Heads, they have all been favourites for a long time and it was great to draw from different parts of their songs this time, rather than just the music. Sound wise for this track it had to be inspired from 80’s production (i.e actual 80’s synths & LINN Drum) but as a starting off point, we then had to bring it up to 2019 production standards. This was the stance for the whole album in general, it’s fine to use genre specific sounds like synths, drum sounds etc but enhance them to feel as fresh & vital as being in the moment can be. You don’t want a dated sound before it’s even released. How did you go about writing the music? This album has been a completely new writing process for me in general. Most of it has stemmed from writing lyrics/melodies first; the music then came through the subconscious when it was ready. Up until now I’ve only really written instrumental music so this was taking me outside my comfort zone and I think it was just what I needed to inspire a new sound & album. Where and when did you record? The majority of it was recorded, mixed & produced in Glasgow at Glo Worm & Dusty Reel Studios (with Ross Saunders). I also was lucky enough to get a day in Brooklyn, NY at Studio G 5000 to record vocals & some other fun (with Joel Hamilton). It was then sent to L-A for mastering with Brian Lucey. Who did you work with? Everyone I love! Making this album alone has been enough, whatever happens. I’m so lucky to have so many close friends who are amazing musicians that I could invite to be part of it. I was an actual kid in a sweetie shop being able to pick who I wanted to be on this. The album is littered with old band mates (and some new) it’s autobiographical in so many ways from the line up to the actual songs. From bringing back Ross Whyte on kit who has been ‘my’ drummer since 2002 until he moved away 9 years ago, to Jonny Logue, guesting on a few tracks on lead vocal, the best voice I’ve ever been in a band with, to Ross Saunders (Bass) & Michael Berrich (Guitar) who are my boys in every project I’ve done, and will ever have, to Ben Holloway (Guitar), & Chris Judge (Vocals) new friendships from the last few years but love them just as much. Everyone played their part (& then some) and I have to mention Brian ‘BSKI’ Callazo who I got in to sing most of the lead vocals on the album when I was in Brooklyn at Studio G. Again getting a day with Joel Hamilton who I’ve worked with for nearly 10 years too – every part of it was an actual joy! Ross Saunders who again is ‘my’ bass player since 2001 also tracked, mixed & co-produced the album. He keeps surprising me every time with what he brings to the table, this album will be a calling card for him too with the sounds he’s carved, I’m as excited to let you all hear that as much as the songs themselves. Literally couldn’t have made this without him! There’s a million more friends on it that I’m not saying & actual a few that I didn’t include on this album – but that means I’ll ask them for the next! What programs/instruments did you use? Again I was so lucky to pick what I wanted (needed) for instruments, as a solo project I wasn’t bound to write for a specific line up. Vocals are the main focus for sure and there are 4/5 different leads that I wanted to represent different songs. There’s a kick ass String session, beast of a Horn section (Saxes, Trumpets, Sousaphones & Bass Clarinets) to Piccolos & LINN Drums. I also get to feature my Yamaha CP-70 piano on it. There are so many variations to the ‘usuals’ on the record, like the CP-70 rather than a tradition piano or the L100 Hammond rather than the B3. All small moves to give it it’s own sound. Ross mixed it all ‘in the box’ on Logic with some tasty plug ins (ASK HIM!) How did the lyrics come about for '1985'? The song is all about today! About how we consume, live & the state of play in general. When you think of yuppism, consumerism, false political promises – you do think of the 80’s in all it’s glory. “1985” is asking you, has anything really changed, just a few variations. We need to learn from our mistakes to go forward etc. It was fun to throw in a few 80’s words/terms/sounds throughout the song too. What is the concept behind this track? I picked the year “1985” as that’s when the alternative timeline in BTTF 2 took Marty back to Hill Valley and Biff was basically Trump. It was right there – it had to be that year! Also John Carpenter’s ‘THEY LIVE!’ plays a big part from those words to the actual story itself (that is based on short story – check them all out!) Don’t want to give too much away before you all listen. How is this new album different from your previous project 'Federation of the Disco Pimp'? The main difference is that it’s all focused on Lyrics & Songs as apposed to FOTDP being mainly instrumental. The last FOTDP album “INAMORATA” was about the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014, but again that was still mostly instrumental. I think I realised I had more to say about the world than I thought and needed a new platform to say it on. There are cross overs though of course, I write for both and most of the musicians play on both too. It’s basically a fresh palette to represent my thoughts through lyrics specifically. What do you have planned for 'Cowboys & Africans'? To get it out there! All around the world, in every ear I can get it too. I want it played everywhere and I want to perform it around the world! After this single release, it’ll either be 1 more single or the album itself. There’s a music video to accompany “1985” coming soon too. Who are you listening to at the moment? Beck’s last album ‘Colors’ is still on rotation, enjoying some of Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’, Anderson Paak’s ‘Ventura’ & ‘David Live’ a live Bowie album from 1974. My dad gave me a bunch of vinyls and that was one of them, never heard it before - it’s great! What do you like to do away from music? I love movies, they’re a huge influence on my music too (not just the soundtracks) so still like going to the cinema (old school). Love getting to go to new places. I’m big into coffee so always geeking about anything related. What do you have planned for the remainder of 2019? It’s all gearing towards releasing the album “COWBOYS & AFRICANS”. That’ll include as much press as possible and launch gig night(s) which will be insane! Also producing and sessioning for other artists too, love being involved in all original music, whatever the style. Any secrets that you care to share? Stocks – Buy low, Sell high. Favourite food and place to hangout? I’m always in East Coffee Company, (Glasgow). Best Coffee in the city and the friendliest baristas. A few doors down there’s a new (Roman style) Pizza place – Pizza al tagilo (by the slice). That’s a good day right there. www.cafollamusic.com FB / Instagram / Twitter - @cafollamusic

Cafolla

Where are you currently based and what life and the music scene like there? I was born and raised in Brooklyn and I still live here. I would say life here is pretty cool, i've always managed to have a decent time with some ups and downs like everyone else. The music scene is kinda weird here, though. Theres an amazing party scene with a lot of amazing DJ's playing all sorts of music, but not a lot of unique or ground-breaking bands coming up in Brooklyn right now - thats not to say theres none, but I think the DJ scene here is way bigger and more popular. How did you first start playing music? I started as a really young child learning piano. Then I moved on to trumpet in elementary school, then tuba in middle school, then guitar in high school. I started writing my own songs around 16, and then started to learn how to produce when I was around 18, and went on to study music at a conservatory. What's been happening recently? Quite a bit. Been DJing a lot of parties around the city, which has been really fun. My band just got a residency at Loosie Rouge every other Wednesday, so that's been pretty cool. I've been writing and recording a lot of new music. I got two cats from a bodega and they're amazing. I sent some e-mails this morning. Had some delicious dumplings just now. Lots of extraordinary stuff. Your new EP 'Paradise Dreams' is out, what influenced the sound and songwriting? "Paradise Dreams" is mostly inspired by my experience as a DJ. Especially during the time I was writing those songs, I would get out of a DJ set at 4 in the morning, go to an afterparty somewhere, meet all sorts of people, talk about crazy shit all night, and I usually wouldn't be home until well after the sun was up. No one would be awake when I got home, so I'd be all alone. When I'd wake up, my room mates would be at work, so I'd be alone again. I had a lot of crazy experiences to reflect on and a lot of time to think about it. Sometimes I'd like to think about it, sometimes I would be overwhelmed by my thoughts. It was a confusing and inspiring time. How did you go about writing the EP? I wrote the music first almost always, put the lyrics in later, then produce everything afterwards. I just wanted to make the songs as honestly as i could. Where and when did you record/produce? I would record in my house, whenever people weren't home so I could be loud lol. A lot of ideas would come to me after getting home from a night out, but I usually didn't have the energy to make a full song at that time, so I would try to get down some quick ideas before I went to sleep and then work out the full song in the next day or so. What programs/instruments did you use? My set up is pretty simple actually. I just used Ableton, 3 VST's: Tal-U-No, UVI Workstation, and Omnisphere, my guitar, and my microphone. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of Paradise Dreams? The writing of this EP was a very transformative time for me musically. When I first started writing songs when I was 16, I was writing singer/songwriter stuff on acoustic guitar. As I kept developing my skills, I went through so many phases - starting with making more experimental James Blake type stuff in the beginning of college. After a while, I felt more pressure to be commercially successful so I started producing much more Pop-y stuff. During this time, I felt like I lost myself and I hated what I was writing, and I actually stopped writing all together for a while. When I started writing again was right after I started DJing and I told myself that if I was going to write again, I was going to do it from the heart - the way I started. So I tried for this EP to go back to my roots and write everything on guitar first and write all the lyrics in a notebook. I wanted to be as honest and as real as I could and I did not want to care about how it sounded or how I thought people would respond to it. I wanted to be a vessel. I think this was both the most challenging and rewarding part of the creation of "Paradise Dreams" What do you have planned for Paradise Dreams? I'm in talks with a director about a music video for "Nothing In My Head" and maybe after that's done, I'll do another one. Just seeing where things go. Where can we buy/listen? All streaming services! What do you like to do away from music? I like to chill with my friends, watch tv, go to museums, go to the beach, hang with my family. To be honest though, not a lot of my life is away from music. I live with my band and we are always either listening to music or playing music. When i'm not at home with them, I am usually out at clubs or bars listening to music with other friends, or I'm DJing music for work. Who are you listening to at the moment? Too many people to list here, but some of them are: Billy Idol, Kacey Musgraves, Frank Ocean, DaBaby, New Order, UNIIQU3, Fleetwood Mac, Black Sabbath, Future, The Kinks, King Krule, Boy Harsher, LSDXOXO, Rosalia, Peggy Gou, and literally everyone else lol. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? I'm planning to release a lot more music, play a lot more shoes, work with a lot more people, and I need to get a new hat. Any secrets that you care to share? If I shared them, they wouldn't be my secrets anymore. Favourite food and place to hangout? Favorite food is probably any Italian food. I've really been enjoying hanging around in my neighborhood lately. Lots of great places like Cafe Erzulie, Carmelo's, Bossa Nova Civic Club, Mood Ring, etc. https://www.facebook.com/richieQQQuake/

Richie Quake

Mountain Bird

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I'm based in North East Victoria, so not a lot of music scene in my town, but I've heard Melbourne has one of the best music scenes in the world, and I spend a lot of time music-ing down there, so I'm very lucky. How did you first start playing music? I started playing music when I was in year nine. One of my friends had just started guitar lessons at school and encouraged me to join her, it was her and that guitar teacher that eventually got me out of my shell and singing. i'm so glad they did. What's been happening recently? I just released my album a few days ago! It's called 'Making Sense of it All' and is a collection of songs I've written over the last year, and recorded with a close friend of mine. You've just released your new single 'Should've back down' how did this track come about? I wrote this track at home on the piano after work a few months ago, and a few weeks later I was contacted about a pop up recording project for rural musicians in Murrundindi with the wonderful David Blake. So I took this song along and was so happy with how it turned out that I decided to release it as the lead single off the album. It's about when you're fighting with someone and the argument becomes more about winning than the actual disagreement that caused the argument in the first place, and how damaging that can be. You're album 'Making Sense Of It All' came out on July 13, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this album? With the sound for the album, we (Farzin Iranfar, who I produced the album with, and I) wanted to keep the laid back folk vibes but also infuse a bit of pop into the album, especially in the track 'Like Air'. How did you go about writing the music for this album? These songs were all written at home over the past year, as inspiration struck, so they're all very personal. I usually write down little lyrical notes then when I sit down to write music I branch off those notes to create the songs. Where and when did you record/produce? I recorded and produced with Farzin Iranfar, who is a close friend of mine and an up and coming producer and sound engineer. We actually recorded all of the songs (Except track 5 and 9) in his bedroom, using the recording equipment he has been collecting. We also found the bathroom is great for reverb! Will you have an album launch? Yes! The album launch is on Thursday the 22nd of August at the Wesley Anne in Northcote, Victoria. This is the link to the facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/312468952966016/ Who are you listening to at the moment? I'm loving country-pop at the moment. Particularly Hannah Ellis and Haley Georgia. Favourite food and place to hangout? Pasta, always pasta. Is there a pasta land I can hangout (live)?

Amie Grisold

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m currently based in Canberra and the scene is lowkey on a wave out here. It’s so diverse, with an abundance of talent. Canberra is a small place, so we all know each other & I’m glad cause I get to watch all my musical peers grow & prosper How did you first start rapping? I started rapping when I was 16, I remember I used to walk home from school everyday with lil wayne blaring through my earphones. At the time he was my idol, him and tupac. The way they made music resonated with me so strongly and honestly, they are who inspired me to start rapping. What's been happening recently? Recently I’ve been in a dope creative space. I’m about to start shooting some visuals for songs off my EP so that’s where my mind has been focused. You're debut EP is out on 12 July, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this EP? In terms of song writing, this EP was inspired by my surroundings. The whole ‘African gang’ stigma created by corporate media in 2018 really caused a dynamic changed to how the common Australian view someone that looked like me. In terms of production, this project was influenced by the homie, AQUEmini. An artist I work closely with, sometime early 2018 he was playing me beats that he had made, the beat that I gravitated towards ended up becoming the intro to this EP which inspired the rest of the production. How did you go about writing the music/lyrics? Production always came first for ‘Scared Of Shadows’. My goal from the start was to create a cohesive world of music. So once I had a collection of about 10 beats that coincided, I started writing. My writing process was premeditated for the most part, I would seat there listening to the same group of beats for weeks trying to piece together the overall story before I touch a pen & pad. Where and when did you record/produce? I have a little home studio, so almost all my production comes from there. And man…I recorded everywhere, from hotels rooms to studios to the homies bedroom. Anywhere I could record, best believe I’m doing so. How did you approach the recording/production of the tracks? Production was always done first and often long before any recording. When it came down to the recording, it was usually done in my room. I like to record alone; I get to put my self in the world I’m trying to capture & do as many takes as I can without annoying anyone. What programs/instruments did you use? FL studios was the heart of my whole fucking EP. Production, recording & mixing was all done through this beautiful DAW, fruity gang for life. Was anybody else involved in the recording/production? Yes, I worked with I.M.O.L he was behind the production for ‘Win’ & the homie AQUEmini. He produced ‘Prt 1’ & ‘Prt 2’. The homie also helped with the recording of a few tracks, shout out to AQUEmini & I.M.O.L How has growing up in Canberra influenced you and your music? Canberrans have a very D.I.Y like approach to everything. I think that has had biggest influence on me & my music, I was able to see that hey I can do allot of it for myself You come from a South Sudanese background. Australian media has been shining a mixed bag of views on South Sudanese communities, often focusing on negatives such as the Apex Gang', what is your opinion regarding Australian media's treatment and portrayal of South Sudanese communities within Australia? I feel like Australian media understands that bad news & fear sells. So, when the ‘Apex Gang’ narrative came along they exploited it. Not caring about the effects & stigmas that have occurred from there bullshit. I also feel like nothing has been done to fix it the issues at hand afterward, they basically told the country that this group of people are not to be trusted and are to be feared and when that narrative wasn’t selling anymore, they moved on. Leaving my community feared & isolating by the rest of Australia What can be done to help show more of a positive perspective of Sudanese Communities to the rest of Australia and also what could be done to assist these communities and youths in particular? I feel like Australia’s have a fit in or get out mentality that contradict the multicultural image projected on this country. I say that to say that the easy way to have a more positive perspective on the South Sudanese Community is to be multicultural, learn about the culture, the history. Let’s all embrace on another and grow as one. How do you view the Australian music scene at the point in time? Yoo!!! I feel like Australia is next up on a global tip. England and parts of the UK just had there wave of artist blowing up out nowhere & I feel this country Is next for rea, for real Who are you listening to at the moment? I love Tyler the creators new album Igor, allot of Jacob banks, Jade Smith, Genesis Owusu, Neko Pink. I’ve been really into that 60’s wave of jazz inspired soul, artist like Nancy Wilson, Etta James, Sarah Vaughan my brain is everywhere with music. What do you like to do away from music? I like to read, kick it with homies, play ball. I’m really into photography right now What's planned for the remainder of 2019? Allot more music #julytodecmber Any secrets that you care to share? I’ll give you one, but don’t tell nobody… Maleezy x AQUEmini Favourite food and place to hangout? If you’re looking for food in Canberra, Turkish Pide, Charnwood got them Slaps!! And it’s winter right now so I don’t really be hanging out side, my favourite place when it's cold like this is in the studio.

Maleezy

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I live in Perth, WA. We have a really healthy creative/arts community here, and the arts is really celebrated and supported. It’s nice to be a part of that. How did you first start playing music? I started out playing imaginary ‘air instruments’ as a kid whenever my parents would take me to play sports. I picked up a guitar when I was 13, and I’ve basically been in love with creating music in one form or another ever since then. What's been happening recently? I just released a new single and video for my new track, In Shadow. Last week I did ‘intune’ at a local meditation/mindfulness studio here in Perth, cntre space, and performed a live accompaniment to a guided meditation. It was unreal. How would you describe your music? I read a description the other day where someone described my tunes as ‘visceral and emotive electronica,’ which I really liked. That works for me, because above all I want my music to move the listener. Sometimes it’s aggressive and confrontational, other times the sounds are really pretty and chill. It’s whatever I’m feeling at the time. Your new track 'In Shadow' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? I really got into fingerdrumming and controllerism a while back – everything you’re hearing on ‘In Shadow’ was played in by-hand, so there’s a really natural feel to the groove and the performance. I think it’s really easy to lose that human feel when you’re making music with computers, I like leaving things ‘perfectly imperfect.’ Everything just sounds more like me if I play it in live that way. How did you go about writing this track? I was getting up at five thirty every morning and just going as hard as possible in the studio until I had to go to work. I would roll out of bed, start writing, press save, go to work and come back later that night to see if I captured anything interesting. Things started to fall into place when I started to play around with the ethnic instruments over the top of the glitchy, halftime stuff. Where and when did you record? I converted a room in my house into a small home studio. I do almost all of my writing in there – I wrote the main arrangements for ‘In Shadow’ about six months ago. What programs/equipment did you use? I produce everything in Ableton Live, and write most of my parts on a cool piece of equipment called Push. It’s basically my go-to for writing, production and live performance. There’s a few interesting samples – there’s a one of someone going into cardiac arrest, which is pretty bleak - but it suited the mood of the tune perfectly. How did you approach the songwriting process? I just show up and see what happens every time. If I overthink it, the music usually sucks. How did the film clip come about and what did you most enjoy about the creative process? I remember I’d come off a ‘Black Mirror’ bender and wanted to create something in that vein. A mutual friend put me in touch with Jackson (Heeley, Director / Boundless Films) – he’d directed some local videos previously that I thought were amazing. We hung out and hit it off right away. Boundless did an incredible job. More than anything, I just love the way Robyn (McCoy, dancer) expressed the physicality of the track – I get chills watching her. Her dance is beautiful and unsettling at the same time, which is exactly what we were going for. What inspires you to make your unique/experimental electronic music? Sometimes it’s a book, a film, an experience, a conversation. When I hear a tune I like, I get inspired to make something that’s my own more than I get inspired to make a similar tune. I have a lot of respect for anyone who goes their own way - I care way more about being creatively honest with myself than people thinking my music is cool. I feel like we all usually have too much going on in our heads and our hearts. Making music helps me make sense of that. I hear you grew up playing hardcore/metal, how and why did you become involved in this new musical style? Yes! I still love guitar, metal and heavy music so much. It just started to get difficult to keep everyone on the same page - dudes want to travel, settle down and start families, things like that. At the same time I wanted to challenge myself, stretch out and explore some new vibes and moods. It just made sense on a practical and a creative level to do my own thing. Please tell us about the themes/ideas behind 'In Shadow': ‘In Shadow’ is inspired the idea of the shadow self – it’s a concept from Jungian psychology. Basically, we all have a shadow – a dark side to our personality that we try to repress that invariably comes out through our behaviour when something triggers us. The contrasting elements of light and shade throughout the song are a musical exploration of that. What do you like to do away from music? I like hanging out with my wife, yoga and running. I’m old. Who are you listening to at the moment? The latest albums from The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy both absolutely blew me away. I’m also a massive fan of G Jones and Mad Zach. What are you plans for the remainder of 2019, any future track releases? Yes definitely. I’m planning on releasing more tunes in the coming months. My next tune ‘Get Offended’ is on the way. Any secrets that you care to share? 98% of what happens on social media isn’t real, so stop caring so much. Favourite food and place to hangout? Indian food 100%. I like being in nature. It’s hard to find Indian restaurants in national parks here though. mayhills.com.au spotify instagram facebook soundcloud

Mayhills unveils his emotive new single and video ‘In Shadow’

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I am currently based in London, UK. The music scene is very lively here with day and night parties on most days a week. London has a good number of super clubs and also more intimate clubs and bars like 64th&Social and Floripa which hold some big parties. How did you first start playing music? I first started to play music because of my love for listening to House & Garage music. I used to go to raves and listen to pirate radio stations and this made me want to become a DJ. Watching DJs such as EZ, Tuff Jam, Roger Sanchez in the clubs and seeing the reaction and joys of the ravers gave me a buzz and made me fall in love with djing. I started out on belt drive vinyl decks and then progressed to Technics 1210s once I improved and I have never looked back since. What's been happening recently? Its been crazy busy of late which I love. I have just released my track and music video, Good Body with Nonô and Sweetie Irie. I have been playing all over the UK and have just returned from a big festival in Minsk, Belarus. When I haven't been travelling, I have been locked away in the studio working on loads of new music. Myself and my music partner Theo, have been busy writing in studio sessions and working on new material with new singers and writers. I also was lucky enough recently to join Universal Music Publishing at the legendary Abbey Road Studios for a 3 day writing camp which was so good. It was surreal to work in studios that iconic artists have worked in and where amazing music has been made. I worked with some unbelievable singers and writers there and met some very talented people. Your new single 'Good Body' is out now with vocals from Nonô and Sweetie Irie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWhRBAe1P38 - what influenced the sound and songwriting for this single? Good Body is all about body positivity. No one ever deserves to feel like their body is wrong. Of course there are times we want to get fit and perhaps be healthier - I go to the gym, I take the kids swimming and exercise - but that’s more about keeping fit and healthy and keeping your mental well-being up there. It's damaging - we are all guilty of it. It’s our culture - an obsession with looking like certain celebrities, the need to feel that we have to change that is the problem. It’s not our bodies that is the problem. We see certain models on the runway, in magazines, on Instagram and it’s all the same - photo-shopped and it’s not obtainable...yet young girls (and guys) are going out there trying to achieve it. Certain social media platforms lead people to believe what is “good” what is “perfect” and the track is a little bit more like...forget that, you’re good enough. I also have two little kids and my young daughter who is only 7 and is really impressionable. She watches YouTube - she listens to music (she actually loves all kinds of music - from House music, my music (of course) Little Mix, Jess Glynne, Greatest Showman etc and as she’s grown older I’ve become more aware of lyrics and how much they impact on her. As the summer comes round everybody is trying to get hashtag #bikiniready or hashtag #beachbodyready and the track is more about empowerment (men and women) to feel like their body is a good body. As long as you feel good it’s nobody else’s business. People like Jameela Jamil and her @i-weigh movement, Megan Crabbe (@BodyPosiPanda) and the rise of other social media influencers are doing a lot to battle it with their positive body image messages and we wanted to create a fun (not serious) track inspired by it. When we talk about good body - we are talking about all shapes, sizes, genders, races, abilities - the message is “you’re your own competition” Being confident is attractive - being happy in your own skin is attractive. Enjoy doing what makes you happy. Mental well-being is so so important and all of this relates to this. How did you go about writing this track? I sent the instrumental to Jin Jin (my manager) to get her thoughts on it. She sent a message back within 10 minutes with about 30 fire emojis!! She absolutely loved it and we knew it would be a single. Then we added the vocals which moved it out of the underground and into more pop territory. Where and when did you record? It started life in Theo's studio in Finsbury Park, North London about a year ago. We have tweaked and edited the track a good few times to make it sound just the way we wanted it to. How did you approach the recording/production? We approached it as we normally do and that is to have fun doing it. We didn't plan on making this track at first as we were working on something else for a good few hours but nothing was working so we stopped what we were doing and started something else. That something else was Good Body and the rest is history. Good Body has vocals from Nonô and Sweetie Irie, how did you come to work with these two amazing artists and what was the experience like? Jin (my manager) loved the instrumental but had the idea of getting a vocalist on it and suggested Sweetie. I said yes straight away as I have been a big fan of Sweetie for years. Sweetie came into the studio with me and Theo and laid down the vocals in one hit. We knew we had something very strong already but then spoke about getting a female vocalist on it as well to help push the full message of the track. Jin knew about up-coming artist Nonô and thought she'd be perfect. I had never worked with Nonô before but Theo had and agreed that she could bring that message across - and she sure did! She came in and blew us away with her vocals and lyrics. What did you find most challenging and rewarding with the whole creative process? Making sure it was completely right was the main challenge. It changed loads with sounds and words on the track but it was a team effort on what was best for it and what the track represents. The most rewarding was when we got the final master back. The main man Jarred Hearman worked his magic on the master and once we got that and listened to it, we were buzzing. What do you like to do away from music? Away from music, I like to run and go to the gym. I do this most mornings before my studio sessions. But my main thing to do away from music is to spend time with my family. I have 2 kids which keep me active and I do a lot with them when I am not in the studio or gigging. Who are you listening to at the moment? I listen to so much music and all genres. I like to do this to get inspiration and ideas for my music. There is so much good music out there from the underground scene to the pop scene. The music scene is very strong at the moment with so much talent about. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? It's going to be a big end to 2019 for me. I make a permanent move to live in Dubai with the family, leaving the UK for the sunny desert next month. I am really looking forward to this. I have a just had a release on Ferris Wheel Recordings, Gene Ferris label and one coming out on Sam Divine's label, D-vine Sounds. The campaign for Good Body is still going strong and will be carried on for the next few months. I have also a couple more singles due for release that we're just in the process of finalising. I am also gigging loads around the world. I am at Eastern Electrics next month on August 3rd for Ministry Of Sound and then playing in Mauritius at the end of August. Any secrets that you care to share? There's only a few select people that know this until now. It's very embarrassing but when I was a kid, I was a massive BROS fan, it kills me to say that now and I don't know what I was thinking. I used to think I was Matt Goss and there is a video in my house that has been threatened to be shared on social media of me dressed as him singing When Will I Be Famous lol... I even wore bottle tops like him on my trainers, why on earth, I hate myself for that memory haha... Favourite food and place to hangout? I love street food and like to try all sorts. My favourite place to hangout would probably be Portobello Market at the weekend, Acklem Village for their food and stalls there. It's a must go to if you have never been there.

Blaise

What is your name and role within CDB? Andrew De Silva. Singer, producer & performer. Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I live in Melbourne Australia. The music scene is striving with diversity amongst new & upcoming artists & also a massive resurgence of bands from the 80’s & 90’s thriving in the live scene. How did you first start playing music? Music runs in my family. My Dad is a singer so he inspired me to sing. In my teenage years I fell in love with song writing & production. How did CDB form? CDB are basically family. 2 brothers & a close family friend. They had been performing at local underage venues & nightclubs when our paths crossed. I then joined the group in 1993 & we starting writing & performing our own material leading to our record deal with Sony Music. What's been happening recently? Over the last few years we have been doing one-off special shows. Our first comeback show was with US group Salt-n- Pepa. It was such a great success that we decided to reform & start doing more shows. We’re now planning a tour & writing new material. We released an album “Tailored For Now” In 2017 & a new single “Wobble” late last year. You're celebrating 25 years since the release of 'Let's Groove' with a show at 170 Russel in Melbourne, what do you have in store for this show? The crowd can expect to be on their feet for the entire show as we take everyone down RnB memory lane. We’ll be playing songs from our early albums & also the mega-hits from the “Tailored For Now” album with songs by Bobby Brown, R.Kelly & Montell Jordan to name a few. We love doing these shows because it also turns into a massive reunion of old friends sharing music that we all love. What's it like rehearing together after so many years? It’s always a lot of fun! We always end up re-living old memories of being on the road. It’s also just great to dance again.. something none of us really do much of any more except when we’re on stage! What prompted this show? The fans! The constant questions of when are we doing a show again. We’re planning a tour around the country next year so can’t wait for that. Who are you listening to at the moment? Prince - the new “Originals” album; Jordan Rakei; Living Color What's planned for the future of CDB? Looking forward to taking the music out across the county – we are working on tour and album ideas for 2020! What do you like to do away from music? Family, Church, Gym, Remote Control Cars ! Favourite food and place to hangout? My favourite food is Sri Lankan food which I usually enjoy when I visit my parents. Favourite hangout is acoustic gig on Sunday arvo Mckinnon Hotel catching up with mates. CDB Socials: Facebook: @CDBmusic Instagram: cdb_band Website: www.cdb-music.com

CDB

What is your name and role within The Limbs? James Redman. Guitarist, singer and primary songwriter Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Perth, WA. Alternative rock, indi, shoegaze, punk. What are the pros and cons of being a WA based band? Not as many venues. Hard to find members. Hard to find opportunities. Cliquey. Pushed to work harder. Lots of great bands. Nice community of people. What's been happening recently? Just released our new single ‘Here’. Your new single 'Here' is out now, where and when did you record? We recorded it earlier this year with Andy Lawson at his studio in Martin. Great room, great vibes. What programs/instruments did you use? Loads of funky guitar pedals. Andy used Protools. What influenced the sound and songwriting for Here? Just a big instant sound. We didn’t want anything with too much dynamic. It just had to be big the whole way through. It started out as just something to open our set with. We didn’t labour over it too much we just wanted it to just be big and punchy. How did you go about writing Here? It started as an impromptu jam. We recorded it on my phone and then forgot about it for months. Leading up to our launch of our ep we wanted a tune that would open the set really well and so I suggested that thing we did months ago. Since then I had written a couple of lyrics and structured it and so it came together with the band really quickly. Where can we buy/listen? Spotify. Soundcloud. Unearthed Who are you listening to at the moment? I’m listen to a lot of jazz these days. It helps me relax. Band wise im listening to Gerling’s first album Children of Telepathic Experiences which is just bonkers. I also really like Yves Tumor’s Safe in the hands of love. I would say the last really great rock record I’ve heard would be Teens of Denial by Car Seat Headrest. That album is every great rock band rolled into one. What do you like to do away from music? I’m doing a degree in Professional Writing and Publishing at the moment, which I guess focuses on a lot of journalism and editorial’s and what goes into writing them. I’m a big reader so I’m constantly buried in a book. Occasionally I have the odd poker game with some friends. I like movies too. I recently watched Luis Bunuel’s Viridiana which blew me away. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? We need to find a new bass player. Then release our next single which is recorded and ready to go. Then we’ll probably set up a small tour in support of that single. I think with the next single we’re going to accompany it with a bit more of a campaign. Merch, videos, tours and the like. Any secrets that you care to share? Don’t worry about music. Don’t try and control it. It’s totally out of your control. Don’t worry about the industry. It’s a big fire breathing behemoth that doesn’t care about you. Do music for the fun of it and don’t get too caught up in it being a career. I would have never said that two years ago, but nowadays that’s a big reality that I’m facing. It’s actually quite liberating in a way. Takes the pressure off. Favourite food and place to hangout? The Flying Scotsman. My work. My second home. https://www.facebook.com/thelimbsband/

The Limbs

Kids At Midnight

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m based in Parramatta Sydney. It’s safe to say that there is no music scene here, the closest thing to music here is the cars with holes in the exhaust making the loudest noise ever and making every single dog in the area have a panic attack. Where were you born and raised and how has that influenced your music? I was born in Baghdad Iraq and raised in Cairo Egypt. That influenced my music by exposing me to different sounds I guess and the bottled-up pain everyone there got allows me to organically vent on my tracks. How did you first start rapping? I watched 8 mile (RIP Brittany Murphy) and was like wow I really want to do that What's been happening recently? Not much, I have been studying and working long shifts. Your new single 'It's Ok Not To Be Ok' is out now, what influenced the sound and song writing for this track? I sent my producer a bunch of soundtracks I was feeling (Interstellar) and told him that I’m really feeling the sound of MuraMassa and Snakehips and Mø. So he sent me the skeleton of the beat and we started building on it. How did you go about writing this single? I start with coming up with punchlines then once I got good ones, I start writing my set ups. I was driving to work and I had the beat on repeat in the car and I came up with “though all the pieces are falling it’s ok not to be ok” and I had to park and write that down because I have the worst short term memory and I always forget lines I come up with. Then I built the whole song on that line. Where and when did you record and who with? I recorded this at my home studio, I have a sE Electronics sE Z5600a and I run it through a Focusrite scarlett. I called my mate Sean Candler and was like “hey, you know how to use logic pro X pretty well, can you come record my vocals at my place?” He welcomed the idea. He showed up and we started recording then noticed that the battery in my smoke alarm was low, so it kept beeping. Therefore, we had to do 209090 takes and just choose the ones without the beeping sound in the background. Where can we listen/buy? http://hyperurl.co/ONTBO What do you like to do away from music? Watching movies and TV shows Who are you listening to at the moment? Rick Ross, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Meek Mill and Amy Winehouse What's planned for the remainder of 2019? Oh I’m planning on Baring everyone out! Dropping 2 tracks that consist of nothing but bars! I think it’s time to solidify my spot as a lyricist and not just a guy with catchy choruses and punchlines Favourite food and place to hang out? Macquarie University Bar at North Ryde Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HussyKat Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hussykat/?hl=en Shazam: https://www.shazam.com/artist/203964787/hussykat SoundCloud:https://soundcloud.com/hussykat Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1XUjoHRVFq6nxGiXzZucZm?si=Wi-V3fURRba3Duh6F2WOWg Twitter: https://twitter.com/HussyKat Triple J unearthed: https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/hussykat

HussyKat

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I'm currently based in South East London. The music scene is flourishing, London’s actually had a bunch of new creative spaces open over the last year or so, which feels pretty positive... How did you first start playing music? I was in a few bands growing up, nothing really of note but that was my initial introduction to making music. I also used to write songs and hide the lyrics under my bed, until my older brother found them one day… So I guess after that, due to the post-traumatic stress, I took a 10-year hiatus and started making music again around 7 years ago, just after Church began up as a party. What have you been working on recently? In the recent past, I’ve been working on a bunch of remixes, the album was wrapped up a little while ago so my focus now is the tour and writing an EP for the club. Your new album 'sketches of transition' will be out on July 26, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this album? The last couple of years have been turbulent, to say the least on a personal level, I wrote these tracks whilst trying to deal with a wealth of emotions and it became a therapeutic process for me. The original plan was actually to slip it out as a tape but as time went on I realized it was turning into something that perhaps deserved more of a splash. How did you go about producing the tracks? From a live angle, I wanted to be able to perform everything I was writing. In the past, I’ve sampled a lot more and with this, I was really focused on pushing myself within my own musical ability and seeing how far that could go… Where and when did you record/produce and who did you work with? I wrote the majority in my home studio in London, then wrapped up maybe 4 or 5 of the tracks whilst in LA. The two vocalists I worked with were a huge part of the process, I was sending Buddy Love music constantly for feedback, he was very involved. By a stroke of fortune, mauv came along pretty late in the game, we chatted about what the tracks meant to me and he back with lyrics that completely resonated with me and the story of the record, which you hear in 'amelia' & 'thought for food'. A few of the tracks were mixed by myself, then a bunch by Itai Shapira aka Biako who's a dope producer/musician based out in LA, and a few were done by Matt Karmil, who also mixed down my last EP. The album was mastered by Matt Colton, dream team. What programs/instruments did you use to record/produce? Maybe I’ve forgotten some but - Juno 106, Jupiter, Micro Korg, Ableton, Live Percussion, Guitar, Bass, Prophet 12, Alesis Drum Machine, Casio CZ5000 + a bunch of plugins... What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of your new album? The most challenging was choosing the tracks that actually made it on. There was a bunch of others that I really liked but I wanted this record to be as cohesive as possible. There’s dynamic within the record and it does constantly shift but the sound palette and tones used throughout are very similar. You've just released your new single ‘amelia’ from the new album, what influenced the writing of this track? ‘amelia’ was written on the day my first niece was born. The idea of the track is to serve as a unique time capsule for her. The instrumental was done and I approached Mauv who I already work very closely with. He’ll be releasing an album on the label at some point next year. We discussed the theme of the track and within a week he’d sent over the lyrics, he’s really talented and I can’t wait to help him share some of that with a larger audience. What's planned for ‘amelia’? It’s hard to say, it’s definitely a different sound to what I’ve put out before, I don’t know… this was actually the last track I finished on the record and it felt like the right time to put a track like this out there, it holds so much value to me personally, I’m just eager for people to hear it at this point. There’s also a super exciting remix lined up, more on that soon. What do you like to do away from music? I have a dog called Malcolm, he also has a track dedication… so hanging out with him and friends. I started running this year which has really helped my mental health, I also enjoy cooking and eating out. I’m the guy who orders way too much… You're currently on a big world tour, how do you prepare for your DJ shows? I’m big on preparation, so I’ll get together a solid 100+ track playlist for each show and then separate the tracks into tempos & vibe, then pop out to buy a bag of fizzy sweets to keep me going if it’s a long one. What can we expect from a DJ set? These days I generally go a little harder and faster then you might expect (especially if you’ve just heard the album, which ironically my most downtempo record to date). Something that I’ve noticed people enjoying is getting to hear new bits forthcoming on the labels, and there’s often a nod to my own productions, especially the Grab the Wheel EP, for me it’s about finding the balance between keeping the party going and also playing for the audience that is more in tune with my own productions/sound. Any secrets that you care to share? I have a phobia of the color orange and also raw tomatoes. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? So this world tour will continue until the end of the year. I can’t say too much now but perhaps there will be a couple of different ways to experience a Seb Wildblood show before the years out ;~) Favourite food and place to hang out ? Hang out - Peckham Food - Mr. Bao & Bahn Bahn https://soundcloud.com/sebwildblood/sketches Website | Facebook | Soundcloud | Spotify | Instagram

Seb Wildblood

Where are you currently based? In Ecuador, Quito. How did you first start playing music? It seems like I grew up listening what surrounds me and making my own sounds. There is photographic evidence that tells a story of love between a little guitar, little shakers and a little kid. Your new EP 'Semillas del Tiempo Vol. II' on QTZL is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this EP? Involving myself with the production of Vol. ll in its entirety meant specifying which elements create authenticity and enrich the sound and concept 'Soios'. During recent times, I was focused on experimenting with analogous machines, where I discovered a vast ecosystem which I wanted to connect with what I had been doing in the first EP How did you go about writing the music? It varies a lot. These tracks were written between different stages of my life. They each reflect one of them and this is also why, on the one hand, it came to be called Semillas del Tiempo'. It feels good to savor the afternoon for example, perhaps that sensitive experience is the answer to this. Where and when did you record/produce and did you work with anybody else? This EP is a compilation of tracks that have been in development for some time. There are songs that I started recording in 2016, like the guitars of 'Feel Me' which was the first track, interestingly. I have had great experiences with musicians and producers that I admire and respect. Edmundo Perez of Tampur Records is with whom an organic and fruitful relationship in co-producing has emerged. What programs/instruments did you use to record/produce? I use Live or Pro Tools as work tools. I always loved collecting and creating instruments, I try to use everything. My background is guitar and voice, which I consider the elements that guide my behavior at first. The creative process happens in my home studio, where I draft songs until they feel consolidated, and later take to Edmundo’s studio for finer edition and production. How and why did you come to release with Quetzal Coatle, the label? It is the enveloping curatorship and legacy of the Qztl label that attracted me to be a part and launch ‘Semillas del Tiempo’ Vol. II, an EP that feels like a bridge to the future. What is your relationship with Gorka and Nicola of QTZL? Friends. And I love what they do musically. What did you find most challenging and rewarding whilst writing/recording/producing 'Semillas del Tiempo Vol. II' How to manage one’s energy throughout different processes and how love supports it, I find that fascinating. Where can we buy/listen? Is out now in all streaming platforms. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? Live the moment, play a lot. What do you like to do away from music? Maybe in this moment music is the main thing. Who are you listening to at the moment? I have gotten immersed with Sudan Archives recently or Helado Negro, they are rich perfomers. When and where are you playing next? I’m excited to be on touring mode, which is building up. Now I’ll start in intimate coffee shops which I love. Also working now on visual experiences to go along with my live act. any secrets that you care to share? More music is coming up! Favourite food and place to hangout? I love cooking up new music at my home studio. https://artist.landr.com/music/628810489053 https://www.instagram.com/nicouio/ https://www.facebook.com/soiosofficial/ https://soios.bandcamp.com/album/semillas-del-tiempo-vol-ii https://soundcloud.com/soiosofficial/reposts

SOiOS

Triart

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I live in South Golden Beach next door to Splendour. Every year the sleepy village gets a bit rowdy when the festival is on, which is fun. We've played Splendour many times over the years, it's so awesome, but I still go every year as well. It's my local gig once a year. There's a lot of musicians young and old around. For a rural area it's incredibly creative and diverse. Still would like to see more venues open up in the area for local bands to play. But I think that's the same everywhere. How did you first start playing music? Whitt & I used to jam drums & guitar in my folks backyard in Finley. The town is so small & there was nowhere to play shows but we had great fun. Every Holidays when he would come home from boarding school he'd have some amazing news about a band he'd seen in the city. One day he brought home a distortion pedal & cranked it up. Everything changed for me then! Drumming & singing in my HSC I came first in the state with 100% score on my performance exam. It was a trip and totally unexpected. My music teacher at the time Julie Croft was a great inspiration. I think that musical event & jamming with Whitt shaped my outlook on music. Later when Janet came along & we started writing songs together the shape was complete. How has the music scene changed since you first started playing? One difference is there's not the money around from record sales that there was then. This source of income was crucial to a lot of bands. Also social media has transformed bands in a lot of ways. There's much more expectation to connect directly with fans & have a lot of hits. But the sad thing is that it's fine if you're into it but sucks if you’re not. Not every band or artist wants to constantly be in contact. Some would much prefer to be left alone. It also keeps some privacy and mystique to the artist intact. I am one of those. I really loathe social media and avoid it. How did Spidebait form? Whitt & I in the backyard in Finley. We used to go to parties & hang out heaps, I've always loved him and his energy. Then we asked Janet to jam with us. She said 'I've never played bass in my life!' We said 'that's great! you'll learn quickly' and she did - she is awesome. We were very punk rock back then and just wanted to play with our friends. This ethos still remains & is the main reason we're still together and successful. What's your gear setup, has it changed much over time? Not really. Whitty still uses the magical Boss DS1 pedal that started it all. Same Marshall Amp. Janet changed a while ago to a smaller white Fender bass which is much lighter for her. I've got 2 kick drums now cos I'm going thru a metal phase ever since I wrote Straight Thru the Sun! But we are and always will be the same 3 people playing music together. What's been happening recently? A lot of big festival shows in the past few years. Our gigs have taken on a euphoria between us and the crowd which has been amazing. Something special is going on. You're dropping a 7” single vinyl box set of your singles, how did this come about? We thought it would be a cool idea - have always loved vinyl the best. It's a great feeling to actually hold yr song in your hand as a 7 inch single. Also looking back over the 25 or 30 singles we've released over the years is like a diary of our lives. Every song has a meaning, time & place attached to it. We liked that idea especially retrospectively. Where did you press the vinyls? I have no fucken idea sorry, but they look great! Who did the artwork? All our artwork since the start has been done by Janet & her friend George Stasjic who designed many of the iconic characters. Janet's work is awesome. George is quite simply brilliant. Genius. How has Spiderbait changed since the very early days? Not much. We're still the same in a lot of ways. Humour. Manner. Style. But one major change is the confidence that comes with experience. You don't give a fuck what people think/ say about you. When you’re a young band there's a lot of worries sometimes. But now we're all very comfortable with who we are & what we've achieved. It's nice. You'll be playing all of the bands hit singles in order at the Forum in Melbourne on the 9th of November, it's going to be a very special show. How did the idea to play all the hit singles in order of release come about? It was Whitt’s idea. Such a great one too. Earlier this year we were backstage in Adelaide just about to play to 10,000 people at a festival with Magic Dirt & Jebediah, 2 of our most loved bands and friends️ We had a quick meeting about doing a Forum show later in the year & Whitt suggested a SINGLES show. Brilliant. What do you like to do away from music? Absolutely nothing as much as possible. I would recommend this to anyone. People are way too obsessed with this fuckin word BUSY and forget to just live. Life is short. Smell the roses. Who are you listening to at the moment? The Beatles Abbey Road & Echoes by Pink Floyd. I love Ruby Fields heaps she is awesome. Also, Fair Maiden from Adelaide and Major Leagues from Brisbane. What's on the cards for Spiderbait looking into the future? No idea really except a new album is def on the cards which will be great. Any secrets that you care to share? Fuck Off social media from your life and be reborn free. Favourite food and place to hangout? Any food. Any place. Any time.

Spiderbait with Kram

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I am currently living in Berlin and the music scene there is amazing! I think that this has been and still is really important for me and my career. There are so many creative people in Berlin, you can meet new people every day und if you need a guitar or something you can just call someone and be like „Hey, what‘s up, can I borrow your guitar?“. It’s an amazing city to make music in. How did you first start playing music? I began with collecting music, became a DJ soon after and went to become a producer after that. I think it all started with me collecting a lot of music and therefore learning a lot about vinyl and music as a whole. At first I was mostly listening to indie- and rock music but then I discovered a box of old vinlys in the hall of my house back then. The music on those vinyls was predominantly house music, which completly revolutionized my world and let me go: „Wow, what is that? Spinning vinyls is awesome!“ Then I started to make some mixtapes with those vinyls, but that was mostly for me and myself. Later some friends of mine approached me and were like: „Hey, we want those Mixtapes!“. That was essentially the start of my DJ career What's been happening recently? I just released a new album called „Sticker On My Suitcase“ on the 14th of june. But I’m already back in the studio to work on new songs and some remixes. There is a lot more to come! Your new album 'Sticker On My Suitcase' was released via Sony Music/Ultra Records, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this album? I was definetly heavily influenced by my different feature guests. It’s always nice to go into the studio and make some music with old friends and new friends to be. It’s simply magical! If I had to say who inspired me the most I´d say that it´s always been the musician I was working with at the time of the question. How did you go about writing the music for Sticker On My Suitcase? For most of the Songs I simply went into the studio with the musicians I was working with in the songwriting process. A lot of this happened last year in Nashville, which is an amazingly inspiring city. As soon as you land there you see loads of stages in the airport and the city is full of advertising for music instruments. Everywhere you go you just know that people understand music. It was nothing but great to make two of my songs from the new album in Nashville! But then there are songs that were created in a different way. For Walk Away for example I received a demo from James Blunt with the question if I´d like to make some music with him. After I went „of course I want to“ I sent a demo back and they replied that James liked it and that he wants to make music with me. That was of course amazing but different to the way I usually make music. Where and when did you record/produce and who did you work with? Most of the recording for my new album happened in Berlin but a bit in Nashville as well. For Sticker on my Suitcase I worked with a lot of different people. People from Nashville, german artists, friends of mine from berlin, my trumpet player and a lot of new faces. All in all a colourful mash up of people, most of which I met in Berlin. Please explain how you approached the recording and production of Sticker On My Suitcase? The Album ist heavily inspired by the experiences I´ve made through travelling around the globe. On the way of thematising travelling as main topic of the album I got inspired by other artists. The 18 track album features James Blunt, RHODES and Sam Grey, how did you come to work with these amazing artists and what was the experience like? How I cooperated with James Blunt for Walk Away was a completly new way of communicating for me. They simlpy sent me a song and we got together that way. With RHODES I had a full song ready to go and was looking for someone´s voice to put on the track. The original vocalist from the demo didn´t want to be on the track, which is why I contacted my label to help me find a new voice for the song. That way we found the wounderful RHODES. Sam Grey wrote the song together with me and is all in all a really cool guy. I’m especially happy that he lend me his voice. It´s not always feasible but I usually try to work with musicians that have been part of the songwriting process all along anyway. But with RHODES for example it was different. What programs/instruments did you use to write/record/produce? I usually use Ableton but that always depends on who I’m working with. From time to time I use the programm of that specific partner but I usually stick with Ableton. The drums are programmed on a computer but other instruments like piano, bass and guitar are recorded in the studio What do you have planned for Sticker On My Suitcase? I’m definetly going on tour with the new album in december, which is really big and special for me. I’m really looking forward to it because I love travelling and being on the road with all of my feature artists. For this tour they are all going to be with me on stage, which normally already is the case, but this time there are going to be really intimite living room concerts in advance to the big show. Every feature artist is going to get 10 – 15 minutes in which they reinterpret our songs. That means for example that Graham Candy is going to be on tour with me and Kelvin Jones is going to be there. All that simply belongs to the album and is going to be brilliant! I’m looking forward to it! How will you approach playing these tracks live? For a lot of the tracks I play live, I play a specific live version. That means that I change it up a bit to make it a bit funkier, maybe a bit faster, or create a completly new reinterpretation of the song in cooperation with the vocalist. All of this can be seen and heard on my tour in december. Who are you listening to at the moment? At the moment I really like Billie Eilish – Bad Guy, what a great song. What do you like to do away from music? In my freetime I enjoy cooking and listening to music while I´m at it. I also enjoy travelling of course, which is why it is the main topic of the album. What do you have planned for the remainder of 2019? Loads and loads of Festivals! I`m also going to travel around the world and will of course be on tour in december. Favourite food and place to hangout? I love spending time in Thailand and especially on the small island of Ko Pha-ngan. I love the asian cuisine as a whole and in particular the thai kitchen. On my travels through Asia I learned a lot about cooking. Sramanaro, which is a really special place on the continent and the name of a track on my new album, is one of my favourite spots there so far

Alle Farben

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Perth! Home of the smiling Quokkas. I probably don’t go out as much as I should. Regardless theres always been good gigs on when I do head out and really good venues hosting. I feel the Australian music scene has suffered over the last couple of years and that’s somewhat present here in Perth too, and now artists are finding it hard to request ridiculous fees from this affluent city. How did you first start playing music? Mum and Dad felt my hyperkinetic behaviour was excessive and came to the conclusion that a drum kit would provide them some respite. Poor fools. That must have been year 6 of primary school. Please tell us about your previous artist life: COMMAND Q was my break out DJ duo. Let’s see, there’s so much to tell. The internet called us Dank bass music. It was full of meme culture, childish behaviour and great parties. Louis Frere-Harvey was in the duo with me. We did 5 national tours here and in New Zealand. Had people like Diplo and Skrillex introduce themselves and sign our tracks. Those were moments where we could barely contain ourselves. COMMAND Q was one of the best times of my life. I had my favourite people around me, all helping each other bring the project forward. And Im still very close to those people who were a part of COMMAND Q behind the scenes. There came a time though where the music felt less honest. I felt too pushed and was getting caught up in the machine of the industry. That’s why I took a step back to regather myself and fall back into what the music is really about. It’s so easy to get lost in the industry once you live and breath it. How and why did Monsoon Moon come about? Monsoon Moon came about from necessity. Something inside me was saying make this music!! And I couldn’t ignore it. It has pianos and melodies and moments where I can lose myself in the vocals. I wanted something deeper, something you can play in the car and the let the world drift away from you. With the same team that birthed COMMAND Q, we worked together one last time to create a second story for me. I can’t thank them enough for it. What's been happening recently? I moved back to Perth just last November after living in England. Recently I’ve just finished a full length music video which took 2 months to complete. We have the next 5 tracks planned out over the next year. All we have to do is be patient, put them out there and promote ourselves! I suppose now is the time to start working on my live show eep! Your debut single 'Just Friends' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? I was just searching for something that made me feel. And at the time I wanted to write a love song for someone special. You can hear the modern production with some experimental sounds bouncing about. The reality is the song was influenced by many many conflicting ideas and emotions and this is the result. How did you go about writing Just Friends? This song was a blend of many other songs and 100’s of sessions.The writing came mostly from exploring sounds. Once I find certain things that I like, I explore it until something tangible comes to life. And at some point, my incoherent singing forms melodies and becomes structured and then lyrics follow. The lyrics are always mapped to the song, and usually the last piece of the puzzle for me. Where and when did you record and who with? I record all the demos at home until I feel Ive finished them as much as I can alone. Then I take a quick trip to Melbourne to work with the award winning producer Joel Quartermain (eskimo Jo). We sit down in the studio together and go over my lyrics. Its quite important to the both of us that we nail them so this can take a long time. Once we’re settled on the lyrics, we get to setting up the right microphone with the right settings for my voice and hit record. It makes the vocal process a million times easier having someone else do all the heavy lifting on the vocal production. What programs/instruments did you use? I stick to Ableton as my DAW of choice. The vocals are recorded in protools though. When it comes to acoustic instruments, we have guitar in there, recorded snares and hihats. The music software is where I really shine. However I use far too many plugins to begin listing. How did you approach the recording/production for this track? I wanted the song to translate easily. As I was mixing it and creating it, I want the listener to feel as if I was right next to them, and for the song to feel close and intimate. I take the mixing and mastering very seriously and it was a difficult balance for these vocals to feel magical and surreal instead of dry and over powering. Where can we buy/listen? Everywhere! Or this link ;) - lnkfi.re/2oUJpXZu Who are you listening to at the moment? Surprisingly Im listening to some throwbacks lately. Deftones, & Coldplays early albums. And uhhh Miley Cyrus’s latest EP is pretty good too. What do you like to do away from music? I recently got a girlfriend and that’s been pretty fun haha. Mostly I seek to relax. Keeping a healthy social life and a healthy body whilst maintaining a strong music career is hard work! My down time is Netflix in bed. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? Although Im feeling impatient and would love to release all my music, it’s something that takes time. I have 1 more song release scheduled for this year and in the meantime ill be working on creating a new show. Where are you playing next? No shows. Any secrets that you care to share? Monsoon Moon will be the first time I walk on stage alone. And it makes me feel a little uneasy. Favourite food and place to hangout? I live next door to Chu bakery and they make bullshit good baguettes. Weird thing is the bread is so hard and pointy its hurts your mouth but you eat it anyway because of the sheer deliciousness. https://www.facebook.com/Monsoonn.Moonn/

Monsoon Moon

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m currently based in New York City. The music scene here is incredibly vibrant. There are so many places for artists to perform - Brooklyn and The Lower East Side in Manhattan. People really go out and see live music here a lot. It’s also summer now so there is a lot of outdoor music events happening all over the city. Every night there is something really cool happening. How did Sir Winston come about? It was time for a new project and a fresh start. Writing and producing music makes me really relaxed and excited at the same time and I missed it a lot. I was really enjoying getting a lot of material together and taking some time over it. I knew the sound and the shape and the experience I wanted Sir Winston to present and I wasn’t in a rush. An impromptu summer jam with an old mate, Alex Buxton, in Australia really kicked things into gear. Teaming up with Abe Seiferth in his Brooklyn studio was the next link and I’ve been powering forward with it ever since. So happy that it came together. How did you first start playing music? I started guitar and piano when I was very young. I was polarized by Hendrix. I also grew up listening to the Beatles and the Stones and Zeppelin and the Velvet Underground. Music was always around when I was growing up. My twin brother was a drummer and we started a band at school. But when I started writing songs, I guess I properly fell in love with music. It felt so magical. I knew it would be the biggest part of my life. It pumps my blood every day. I think I communicate best through my music. I love using my imagination and I love creating a story with lyrics and putting it to music. I write most days and record demos into my iphone. There are no rules with writing and producing music. It’s a totally free canvas where you can whisper sweet nothings or scream ya lungs out. I need music and my songs to get my message across. I need it to get me through the day. What's been happening recently? I’ve just been focused on this new release and being a good lad. I seem to be moving around a lot the last few years but I’m happy to be back in New York — strangely it seems like home. It’s a good place to focus and work hard, but I'm also ready for a fun summer and some new adventures. You have a new single 'Everybody Must Dance' out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? I’ve always been influenced by David Bowie. Big fan of LCD Sound System and I have so many favorite new artists. Sleigh Bells are everything! So, I think this track reflects some of those influences. How did you go about writing Everybody Must Dance? I loved writing the lyrics to this song. It’s a Fairy Tale about being in love and adventure and the rhythm of life. I was in a really happy place when I wrote it. It came out so positive and upbeat and evoked a real lust for adventure and that whimsical joy that comes with young love and happiness. Where and when did you record? I had so many demo versions on my iPhone. And than a nice live recording that I did with Alex — just again on an iPhone. Than I went to Dorian’s studio in Melbourne and it came together with some structure and feel. Then when we took it to Abe at his studio in Greenpoint Brooklyn it really came together fast. There’s actually parts from all different sessions that made it through to the final mix. It was a long process in a way. It started back in 2015, and we were ready to release. Then Bowie died. Oh man! My greatest hero. With all the references to Bowie in the lyrics, the remixes and even the video, I just didn’t want to put it out anymore. His passing struck me deeply. I didn’t play the song for a long time. I was bummed and just left it alone. But now the time feels right and I think the homage will be taken sincerely. Who did you work with during the recording/production? Alex Buxton, Dorian West and Abe Seiferth. What programs/instruments did You use ? Lots of old synths and fuzz guitar pedals I cant remember really - Abe has so many dope sounds and toys. What's planned for Everybody Must Dance? I really hope it gets out there and people enjoy it and dance to it. I love it. It’s just got that fun vibe ya know? And I hope that the remixes get out there too. They pump! The videos are fun too. Where can we buy/listen? Spotify and all those things www.sirwinstonofficial.com will be live any day now and the vinyl is available there. What do you like to do away from music? I like sitting in the sun. I golf. I really love to cook. I love date night - that’s the best. Life is too short not to be romantic. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? I have another single with remixes almost finished that will come out later in the year and the album next year. Any secrets that you care to share? There are Witches in the air. Favourite food and place to hangout? I love my homemade organic chicken vegetable soup and I love hanging out down on the water here in New York and watching the boats and the world go by.

Sir Winston

What is your name and role within Sleep Lizard? My name is Bill Meegan and I sing/play guitar. Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? We are based in Adelaide. The scene is great here, as we have a lot of initiatives set up by the government i.e. Music SA etc How did Sleepy Lizard form? Basically I just started making music on my computer in 2014 and once I had enough songs, I put a band together. We’ve had some lineup changes over the years, but we are pretty solid these days. What's been happening recently? We just dropped our latest single, “Can’t Help It” with a video clip. Your new single 'Can't Help It' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this single? I’m always listening to Nile Rodgers stuff so that’s bound to creep in there. I wanted to get a lot of percussion/synths on the track as that’s something I’m really into at the moment. How did you go about writing Can't Help It? Basically It just came out in the week after a break-up. That was about two years ago which is funny as it’s only just getting released now and I’m definitely not in that place any more haha! I still like the sentiment of the song though, as i’m sure it’s something that many people struggle to deal with. Where and when did you record and who with? We recorded the track with Matt Hills in the earlier part of this year. How did you approach the recording/production? The original demo of the track was all electronic. I wanted the released version to have a raw feel like old 70’s records. What programs/instruments did you use to record? We used pretty standard stuff ie, guitars, drums, bass, synths. We did actually get a triangle on the track which you can hear in the song’s breakdown. Triangles are actually surprisingly tricky to record. Where can we buy/listen? All the standard steaming services and you can download all our tracks for free on Soundcloud. Also head over to Triple J unearthed and give the song a review! Who are you listening to at the moment? I’m a mixed bag but I'm always listening to Prince. I saw Rocket Man yesterday so I'm really getting around Elton John at the moment. I tend to listen to older music rather than the newer stuff to be honest. What do you like to do away from music? I’ve been playing a bit of golf lately which is fun and It helps me to clear my mind. I enjoy really mundane things like gardening, reading and watching films. Being in the music industry is pretty insane sometimes so I try to keep my life outside it as orderly as possible. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? We will be dropping some more singles for sure but I have to keep my lips sealed on that at the moment. Any secrets that you care to share? Sometimes I listen to ‘Beautiful’ by Christina Aguilera when I’m alone. Favourite food and place to hangout? I love a good curry and staying in and just chilling in your jocks is underrated. https://www.facebook.com/sleepylizardband/

Sleepy Lizard

What is your name and role within The Leanover? We’re Ali and Lou. Ali sings and plays guitar, and Lou plays bass and sings. Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Lou: We’re based in Montreal right now– the city is relatively small, but the music scene is huge and super diverse! First there are the francophone and english music scenes that are pretty distinct from one another. Then are so many bands that little sub-scenes exist in different neighbourhoods that are only like 20 minutes away from each other. The community is really strong and supportive and everyone seems dedicated to making music accessible. Coming from the States, Quebec also seems quite supportive of artists, and Montreal especially has a huge artistic infrastructure developed that gives artists in the city endless opportunities to perform. How did the Leanover form? Ali: The Leanover has taken many forms over the short course of its existence. Lou and I met in college in upstate New York but didn’t start playing music together until after I had graduated and moved to Ottawa for work. I would travel back on the weekends to visit my partner and play music with my old bandmates, Sagiv and Ethan, who lived with Lou and my partner Jason. We were playing music in their living room when Sagiv invited Lou to join on bass. She had such a unique and groovy playing style that instantly glued our music together in a way that finally felt right. You know what I mean? The very next week we headed into the studio to record our first EP, Pawn Trouble. At the beginning of 2017, I left my job in Ottawa and tried to spend a few months in the USA with Jason to record a new album with the Leanover, but after a month, I had a terrible border experience and was banned from the USA for five years. Suddenly and unexpectedly, I was back in my birth city that I had never lived in (my family moved to the British Virgin Islands when I was three). Lou decided to come up to Montreal to play music. We started off as an unaccompanied duo then began to play with more instrumentalists. We had a fun stint playing with Nick Wagstaff on the saxophone and had the pleasure of playing with multi-instrumentalist powerhouse Erik Fines (of Bright Fuschia) on drums for a year. You have a new single 'Forward and Back' that was just released, what influenced the sound and songwriting? Ali: Forward and Back started in 2015 while I was driving across America in a solar-powered recording studio van with Jason. It was the first week of our trip and we had stopped in a small beach town in Virginia where everyone drove around in golf carts and said hello to each other. It had been a hard first week on the road– we were adjusting to living in crazy close quarters and showering in Walmart parking lots, troubleshooting our solar rig and figuring out how to sleep in a hot car in downtown Philadelphia. The little beach town was a great break. We found an empty parking lot behind a church overlooking a marsh, pulled all of our belongings out of the van to reorganize, and started cooking dinner on our camp stove. As the sun was beginning its descent we started to see far-off lightning flashes every few seconds over the hill behind us. It was more lightning than we had ever seen before, striking in quick succession like disco lights. I was amazed and fascinated by the phenomenon and started filming it and running around gleefully trying to capture it from all angles. Jason noticed that the lightning was getting closer and closer to us and started to clean everything up and asking me to help. I became annoyed at his inability to enjoy the beautiful moment and kept insisting that we had plenty of time before we had to panic. I continued filming. This back and forth became more heated as I poked fun at Jason’s stress and Jason became (rightfully) indignant, running around and shoving stuff back in the van. Rain started bucketing down while most of our stuff was still strewn out over the pavement and we went into a full sprint, annoyed and hangry and saying things to each other that we didn’t mean. The last thing that we had to do was close the back doors of the van. We had jerry-rigged a bike rack to one the doors, partially resting on the back window. The only way to close the door was for one of us to be inside, lying on our bed, pulling the door in, while the other swung it closed from the outside. In our rush and anger, both of us did our respective jobs too forcefully, and the bike rack bounced against the window, shattering it into a crackled web right in front of my face. The window started leaking rain all over our bed, so we pulled the van into the leeward side of the church, in an illegal parking spot on the street, covered the window with a tarp and went to sleep with an explanatory letter on our dashboard. That night I wanted to abandon the project and the trip altogether. As soon as the storm ended though, we talked everything out and we came to a much better understanding of how to live together so closely while in the face of constant uncertainty and instability. So yeah– the song is super literal. Oh I have to add that the people from the town were so nice to us the next day! A mysterious woman in a tie-dye golf cart woke us up the next morning with coffee and clementines, and a man from the local hardware store gave us free plywood to cover the window. What do you have planned for this track? Okey, because we’re terrible at keeping secrets– we have a really fun visual experience on the horizon. Emily Soussana and Andrew Scriver of Potato Cakes Digital are working on a fully animated music video for Forward and Back. We don’t have a date of release yet because it’s being painstakingly hand drawn, but we can tell you this much– it’s going to be cute, goofy and also very very cool. Who are you listening to at the moment? Ali: One of the ways that we initially bonded was Lou showing me Cate le Bon for the first time a couple of years ago. We saw her play in a tiny bar in Hudson, New York and it was perfect. We went crazy for Crab Day and now we’ve been revelling in Reward. Cate can do no wrong. Summer also has us diving back into afrobeat and 70’s psych– very good for the grooving and for the moving. (Lou and I are both currently in the midst of changing apartments) You also have an album on the way, where and when did you record and who with? Lou: Ooh this is a fun question. We recorded this as part of our upcoming album (Portico), which has definitely been our most collaborative recording experience. We began by recording drums and bass in Ali’s parents’ living room in the Laurentides with Megan Miller, who had also helped us do some major editing to the length of our songs (we had been playing the tunes live for a while and every song had kind of dissolved into an extended jam!). We recorded most of the guitars and vocals with her at La Plante, an amazing cooperative venue, practice space, and home in Montreal. Julien Beaulieu did our production and recorded additional layers with us in our Hochelaga apartment. We also recorded some more vocals with Ben Evans at his home studio Burning Room recordings and some drum recordings at Machina Studio in the Mile End. When will the album be released? July 30th. Our album launch show is on July 31st at Diving Bell Social Club! It’s going to be a super fun, immersive experience and you should be there! Where can we listen/buy? Our first two singles from Portico are up on all the platforms! Lily is also up on Kickdrum’s Montreal Fresh playlist on Spotify. Bandcamp is always great for buying– all the proceeds go straight into our future projects and also it’s more fun because it’s all personalized and MySpacey :) What do you like to do away from music? Ali: These days I’ve been really into making collages and stop motion animation. I make online promotional packages for peoples shows-- like posters, and then gifs out of those posters. I’m also trying to get into making handmade merch for people. I really love doing fun, simple kinda naive embroidery for pins and patches. I also teach guitar, ukulele and voice privately in people’s homes, mostly to young children. I get to ride my bike all around the city in the summer and teach kids that making music is super fun! Lou: I’m in the middle of grad school for urban planning, which consumes all of the time that’s not for music. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? After our release show on the 31st, we have a little tour planned in Ontario with our friends The Kommenden. At the end of August, also on the 31st, we’ll be playing for HOT TRAMP fest in Montreal, and again on September 26th for POP Montreal. Favourite food and place to hangout? Lou: Ethiopian food– Queen Sheba in Montreal has been an important spot in The Leanover’s history. You can sit outside and look at Mount Royal park while you scoop your injera and listen to Mulatu Atstatke, which is enough of a reason for us to love any restaurant.

The Leanover

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m currently based in Bergen, Norway. Here you find anything from hip-hop to rock bands, but over the last few years artists within the pop genre has made their way out in the world. We have huge pop icons like Kygo, Alan Walker and Sigrid, so Bergen has really started to export good pop music! How did you first start playing music? I started as a DJ in small clubs. Mostly because my girlfriend at the time was 18 and I was 17. So the only way I could join them at the club was to sign up for a DJ. Later when it became more serious I started producing music as well. And here we are! What's been happening recently? I’ve just started traveling around Norway for the festival season. Had two great weekends already and are on my way to the next one as we speak. I have also started to finish up my next single which is being released over the summer. You new track 'Blame It On Me' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this single? Me, Caitlyn Scarlett, Boye and Sigvardt was at a songwriting camp in Denmark, we bounced some ideas around about the theme and ended up with «Blame It On Me», which means that you will take the blame for the relationship going wrong because you just wanted to party or «live your life». How did you go about writing Blame It On Me? We decided early on that we wanted to make a house track for the clubs. And after I put down the house beat in the verses, pre chorus and chorus Caitlyn had an idea within minutes. So we sat down, went through some ideas and had the whole thing ready the first day. Where and when did you record/produce this? We wrote the lyrics in Denmark in aug/sept last year and had a demo ready the weeks after. How did you approach the recording/production process? All of the vocals are recorded in Boye & Sigvardt’s studio in Denmark. We finished a demo there and kept working on the track the following months. Bouncing stems back and forth. The master project on my computer is now a total mess. What programs/instruments did you use? I use Ableton Live 10 as my DAW and Boye & Sigvardt use FL Studio. There is a lot of different synths on this track. I used Serum for the pads and plucks, piano from Kontakt, bass from Spire and some arps from Sylenth1. Most of the FX is from Soundtoys. The vocal pitching and vibrato on the vocal chop in the chorus are LittleAlterboy and almost every track has a dist from Decapitator on it. When can we buy/download 'Blame It On Me'? Its out everywhere ;) What do you like to do away from music? I love to travel, and I’m so lucky to get to visit so much nice places in my job. Always great to meet new people when I’m touring. Who are you listening to at the moment? Right now I’m a huge fan of Fisher. Really hope I can catch one of his shows in Ibiza this summer! What's planned for the remainder of 2019? Finishing up the festival season and start planning for new releases. I have some really sweet tracks planned for the autumn. Any secrets that you care to share? Caitlyn Scarlet, which wrote most of «Blame It On Me», will be featured on my next release ;) Favorite food and place to hangout? Sumo in Bergen. They have the best sushi in town! https://www.facebook.com/officialsjur/

SJUR

I hear that you just moved to Singapore, why did you decide and on Singapore and what's the music scene like there? I'd been keen to live overseas since I had a stint in Hong Kong 5 years ago. A job came up in Singapore and I jumped at it. It's flexible and means I have lots of time to write which is exciting. Its a really exciting time for indie music in Singapore. It's still maturing but with a slot at BIGSOUND dedicated to Singapore music and closer ties between musicians in both countries really expanding. I've basically set up a life swap with Houg a Singapore artist who's relocated to Melbourne at the same time so look him up and make him welcome. How did you first start playing music? I started in school in the standard ways, choirs, bands, guitar and piano lessons, and ended up in a band called 'the complimentary headsets' for around 7 years after school. It was amazing writing, recording and playing music with some of my best mates and given it was the 2000s we played indie rock. I DJed at the same time and that's how I got into production which eventually brought me around to the sound I knew was something I could release as Latchy. Your new single 'Just Call' has just dropped, what influenced the sound and songwriting? I think that artists I have huge admiration for bands like Passion Pit, Alice Ivy and SAFIA has meshed with masic from my childhood like Paul Simmon and Phil Collins on this one. I also listened to a lot of hip hop at different times which I think comes through but the main thread running through it all is pop which I think is having a bit of a revival at the moment. How did you go about writing Just Call? Just Call actually started life a number of years ago and was one of those songs I couldn't get to a place I was happy with. When I first met Haxx, my producer, and playing him music he was stoked on it and him giving it a breath of fresh air really made me love it again. Where and when did you record and who did you work with? Like all my songs this started life in Haxx is an amazing guy, part of kult kyss and producing amazing artists like Yeo, Milwaukee Banks and King IV. He really helped with his production and missing skills taking this song places I never could have achieved by myself. How did your live space 'Brooklyn' in Sydney come to be? I spent the last two years in Sydney and connected with the guys and girls who were in the studio at Hibernian House that forms our performance stage. We shared a love of music and their skills producing award winning music video content and producing film matched up with my music production so we decided to give it a go. A year after we launched and we've hosted I know leopard, Billy Fox and Ryan McMullan (as well as myself). We've also had amazing support from Young Henry's who have kept our artists and lucky guest audiences from getting thirsty. We've got some amazing gigs in the Pipeline this year so follow Brooklyn at Hibernian on Facebook and head over to brooklynathibernian.com to stay up with the latest. What's the space like? Hibernian House is an iconic Sydney artistic community in an amazing building in the heart of Sydney. It's covered in amazing street art and hosts some amazing creative ventures. We've got a studio in there which I remain active with that is incredibly inspiring. The history of the building definitely inspires writing. Legend has it Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave hooked up on the roof many moons ago which surely must have imparted some funky music spell on the place. What programs / instruments do you have there? My set up is built around Ableton Live and my keyboards and guitars but Brooklyn at Hibernian has all sorts of amazing instruments built up from years of tenants donating things and lending stuff. We've got an amazing piano in there and some amazing amps that really give instruments a new life. How does Brooklyn operate? We focus on producing a unique and intimate live experience for our guests in the room and our followers online. We host artists we love so basically get to have artists we love drop in and play us a private show one night a week. We also are passionate about giving people who attend the view "behind the curtain" on how we produce the video content so guests can see our video consoles and watch our producers work. We survive by asking for support from the audience who attend and those who tune in online so the end result can save artists the couple of thousand it can often cost to pull together this sort of content. Who are you listening to at the moment? I'm a huge Jai Paul fan so his long awaited new stuff is on high rotation for me. I know leopard's first album is absolutely amazing and everyone should make sure they at least listen to "everything goes with you" which is probably my pick of music released in 2019 so far. N.y.c.k. are also a band I hugely admire and they're new song "LXE" is one of their best. What do you like to do away from music? My partner is still living in Sydney so my favourite thing to do right now is visit her when I can (so expect some long distance inspired music soon). I also work for an airline which means cheap travel, which is just as well because something I love. I love checking out music in new places which always tops up my inspiration levels. Any secrets that you care to share? I've been working on some new music with a great mate of mine and long time collaborator which I'm pretty sure we'll be able to share with people later this year. Stay tuned. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? I've got multiple releases planned this year both as Latchy and collaborating with others. I'll be heading back to BIGSOUND this year. I had such an amazing time last year and met such amazing people. Hopefully I'll see you there. Favourite food and place to hangout? Singapore has rediculous food in its markets and hawker centers but a place I am missing at the moment is Not Lee bakery for banh mi and hanging out in Collingwood. Such a great place for music and beers. https://www.facebook.com/latchymusic

Latchy

Modern Painters

Carolee Rainey

Carolee Rainey

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I am currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The music scene here is the best, every type of music exists in this borough, luckily for me if there is something I can’t find it is a short ride to Manhattan to see whatever artist is in town. However the artist I love to see the most are the other indie artist in New York, some of my favorites right now are Kathryn Allison, Deonte Warren, Janelle McDermoth and Cassondra James. How did you first start playing music? I, like many black singers and writers started in church. My Grandmother is a professional gospel singer and writer; I remember sitting at her piano, which at the that time was in her second living room. That living room no one was allowed in, it was a special room, frozen in beauty. Silk curtains perfectly separated to highlight the hill on which her home was built. The shadows from the trees gentle caressing the ancient authentic cultural rugs. Glass bookshelves that held awards, and pieces of art, all so intricate and beautiful, yet fragile and in need of protection. A room of more records than my young mind could truly comprehend, and a treadmill hidden to give illusion and lesson of effortless beauty and a work ethic that was being done to create results; not to be seen. A gramophone sits proudly in the corner beneath a house tree of some sort. Around it and around the piano sat books so many books, in scribbles I didn’t comprehend, that I now know to have been Italian Aria Books and binders filled to the brim with Musical Theater songs, Gospel Hymnal Books and song books of Patti Labelle and Gladys Knight. I knew that somehow this all connected to the beautiful wooden box of white and black buttons in front of me. I felt that somehow, the bigger picture, what I now call the realm of access, was in that wooden box. I didn’t know what to do, or how to do it, but I knew I was in the presence of something infinite and divine. Slowly but steadily in this room, separate from family dinners, the boys playing in the yard, and adults playing spades, is where I learned what music was, and how it could be an escape to something that just felt like breathing for the very first time, every time. What's been happening recently? In my life?!? Well so much, I am fortunate enough to be drowning in art right now. The muses continue to bring me inspiration and fire and light. I have been designing clothes, writing TV shows and Films. Working at a job with people I love and where I get to be creative everyday in different capacities. No love yet, but I hear that comes in time, I am hopeful for it. Plenty of sex, but in New York that is as easy to find as decent coffee. Oh yes, so so so much coffee, cold brew is amazing. I have been reading a lot recently about the people who have inspired the people who inspired me. Doing that daily grind that begins to feel like home when you are an artist in New York. Also planning my 25 birthday party, it isn’t till November but I am extra so I have start getting ready now. You've released 'Becoming' your new EP, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this EP? This EP is the result of growing up as a black, gay, fat man, with a high voice, in a religious, separated, black family in America. Every musical, lyrical and sonic aspect of this EP is a reflection of the experience of growing into myself. For better or worse I had to deal with a lot of heavier concepts growing up; the idea of queerness, blackness, fatness, otherness. These different layers of simultaneous struggle and release were the goal in terms of the arrangements of my music. Lyrically I wanted to offer up the sticky chorus and hooks, but also I wanted the versus to be story oriented. The songs each needed to feel like a story and each needed to feel different because they are centered around different chapters of my development. The realization of who I could be if I was authentic, the rejection of what I was being told I had to be. The celebration of the parts of me I was made to believe were bad. The need to revisit the foundation of myself, and get in touch with my spirituality, sexuality and the simple reality of being Juwan but in a positive light. Lastly the confluence of the two versions of me who had come to be. The Authentic me and The Acceptable me. The goal was to reflect that sense of journey. The game of lost and found, in very lush and full arrangements and a sonic world that feels like swimming, but almost drowning, however always with that clear, bright inner voice I was lucky enough to be born with, lose and find again, proudly and forwardly guiding the listener through the journey of my self realization. How did you go about writing the music? I was fortunate to work with Dominic Fallacaro both as a Co-Writer and Producer. We wrote 7 songs total, our process for each song was different. I have this thing I think all creators have, but we call it by different names. I call it gaining access, which for me is when you get to touch that eternal space. When you get to peak into that other worldly place of everything. Sometimes Dom would send me a track and it would trigger that connection and the lyrics and melody would flow out, entire songs in maybe 2-3 minutes. All from a 30 second or minute long demo track, that seems to, from the beginning of time, have been meant to cradle that melody and lyrics. Those songs on the EP for me where I Am That I Am and I.D.C.4.U. The songs were written in under 5 minutes, melody, lyrics structure. Some songs we toiled over, Extra and Revival were written the same day, but Extra started out as a political song about the capitalization and rejection of gay culture, but turned into Extra. Revival happened because one of us, I forget who now, but one of us misheard the other, and thought we said Revival then boom. Who I Are, was the most painful and freeing to write. It is the story book of my journey from realizing I was gay when I was young enough to have a Pink Razor flip phone, and growing into the man I am now. That song was a combination of the access experience and the laboring over hours and hours of changes and tweaks. Where and when did you record/produce and who did you work with? We recorded these songs at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn. I had the dopest team, obviously Dom, but also Nolan Thies was my engineer who made the impossible happen over and over again. Dom and I were introduced to each other on January 10th, 2018 by the dopest of dope people Bill Sherman. We met up to write the songs for a few months and started recording July 16th of 2018. I worked with the highest order of musicians and technicians, far too many to name right now but they are all listed on my website! What does this EP mean/represent you and what stories does it tell? This EP for me represents the triumph of the authentic self we all can have. It represents the beauty that comes when you dare to be who you are instead of who you should be. It is my way of honoring all of the people who inspired me to be free, and my reminder to not retreat back into what is comfortable for people around me, or honestly what is still more comfortable for myself at times. Hopefully it tells the story of what many queer people of color are experiencing, both in terms of the uncomfortable pressure of our existence but also in terms of what lies on the other side of that pressure, the blossoming. The story I know it tells is the singular story of Juwan Crawley, the fat, gay, black boy with the particular voice who found his light in the darkest parts of himself. What do you have planned for Becoming? I would love to tour the world opening for a major artist, write my full album, and continue to tell new stories of new experiences and create new art. I am doing a concert in New York at City Winery, July 15th. There are so many things, the dreams don’t end, they expand. What did you find most rewarding and challenging through the process of creating this EP? The most rewarding part of creating this EP was finally getting to share my perspective and my thoughts and experience. As an Actor for the past three years I have been telling someone else’s story. Using my abilities to give life to someone else’s narrative. I am lucky in that I have been able to that on Netflix, Broadway, and Off-Broadway, but the most artistically rewarding work I have done as an artist so far has certainly been getting to share my voice and perspective the way I want. Being able to tell the stories I want to tell, and that for me is this EP. The most challenging thing about this process has been being a 23/24 year old heading a project of this magnitude with people who have already accomplished so many of my dreams. Being an actor has trained me to always be the person going to people and asking, “Is this what you want?”, “How should I change this?”; and all of a sudden, a room full of people I look up to are turning to me and going, “Hey Juwan, is this what you want?”, “How should I change this?”. That was a mind fuck, and a different level of freedom and responsibility. Being the guy, being the creative source of the thing everyone is lending their talents to create, upholding that vision, saying no and yes, and knowing when to ask for help, and also knowing when to ignore advice from people you look up to, and to follow your gut. That at first was certainly a shock, but once it settled I really loved the freedom and the amount of dedication and responsibility it took to be the person holding up the dream. I want to do that all the time. Hold up the dreams. Where can we Buy/Listen to Becoming? You can listen to it on all the major free and purchasing platforms!! Spotify, Itunes, Youtube, Deezer you know the works! Also you can come to the concert July 15th and check it out live. Who are you listening to at the moment? In this very moment I am listening to the Score from Life of Pi, I know I am a nerd. Artist I am currently obsessing over include, Jeremy Dutcher, Laura Mvula, Beyonce cause duh, Georgia Anne Muddrow, Anthony and The Johnsons, Lizzo, J. Hasan & Anderson Paak, as well as the local artist I listed earlier. What do you like to do away from music? I love to drink coffee, travel, design clothes, poetry, I am currently writing and scoring two TV concepts, as well as an indie film. I really love to wonder around with my headphones on and get lost, I know, kinda weird but it keeps everything refreshing and new. Love a good House of Yes trip as well! Any secrets that you care to share? I am both proud and ashamed to say that many peoples favorite lyric from Extra is not my own. When I was learning the choreography for the Broadway show I am currently in my dance captain taught me a section, and I went home and I practiced but I got in my head during our next rehearsal. In other words I was a hot ass mess, my feet weren’t working with my hands because I had tricked myself into believing I was only a singer and actor, but certainly not a dancer. She gave me permission to be more than what I have given myself permission to be. We ran it over and over again, and she yelled over the piano “FULL OUT, NO MARKING, YOU BETTER DANCE!!!” I nearly broke out laughing because she was right, I just had to give myself permission to do it. It has kinda become my mantra, anytime I doubt myself. I can hear her voice, FULL OUT JUWAN. So thank you for the life lesson Mrs. Ariel Reid, and a lyric line that will echo down the generations. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? I don’t know how many times I can mention my concert, but yes, my concert is July 15th, at City Winery, I plan to launch my fashion line in the fall of this year, as well as get at least one of my TV Concepts up to pilot. I will be part of a concert series at National Sawdust in October. Art aside it would be lovely to fall in love, so if you are reading this and would be compatible with a double Scorpio with a Gemini moon hit me up! I’m kidding; but also maybe not… you know where the DM’s are. Favourite food and place to hang out? My favorite place to be in New York is on the patio of the Dumbo House, with some turmeric fried cauliflower and a glass of Pinot Noir.

Juwan Crawley

Lead Single ‘Should’ve Backed Down’ Out June 18th 2019 Music Video recorded at Alexandra Hall OUT NOW ‘Making Sense Of It All’ is Amie Grisold’s debut album, following her 2017 four track ep ‘Spun’. The nine track album is solely written by Amie, with the style of the tracks being described as “pop catchiness in folky instrumentation”. Lyrically the songs are themed around friendship, love, support and coming of age- and all the positive and negative emotions that come with these things. Amie has described the album as “a lot of fun to make. The tracks all started out as lyrical ideas and were written acoustically, so we’ve tried to both keep the honesty that comes with that sort of writing style whilst also adding more up-beat pop vibes into the songs, which is something we’re really excited about.” The album is also up and coming sound engineer Farzin Iranfar’s production debut, with all songs (aside from track 5 and 8) being recorded, mixed and mastered by the nineteen-year-old producer, as well as composing extra melodic and electronic components for the songs. The album’s lead single ‘Should’ve Backed Down’ was released on June 18. The song is about the moment in an argument with someone you love when you realise you’ve taken it too far and should have realised that person was more important han the argument you were having, but it’s too late. The music video, recorded by David Blake in the Alexandra Shire Hall is out now: Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/7cRJrJiXyHTM8l4s8prKYf

Amie Grisold’s Debut Album ‘Making Sense Of It All’ Out 13 July

What is your name and role within My Elephant Ride? My name’s Chev, I sing (co-lead) and play keys. Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? We’re based in Melbourne, the music scene’s amazing. Spending a bit of time outside Melb has made me really appreciate the fact that we’re spoiled for choice for gigs every night of the week and lucky to be flies in a well interconnected web of musos. What have you been working on recently? Since finishing Beyond the Skin, Nathan’s just finished his solo album and I’ve been working on solo stuff and a project with an awesome jazz-folk musician called Stav. You’re new single 'Diamond Eyes' was released recently, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? Where are we able to listen to 'Diamond Eyes'? The song is about delving into someone and feeling them completely, melding your mind into theirs. Sometimes it feels like that person is a mirror. And it’s about nourishing your inner world, the way you did as a child. The song can be found on many streaming platforms including Spotify, iTunes, and Soundcloud, and the best place to purchase a download is from Bandcamp, where you can also find pre-orders for our upcoming album on vinyl or CD!! Your new album 'Beyond the Skin' will be out on the 21st of June, where and when did you record? We wrote and recorded this between 2017 and 2018, between Bali and Melbourne. We generally did it in a few short intensive periods – two or three weeks at a time of setting up a space and working every day. Who did you work with during the recording and production process? We worked with Simon Lam (Kllo) on mixing and mastering. We did a lot of the mixing ourselves, mainly Nathan working on that side of things, but Simon helped us refine our vision and add sparkles. What programs/instruments did you use? We used Protools combined with some use of Ableton. We used a fair few different things – including guitar, drums, bass, a few different keyboards including Nord Electro 5, Juno-60 and Juno-106, and a bunch of quirky things for percussion like a tissue box and a metal handrail. There’s also a sample of an aeroplane taking off in there somewhere. We had two Juno’s and it still wasn’t enough Juno’s. How did you go about writing the music for 'Beyond The Skin'? We’re all songwriters, so we would share either full demos, song snippets or just chords and a groove, and work together to arrange or finish each other’s songs. We often used the computer as a writing tool which was a fair contrast to the live band oriented approach to our last album. We would take turns on Protools adding musical ideas and rearranging forms for each other’s songs. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the recording/production process? I think the collaborative approach to the core songwriting was really rewarding for all of us. It was good to sort of sacrifice the protectiveness that can come with writing your own song in favour of letting each other change things in ways we couldn’t expect. But it was challenging too – sometimes someone would have to pitch something 4 or 5 times before the other would consent. And then 3 days later, ‘oh sorry this is way better now’. Who are you listening to at the moment? Digging Flying Lotus’ trippy new stuff, and Aldous Harding is doing some lovely things. What do you like to do away from music? I love to draw, I have my insta @chevperson for some of the art I make (plug plug). And learning about philosophy is pretty addictive but never fails to turn my brain inside out. The band lives between Melbourne and Bali, how is this experience and how did this come about? Joe runs yoga teacher trainings in Bali, so between that he’s been coming to Melb or Nathan and I have flown to Bali to work on the songs. This is pretty amazing for us to be able to do – Bali is a beautiful place and the sun really helps keep the smiles on our faces. In Melbourne we use coffee for that mostly. What's planned for 2019? We’ll be stoked to release our album on the 21st of June! Nathan and I have some solo stuff up our sleeves too, and there’s always music bubbling on the horizon. Any secrets that you care to share? One night late in the studio, we sold our souls to the devil for some 2-minute noodles. Also Joe has this weird phobia of sleigh bells and won’t tell us why. Favourite food and place to hangout? We generally end up at Black Cat in Fitzroy, it’s a real cute and leafy bar to hang in and they have chessboards. Food, I like to bring vegan chickpea and mayo sandwiches to the studio, they’re cheap and filling so good for musos. I’m pretty sure Joe and Nath like them but maybe they are just being polite.

My Elephant Ride

Shades Lawrence

Max! What's been happening recently? Hello! A lot to be honest man - super exciting stuff all round - new single, plenty of club shows and a live show in the works too! I hear that you're Super excited to be releasing your new single featuring Zoe Badwi and Wildfire (Matt Sofo) very soon! What influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? I am indeed - it was so awesome working with Zoe for the first time - I’ve been a big fan of hers for a long while for sing along dance music. Matt Sofo is a great pal of mine and we have about 26 songs in the works together! haha. Zoe came to Matt and myself with the vocal, and we both thought we wanted to bring the funk - Matt has an awesome disco background and I’m in the funky realm too so we just kind of went for that sound pallet. Super stoked with the finished product! What's the track called? Its called Body Drive - its about not really being into someone, starting to dig them, and then realising they’re also good at something else (haha). Where and when did you record/produce? Zoe came to us with the vocal 4-5 months ago - we slammed out the core of the song in a day and have been refining it on and off for a couple of months - came together really nicely! The new single features Zoe Badwi and Wildfire (Matt Sofo) what part do they both play on this track and how did you come to work with Zoe & Matt? Zoe came up with the melody and lyrics - she’s an absolute gem. Matt and myself have been working together on a lot of tracks so we have good studio chemistry. I hit up Matt about a year ago to do a sesh and we’ve just bonded from there. Matt has been friends with Zo for years! How many BPM is this single why did you choose this beat rate? A nice 124BPM house tune - groove and energy! I play it at 128BPM out though and it rocks! What programs/instruments did you use to record/produce? I use Ableton and Matt uses Logic. We do our own thing at home then bring stems and collaborate it all on Matt’s comp. We have a natural bass guitar plug in which rocks and some disco drum samples etc got it over the line - we also got a guitarist in to play those sexy licks! Where can we buy/listen to the new single? Everywhere! Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Music, iTunes! Get around it! Who are you listening to at the moment? I’ve got a really broad taste at the moment, but constant go to’s would be Purple Disco Machine, Max Glyde, Hayden James and Kormak. Who are your favourite live Dj's at this point in time? That’s a great question! For me, being a ‘great’ live DJ, is having energy on stage just as much as being a great DJ skills wise. What do you have coming up? Heaps coming up! I’ve got 4 singles ready to pop soon, heaps of club gigs, my own show with a full live band coming shortly, as well as the usual summer antics! Any life hacks? Catch the V-Line to regional gigs! Haha. You can make music, save money, support the public transport system and do your bit for the environment. Other one would be when re-heating Pizza, put a cup of water next to it - then the Pizza doesn’t go soggy. Favourite venue to play? Sooki Lounge, Belgrave. Every time its great vibes there. Favourite album at the moment? Hayden James’s freshie - unreal! FB - http://bit.ly/2zIHvtn Insta - http://bit.ly/2iXnYeZ Spotify - http://spoti.fi/2hPX1Jn SoundCloud - http://bit.ly/2zF3bqT

MorningMaxwell

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m based in Montreal and it’s the best music and art scene in the world!

Sara-Danielle

What is your name and role within the band? My name is Elly and i sing, drum and play guitar in MDS. Dan plays exactly the same as we swap. Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? We are currently based in Melbourne, Australia. The scene here is thriving like crazy. There is no shortage of talented bands, so there is always something cool to see on most nights of the week. There are so many cool pubs and venues around as well. Unfortunately we sometimes lose venues due to noise restrictions and other issues, but there is a pretty strong community around to help support the scene. How did the band form? I met Dan when he was a long haired metal head and he and I were both studying music in Melbourne a few years ago. We ended up hitting it off and jamming out some heavy stuff in the jazz rehearsal rooms until we got kicked out for making too much noise haha. We never thought it would become such a big part of our lives, but it has. What's been happening recently? We have been spending a lot of time in our home studio lately working on new and old tracks (sorry neighbours). Getting super keen to release them into the world as we have been pretty quiet on that front for the last couple of years. We have also been playing shows around town, but are hoping to get on the road properly soon! You have a new single 'San Fran' what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? When i wrote the lyrics to San Fran i had pictured a selfish, privileged and greedy individual who was blind to the fact that they were sucked into the modern materialistic world we live in. Where and when did you record? Who did you work with during the recording/production? We recorded San Fran about 6 months ago at a studio called Thirty Mill Studios with Colin Wynne and Mark Opitz. It was really cool because the studio is setup in an unassuming old brick house in Brunswick. It kept the vibe very chill and fun by not having the intimidating environment of a big studio. How did you go about writing San Fran? We wrote San Fran when we were jamming in a little shed by the coast with just a bass and a drum kit. It feels like the gritty undertones of that jam have managed to creep their way into the final version which is pretty cool! Where can we listen/buy San Fran? San Fran will be available on all your main streaming services like Spotify & iTunes etc. Also working on getting some physical copies for shows. You've played many shows across the UK and Europe, how do these crowds differ to the crows that you play to in Australia? We found there were heaps more places to play in UK as there are so many cities & crowds were more responsive than in Australia. However if you really look at it, they’re really not that different, which is crazy considering it’s on the other side of the world. What do you find most challenging and rewarding when on tour? Finding vegan friendly food is the most challenging thing on tour. I remember we once spent 3 hours going into every kebab shop in northern england asking for a falafel kebab & they had no idea what a falafel was, I think we ended up eating a hash brown kebab, which with the right amount of sauce is actually pretty good. The most rewarding thing is those few hours you have in between shows where you can go for a hike through sherwood forest or go look at an awesome castle. The traveling part for us, is so much fun. It also feels great smashing through a show in a new town, on the other side of the world, it gives you a pretty awesome buzz. What do you like to do away from music? I love riding motorbikes and gardening. Dan spends his time doing Muay Thai and skating. Who are you listening to at the moment? I've been listening to a lot of UK band ‘Estrons’ and Dans been on the Megadeth train. You've signed to Harbour Booking Agency, how did this come about and how has the signing helped the band so far? This is still a pretty fresh thing,so we are excited to see what happens this year, hopefully get some cool tours and festival spots. Our manager recommended us to one of the Harbour Agency and they loved our stuff, which we were over the moon about! Any secrets you care to share? I have to admit, to warm up my strings before a show, I sneak in some homemade ‘Rakija’ that my Macedonian grandparents make, which is sort of like grappa. I put it in a jam jar because why not, oh and it’s strong. Dans probably biggest secret is his fear of Kombucha Scobies, I’ve told him many times that there are other people like him out there, and that he can get help. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? Release heaps of new music and videos, most of which we are already sitting on. To tour lots and pop our festival virginity if possible! Favourite food and place to hangout? La Panella on High St in Preston, they do amazing vegan bakeries items. We also used to love hanging out at The Brunswick Hotel :(

Mannequin Death Squad

How did you first start playing music? I started playing guitar from a young age and joined a few bands throughout school. I picked up piano too and learned a few bits and bobs on drums. It wasn't till later on in school I came across music production and the world of electronic music. You've just released your new EP 'Outerworld' via Disciple Records which comprises a collection of tracks that you've been working on for the last 6 moths. What influenced the sound and songwriting? There's a lot of UK influence behind all of my releases whether that's from the house scene, the drum and bass scene or back when dubstep started really picking up traction around 2009-2010. How did you go about writing the music? For the tune Parachute, I actually started that as a house tune. I was stuck in a bit of a rut at the time and made a full house tune in a few hours. I then bounced it all out to stems and made a dubstep remix which turned out to be the version that got released. It really put me in a different headspace and helped me get some cool ideas down - i'm really happy with how this tune turned out! Where and when did you record/produce? This was the first EP I've written where I've been touring at the same time so it was really cool being able to test tracks out before releasing them. Those shows really influenced the way these tracks turned out. Did you work with anybody during the creative/recording/production process? I worked with Elle Exxe on the final tune of the EP 'Unspoken' which came to life really quickly. It's probably my favourite tune that I've written and I'm so happy with the final release. I was blown away when she sent her vocal over, I was like a little kid at Christmas! So much fun working with her! What programs/instruments did you use? I played a bit of guitar on this EP - its my main instrument that I play so I always try to work it in somehow. Everything was done in Ableton! You've been playing a lot of shows over the last few months, did this enable you test your music live to see how people reacted? Absolutely - it gave me chance to see what was working and what wasn't, whether sections were too long or too short and how my tracks mix into other tracks in the context of a DJ set. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of the EP? I think the most challenging part was making the EP feel cohesive. It easy to take the listener on a journey throughout a single track but it's a lot harder spanning that out over 4 or 5 tracks. I think I managed to pull it off in the end! Where can we buy/download 'Outerworld'? Spotify, Apple Music, Beatport - all that good stuff! Who are you listening to at the moment? I've been on a huge drum and bass kick at the moment - I had a bit of a break from it but I've started listening to it again and I've been loving stuff from guys like 1991, Metrik and Dimension. What do you like to do away form music? Graphic Design - I do all of my own branding and most of my artwork so when I'm not doing music, I'm usually doing that or just chilling with my girlfriend. What do you have planned for the remainder of 2019? I've got a couple of big remixes coming out soon that I'm really excited about and probably another original release by the end of the year. I'm looking forward to playing more shows and hopefully getting out to the US by the end of the year! Any secrets that you care to share? They wouldn't be secrets then ;) Favourite food and place to hangout? FIVE GUYS BURGERS AND FRIES & had a great time at Digital in Newcastle the other night.

Oliverse

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m currently based in Newtown. There are some great and consistent venues here. The Wayward, Vanguard, Townie, The Union and surrounding venues like Lazybones and the Lansdowne. A great mixture of indie-pop, punk, rock, electro, blues, folk. A bit of everything really. How did you first start playing music? I’ve always had an affinity for music. My first official step towards music was singing lessons at 10 years of age with an elderly gentleman that was teaching classical and opera singing in the school hall after school. What have you been working on recently? I’ve been working on old and new material. I can’t seem to let go of some songs that I had written 10 years ago. I feel like a lot of them are special and I want them to be eventually released into the world. Your debut single 'Running' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for Running? The song was originally a slow modern tune with a samba feel. I was preparing a whole bunch of songs to record with my Producer, Luke Bertoz and had been recently playing a few originals with a fast kind of swagger. As I was strumming ‘Running’ I felt led to speed it up. I still remember the moment when it struck me that the song had transformed and scrambling to change the whole arrangement to be ready to record in the studio the following week. Where and when did you record and who did you work with? I recorded with Tales in Space front man and Producer, Luke Bertoz at his studio in Coogee. What programs/instruments did you use? Luke runs Protools. We used live drums, Epiphone Casino guitar, bass and keyboards. Where can we listen to Running? Running is available everywhere! Spotify, Apple Music and all major platforms! You have a video clip for Running, what or who inspired this video? The Director, Stef Smith came up with the concept. It’s based on 5 different styles and time periods of women connected to the narrative of the song. How did the filming take place and who did you work with? I worked with an extremely talented bunch of people. The Cinematographer, Jamie Gray scouted all the locations and the following crew: Choreographer: Amy Hack Costume Stylist: Laura Bracken Hair and Makeup Artist: Amelia Fell BTS Photography & Runner: Jules Woods Editor: Grace O’Connell Edit Assist: Lily Davis Colourist: Dan Molony Animation: Genevieve Kaiser What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the recording of Running and also the production of the video? Doing three dance routines over and over from 8am till 6pm on 2 hours sleep! haha Who are you listening to at the moment? Halfnoise. Flowerss and All That Love Is in particular. What do you like to do away from music? Watching Star Trek Enterprise. Where and when are you playing next? I’m rehearsing and organising my line up at the moment. I’ll be announcing some Sydney and coastal gigs later in the year. What's planned for 2019? Writing, recording, releasing more singles, video clips, rehearsing and touring! Any secrets that you care to share? I have a Star Trek addiction. Favourite food and place to hangout? Eggs on toast and my local coffee shop contact@belwoodsmusic.com www.belwoodsmusic.com facebook.com/belwoodsmusic instagram.com/belwoodsmusic

Bel Woods

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? We’re in Melbourne! Best music scene in the world. How did Man Vs Synth form? I’d been writing these songs for a while and it felt natural to get a band together for the project. Hamish and I had been thick as thieves since we were about 14 and was an obvious choice to be the drummer. It helps that he puts up with the obnoxious drum parts I write for him, I don’t know many drummers that would. Later on I met Sam at Monash. He quickly became the first person I’d show any new song ideas to, and he was keen to jump on board on for the band. What have you been working on recently? A lot of new material. More than we know what to do with honestly. We’ve been trying to go for a slightly grittier sound than the EP and so far its been going great. Otherwise rehearsals to put on a bangin’ live show. You have a new single coming out on May 17 called 'Perfect Picture' this single will also be on the new EP that's coming on out June 14, what influenced the sound and songwriting for your new EP? John Frusciante’s ‘To Record Only Water for Ten Days’ was a massive inspiration. Not so much in terms of specific sound design, but definitely in terms of the beautiful contrast of his acoustic guitar with drum machines and synthesizers. The idea of colliding those two worlds has fascinated me ever since hearing that album. There’s quite a bit in the DNA of these songs - large moog basses not too dissimilar to NIN’s moog basses, lush Tame Impala-esque guitars and synths. Radiohead has always been a massive inspiration also. How did you go about writing the music? Different songs have different processes but as a general rule I love to start with some harmony that really intrigues me. But as I said, every song is different so Perfect Picture actually started as a sequence on the Moog and everything else followed eventually. Fall Apart began as a guitar riff etc. Once the initial idea is down I’d record it as quickly as possible and then start messing around with the synths to see what they can add. Drums are always last, I think they should react to every- thing that’s already happened. Where and when did you record? The recordings took place over a year and a half and across a bunch of different spaces. Most of the synths and guitar’s are recorded straight in to Ableton. The vocals were recorded at a studio I had with a mate of mine in Brunswick. Some of the guitar parts were recorded at Sam’s place in Phillip Island and the drums were recorded in a theatre we booked out for the music video. We were fortunate enough to get enough equipment together to record it all ourselves. Who did you work with during the production and recording of your new EP? So I wrote, produced, and mixed the whole EP with some help from Hamish and Sam. The master- ing was done by none other than Beau McKee, who’s been a good mate of mine for a few years. It was great to finally be able to work with him. What programs/instruments did you use? Ableton is the DAW of choice for me, it just does everything I want. Guitar is a Deluxe Fender Strat, Bass Synth is a Moog Sub37. Pads are made using the luscious Roland Juno6. Valhalla re- verb deserves a mention as it is all over this record. How did you approach the recording/production process? Its super important to me to be able to record an idea I have almost as soon as I think of it, so a lot of the guitars/synths are just recorded straight into Ableton. We’d record vocals and drums much Man Vs Synth x The Partae later once I felt the songs were ready. Sam and I would constantly make changes here and there to make everything sit right so by the time we’d get to recording drums the song was basically done. Recording the drums in a theatre was heaps of fun, we got some great room sounds that made it onto the record. Mono overhead mic on the kit sounded killer too. How would you describe this new EP? Its a mixed bag, there are some funky bits, some rocky bits, and some 80s bits. All in all its basical- ly indie synthpop/rock. We had a hard time figuring out what the hell to call it but at the end of the day its just a label to help people see if its to their taste. What are your plans for this EP, do you have a name for this EP? It’s just a self titled EP, we just wanted to keep it simple and get the name of the band out. Hopeful- ly tour if people are keen to hear us live! Who are you listening to at the moment? Listening to loads of Aphex twin, Boards of Canada, John Frusciante, Radiohead, Claude Fran- cois, Elias Rahbani. Daft Punk and Justin Timberlake make it onto my rotation pretty frequently too. What do you like to do away from music? I love to cook and travel. Mum and I are writing down all the traditional Lebanese food we grew up eating into a recipe book. I’ll be going away to Lebanon next month for a bit of a break! Will you be touring this EP? That’s the plan, get back from overseas travel and hit the ground running. What do you have planned for 2019? 2019 is our year to start gigging properly. Apart from that we’re super invested in these new songs we’re writing so that’ll take a lot of our mental energy. Any secrets that you care to share? Don’t be afraid to let yourself be vulnerable. Whether it’s through a proper conversation, or writing a song that you feel authentically explores whats going on in your mind. Sometimes the process of writing a song, or putting it out there is inherently good for you. Favourite food and place to hangout? Chicken Shish Tawouk at A1 Bakery in Brunswick. The falafel there is insane too.

Man Vs Synth

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Hey, nice to meet you :-) I suppose the place you could say I’m based right now is between London and Reykjavik. Both these cities have vibrant music scenes. How did you first start playing music? I started playing violin when I was about 7 years old and have been playing various instruments since then. The first song I remember writing was for the Boyband I formed when I was 9, we had big dreams but sadly they never came to much. What have you been working on recently? At the moment I’m working on getting my album ready for release which, for the past few weeks has taken up most of my time. Aside from the album I’m working on setting up my YouTube channel (Tomtheroad) and enjoying the creative freedom of writing whatever style of music I feel like writing, this music goes in my videos. John Carpenter is an influence of mine and I’ve been having fun writing some intense synth horror music, because why not. You're new album 'The Fire Awaits' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? It’s called “The Fire Waits,” but I forgive you ;-) It all just fell into place really, I had the idea that I wanted to record an album and was producing lots of music quickly to develop my sound, all these songs stated coming out in a similar style to what became the record. Then my friend asked me to record ‘All That She Wants’ in the style that you can hear and I was like ‘boom,’ it’s right in front of me. How did you go about writing the music for The Fire Awaits? The purpose of writing an album was to tell a story with the music, have a beginning, middle, end and take the listener on a journey. So, for instance, when writing ‘The House Of Plenty,’ which is the last song, I began with the idea that I was writing the final song on the album. Most songs on the album I would write on anything that wasn’t the guitar (which is my main instrument), this was to take me away from the writing habits I picked up over the years and to attack each piece from a different angle. The drums were the first instrument I used to write ‘Rabbit Hole,’ and piano for most of the others. Where and when did you record and who with? I recorded the bass and drums in Greshams School’s studio with bassist Alex Crosby, drummer Richard Warlow and engineer Sie Medway Smith. Once we had the rhythm section down I took everything back to my studio in London and recorded the rest there, bringing in Sam Horan to play lead towards the end. What programs/instruments did you use? I use Ableton Live and love it. I used whatever instruments I had lying around in the studio, we had a collection of world instruments that I used on the opening track, a Japanese harp and a Oud-like instrument made of skin that sounded amazing. The rest was the standard bass, drums, piano and guitar. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of this your debut album? I found it challenging to exercise restraint when writing each part and arranging the whole song. The initial tendency was to overplay individual parts so that they sounded great when played solo, but cluttered up the entire arrangement when played ensemble. I kept having to force myself and everyone else to play less, everything was written with the final goal in mind. The rewards came when this actually worked and the pieces fit together to become greater than the sum of their parts, listening to the working mix from the recording days and realising you don’t have to do much to get this sounding awesome is a great feeling. You recently covered "All That She Wants' why did you choose this track and how did you decide on how you would cover this track? My friend Angelika Abramovitch was shooting a film and asked me to record this song in the style you hear. In one way it was the catalyst for the entire album. Your latest single 'The feeding Hand' is out, what influenced the writing for this track? The music of ‘The Band’ and of ‘Gene Clark’ were the influences for this song, it was one of the only songs I wrote on guitar and I had great difficulty taking it from the acoustic song that it began as, to the full arrangement that you hear on the album. Who are you listening to at the moment? I found a great playlist on spotify called ‘20 Italian Sci-Fi Themes’ that is just fantastic. It’s super trippy. What do you like to do away from music? I like to travel, keep fit and learn new skills. Boxing is a love of mine and I keep it up as much as I can, unfortunately due to the fact that I travel so much I’m not able to join a club for an extended period of time. You're life involves travelling in a motorhome and performing across the UK, how did this idealistic lifestyle come to be? It was really the video for ‘The Feeding Hand’ that sparked it all off. The lifestyle was one I had dreamed of trying out for a while but had never seriously considered it, I had the album to write and a life in London, things were good but something was missing. Once we recorded the video I began to think more and more that this was what I should be doing, so that’s what I did. What do you find most challenging and rewarding whilst travelling in a motorhome? Staying organised and productive is quite tough since there is no real structure to the day. I try to keep my own schedule that I can use to get things done and stay on top of the constant work that comes with running any business. You know what? Actually living in the van is pretty tough, and I don’t mean the lack of creature comforts, I mean that I’m traveling all over the world right now and the van is currently parked in a field in Shrewsbury, in the last month I’ve haven’t spent one night in it. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? The plan is to get the album out, start playing acoustic shows in the UK and Europe to promote myself and actually get to spend some quality time in my van. The first stop is Cornwall where I will learn to surf, you’ll have to watch my YouTube channel to see if I actually manage it. Any secrets that you care to share? I’m such a bad football player, every time I play, I manage to come away with a knee injury that stays with me for years. It’s so bad that I now operate a ‘no football’ policy, whereby I refuse to play even the friendliest of games. Maybe I should get lessons. Favourite food and place to hangout? Dumplings, I bloody love dumplings. Doesn’t matter what country they are from, or what kind of dumpling they are. If it is called a dumpling, I’m going to love it. I recently spent a month in St Petersburg and was introduced to an ‘anti cafe,’ called Zifferberg, where you just pay for the time you spend there, meaning all the coffee and cakes are free! This particular cafe had a grand piano and a couple of guitars. People would talk, play music together and have conversations for hours, I met some wonderful people and on my third day asked to make an english breakfast for everyone. Good times.

Tom Hannay

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m from Morayfield which is about an hour away from Brisbane. The Brisbane scene has a lot of unique artists and everyone is very supportive of each other. It’s been really cool to meet some of artists as I definitely look up to all of them. How did you first get into music? I was asked to do a speech for a family friends 21st party. I’ve always enjoyed writing so I decided to do a surprise and wrote a rap song. I used Drake’s track ‘Jumpman’, got the instrumental and just changed all the words so it was about the birthday person. Having never performed a rap before, I literally went up in front of over 100 people (most of them were family so double embarrassing!). It was super funny but I also found it very fulfilling being up there. After that I started to really look into writing my own songs. Not too long after I released one of my own tracks and I haven’t stopped since. What's been happening recently? I’m always in planning mode. If I’m not recording I’m organising a video. If I’m not organising a video I’m writing. I always want to make sure everyday I go to bed knowing I’ve done one thing today that has got me closer to my goals. Your new single 'Miss' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? Miss has more of a pop vibe. This definitely has Missy Elliot influence written all over it. I want to be able to write a wide range of songs whether it be motivational to something that could be there for fun entertainment. This was something that I wanted people to watch and relate in terms of when you get mocked but also to be able watch the video and be entertained. How did you go about writing 'Miss'? It actually changed quite a few times. It was meant to be a bit more serious but as the instrumental changed I turned it to something more lighthearted and fun. I wrote of a lot of lines from different influences. From things I’ve heard being said about others to more direct experiences. Where and when did you record/produce? The music was produced in London by a producer called Vittorio Franco. We met when he visited Brisbane last year and I have been working with him on a few tracks since. I recorded back home and had James Angus mix/master. Who did you work with during the production process? I had Vittorio listen to my vocal recordings and assist with ideas on where to place things. What do you have planned for 'Miss'? I already have a music video out! Maybe some live performances in the future... Who are you listening to at the moment? Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of old school R&B so Lauryn Hill, Aaliyah, Missy E (of course). You also have a music video for 'Miss', how did the concept for the video come about? The more I wrote Miss the more I would think how this is the stuff we go through in school. So I knew straight away the music video had to be based around a school concept. Who did you work with? I worked with David Fischer from Que Film Collective. He is super talented at what he does and I can always trust him to film and put together what I am visioning. I also worked with the dancers from Pink Matter. They are all amazing dancers and inspiring to work with. Where did you film? We filmed in Southbank, Brisbane. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the production of the film clip? It was quite a long day so I think towards the end some of us got a bit tired but we powered through! We also had to be time conscious as we filmed. The most rewarding part was the bridge scene. We did this cool hand choreography which I only learned the day before by watching a video Wanida sent to me to follow. Seeing that on film was really cool. What do you like to do away from music? I’m a big adventure/travel person so whenever I get the chance I like do outdoor things such as going to beach, hiking, exploring etc. I play a lot of tennis, enjoy going to different food places, and spending as much time as I can with my family. Any secret that you care to share? I have danced so many times in my room growing up only for my mum to open the door and look at me shocked. Needless to say she no longer is shocked when she opens the door. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? You can expect a few more tracks to be released before the year is out. Favourite food and place to hangout? Seafood! Especially salmon, crayfish and prawns. Also big fan of pancakes, chicken dumplings, mums chicken curry and my dad’s lamb curry (lol can you tell I come from an Indian family?) My favourite place to hang out is the beach. Or somewhere where the ocean is. I love the water. If I could be any animal in the world it’d have to be a sea animal. https://www.facebook.com/JacintaLalMusic/

Jacinta Lal

sacred paws band

Sacred Paws

What is your name and role within the band? My name is Luke, and I provide some of the vocals and production in We Move Like Giants Where are you currently based, and what is the music scene like there? I am the only Giants member who is currently based in Melbourne (the rest are in Adelaide), and I'm lucky enough to be in what I think is Australia's most exceptional music scene. There is no shortage of high-quality artists, venues, and events for live music here in Melbourne, it's wonderful and very encouraged by the community. How did We Move Like Giants form? The four of us first worked together on a song titled 'Minute' that was a part of one of my solo EPs called 'Beasts,' we thoroughly enjoyed this process so decided to keep doing it. Paul and John sent some music they had over to myself and Kultar to just mess around on and see if it stirred up anything, then the floodgates kind of opened and we kept making tracks that we really loved. We decided we should turn it into a band project and We Move Like Giants was born. What's been happening recently? We have just launched the group with the first single Devilry and have our debut live show taking place in Adelaide on June 29th. After this, we'll be releasing a few more singles in the lead-up to the first EP with more shows around the country on the way as well. Your new track 'Devilry' has just been released, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? The main idea for the track musically was something Paul and John had already formed; it was somewhat different to most of the other stuff they had, it was a little wacky but very hard-hitting and unique. We decided it had sort of a sinister yet playful vibe, and that led to writing lyrics with the idea of a devil character in mind. How did you go about writing Devilry? As with all of the Giants stuff so far it has been a very collaborative process of each band member submitting various ideas that are then refined as a group. The Giants writing process is based around the ethos of anything is allowed on the table to be tried, and only the stuff that really excites us makes the final cut. Where and when did you record? For the most part, this was recorded at Paul's home studio with little bits and pieces at other member's home studios. As for when there isn't really a particular time, these tracks have been toiled over during the past year and a bit. Where can we listen/buy Devilry? Every online platform that services music, in particular, the big ones like Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and Youtube. Or, feel free to pop over for a drink, I’ll happily play you the song. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? More new music, more shows and a general expansion of the We Move Like Giants world, we're working to form a little community of people who enjoy a mish-mash of genres and music that can be unpredictable. What do you like to do away from music? If the We Move Like Giants group chat is anything to go by it’s pretty much always music related stuff or some hefty .gif sending. Tequila often also makes an appearance. Who are you listening to at the moment? All of us are really vibing on the new Tyler, The Creator and Little Simz records, two amazing releases. Any secrets that you care to share? Like personal secrets? I feel like every other We Move Like Giants member is jealous of how attractive John is. Favourite food and place to hangout? In Melbourne, you'll find the best food at Smith & Daughters, in Adelaide you'll have a wonderful evening at the Grace Emily Hotel. I’d bring a book for the trek between the two. https://www.facebook.com/wemovelikegiants

We Move Like Giants

Where are you currently based and what's the music scene like there? I live in Melbourne and it has a absolutely awesome music scene . It’s the best place to live as a music lover, no other city I’ve traveled to here or overseas compares. No matter what genre of music you are into, you are able to see multiple shows on any given night of the week ! How did you first start playing music? I started playing drums in high school, moved to Melbourne when I was 18 and played in different punk bands for years until eventually turning my hand to songwriting a few years ago. All of my friends are in bands and Melbourne has a great supportive music scene that makes it easy to keep creating new interesting music. Your debut single 'Dialect Drum' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? Writing on acoustic and building the song from that standpoint for the first time was a big factor. I wanted to experiment more with different electronic drums and synthesisers to try and achieve a more unique sound. I was listening to bands like Health at the time and was loving the way they push boundaries with their music. Where and when did you record? I recorded it at Fallback Studios in Flemington Who did you work with during the recording/production? I collaborated with Aaron Dobos . He Produces / Mixes / Masters all of my music . He’s a gun ! What programs/instruments did you use? We used acoustic guitar, glockenspiel, bass, synthesisers, electric guitars, electronic drums and different percussion. Whatever feeling the song needed in the moment we would use that instrument to try and achieve it. Having a ‘no-rules’ approach in the studio really makes it fun to experiment with different things. All recorded into pro-tools. How did you go about writing Dialect Drum? It was one that came together slowly over about a year period, I finally finished the structure and demoed it on acoustic guitar with some different electronic drums / instruments. But really got fleshed out and came into full fruition when I hit the studio with my producer over a couple day period. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? Playing some shows, writing and releasing some more singles / video clips ! What do you like to do away from music? I’ve gotten into Yoga pretty hardcore over the last year which has been fun and also just hanging out with my awesome mates as much as I can. Who are you listening to at the moment? Death cab for cutie, Bjork, Ceres, LCD sound system, Battles, Sharon Van to name a few. Any secrets that you care to share? My next single is about our connection to Mother Nature and how we are losing that connection. Favourite food and place to hangout? Mexican has been a pretty consistent feature in my diet as of late! And I’ve really been loving hanging out at the Tote in Collingwood. Its a short stroll from my house and always has a awesome warm inclusive vibe. https://www.facebook.com/Dinosaur-Beard-1934484396786292/

Dinosaur Beard

What is your name and role within Cactus Room? Hey my name’s David Houston. I started Cactus Room about a year and a half back with the other co-founder, Neil Smith. Now I manage the business and look after the day to day running of the place, with rehearsals and gig bookings etc. I do the artwork for Cactus so usually keep pretty busy with making posters and various designs around the place. Where are you based and what is the music scene like there? We’re based in Thornbury, Melbourne. It’s just a little further north from the thriving music scene of Fitzroy and Collingwood. There’s a huge amount of musicians living in the area, but there isn’t the concentration of live venues like in Collingwood or Brunswick. So we’re slightly off the regular beaten track in that sense, but it makes it a cool space for bands to have single or album launches, something a little different from the normal. What is Cactus room and what takes places there? Cactus Room is a sort of DIY warehouse music studio that doubles as a rehearsal space and live gig venue. Before we took over the place, it was set up as a recording studio for quite some time, so the main band room is heavily sound treated, which gives it great acoustics. We’ve got 3 rooms throughout the studio that are used for music rehearsals all week round. And on weekends we hold live gigs in the one of the large rehearsal rooms, which opens up out into our beer garden and bar out the back. How did Cactus room start? Neil and I had been talking for years about starting our own music related bar. We met overseas and travelled around together for a couple of years and would always talk about doing something like that one day. Then after living in Melbourne for a year or so, I started a new job that I hated, working all the time and never having time to play music anymore. I had to drive out into industrial areas for the job and would drive past all of these empty factories, and after a while started thinking how we should get a warehouse and hold gigs in it from time to time. What is your background in music and recording? I’ve always played guitar since I was a kid. When I was a little older I was travelling around and living in different countries for quite a while, and would usually just buy a shitty guitar if I was in one place for longer than a few months. But it was impossible to get a solid band going moving around all the time, so I started recording songs with a tiny interface into my laptop and layering every instrument up piece by piece. I still approach most of my demo making the same way now, but once I settled back into Australia and moved to Melbourne I got a band together to form Black Bats. Recently Cactus Room had an album launch for Black Bats, which is the first release that you have put out under Cactus Records, so I guess it was also a launch for Cactus Room as a record label as well. How did the launch go and how has the birth of the record label going thus far? Yeah the launch was great. Black Bats is my own band and a lot of those songs for that album are really old, so it was good to get them out there finally. We’re planning to build the label slowly over time, collecting local bands that we’re into and that suit the vibe of Cactus Records. We’re about to release another band through the label in the next few months which we’re really excited about, so keep an eye out for that, and Black Bats are back in the studio in a couple weeks as well to record album #2. We’re in talks with a couple other local bands but we’re not wanting to rush too fast with the label just yet. What's been happening recently? At the moment we’re putting together a full day line up of psych and garage bands for a little mini-fest for July 27th. Myself and Sasha (from Melbourne band The Black Heart Death Cult) have been organising that together so we’re pretty stoked for that. We’re planning on getting the place pretty decked out with lights and really solid line up, and make it a pretty immersive psychedelic gig for the day. We’ve got Bob Log III playing here May 25 as his only Melbourne show in the midst of a huge world tour, so that should be awesome! Please tell us about the rehearsal space and gig space: We run mainly as a rehearsal studio throughout the week, and hold live gigs Friday and Saturday nights. We have been upgrading the main band room recently. We have some new speakers mounted which are sounding really good, and just recently got in a small riser stage. We usually just have bands playing on the floor as we wanted to keep the DIY party/ warehouse gig vibe going, but with more and more people coming to shows I think it gets a little hard to see the band sometimes, so we’ve popped in a small riser, which hopefully let’s people see a little more without changing the vibe too much. Apart from rehearsals, we’re looking into getting in some recording equipment down the track, and have the option of recording bands that join the label. The next Black Bats album will have parts of the album recorded here. What recording equipment do you use and what's the studio set up like? We’re still in the process of building up our recording gear. We’re thinking we will approach the recording more as a bonus for bands on Cactus Records and bands we want to record rather than a full time service. The place previously was set up as a full time recording studio so the main room sounds great to record in, and we have a smaller isolation room for vocals. There are 3 connected rooms off the main room, so it’s great to put amps in there and get isolated recordings whilst still playing as a live band. What do you like to do away from music? Mostly we just go to mate’s gigs anyway! Have a night off from Cactus and go see gigs at another venue. You can get a bit of cabin fever working and watching gigs non stop at your own place, so it’s good to get out into the world when you can! Who are you listening to at the moment? The Black Heart Death Cult just released their debut album recently and that has been on pretty high rotation around here. Been listening to an LA band The Cosmonauts a lot lately. I always listen to heaps of different music when I’m working or drawing or whatever, can't go wrong with a bit of Nina Simone or Bob Dylan to wind things down sometimes! Any secrets that you care to share? Well then they wouldn't be a secret anymore would they? Favourite food and place to hangout? We eat way too much pizza from a cheap pizza place across the road from Cactus. A food that isn’t pizza and a place that isn’t a pizza restaurant would be great. Can’t go wrong with a beer on a rooftop somewhere. Please include links to socials and website. Website / Facebook / Instagram

Cactus Room with David Houston

What is your name and role within the band? My name is Kat Frankie. I'm a musician and the producer of Keøma. Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Chris is based in Köln and I'm based in Berlin. The music scene here is quite well-known to be focused on techno and electronic music, but there's also a lot bands and musicians here that make pop or singer-songwriter music. The atmosphere is very collaborative here. How did you first start playing music? I first started singing and making up songs when I was 4 or 5 years old. It was just something I did instinctively. I didn't pursue music as a proper career until much later. How did KEØMA form? Chris came to me with a song that he wanted me to work with him on. We finished it together and it was so nice that he then asked me to do another and another, and sooner or later we had our first album. What's been happening recently? We've just finished our second album 'Saudade', and we've been very busy running around Europe and shooting music videos for it! You have an upcoming album, what's the title? 'Saudade'. It's portuguese and refers to a certain kind of longing. What influenced the sound and songwriting for this album? Our last album was quite dark and very heavy on programmed beats, synthesisers and reverb. This time we wanted to make something that was a bit lighter, and with 'real' musicians. There's still a sense of melancholy in the songs, but this time the music is a bit more upbeat. Where and when did you record? We recorded in Berlin in various studios over the past year and a half. Who did you work with? Chris and I do most of the playing and performing, but this time we also had some great musicians play on the album with us, like our drummer Robert Kretzschmar. Shanice Ruby Bennet is a Köln-based bass player who also gave us some incredible bass lines. How did you go about writing the music for this new album? A lot of the ideas for this album came from Chris, who had moved from his native Köln to Berlin for a while and was missing his hometown quite a bit. So there's this thread of longing that runs through the whole album. I think he had almost 40 ideas for tracks, from which we selected the best ones and finished them together. What programs/instruments did you use? For the production I worked mostly with Ableton. As far as instruments go, we had a lot more 'real' instruments this time round: bass, guitars, drums... etc. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creative/recording process? I think it's always more fun to work with real musicians than to program everything, which is what I did for the last album. So we had a bit more room in the recording studio for spontaneity which was an absolute luxury. Where will we be able to buy/listen? The usual places: Spotify, Apple, Amazon... What's planned for 2019? We'll be on tour in Germany later this year. What do you like to do away from music? Because I have many different projects (I'm not only in Keøma), I don't really have much time away from music! Who are you listening to at the moment? I can tell you that Chris is listening to a lot of Amili lately and I'm listening to a lot of new stuff from some great local German acts like Gurr, Children and Ilgen-Nur. Where are you playing next? 05.09. München, Ampere 06.09. Köln, Artheater 08.09. Leipzig, Täubchenthal 09.09 Berlin, Lido 10.09 Hamburg, Nochtspeicher 11.09. Wiesbaden, Schlachthof Favourite food and place to hangout? Probably Korean food. I've performed in Korea (not with Keøma, but solo) quite a few times over the last years. My favourite place to hang out is at home with no phone calls and no emails. http://www.keomamusic.com/?fbclid=IwAR1CYpp2ZCan8k-sGwic7F27WJpnlEiw6R0388NvJqemxbVKr0E9AZsKSQg https://www.instagram.com/keomamusic/ https://www.facebook.com/pg/KEOMAMUSIC/

Keøma

GOLD COAST'S CRAFTED BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES LINE UP ON SALE NOW

GOLD COAST’S CRAFTED BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES LINE UP ON SALE NOW

Where are you currently based now and what is the music scene like there? Living outside of my home town dundee, there is no music scene as far as I know. It used to be vibrant, there’s still some great bands and music coming out of Dundee but not sure there’s as big of a scene that was when we were younger. How did you first start playing music? Originally I started writing rap music when I was 12 listening to Eminem then when I was 13 I got beaten up pretty badly by a group of guys from a different area to where we lived and so I just stayed in for a while constantly with my guitar my brother in law had bought me, taught myself how to play songs by listening to them and even slept with my guitar next to me ha! What have you been working on recently? Just finished my new solo album, so just off the back of touring that, festivals coming up and a lot of trips over seas, always busy and just had another baby! Your solo album 'No Thank You' has received raving reviews and has won you 'Best Album at the Scottish Music Awards, what influenced the sound and songwriting for No Thank You? Ah cheers. A lot of influences, I wanted it to sound quite like The Beatles; my greatest influencers, kind of like the Kinks, Paul McCartney’s granny songs with a bit of fire under them. The writing came from a lot of my time in rehab. Realising I needed to change. I wanted to reflect that in the music with the lyrics but didn’t want the songs to sound dark and depressing because it shouldn’t be a depressing thing. Where and when did you record? Recorded at Paul Weller’s Blackbarn Studio in Surrey with the family there, was a great time, cracking weather too. Was in mid June 2017. How did you go about writing this music for this album? Just same way I always do, stuff happens and you write about it. I never force the music to come out. I had some of the stuff in my head from years ago and then it all sort of fell into place with the right ingredients and the right time. What programs/instruments did you use? Everything I could find, used piano, guitar, drums, a cortet that was made into an orchestra, a lot of melatron... I did get pretty experimental and tried new instruments I hadn’t used before on this album. I don’t know about the programs, I have an engineer for that. How did you approach the recording/production process? There was no Pre production, just went in with a drummer. I played all the instruments bar drums. I just went in and did all the songs in my head and finished them all there, some weren’t even demoed or didn’t have finished lyrics yet. I like to work under pressure I find it the best way for me. Who did you work with during the recording and production of No Thank You? Me, an engineer, Charles Reese and drummer Scott Duffy. Always wanted to do a record this way and reckon everyone should try it. What did you find most rewarding and challenging during the creation of this album? The most challenging part would be some of the lyrics being honest and having to dive into a place you don’t necessarily want to go again in your mind. The most rewarding is getting the feed back off of fans of how much they love it and it’s helped them. What have you learned through the experience? Not sure what you mean... the experience of doing a solo album? I’ve learned I’m able to do stuff on my own without having the band for fall back. Who are you listening to at the moment? The Struts are kicking off, loving them. What do you like to do away from music? I like to run, spend time with my family, I’m big into my movies and musicals so always try to make time for them and just try to find some calm in this crazy life ha! You're touring Australia in July, what can we expect from these shows? Can expect some bangers, from my time in the view etc, but also songs I haven’t played live before, some surprises and I do love a request. Anywhere that you are most looking forward to playing? If so, why? Not really, looking forward to all of it. I’ve been to all the cities before, so just looking foreword to getting back down under. How do you prepare for each live show? Normally couple pints and make sure all the band are on the right harmonies, normally the cheesiest songs we can think of cause it loosens everyone up. What do you have planned for the remainder of 2019? Coming over to beautiful Australia, have some family holidays coming up, time away to relax before it all kicks off. Off to America, festivals galore. Loads going on. Any secrets that you care to share? Don’t do drugs. Seems good at the time but it will affect you in the future. Favourite food and place to hangout? Macaroni or Thai food - and favourite place to hang out is either a beach some place hot or a BBQ in the backies.

Kyle Falconer

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Hello. Thanks for having me. I live in Berlin. Well, in Berlin live so many creative people the scene is very diverse and is split up in many scenes. When you go deeper underneath the surface you can explore a lot of interesting and adventurous things going on. The house and techno clubs provide a good quality, but I find them not so challenging anymore. I prefer to attend events with sonic experimentations from sound-art over performance art to improvised music, audiovisual performances, dance and so on. I like when music joins art and technology to explore new grounds or when things were put into new contexts, when the perspective and also the perception shifts. How did you first start playing music? Oh, that is a while ago. When I was 16 I got my first guitar, two years later an electric guitar. I played in many bands, but at the same time I did home recordings with tape machine, delays, synths, drum machines, microphones, stomp boxes, but it was the Groovebox MC303 then that showed me the fun in making electronic music. I am not so much into technical stuff, I like instruments, that you can use/abuse immediately. For 14 years now I work with Ableton Live mainly, which is a great instument for me. You have a new series of MAT editions, what does MAT stand for? The MAT editions is a new series on my label CLIKNO combining music, art and text = MAT. The first one is entitled ‚Inventing Importance‘ and includes three tracks by myself, a digital painting by Jonathan Canupp - a multidisciplinary artist, sound designer and musician from Denver, USA, who is better known under his moniker Ten and Tracer - and a text from Marianne Kjaer Klausen, a Danish actress, choreographer and philosopher, who lives in Berlin. Responsible for the graphic design of the whole series is 52°N, who runs an agency for graphic design in Berlin. The lay-out of the series consists in a black 12“ vinyl and a 12“ x 12“ poster with the artwork and text as offset print on offsetpaper for a premium feel. Both is in a transparent PVC sleeve. What is the goal of the series? I conceived the MAT editions to enlarge the view on music and to create something, that is valuable even beyond the music. So the basic idea is to bring together different disciplines, in this case music, art and text with the intention to break up rules and break down boundaries. I like to do unusual things, which are challenging and stand out from the mass. I wanted something, that is not just for DJs or music afficionados. The MAT editions appeal to different senses and it is something for the heart, the soul and the intellect. Over the series I will present artworks from rising artists with accompanying texts from Marianne, which add another layer to the music. Marianne throws in profound thoughts about humanity. Another idea is to present the artwork and text are on a separate poster inlay you can leave it at home, hang it on your wall, while you take the vinyl on tour. What have you been working on since the last time we spoke https://thepartae.com/dr-nojoke ? Which artists are you working with? Last year I met the concert pianist Jan Gerdes and under the name „rand“ we work on compositions merging the acoustic sound of the grand piano with the electronic sounds as well as melody with noise and romanticism with modern aspects. I work mainly with samples from his piano and change them dramatically to create a counterpart to the piano. The result is an interesting melange of classical music, jazz, ambient, drone, clicks & cuts, glitch, minimal, industrial and electronica, quite contemporary music. https://www.facebook.com/randmusic Since summer 2018 I host a monthly radioshow called CLIKNOsophical Chatter on Threads radio, a comunity radio from London with a second stream from Berlin for international contributions. I moderate the music, I play exclusive recordings, I invite guests and interview them and I try to present things a bit off the beaten path. My next and last show for a while is on May 22nd. https://threadsradio.com/project/cliknosophical-chatter From time to time I meet-up with friends for improvised electronic music jams under the name POOL lab orchestra or just PLO, a challenging project as we start every session from scratch. The only rule is to begin with a blank sheet. No roles are given and one can use any kind of instrument. The PLO is a part of our collective The POOL Berlin, under which we put out experimental podcasts – the POOLcast – and also samplers with tracks from our network, music from our friends and colleagues. https://www.facebook.com/thepoolberlin I work also together with Marianne Kjaer Klausen since a couple of years. I made the music for her adaption of the theatreplay The Stronger from August Strindberg. Meanwhile we are working on a stage version of the poetry album IT from Inger Christensen. As a first step we undertook two explorative performances in 2018 combining spoken word, with manipulated voice, music and light. How do you go about writing music? I usually grab some sounds from my archive quite intuitively, put them in Ableton Live and start playing around and creating basic clips or loops until I have a good collection together. I play with the clips to get an idea for the arrangement, which I record then live in one take. The next step is the refinement getting more and more into detail: throwing away unnessecary parts, cancelling unwanted frequencies, drawing parameter curves, balancing the mix, adjusting effects and give all elements their space. That´s it. Any secrets that you care to share? Not really a secret, but I prefer to use effect-channels instead of adding further instrument, when I look for a missing element. The effects become instruments with same priority like audio- or midi-channels. That is also a great weapon to create layers, spaces and rhythmical variations. When you are looking for new ideas I recommend to play around with sounds first. Kick and bass can come later. In many of my tracks the bassline is the last thing I am adding. That glues it all together.. What programs/equipment do you use? Mainly I use the OKM binaural microphones, Sure SM 58 microphone, MOTU ultralite MK3 audio-interface, Sony VAIO laptop, Ableton Live 10 Suite, diverse VSTs… my ears, my brain, my heart … ☺ Where is your studio? At home. It is my working and living space. Not ideal acoustically, but that´s where I feel comfortable and where I like to create music. When and where are you playing next? Next up is a gig with my project rand. On June 19th we will play in Berlin in the Zwingli church as part of the Audiovisionen concert series there. https://www.facebook.com/events/339854546640611 In July I will go to Romania to the Waha Festival, where I will play on the 13th/14th. https://www.facebook.com/events/2023486627687445 Who are you listening to at the moment? I am always curious on new releases from Jan Jelinek, Burnt Friedman, Tim Hecker and Andrea Belfi for instance. All of them have brandnew albums out. And I love all drone-related music. Drone is an exciting melting pot, where it all seems to come together, no matter, if it is made acoustically or electronically. What do you like to do away from music? I really like to go out to events, that undertake sonic adventures of any kind. Well, does that count also to ‚music‘? Hahaha. Being around with friends is very important. CLIKNO www.clikno.com www.clikno.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/cliknolabel www.soundcloud.com/clikno www.twitter.com/CLIKNOlabel Dr.Nojoke www.drnojoke.de www.facebook.com/Dr.Nojoke.fanpage www.soundcloud.com/dr-nojoke www.residentadvisor.net/dj/dr.nojoke www.youtube.com/user/drnojoke

Dr.Nojoke / Clikno

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? At the moment I’m based in Mumbai, but spend a lot of time in LA and London too. The scene back home is so exciting right now. For ages, film music just dominated everything. But recently there’s just been this surge in independent musicians, thanks to new music festivals and streaming platforms. Music is just much more accessible for everyone. It’s a really exciting time, for sure. How did you first start playing music? I grew up with a family who had a real appreciation of music- there was always something playing in the background. The first time I fell in love with music was watching my mother play the santoor. I was totally entranced so started to play myself when I was 9, and I never looked back. When I was a teenager, I taught myself to play guitar, just on YouTube. I learned all about music composition, and also started to get to grips with singing at the same time as playing an instrument – which was pretty challenging at first! I really got into performing live when I was at university in the UK, I used to head to London every other weekend and perform at small gigs. These gigs gave me the strength to take up music as my career. What have you been working on recently? I spent that last few months working on my first EP ‘Fingerprint’, which has been just so exciting. I am so excited to share it with the world, it has been a lot of work and I’m really proud of it. You've just dropped your new single 'Blackout' feat Vector & WurlD, what influenced the sound and songwriting for 'Blackout'? ‘Blackout’ is one of my favourite tracks from the new EP. I’ve always wanted to incorporate hip-hop into one of my songs, and it was awesome to get to work with artists as talented as Vector and WurlD. Both of them resonated with the lyrics and really liked the vibe. In terms of the song-writing: it’s all about taking a break from the craziness of the modern world; it’s about the importance of taking a step back and relaxing basically! How did you come to work with Vector & WurlD and how was the experience? I was introduced to them via UMG. Working with them was great! They’re both awesome. They both heard the song and loved it. That was really important for me because only if you resonate with the song, you can give it your heart. You have a EP coming up, can you please give us an idea of what to expect? Of course! It’s called Fingerprint because is really authentic to me and my own experiences. It’s mostly about love – the uniquely beautiful bits and the challenges too. It’s a pop record, but with little bits of R&B, hip hop and electro mixed in. I loved putting it together and I’m excited and nervous for it! Where and when did you record/produce? We mostly made it between London, LA and Mumbai. Whenever I travel for work, I’ll always try and learn a bit about the place and incorporate sounds in my music be it hip-hop from Atlanta or a simple Indian vibe. Who did you work with during the recording and production process? I’ve worked with loads of incredible creatives, like DJ Buddha, Nick Atkinson, Angela Hunte, who wrote ‘Empire State of Mind’, Edd Holloway and Mood Melodies, who I have collaborated with a lot over the past year and is one of my absolute favourite people to work with. How was your time in the studio? Apart from being on stage, the studio is my favourite place in the world. I can spend hours and hours in there without even feeling time go by; I just kind of get into this flow. Working with other people in there is great because you can really tap into each other’s creative flow. What or who influences your music? It can be anything really! I get particularly inspired by people I’ve met, places I’ve been, things I see… Most importantly though, it’s my own personal experiences – I write about stuff I’m going through: love, heartbreak, life, friendship. When music has its roots in something real, it makes it feel so much more authentic, audiences really appreciate that as they can connect with a song so much better. I try to deliver my music in a way which people will relate to, no matter where they are or what their background is. Nothing makes me happier than when I read messages from people saying one of my songs has helped them to feel better about something they are going through. Who are you listening to at the moment? At the moment I’m listening to a ton of Ariana Grande (who isn’t?!). I’m obsessed with Billie Eilish, and everything Khalid touches at the moment turns to gold. You also have a release coming out in July with Sean Kingston, how did you come to work with Sean and what did you two get up to? Sean was touring in India and I was asked to open for him at one of his shows. I had always been a big fan of his – I think everyone my age was hooked on ‘Beautiful Girls’ back in the day. We stayed in touch and agreed to catch up when I was next in LA. So, on my next trip we spent a couple of days in the studio and it all came together really nicely. He was great to work with, such an awesome guy – and we really vibe together in the studio. How do you come to collaborate with all of these many amazing artists from all over the world? So often it is just connecting with the musicians I am lucky enough to meet on my travels or, as in Sean’s case, when they come to India to perform. My labels, Universal Music India and Island Records UK have also put me in touch with such interesting and talented people. What do you most enjoy and also find most challenging when collaborating with different artists? I love to collaborate, working with other people really helps you to get perspective on a song and take it to the next level. You can sometimes hit roadblocks – because music is so much down to personal taste, sometimes someone might like one thing and you like another – that’s why it’s so important to have a good relationship with the people you’re working with. You need to be able to be totally open with them, so that you can tell each other when you might not agree on something. What has the impact of global streaming platforms like Spotify had on the music industry in India? As a music lover and as an artist I am so excited that Spotify has now launched in India. There is a lot of competition, but they have made a great start and people are really excited. In general, the rise of streaming has meant that audiences are enthusiastic about more international sounds. Through platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, they are finding and loving artists that they just wouldn’t have come across before. This goes both ways: the globalisation of music has been an amazing boost for some the amazing talent back home: we have these amazing electro, pop and hip hop scenes emerging that deserve to be heard both inside and outside India. I hope to see a lot of homegrown superstars emerging in the next few years. What has the experience and influence been like working with UMG and Island Records UK? They are both so great! They have really helped to expand my audience around the world and to connect me with amazing artists. They’ve been so supportive throughout the journey and instrumental in helping me find my space within music. What correlation do you see with Mental Health and the Music Industry? There’s always new evidence coming out about the relationship between music and mental health, and how it can be a force for good when someone is struggling. I’ve always believed in the power of music – live music particularly – to bring people together. This manifested last year in concerts I hosted through my organisation Mpower to raise awareness and create a sense of community and belonging. On the flip side, we see loads of musicians who face huge battles with things like depression, anxiety and substance abuse. I think the industry can be a contributing factor: the unstable nature of a musician’s work, the fact that their art and their identity are so closely bound, the pressure, the challenges of writing about your emotions and then having to relive them again and again while performing….We’ve lost so many amazing talents in the industry, like Aviici, Chester Bennington, Amy Winehouse, and Kim Jyong-hyun – artists from all corners of the world. It really highlights how mental illness does not discriminate. It can affect anyone. What do you have planned for the remainder of 2019? After my EP, it’s my single with Sean. I’m doing a load of concerts around the world, which I’ll announce very soon. Any secrets that you care to share? I am probably a little too in love with my puppies, Skai and Snoopy, and I definitely get through too much chewing gum. But not too much else. Sorry. Favourite food and place to hangout? Any Soho House around the world. Whether I’m in Hollywood, Mumbai, or London’s Soho itself, I just sink in to its loveliness. And I enjoy anything Lebanese or Japanese, even though I’m vegetarian!

Ananya

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I'm currently just outside of Sydney in the Southern Highlands with my family. There is not a dance music scene here which I find refreshing and rejuvenating. Its only temporary though, I come here every 6 months or so to catch up with family and friends and base myself here around a DJ tour. However I am usually based in Austin Texas for most the year where the dance music scene is very lively and busy. We typically have top tier techno artists throughout the week. You've recently started a label called 'Mavic Music' why did you decide to start 'Mavic Music'? A little cliche but the honest answer is it's that next step. I have been djing now for 20 years and full time for 11. I feel as though I have reached that point of knowing just enough to get it off the ground and I'm now in consistent communication with artists I admire who are willing to contribute their music to the label. So far I am really having fun with it. Mavic Music is about to release an 11 track compilation on May the 24th from a bunch of exciting new names, how did you come to work with these artists and what are your plans for this compilation? The entire compilation is from Australian based emerging talent who I either met in person over the last couple of years while touring Australia or was introduced to by the people who I had met while on tour. My goal was to uncover the most talented and fresh producers in the country and get them on the label. It took about a year to find out who is who and we trimmed it down from so many great artists to find this roster. The production level is extremely high and we couldn't be happier. Everyone on the compilation are so friendly and humble. As far as the plans for the release go we are really wanting to shed light on the individual tracks as singles and highlighting the background of the artists who wrote them, hopefully increasing their profiles and bringing some awareness to their individual brands. How did you go about choosing the tracks for this compilation? I am very picky about what I play when I dj but If I will play what I hear I will sign it. I only play around 1 in 500 or so tracks I hear when I am shopping or going through demos so to find so many singles to include in the compilation was lucky. I am very surprised at how good they all are. Most the artists specifically wrote tracks for the compilation so I couldn't believe how accurate the artist were in getting the vibe right for the labels character and my own particular style. You were named by DJ Mag as one of the 11 emerging artists that you need to hear, did this huge recognition change anything for you? It did, it was a nice boost and a nice surprise. DJ Mag presence gets allot of respect and notice so its been a great addition to the bio. Your single ‘Guided Perception’, hit the top thirty in the Beatport chart, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? This was a really fun project and collaboration with the legendary Da Fresh from France. He is an exceptional engineer. Basically he sent me a rough draft of some chords against a skeleton track then I got in there and got the groove going with the synth work he had done and filled it all out. Once we had the hook and all the fun bells and whistles were in place I sent it back to Da Fresh for the final once over. He did the mastering and the final touches and voila. The EP got some great attention from artists like Eats Everything and of course the Beatport chart helped get it out there also. I'm really proud of that project. How do you usually go about writing music? My ears love a tight kick and warm rolling bass so I usually slave away at getting a nice full sound in the low end first. I am not sure this is the best way but I can't stop working from that direction first. Once I have a low end rumble and groove that is satisfying just like that all by itself I will then add some simple synth, drum patterns and then the effects. I only use a few channels in a track, maybe 12 including everything. What do you think is the key to being successful in the world of techno? Think about it 24 hours a day, work at it 12 to 16 hours per day and give it about 10 years and hopefully there might also be some lucky breaks mixed in there. It is not easy, you have to work very hard and have a very committed not give up attitude. From a focus and time commitment point of view it's the equivalent to being a professional athlete. What programs/instruments do you use to produce and record? I do everything in Logic, most of my low end is from a simple Moog Lil Phatty, samples wherever I can find them or rip them. One of my favorite tracks that was released on Tronic even has some old 1970's game show noises in there. I will usually have just one soft synth in there for the top end lead sound. Really simple tracks with big linear dance floor energy, no shoulder shuffle stuff for me haha. How and when did you first start playing electronic music and how did you learn? I stared in 1999 after having been a dancer at some classic massive raves in the San Francisco Bay Area. I started as a DJ first and did that as a dream hobby for close to 10 years. In 2008 (late in the game at 30) I bought a copy of Logic. I had no one to teach me I just clicked and clicked and clicked. Even now I think my production flow is quite primitive but the way I do it is care free and allot of fun. I think my music sounds fairly individual to my personality so it's honest to who I am as a person and my real character. You’ve been touring Australia this month, what can people expect from a show from you? Fun in your face foot moving dance floor groovers. No shoulder shuffle stuff! How do you prepare for each live show? I usually have 5 songs that I am really excited to play that I have probably been saving for this special moment. I build my set around those tracks about half roughly pre planned and the other half straight from the hip. Honestly I am more focused on mixing and making DJ moves than the actual tracks I play (ewww taboo these days). It's just that I grew up around really slick hip hop and jungle DJs so creating new fresh one off sounds with the records and the DJ gear is what inspires me the most. I love to mix records together and do fun moves with the DJ gear. What do you find most challenging and rewarding when on tour? Getting good sleep (surprise surprise) is for sure the most challenging and knowing that you just knocked it out of the park and rocked these people is for sure the most rewarding. Of course meeting new people and seeing new places is also a huge reason to keep doing it. What do you like to do away from music? I lightly exercise a few times per week but honestly aside from that there isn't anything else at all. Techno is all I think about. I'm completely obsessed and compulsive. I should probably see a therapist lol. Who are you listening to at the moment? The tracks that are being sent as demos to Mavic. I seriously cannot believe how good they are. As far as non electronic music I like bands like Tool, the young and immensely talented Greta Van Fleet, Pink Floyd and some rock or metal. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? After this Australia tour I am going to head back to Austin to do some local DJing, write as much music as I can, get my radio show back up and running (sorry guys I have been slacking) and then I am headed to Europe to do some shows in August. I am looking forward to playing a Tronic party in New York at the end of June too. Any secrets that you care to share? No but I am transparent, if anyone wants to know anything about whatever I have accomplished so far just get a hold of me and I will tell you what I did. As far as a production tip I highly recommend listening to your mix from another room or stand outside and listen to your mix in your studio. Do 2 or 3 mix downs of each track and then have a couple of non DJ's pick their favorite mix. Favorite food and place to hangout? Australian meat pies are my favorite food and The Lighthouse Bar and Restaurant in Briarcliff where I live just outside of Austin Texas (when I am there) is my favorite place to hang out. Its a fairly country'esq place on the lake but the owner Robin loves techno and he has CDJ2000s and a Pioneer 2000 mixer in the bar and I practice on it after they close whenever I want. Its really great and rather juxtaposed in nature.

Barbuto

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I'm based in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and it's really active and diverse, there's really something for everyone here and it's cool that there's an actual sense of community since most venues are very centralized in the Zona Colonial. How did you first start playing music? I began making music around late 2014 with Logic and i didn't really understand it much, I then found about Ableton and began using it and started figuring out little by little watching youtube videos and spending whole days trying out all the features and things you could do. You've recently transitioned from your last EP, Aerodynamics of Multimedia, into your new project, Asociacion De Loops, Para Un Dia Mejor. What changed in the creative process and what influenced the sound and songwriting on this project compared to ADOM? Most of the songs in ALPPM are based around small melody loops in which i keep working on until it becomes something quite complex. All the artists from April Records (specially Opiate) are a huge inspiration in this EP for me, i really do think their blend of ambient, trip hop, and IDM is very unique and sounds very special to me. Where and when did you record? I recorded this back in March of 2019, at my home in Santo Domingo. What programs/instruments did you use? I used a Yamaha DX100, an Omnichord OM-84, + some CR-78 samples, all the sequencing done through Ableton Live. Who did you work with? I worked on the artwork for this EP alongside my brother, Ottmar Suero, you can check out his work here, everything else I made by myself. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation/recording/production? I think the most rewarding thing about this EP is that there was no challenge, everything just kinda flowed at the moment of writing these songs and it felt very personal. All of these songs were recorded in one night and it really did work to let out a lot of feelings and thoughts I had to myself for a while. What’s the goal of ADLPDM, what’re you trying to accomplish with this project? I wanted to give myself a break from the more uptempo and complex arrangements I've been working on and I also wanted to explore the arrangement style of Fantasmagórico (2017) and combining it with new concepts and ways of arranging I've learned. What prominent visual aspects influenced the audio on this project? Lots of Y2K and late 90's influences here, especially early 2000's artworks for ambient and minimal music. Who are you listening to at the moment? These past few days I've been listening a lot to Leandro Fresco, Isabelle Antena, Dettinger and Dan Curtin to name a few. What do you like to do away from music? I'm really into photography but I like to keep most of the things I shoot for my friends and myself. What's planned for 2019? I have a lot of releases cued up for 2019, so stay tuned ! will also be back in Ensenada for some shows this summer, and more stuff coming up. https://www.facebook.com/bndofc/

Boundary

Nomenklatur

What is your name and role within IKTC? My name is James Freeman, In the studio I’m producer/engineer/songwriter for IKTC - In a live setting I’m in charge of Vocals, Guitar, Synths and a MacBook Pro. Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Currently based in Melbourne, which in 2018 was named the live music capital of the world. Incredibly diverse live music scene full of amazing bands/artists, you can pretty much see any type of band you want on any night of the week. Please tell us a bit about IKTC: IKTC are a 3-piece Psychedelic Synth Pop band based out of Melbourne. We’ve been writing/releasing music and playing shows for about 6 years. What have you been working on recently? We recently filmed and released a video clip for “Jeff Goldblum’s House” - the opening track off our latest EP. Since then new music is in the works, there are a bunch of new ideas and demo’s working towards new singles/EP releases throughout 2019. Who are you listening to at the moment? In preparation for going to L.A in June/July I’ve been diving back into bands like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Harmonies to die for. How do you usually go about writing music? I don’t really have a formula or method I stick to when writing, songs come in all different ways. A lot of the time tracks will start out as 15 - 30 second instrumental loops that are then fleshed out into more substantial ideas with melodies and arrangements but I actually prefer when the lyrics come first, it always seems to feel bit more real. Your track 'Jeff Goldblum's House' has been remixed by Jamo, how did this track originally come to life and what is it about? The song started in an airbnb in Byron Bay between shows on an east-coast tour of Aus, from there it was worked up over a number of months leading up to the release of the EP. It’s about being made starkly aware of your own existence and the accompanying undeniable fact that you might have to kill off parts of yourself that your’e attached to if you want to move forward in life. Where and when did you record? This EP was worked on in a number of different ‘studios’ throughout 2017/18 (only one of which being an actual studio). From the Airbnb in Byron Bay to a house in Apollo Bay I converted into a studio for a month, the writing process was spread over many locations. The main production, tracking and mixing took place at a Studio just west of Melbourne that I was lucky enough to help build over about 10 years and now produce/engineer out of. Big Sky Audio is the studio - owned by Neil Gray - who’s a dear friend of the band, a great engineer and also the father of our drummer. How did Jamo come to remix 'Jeff Goldblum's House' ? JAMO is a label pal of ours on Onelove records - we dug his production and were stoked he was keen to put his spin on one of our tracks. What do you think of the remix? Let’s just say we can’t wait to slot it into our DJ sets. What do you like to do away from music? Get outdoors in nature Plans for the remainder of 2019? New music throughout the latter half of the year, spending a few weeks in the states in June/July and can’t wait to get back on stage after a few months off live shows. Any secrets that you care to share? Pretty sure the earth is not flat… could be wrong though #lookintoit Favourite food and place to hangout? Favourite food - Nonna’s homemade pasta. Place to hangout - Nonna and Nonno’s farm with a plate of homemade pasta. JAMO Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? - Currently I’m based in St. Andrews Beach on the Mornington Peninsula. The music scene down here is mainly local bands, which can be some fun. In the summer things get a bit busier with a bit more dance music.  How did you first get into music and remixing? I first got into music production when I was 16, I started out by remixing then also as that was the best way for me to learn the music software i was using.  Who are you listening to at the moment? At the moment I’ve been loving NxWorries, Chaos In The CBD, Big Words and Mildlife.  Please tell us about your own music, how do you write, record and what or who influences your sound and song writing?  With my own stuff I like to get super creative with samples and real instruments. I find my best work is from those ‘happy accidents’ which is when you make a completely new song with opposite intentions to what you had before the studio session haha.. My sound has stylistic influences from a lot of dance music heavy weights such as Hayden James, Rufus Du Sol, Set Mo ect.  What do you look for in a track before you decide to remix it? I look for a strong top line melody. most of the time I’ll only use the vocal or synth line in a remix and re-create the bed track. How do you approach the remixing of a track? I don’t actually have ‘one’ way of approaching a remix, its different every time. What do you like to do away from music? Surfing! It keeps me fit and healthy and have done so since i was young. Which artists are you digging at the moment? I recently saw Billie Eilish and G-Flip at GTM and really loved their sets. They’re at the forefront of my mind at the moment. What do you have planned for 2019? - Heaps! Plenty shows in the pipeline and I’m so excited to release the music I’m sitting on for this year. I also have a Euro trip planned in August.. (HMU). Gonna be a big year!  What programs/equipment do you use? I use Ableton live 9 as my DAW on my MacBook pro and have instruments - OB-6, Moog Minitaur, Korg ms-20, Rhodes mark 1, Fender Telecaster. My interface is the Fireface UCX and my studio monitors are the Focal Cms 65’s. Favourite food and place to hangout? I’m a big mango lover! But have been loving my frozen berries on my muesli recently.. Chapel Street in Melbourne would have to be the place to be.

I KNOW THE CHIEF X JAMO

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I'm currently based on the Isle of Wight, the little island at the very bottom of the UK. The music scene is interesting, it's very different to other parts of the UK I feel because it's like a microcosm of the rest of the UK as there's not one set sound but rather everything from rock to pop to country all in this one small scene with a few live music venues. There's always new bands appearing and creating a buzz, and venues like Strings and The Blacksheep both really help to give new bands a way to cut their teeth and work on their craft before gigging on the mainland or further abroad. How did you first start playing music? I originally picked up the guitar in middle school and had lessons because I thought it was cool really, but I quickly got bored because all we were taught was little riffs like James Bond and Jaws not really any actual songs. Then randomly I got really into street magic for a while, but then in the summer of year 9 I had the urge to sell my Playstation and get an acoustic guitar and it's been non stop since then really. I think it was better that I picked it up this way because I wasn't trying to do it to look cool or any exterior motive, it was just an instinctual drive to pick it up and now it's been a massive part of my life that has helped me through so much. What's been happening recently? A lot has been going on recently, I've started an events promotions company called Diamond Collective with two of my friends Tim Bouman and Daniel Thornton with the aim to build a scene and platform through which we can promote artists we're passionate about as well as ourselves. We've had two packed out nights at the Blacksheep on the Isle of Wight so far and are moving to Strings venue on May 29th for our next event. I've also released two singles ('Valentine' and 'Smoke & Ash') and am preparing for the release of another called 'Honey' in June. This year has been my debut as an artist with my new music so it's been really nice to finally get the music I've been working on out there and all the visions that I've had circulating in my mind for years now! You've recently released two singles 'Valentine' and 'Smoke & Ash', what influenced the sound and songwriting for these tracks? I've been writing since I first picked up the guitar so have got years worth of songs, but my sound has changed a lot since when I first started. Last year I finally started to find the sound and songwriting I wanted to pursue and was leaning towards the more pop orientated sound. Smoke & Ash was one of the songs I wrote just before this transition, and it represented a lot of changes and events in my life and so it felt right to begin with that as my first release into the world and lay the foundation for what was to come. Then Valentine was me really honing in on the pop vibe and creating something danceable that I would listen to myself. I'm really proud of both of them and am so happy to have them represent my debut as an artist. Where and when did you record? I started recording in February of last year with the first single Smoke & Ash, and then went on to record the other three tracks from the upcoming EP in June of last year. I recorded with Hungry Hound Productions on the Isle of Wight, working with the producer Stuart Heath. This was my first time in a professional recording studio and it was such a dream to be able to work with another passionate creative and have him involved in the process of making my vision come to life. He's such an amazing producer and I feel so privileged to have been able to work with him, if any artists looking to record soon are reading this please check him out! How do you usually go about writing music? I've never really had a set process to writing, I've found over the years I've developed techniques and ways of writing that I switch between all the time. Sometimes it'll be messing about on guitar and finding a chord progression I like then singing random words over it until a melody comes about, or using apps on my phone to create sounds and songs that I wouldn't usually come up with on guitar. One of my favourite techniques is to make a chord progression on piano or guitar, record it, and then come up with a vocal melody by improvising on guitar or piano as this leads to creating vocal melodies I wouldn't usually come up with by improvising with my voice. What programs/instruments were used during the recording and production process? We used the Logic DAW in the studio during the recording and mixing process. We tried to blend the raw instruments we used such as guitar, bass and drums with more electronic elements such as sub bass and samples to give it a more modern/pop edge. It was so fun to experiment with this blend and make it fit with the songs and create something new. You have a new track 'Honey' coming out in June 2019, what's this track about? I do! This track is probably the most vulnerable one I'll have released so far, and alongside this it's a stripped pop piano song so the lyrical content and emotion is much clearer. I wrote it about finding someone you feel is so perfect and you just want to be around them all the time and be surrounded by the happiness they make you feel, but then the harsh reality of long distance. It then also touches upon something I believe deeply in which is that before entering a relationship, the best thing one can do is to make sure they are comfortable and happy on their own and not in need of fulfilment and happiness from another person. And then when these two people come together the relationship is not the source of their happiness and love, but rather an extension of their happiness and love, and this I feel is the foundation of a relationship that lasts. Where can we listen to your music? I currently have two tracks out ('Valentine' and 'Smoke & Ash'), both available on all major music platforms!! You also have a 4 track EP titled 'Sitting On A Bench By The Sea At Midnight, what can we expect from this one? So this will feature my two tracks 'Valentine' and 'Smoke & Ash', my soon to be released 'Honey' and also one more song exclusive to the EP titled 'Because'. And accompanying it will be a short film music video featuring all four songs! How did this EP come about? The EP takes it's name from a line in Smoke & Ash, and it represents a turning point in my life when I, believe it or not, sat on a bench by the sea at midnight after a few major events and began the process of change in my life that has brought about a lot of changes and evolution in myself towards who I am now and have always wanted to be. It felt natural to pay homage to this moment in my life by incorporating it in my art and almost saying thank you to a course of events and people in each song that have shaped me and stimulated growth. Please tell us about your new music video: So the new music video is for my song 'Smoke & Ash' and it's the first part of a short film I've produced with a video with Glasshouse Productions who are a cinematic film and photography business run by Reuben Mowle and Charlie Fennimore. I had the idea, rather than making a normal music video for each song, I'd create a short film format video that featured each song and tied them all together with an interweaving story. Making the film was such a beautiful experience for me and I've learned so much from it. Working with the lads at Glasshouse was truly one of the best experiences of my life, I've always admired what they do and so to be able to create something so personal with them and see my vision come to life has been an honour beyond words. The story of the film starts with the events explained in Smoke & Ash and then leads into a story line that's loosely based on the growth and journey I've been through since then. I'm beyond proud of it and I can not wait to finally release it into the world!! When and where are you playing next? My next gig is on the 29th May at Strings Bar and Venue on the Isle of Wight for the next Diamond Club I'll be hosting with Diamond Collective. This one is a pre-festival season bash and there'll be five local bands who'll all be playing on the festival circuit this year so it'll be a proper party. Plus I may or may not be playing my next single 'Honey' that'll be released next month... What do you like to do away from music? Music is a pretty massive part of my life and it's always running through my mind in some form, but I'm also a massive fan of cinema. The cinema has always been my other safe space aside from playing music in my room or on stage. Whenever I go to a cinema to watch a film I just let myself be absorbed in it and then when I come out I find I'm in a different headspace where I can look at things in my life from a different perspective and change the way I'm feeling. That's why I'm so passionate about the film I'll be releasing and making cinematic visuals and videography a large part of my art as a music artist. What's planned for 2019? I'm so hyped for what's still to come this year, I've got a new single 'Honey' coming next month. Then I'll be releasing the short film and EP in July, followed by some very special extra releases tied in with the EP and film. I'll be appearing at Isle of Wight Festival this year which I'm so excited about, it's always an honour to be able to play my home town festival. Then after the summer I've got planned a very special set of releases which I'll be hinting at over the next couple of months so stay tuned to my socials! Any secrets you care to share? I may or may not have a screening planned for the short film in a very special location... That and my hair goes down past my nips. Favourite food and place to hang out? My favourite food is UNDOUBTEDLY peanut butter & avocado sandwich, honestly the best food combo I've ever taster in my twenty years on this earth, don't hate til you try it haha! And favourite place to hang out is either in a cinema or by the beach with my best mates and said peanut butter & avocado sandwich. Facebook: www.facebook.com/liamburkeofficial Instagram: www.instagram.com/liamburkeinsta

Liam Burke

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I currently live in Wayne New Jersey, which is like 20-30min away from New York. The specific music scene around me is pretty calm but being from Jersey, Paterson is the closest area that has a bubbling music scene with artists trying to come up. I don’t fall into their style so I don’t see much of how deep it is, but I’ve seen it first hand a couple of times How did you first start playing music? Uhmm, I would have to say my first start playing or doing music would be in 2009. My freshman year is the first time I attempted to make my own piece of music, and that was me making a High School version of Lil Wayne’s "Every Girl" that I called “My School." l replaced "Every Girl's" hook with “I wish I could date every girl in my school" You come from a very musical family with your father being the front man of RUN DMC, what was your childhood experience like? That’s a question I get asked a lot. For me, it was normal because I don’t know what it’s like to not have him being who he is. Now that I’m older and can look back on how my life actually was and even is to this day is, it’s honestly a blessing. Especially seeing how my friends lives are compared to mine, it made me realize that I was blessed with a path that I can’t let go to waste. What have you been working on recently? Outside of working on myself, I’ve been working on getting my music to a place where it fills all voids. A place where it hits on all cylinders. Catching what is true to me, but at the same time, finding what is true in all of us. What do you most enjoy about listening to and creating/playing music? Music takes you to a whole other world. It can take you to a place of happiness and peace. Even if it’s only for the few minutes when your favorite song is on. Nothing outside of your favorite artist, or song, or album matters for that moment in time. You could’ve been angry, sad, overwhelmed but the moment you hear that song or artist it all vanishes and brings you back to level headed mindset. Knowing that I have the capability of bringing that feeling of peace and happiness to even just one listener gives creating music the music I make a purpose. The overall goal for my musics is getting people to accept all feelings we feel as humans and to know it’s okay to be EXTRA lol that’s the goal, get everybody okay with being Extra. You've just released your debut track 'Heat' which comes accompanied with a video, what influenced the sound and songwriting for Heat? Well actually HEAT went through a couple phases. I had the song in the vault for a whole year while working on getting it to what it is now, but when I originally came up with the idea I was trying to catch that “club” "turn up" vibe lol. Lil Pump's "Gucci Gang" and Uzi's "XO Tour Life" were heavy in my rotation, so I decided to make a festival crowd banger in this style, but once I showed my dad what I did he opened the flood gate by saying “it’s not enough, you can do way more.” With him saying that, I started looking back and Run DMC's "Rock Box" hit me. The guitar gives it life, the scratching gives it soul, then the sprinkles adding in the one that literally started it all-DMC. There’s no way this song could have been anything other than what it is. Where and when did you record and who with? I recorded HEAT at Platinum Sound Recording Studio throughout the year, but the whole project “Earning My Stripes” was recorded in New York with the greatest engineer of all time- Serge Tsai. What programs/instruments did you use? To record I use Protools in the studio, but it depends on the studio and what they have. Doesn’t matter to me really as long I can record. I personally don’t play any instruments.I don’t have the patience so I respect, honor, and lovingly envy all that actually do play. How did you approach the recording/production process? Pretty naturally I would say. I didn’t rush or stress over any part of it. All the pieces just fell perfectly in place when they were supposed to. How did you go about writing Heat and how do you go about writing music in general? Well HEAT is more so a dope radio hype song that electrifies a room. My other songs, however, are more heart and emotion driven. I’m really heavy on letting the voice in the back of your mind express itself, like for some songs, I purposely put myself in a mood so that I can express it lol. Your debut EP 'Earning My Stripes' is also out now, what did you find most challenging and rewarding during the production of this Earning My Stripes? What did I find most challenging? Hmm, I’d have to say the most challenging part was having to only put six songs on there, and all the business that actually goes into being able to actually put out a song. I have so many ideas, but clearing a song is a real thing lol. The most rewarding thing from this has to be actually seeing and completing a full project officially, and taking that first step to doing everything the right way. (And I can move onto all my other ideas.. slowly but surly lol) What are your plans for Earning My Stripes? I want Earning My Stripes to be the bread at the table, not even the appetizer. Just a little something to get the taste buds and mind going to get you ready for what’s actually to come. Who are you listening to at the moment? Currently, Lil Uzi is my main right now. I have him and instrumentals on repeat 24/7, but overall I vary from KISS, Bullet For My Valentine, Michael Jackson, Drake, Chris Brown, myself, all the way to Video Game/ Orchestral music. I’m all over the place, but I would have to say my go- to‘s are Lil Uzi Vert and Chris Brown. What do you like to do away from music? Away from music I’m pretty simple. I used to play hockey, was pretty good too for starting so late. I started skating when I was 16 and within four years, was able to keep up with college kids who’d been playing since six, seven years old. Other than hockey, I would say video games. I was big into Call of Duty, but the classics Call of Duty 4, Modern Warfare 2, the originals of Online Gaming. Now, what I mostly do, is wait until the next time I’m back in a musical setting. I never want to leave it, only to sleep because my body needs it. What do you have planned for the remainder of 2019? The remainder of 2019 for me will be working on more music, hopefully getting another EP out for Fall/Winter and getting some videos shot for a few songs off the “Earning My Stripes” EP. Also, getting my name and face out there more so people can join me on my journey. Any secrets that you care to share? Mm any secrets.. not really, no. I guess I could say a secret could be there are two girls out there that I love and who inspire my whole musical existence, but who they are.. well that’s a secret *tongue in cheek* lol Favourite food and place to hangout? Ooo favorite food would have to be pizza. That’s the one thing I don’t think I could ever give up no matter how healthy I wanna be. I’ll sacrifice skipping a meal so I can get those extra calories lol Favorite place to hangout? Outside of my house, the studio. That’s the one place I want to live. I have to merge the two together and then I never have to leave unless I have a show or radio interviews Social: https://www.instagram.com/dsonmcdaniels/ Website: https://dsonmcdaniels.com

DSON McDaniels

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m based in Harcourt, near Castlemaine, Central Victoria. The music scene in and around Castlemaine includes events at the Theatre Royal (national and international performances), live local music in a variety of pubs, events at local wineries and harvest festivals, plus the Castlemaine State Festival, Castlemaine Jazz Festival, Maldon Folk Festival and Newstead Live. How did you first start playing music & singing? My mum gave me a keyboard at age three and she was my first piano teacher. I always loved singing along to my favourite songs and performing them or making up my own tunes and putting on a show during the day and every night before bed. Your debut single 'See You Again' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? The main influence for the track was an R&B style Ariana Grande track produced by Tommy Brown but also adding in references to 90’s New York R&B and gospel. The inspiration behind the lyrics was about my experience of briefly meeting someone and remembering those instant feelings of excitement and curiosity. The line ‘jealous of the night we had’ was created because I kept thinking back and missed being there. How did you go about writing 'See You Again'? I wrote See You Again in early 2017 when I was 18 years old. I started by playing warm R&B sounding chords on my keyboard at home. I knew I wanted this to be a song that builds into an upbeat song that you can dance to. I then I went to a place of inspiration in myself and started writing the lyrics. Where and when did you produce/record? ‘See You Again’ was produced and recorded at Next Level Studios, Brunswick, in October 2017. Who did you work with during the production and recording process? I worked with Jerome Farah who produced and recorded ‘See You Again’ and Aman Bayatly who mixed and mastered the track. How did you approach the production and recording process? I had written the song and wanted to get it produced so I spoke with friend Dion Brownfield, who introduced me to Jerome Farah and said I could use his studios at Next Level Studios in Brunswick. I sent Jerome a rough recording I’d done of just keys and vocals before we met in the studio. Jerome loved the song I’d written and understood the 90’s New York R&B direction I wanted to take it musically. I gave him a few reference tracks. Jerome connected with them and instantly knew we were going to make this a big sounding song. We began by getting my keyboard parts down and adding percussion and drums. I recorded the vocals which we layered to create a gospel choir sound. We spent 10 hours in the studio, then Jerome continued to build on the production after our session. What are you plans for 'See You Again'? ‘See You Again’ is my debut as a singer-songwriter to a wider audience, to establish me as one of Australia’s freshest new voices in R&B. I hope it will be become a popular tune and be on radio rotation and get picked up by publishers and noticed by a record label. You also have a film clip for 'See You Again' where and when did filming takes place? We filmed the music video in Castlemaine at the Maurocco Bar/Midland Hotel and Castlemaine Railway Station in November 2018. How did the concept for the film clip come about? I had the location in mind, the exotic ambience of the art deco interior in the Maurocco Bar/Midland Hotel. The location was great because it provided a bar as well as a bedroom, staircase and large lounge areas with interesting details throughout. I chose the pink tones of my clothes to fit in with the décor and furnishings. I had the idea of keeping me on my own in the music video because in the song I am on my own. I’m sharing my memories with the audience, as if they are with me. As this is my debut single I wanted to make strong eye contact with the camera and audience to capture their full attention. Who did you work with during the filming and production process? I worked with my mum Katherine Seppings on the pre-production and we directed it together. She was able to help me with her experience as a photographer and having worked on music videos in London in the 80’s and 90’s. I worked with Aidan Fryer who filmed and edited the music video. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of the film clip? In the beginning it was challenging getting my ideas onto paper and making an actual plan for shooting and choosing the scenes. During the filming I really enjoyed performing to the camera. It was rewarding seeing my vision come to life especially once the edit was done. It is exactly what I wanted. What do you like to do away from music? Away from music I’m still listening to music and watching music videos. I love cooking and baking, interior design, decorating and painting, playing with fashion ideas, shooting film and taking photographs and spending time with my dog and loved ones. Who are you listening at the moment? I’m listening to Mac Ayres, Ariana Grande and H.E.R. What do you have planned for 2019? To bring out my debut EP followed by an east coast tour. When and where are you playing next? I’m playing next at the Taproom, Castlemaine, for the launch of my debut single ‘See You Again’ on Saturday 11 May, The Palais in Hepburn Springs supporting Sol Nation (World Music Party) on Saturday 18 May, and at The Golden Vine, Bendigo, on Friday 24 May, which concludes my single tour. Any secrets that you care to share? I’ve been vegan for three years. Favourite food and place to hangout? My favourite meal is Jambalaya. My favourite place to hangout is at home in Harcourt.

Maya Rose

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I am based in Melbourne, Victoria, I’ve been living here for the past 2 years and I absolutely love it! Melbourne has an incredible live scene which I believe is one of the biggest in the world. The Australian music industry in general has great potential with a stack of incredible talents! How did you first start playing music? I was 5, my uncles were musicians at the time and were rehearsing for a show in their studio in France. Next minute I was holding the microphone and I was performing as the opening act of their gigs. Please tell us about your background and why you decided to move to Australia: I was born and raised in France in a place we call the “city of love”: Paris. My parents come from Spanish and Moroccan background. When I was just a child, I used to hear Spanish, Arabic and French in my world… I could never thank them enough for giving such a multicultural childhood! I’ve also always been fascinated by English music, culture and language.After spending a few months in the United States, I decided to join one of my best friends on a trip to Australia which was supposed to only be for 6 months and here I am now totally in love with this beautiful country. What have you been working on recently? This is top secret! Haha just kidding I’ve been working on my EP “Inspire” with my label Inspire Music. My goal hasn’t changed, I always want to inspire all music fans and artists through my music and my productions… and I think the title speaks for itself ! I’ve also been working a lot on myself, on my body and on my mind, my thoughts. Your mind is the most powerful tool you have to face every day’s challenge and if you learn the art of listening to it, you’ll become more aware of how to use it ! I think it’s really important in Music, especially when it comes to writing, find inspirations and learning to appreciate criticism… meditation is the key ! You have a new single out now called '#Greenlights' - what or who influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? First of all, performers such as Drake, Justin Timberlake, Craig David and recently Khalid, are big influences for me, and I hope it reflected well in my music! Regarding “#GreenLights” As you might know, I’ve been working with a French music producer called “Nate” for about 7 years now. He called me a few months ago super excited about this track he produced. I could feel the energy and the excitement even through the phone. After listening to the instrumental and the beats, the melodies started flowing. I’ve had a lot of people compared it to “Chainsmokers” type of sound (especially the drop part)… Personally I like to think that every melody and artist is unique, and has its own way to do things… so if I had to compare it, I would probably say I got inspired by my previous tracks that I produced with “Nate” such as “Over Yah”, or “Love Seasons” from my previous EP “Future Vision” (that you can find on Spotify or Soundcloud, if I can do a little bit of advertisement haha). How did you go about writing “#Greenlights” My music is always influenced by what I experience in my life… it could be a personal situation, some stories shared by people around me, what I’m dreaming about, etc. Basically, everything that I feel inspiring to me. Recently one of my closest friends got engaged after 5 years of relationship. The way he was describing his future wife felt like the first time he met her. From this story #GreenLights came to life. Why Green Lights? I was writing the song sitting in front of a bridge that had amazing green lights hahaha How original is that? It might not be inspiring for you, but that moment felt special for me, the only thing I had to do then was to find how to transmit that feeling! How do you usually write music? Whenever I feel ideas coming up, I sit down in front of my laptop and let the energy flow. Like I said, I also love meditating. It’s often after a 15 minutes meditation session that I find most of my ideas. However, I never enter into meditation with the aim of finding new lyrics, I just let my mind rest and observe it. I guess it allows me to find a focus and a special energy to write new songs. You must think I’m weird now (haha) ! Where and when did you record/produce? We produced, wrote and recorded the song in February right after the release of my first project with Inspire Music called “Acuerdate” (a Latino/Rn’B track). Most of the voices and some instruments on “#GreenLights” are recorded in my home studio in Dockland. I have a view on the Yarra River and I find the view really inspiring! The rest, is produced by “Nate” from France. (For my Australian audience, I won’t say that the track is “Made in France”). What programs/equipment did you use? I’m using Logic Pro X and Ableton Live. For the mixing part, our sound engineer (@Panorama_mastering) is using Pro Tools. Everything I need like microphones, interfaces, speakers, keyboards are available in my home studio. What do you like to do away from music? On top of spirituality and meditations, I have two other passions, Travel and Fashion, but the last one is probably because I come from Paris (haha). I love travelling because I’m super curious. This pluricultural childhood probably gave me a thirst for discovery of other culture and languages. Finally, I do a lot of sports and read a lot. Weirdly, I read a lot about business but also books that talk about state of mind. For instance, I currently read “The Power of now” by Eckhart Toll, an excellent book that teaches you about living in the moment. I also go to the gym once a day… alright, “I TRY TO” go to the gym once a day (haha). Who are you listening to at the moment? One of my favourite tracks at the moment is called “Love Riddim” by Rotimi. But lastly, I’ve been listening a lot to Khalid and his last album “Free Spirit” (which I think is the most promising Rn’B artist). I’m also listening a lot to my mom asking me if I’m alright and when I’m coming back to France (haha). Where and when are you playing next? We will organise a launch party in a couple of days at this crazy place in North Melbourne called “The Third Day”! So stay tuned on my Instagram! What do you have planned for the remainder of 2019? The EP is about to be finished and will be released in the next few months. I’ve already started working on my next album that will follow up probably end of 2019/ beginning of 2020. We are also looking with the label to a few super talented Rn’B and pop artists in Melbourne that we’d like to sign under “Inspire Music”. Finally, I’m planning to go back to France in mid-August, but don’t tell my mom please. Any secrets that you care to share? The album will feature 1 major international artist. That’s all I can say. Also, I’m about to turn vegetarian, but only in Australia… My mom’s tajine (a Maroccan dish with meat) is way too good for me to turn Vegetarian ! Is there a secret formula to succeed in the music industry? Love is the key. If you do what you’re attracting about and passionate about, you will succeed. So listen to your feelings it’s that simple ! I’ll tell you what, I read once that “you need to leave something you’ve done with your hand on this earth before you go away”... wether it’s a garden, a house, a wooden horse, it must be something your soul can come back and connect to when you fly away. I decide it would be music. How has the music scene changed since you first started? It changed a lot! When I started, Music was all about radio plays and TV shows. Nowadays, social media is basically what runs music. It gives more chances to independent artists to succeed without the support of major labels. A simple video on Facebook or Instagram can make anyone blows up ! Favourite food and place to hangout? My favourite food is my mom’s dishes to be honest, she makes the best couscous in the planet… you should definitely try it! My favourite place to hangout is my studio. One day, I spent 17 hours in it… my roommate even brought me my dinner ^^ Even when I’m not making music I find it really peaceful to hang there. I also love doing team meetings at a cafe next to my place called “D.G.Expresso” or at “The Third Day”. Best place and they do really nice coffee !

S-Jee

Rick Howe / PBS 106.7 Radio Festival

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I'm just half of my time in Brunswick, a dreary little city in northern Germany, because my girlfriend lives there. The other half of my time im either on tour or in Berlin in the studio in the Holzmarkt. The Holzmarkt is something of an alternative village, including the Club Katerblau. I think i do not need to explain what is going on in Berlin. In Braunschweig there is only the art school and a few clubs in which I have never been. but I have heard that the „Laut“ club should be quite good. How did you first get into music and DJing? I had one of the first programs "cakewalk" when I was 13 years old. I made hip hop beats with that. that was in 1993. since then i have only had a two-year break from Producing. I came from hip hop to triphop and then eventually to electronic music. I started with dj much later, about 10 years ago as a warm up dj on our own parties. Who are you listening to at the moment? I hear many different things. I am genuinely interested in all genres and styles. this is often music that has nothing to do with techno, for example minimalistic ambient music. especially music without drums i like. this is often the best choice for home i think, but thats more functional relax music in a way. And lately I like to listen to old records on Spotify, especially the old and unknown tracks of very famous people im interested in. What have you been working on recently? the last 6 months i produced 3 records for „Amount“ the actual URSL one, and than two others: a „Upon You“ Record what is coming end of may and a „Feines Tier“ Vinyl including a Acid Pauli Remix. Also i did a remix for Soukie and Windish and for Amount too and i was updating my liveset. Actually im working on new Amount tracks. What programs/equipment do you use when playing live and producing? For the effects I take almost exclusively Soundtoys and Ableton tools. I have a lot of synthies standing around in the studio, which I love very much and which are also often used. for live I'm pretty minimal equipped with a laptop and two large controllers. I shredded the music into small pieces and had to press many buttons to make it sound reasonable. finally I think I work more than many other live acts. In the future, I'll want to ad a analog synth for the entertainment-factor because a lot of people didn’t get it that i play live. How do you approach the production process? its important for me to work in the studio and at home as well. I usually do sketches on my headphones on my laptop in the morning time when my ears and mind are fresh. it takes a few weeks to fabricate approximately 20 sketches. When I have enough ideas together, I go to the studio. In the studio I check which sketches sound good on the monitors and then try to mix the perfect sound. a few elements i always have to sort out because they did not sound good. I usually try to fill up missing parts with our analogue synthesizers. after optimizing the sound i leave the studio and go back to the headphones to start the arrangements. that will be checked again in the studio. only when everything works well in the studio and on the headphones are the tracks finished. in the end i have most of the time 5-8 pieces left over from the 20 sketches from the beginning. How do you go about writing music? I usually just start and just try to jam without any concept. But then I let the resulting ideas lie for a few weeks before I decide to continue working on them. I use everything possible for music production. from a modular system to an infinite number of samples. The main thing I do not bored me and am somehow in a workflow. When making music do you like to collaborate or work alone and why? both have their advantages and disadvantages, but the longer I make music, the more I like to produce on my own. How do you prepare for live shows? I practice about 1-2 times a day from three days before. It can be very strange when I am in the club and everything is very dark and the hand movements are not working properly. Alcohol is also not good when playing live. So I always have to practice before, otherwise the gig will not run smoothly. How has the Berlin music scene / tourism evolved since you have been there? I have been living in Berlin for 8 years now and it has changed a lot during this time. It's obvious that rents are rising because so many wants to live here and also because of the tourism - boom. As a result, the city is very crowded in the summer. I find it a bit too much, you lose the overview and it is becoming increasingly impersonal. on the other hand, of course, berlin was an exception historically and it is also clear that the status quo from the past will not go on forever. i just hope that the people here defend their shelters and that the city will not be totally boring in 20 years. What do you most enjoy about Berlin? the food and the nice people and the great parties. What are your favourite clubs in Berlin? Katerblau, Bucht, Golden Gate, Renate, Mensch Meier, Sisyphos. Your studio is in Holzmarkt, please explain what your studio is like, what you have there, how you work there and what it's like being a part of Holzmarkt: We moved into a completely empty room and made everything quasi customary. The room is also measured by a room acoustician. There are a lot of bass traps attached. We have several classic synthesizers: Prophet 12, Moog sub 37, North lead, Juno z. and a modular system. the monitors are from Klein und Hummel. The most important thing is: we have a terrace and spree view. What do you like to do away from music? Bike tour, nature, cooking and reading. What's planned for 2019? Nothing special. :) Any secrets that you care to share? When im naked i look quite funny. Favourite food and place to hangout? So many in berlin that I would not highlight any.

URSL

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I'm currently based in Rome and I'm happy to see that genres i loved while growing up like Hip Hop and Trap got pretty popular with new talented artists coming up every month. Right now Dancehall influences are infusing the sound quite a bit so I wonder what the next big thing will be. How did you first start playing music? When I was 12 I had my first drum machine and I would make small loops to sing on, emulating some of my favourite artists, styles and melodies. Then - once I was introduced to DAW's - a new world opened up for me. What have you been working on recently? I've been in rooms with many talented artists like Crack Ignaz, Chvrli, Koder and many more working on productions and songwriting for their projects. I always try to create something new to keep the creative juices flowing without thinking too much for who it would be or where it would go so that my catalogue keeps its versatility. Your new EP is out now, what or who influenced the sound and songwriting for this EP? Apart from the new "trappy vibe" that influenced "SUMMER PLANS" I digged back a bit to get inspired so there is a bit of "The Neptunes" for "COOPER" 's drum pattern and feel and a bit of Craig David's UK 2 Step storytelling for "KISS + TELL". These are obviously starting points that sparked the sound idea cuz i wanted it to sound like me and not emulate. Where and when did you record? Mainly in Rome. Back and forth from my studio to my house. You never know when inspiration strikes you so I always had my notes open to write down any cool lyrics and kept my recorder close to pin down some quick vocal lines. Half way thru the project I traveled for sessions so that helped me to gain new perspectives but at the end everything was finalized in my city with the mix and master being finessed by my close friend MaD3E. Did you work with anybody else during the creation/production process? No. I usually don't work with other people when it's for my project. I surely will in the future but for this EP especially I wanted it to be all me and express what I had in mind without any external help. It turned out to be quite therapeutic. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation/production of the EP? The vision I had was to have 5 songs that touched 5 different genres that I love and raised me musically so being able to achieve that was challenging. Especially when you have to give the whole body of work a smooth logical sequence without any abrupt changes. What do you have planned for this EP? Since its release I gained a lot of amazing feedback from different people writing to me all across Social Media. I recently released the artworks to each individual song as I also wanted to showcase the story behind each song with visuals. You can find animated canvas of each song on the Spotify mobile app (in case you're using the premium model). Otherwise, I have some surprises coming up the next three months. Who are you listening to at the moment? I switch a lot. Sometimes I totally submerge myself in a month long listening spree searching for cool new music and sometimes I don't listen to music at all. Right now it's one of those "no music" moments but before I had Daniel Cesar, H.E.R., Bryson Tiller and PND on loop cuz I had a craving for RnB. What do you like to do away from music? I love astrophysics so i binge watch interesting interviews and documentaries about space and parallel universes, lol. Once you start it's difficult to see things the same way you used to. Lately I got into studying historic artists like painters and sculptures a bit more too. What do you have planned for the remainder of 2019? There's a lot of things going on as I recently started DJing. In July, I will be performing at the Splash Festival, which is Germany's biggest HipHop festival. Otherwise, I am constantly working on new music and doing sessions (recently been making music in Barcelona). There's more music to be released over the summer and for the remainder of the year. Any secrets that you care to share? You shouldn't put cheese on fish but I love parmigiano cheese on pasta with tuna. A lot of people that think the same as me are coming out and we will change things. Favourite food and place to hangout? Rome offers many options so that's a tricky one. Depending on my mood, I am to be found all across the city. Testaccio, Trastevere, San Lorenzo, Pietralata. It really depends on my mood. In regards to food, even though my name "BVRGER" has a different meaning, I still can admit that I love burgers. My manager lately introduced me to chicken and waffles in London and this was an amazing culinary experience. Try "Clutch Chicken" next to Colombia Road in Hoxton. Also pasta has a big place in my heart. Cacio e pepe, Amatriciana, Carbonara. When in Rome, try "Angelina a Testaccio" for a pasta treat. Best,

BVRGER

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I live in Amsterdam, which is an amazing place for music. Electronic music is very well represented here, and every weekend you can find a diverse selection of styles in really great venues. On top of that, there are countless top festivals in and around Amsterdam. The airport is next to the city so perfect for international touring artists. How did you first start playing electronic music? I started playing the piano when I was about 3 years old. When I was 10, I played around with some old music software, like the first version of Reason. Later, around the age of 16 - the time that minimal techno was ruling the underground scene - I attended my first techno parties and immediately became hooked to the sound and wanted to produce that. So I did. You have recently released your new album 'Church Of Clubmusic' what or who influenced the sound and songwriting? It’s an accumulation of all the influences in my musical life. There are elements from classical music in there too, but also rave influences from the illegal raves I used to attend and play at a lot. I think it is hard to pick just one influence when you make music. I believe that everything that happens in your life and all the music you listen to, has an impact on the things you do. How did you go about writing the music for 'Church Of Clubmusic'? After finishing my previous album ‘Megacity Servant’ in 2016, I started thinking about a new album already. This time I wanted to showcase a more diverse sound, as the music I produce is very different from the music that I usually play at my gigs. The challenge was to combine many different styles in one cohesive album, so it took a lot of effort rethinking and reshaping tracks until I was happy with how it fitted into the bigger picture. Where and when did you produce/record? That really depends on the track. The final versions, mixdowns and masters were all produced in my studio in Amsterdam. The oldest track on the album was recorded for the first time in my student home in Rotterdam 12 years ago: “Frozen Keys”. I always really liked the track, but was never happy with the production of it. Now for the album, I finally created the sound I always envisioned for it. “Hard Gaan” was actually born during a live performance in a club at 6AM, as it was improvised completely. The track always stayed an improv during my sets, but for the album I specially recorded a studio version of the track. Some other tracks like “Ibiza Disco Lines” were recorded in my studio in Berlin first, when I lived there back in 2017. “Evansecent” was first recorded in a hotel room after a gig, “Mind Game” in the airplane back from Mexico, and some of them I recorded in the studio I built at my parent’s place. Did you work with anyone else during the creation of the album? Yes, I worked with Cari Golden, she did amazing vocals for two of the tracks. I really love her voice and it blends in very well with the electronic sounds. Besides Cari Golden, I also went to a studio to record myself playing piano for “The Ones Who Know” track. I wrote, composed, arranged, mixed, mastered etc. everything on my own. I like to have full control and I enjoy working in the studio a lot - not only the songwriting but also working on the technical details. What programs/equipment did you use for the production of the album? Because I made the tracks during different periods of my life, the tools I used to produce the tracks vary as well. I really like a lot of the original old Roland equipment, like the TR909, TR606 and TR808, you will hear acid from a TB303 and SH101, some Moog thrown in there, but also the more boutique companies like Vermona. I have some nice racks with effects, EQ, compressors, old delays and reverbs. I sequence and record everything in Ableton using some really high-quality converters. I use PMC for monitoring. The actual gear used in the creative process differs from track to track. Some tracks I make are 100% digital, but sometimes they can be 100% analog too. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of 'Church Of Clubmusic'? It’s really hard to work and improve older tracks, to make it fit together with the rest of the album and make it sound how you envisioned it - without losing the vibe and feel of the original version. This required a lot of trial and error and thinking about the music conceptually to understand what to change and what not. Sometimes “mistakes” are what makes a track special. What do you have planned for this album? I’ll be touring with my live show in the coming months, the more powerful tracks of the album play a big role in the shows. Who are you listening to at the moment? At this moment I’m listening to some new work from Mees Salomé. What do you like to do away from music? There’s not a lot of time away from music for me – I’m almost always making music or listening to it. I like to spend time with friends, eat some good food, watch some series etc. How do you prepare for your live shows? Ever since my very first “official” gig, I always play live. For me, it feels very natural and I don’t need to prepare a set. The preparation takes place in the studio, working on new music, and making sure all my equipment is complete and works properly before I leave to the airport. My liveset always varies depending on the show and travel. My main setup is Ableton Live, a soundcard, midi interface, Allen & Heath Xone, Roland TB303 (usually a modded clone), and Native Instruments Maschine. With Maschine I can load in VSTs and keep sequences of the tracks I made in the studio. Then I have a collection of “backing tracks” in Ableton, which are basically just kick + bass + FX. With Maschine I sequence and play all the drums and synths live, which allow me to drastically change tracks and add things - without the need of having 10+ stems per track. The livesets consists out of work from many years and is about half a terabyte or something in size. This allows me to be very flexible and diverse in my shows. It basically means that I decide what to use, drag in and select what I want to play during the show itself. What do you have planned for 2019? Keep on touring like always; I have a very full agenda with many great shows all around the world, for which I’m very thankful and happy. Besides touring, I am making a lot of new music and will come with a new release concept on Filth on Acid. Any secrets that you care to share? I’m colorblind. Favorite food and place to hangout? Too much good food to choose just one… But lately I’ve been eating a LOT of Ramen Noodles. Favorite place to hangout is for sure my home after a good tour!

Reinier Zonneveld

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I am based in Melbourne and the music scene is very healthy and vibrant. Any night of the week you can head out and watch quality local original music. Whenever I have reached out to other artists or met people at gigs, I have only experienced genuine positivity and a supportive community. How did you first start playing music? When I was six years old, my Dad taught me how to play the Blues on the Piano, I became obsessed with Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. My Pop bought me a Didgeridoo and taught me how to play. When I got to high school I didn't think playing the Piano was very 'cool' until some guys in year 12 heard me playing Herbie Hancock tunes and invited me to jam with them. That was the beginning of my obsession with music. You've just finished an EP, what's the title? The EP is called Heavy Weight named after the last track. Heavy Weight is a broad reflection on narcissism and dishonest leadership, disregard to human rights, conflicted views on environmental matters and how lack of unity in decision making can ultimately result in us carrying this 'heavy weight' of guilt, disappointment or dissatisfaction as a consequence. What or who influenced the sound and songwriting? I love the energy that Animal Collective, LCD Soundsystem and Caribou create. The complexity in production from Electronica artists such as Oneohtrix Point Never, Holly Herndon and Rob Clouth. Ambitious ideas and song arrangements from artists like D.D Dumbo and Unknown Mortal Orchestra and raw emotion of artists like Ainslie Wills and Anohni. How did you go about writing the music for the EP? Musical ideas usually start at the piano or on the guitar and then evolve from there. I often listen to particular sounds and instruments I like such as bass sounds or beats and try to emulate these ideas or achieve similar results. I have really pushed myself beyond my capabilities with this music with building new skills in production and mixing, and refining my sound. Crafting songs on your own is such a difficult and lengthy process but for the first time I am stoked that I have created music that speaks honesty about relationships and my anger towards powerful people around us who make dumb decisions for their own benefit. Lachlan Carrick of Moose Mastering mastered the tracks, how was this experience? Lachlan has worked with artists such as Gotye, Anatole, Ainslee Wills and many other great artists. With this new single Better Way, I played all the parts, produced and mixed it, so I was really happy to have Lachlan's expertise and creative approach when adding the final touches on the last four songs of the EP. Where and when did you record/produce? The EP is the result of many sessions in different studios around Melbourne and Sydney. I was really fortunate to learn from and work with a bunch of amazing artists such as Ocdantar - who mixed the first two tracks on the EP. Working with Ocdantar inspired me to record analogue instruments as much as possible in order to help the songs breathe and come to life. I learned how to push my beat making further when I did a session with an incredible Electronica artist and friend KCIN from Sydney, and I received some valuable song arrangement advice in a session I did with Memphis KL last year. I also recorded a lot of the synths at MESS (Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio) where I had access to some incredible vintage gear. Most of the writing and arranging was done at home and I mixed the last four tracks at Spike Leo's studio at the Aivary Recording studios in Abbotsford, Melbourne. What programs/equipment do you use? The piano, a guitar or a synth is usually the birth place of a musical idea and then I'll build a beat around that idea using Ableton Live. All the piano and synth parts are recorded live and I re-recorded a lot of the sounds through guitar amps to add grit and variety in tone colour. When I did sessions at MESS, I got my hands on some amazing vintage synths such as the Roland System 100 and SH-101, Steiner-Parker Synthacon and a MEAN vintage Russian synth from the 1980's called the Polivoks. The third track, Swimming is an instrumental track where I feature a lot of these sounds and let the inner synth geek run wild. What do you have planned for this EP? I plan to get this music on stage as much as possible and play live more. I'd love to visit some other cities and play to new audiences, hey Brissy, Adelaide and Perth, I'm waving at you :) How do you approach your live shows? I have been working really hard on my live set as the new songs were made with the intention of having a stronger presence on stage. I have always been really inspired by artists such as Panda Bear and Baths and how they perform their music live. The new set is packed with harder grooves to get people moving and vibe the room, as well as more involved performance elements where I perform most of the synth parts, sing live and manipulate the tracks live as opposed to triggering backing tracks and looping. What do you like to do in your spare time? Despite releasing new music I am still writing and recording constantly so any free time is spent jamming with friends and working on other projects which I hope will also emerge from the studio this year as well. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? The six track EP will be out in June. I plan to play a bunch of live shows and make more music with friends. Any upcoming shows? I'm planning some shows for the coming months ahead and cant wait to put this music through some nice speakers in a nice venue, hopefully some big speakers! I'm also going to throw a mad party for all the people who I have borrowed gear from, asked a million production or mixing questions to, and family and friends that I have frustrated and ignored whilst I've made this music over the past 12 months! Who are you listening to at the moment? Clever Austin's new album is on repeat at the moment, I think Anatole's new album Emulsion will be in my top three albums for 2019 and I am really digging an incredible artist out of Toronto, La Force. Her voice and song writing is next level. I'm eagerly awaiting Flying Lotus' next album as well. What do you like to do away from music? EAT FOOD ! If I'm not trying to find the next amazing Ramen or Dumpling joint, I'm searching for awesome recipes and food docos online. Any secrets that you care to share? Give me a jar of peanut butter and a spoon and I'll eat it in one sit - or often just standing in the kitchen staring into peanut butter heaven. I blame my girlfriend for this, her influence started the obsession. Oh and pistachio gelato - damn, who needs drugs when that stuff is in your life. Favourite food and place to hangout? Start at Growers Espresso in Fitzroy north for the best coffee in town - yes it's a big call and I'm confident, it's the best espresso in town! Then head north to Carwyn Cellars in Thornbury where there's an amazing selection of beer on tap, always great music playing and you can order in from a bunch of restaurants close by. You're very welcome :) https://open.spotify.com/track/39CcPcwNwtDHxt4IIYpQ3B?si=ccrCHXjESyqDFQRpXywbMg Facebook: www.facebook.com/orchesmusic Instagram: www.instagram.com/orches_music Twitter: https://twitter.com/Orches_music TripleJ unearthed: www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/orches Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/orches-1 Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/better-way-single/1462179981

Orches

What part of the world are you currently based in, and what’s the music scene like there? I’m based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. I’ve lived here all my life. I’ve always looked at the music scene here with mixed emotions. On one hand there is lots of amazing producers, DJs, musicians, promoters. The city has top international talent jetting in and out every weekend. So if you’re into music, there’s always something cool to check out! On the other hand we’ve always been restricted by outdated licensing legislation. Alcohol can only be served to 1am, and most venues close at 1am or 3am at the latest! It’s tough on promoters and DJs to programme everything into such a short space of time. But we all have to adhere to the same rules and it’s always been like this. Such a shame when other clubs in Europe can stay open all night. For those not already familiar with your sound, how would you describe your music style, as I understand you have a couple of aliases? I’ve never been one to conform to a set style. I’ve always loved House, Techno and Disco. So I feel comfortable making and playing all styles. This has probably held me back at times. I think if I’d maybe just stuck with one set style I could have achieved more, but I just get bored easily and get inspired by different styles. I started releasing music about 12 years ago under the alias Scope. I released a mix of Deep House & Tech House on label’s like NRK, Large and Urbantorque. I had a lot of success with this project as the deep / tech / house sound was really blowing up and I was fortunate to play all over the world. A few years later I started making Disco re-edits, and what could be described as Nu Disco and Deep Discoy Housey under the alias South West Seven. Together with my production partner Sean Grieve we released records on Kolour Ltd, Shabby Doll and On The Prowl. Around 2012 I started releasing music as Montel. All my first releases as montel were on the old skool House tip and all released on vinyl. A few years later I felt that sound was being totally over used so I started moving towards a chunkier clubby sound. This is definitely when I started getting more recognition for the Montel stuff. People like John Digweed, Hot Since 82, Richy Ahmed and Anja Schneider we’re playing lots of my stuff in their sets and loads more people started following me. Some of my productions started more towards a real Techno sound and was maybe confusing to some people who just expected me to make House. Rather than starting a new alias I just started releasing my Techno stuff under the abbreviated Montel alias as MNTL. Recently I’ve been concentrating all my efforts to developing my own Techno brands / labels, Miles From Mars and Misfit Music! You just mentioned a couple of labels that you recently set up, could you tell me about those projects, and what makes them different from each other? Misfit Music was set up in August 2017 with my partner in the label Steve Boyd. He runs the Misfit club night which I was a resident at, so we decided to start the label together to showcase the sound of the night. The label tends to focus on that big room techno sound. I didn’t want to saturate the label with loads of my own music so I wanted to create another label to release my own output on. I also wanted the sound of the label to be Techno and club focused, but deeper and moodier. The first 2 releases were by me and they got quite a bit of attention as Adam Beyer and Joseph Capriati we’re playing them a lot. I guess because of this I started getting sent demos by really cool new producers. Both labels give me the platform now to release my own sounds and also from producers I really like! You mentioned Misfit Music also links to an event you are involved with. Could you tell us about the parties and what kind of artists you invite to play? Misfit started around 2013. Steve Boyd, my partner in the label is co-owner of the venue that Misfit is held at every Friday. I’ve been a resident since 2014 and was assisting in the bookings. Over the years I’ve booked Rich Ahmed, B.Traits, Tiger Stripes, Wehbba, Argy, Bart Skils, Reset Robot, Riva Starr, Santè, Catz ‘N Dogz, Steve Bug, Funk D’Void, Boxia, Ramiro Lopez, Audiojack, Waff, Spektre, Pleasurekraft, Citizenn, Andres Campo, Raxon, Loco & Jam, Cera Alba and loads more.. I understand your next release is due out on your own label Miles From Mars, and it also features a remix by Andre Crom. Could you tell us a bit about the EP, and what inspired its sound? I’m pushing my Techno sound on with every track. Bad Blood is definitely the hardest ‘techno’ track I’ve made so far. I fancied making something really pacey and aggressive sounding. Then on the flip I wanted to balance it out with something more atmospheric, but still keeping the bpm’s pumping! I also love Andres sound and what he pushes with his OFF label, so really glad he wanted to be part of the release. Tell us a little about your writing process when it comes to making music, and are there any bits of equipment essential to your style? I’ve a very busy schedule, balancing family life (I’ve 2 children), with music. Years ago I used to be able to sit in the studio all day, now my time’s limited but I try to be more productive. I generally work on ideas using my MacBook whenever I’ve got some spare time. I try to get at least a few solid track sketches together, then try and do a day in the studio, finishing them off. Years ago when I had more time, money (and space in my house), I was really into synths, mixers, drum machines. When I moved house and kids came along I sold most of my kit and actually preferred working more on a smaller set up (Mac running logic, soundcard, monitors, midi keyboard and a load of vst’s and samples). I love sampling… pulling sounds out of my record collection, manipulating them, and trying to create something different. Not only have you released many solo tracks, but you have also collaborated with some of electronic music best known names such as Huxley, Kevin Saunderson and Todd Terry. How did you make contact with those guys, and do you have any forthcoming collaborative releases? Most of my collaborations have come around unintentionally. I’ve known Huxley for years! We were just chatting online one night exchanging tunes, and we got an idea to work on some stuff together. The collaborations with Kevin and Todd came about from personal edits I made of their tracks. They blew up after some big Dj friends were playing them, and then I got some labels looking to sign them. I wanted to make everything official and above board, so the guys were contacted and we collectively worked on them some more, and then gave them a proper release. Outside of music what are your other interests, and do they influence what you do as a DJ or producer? As I mentioned before, family life is really important to me. I spend a lot of time with my wife and kids. It’s a busy life style and anyone with kids will know what I mean. Besides that I love travelling. It’s ironic, as being a DJ I travel a lot, but you’re flying in and out of cities and you literally just see hotels and airports. I want to go and see cities and places where I’m not being held to a schedule and I can do things at my own leisure, and more importantly go to the places I want to go to. I also love food… cooking at home and eating in nice restaurants, in Belfast or when I’m travelling to. What can we expect from you in the future? I’ve got 2 big MNTL techno releases dropping over Spring and Summer. The one on Miles From Mars (with a remix by Andre Crom) and the other on Misfit Music (with a remix by Matrixxman). Then some House tracks for my newly launched Bass Hit Dub label. You can certainly expect the labels to grow as brands, and then onto the international scene as events. I’m putting all my effort into developing them and pushing forward. I’m also working on a few secret projects at the moment under new aliases focused on different sounds. Then I’ve plenty of UK & Ireland shows plus some European dates too. MNTL's new EP on Miles From Mars: https://www.beatport.com/release/miles-from-mars-09/2549000 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/montelmntl/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montelmntl/ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/montelmntl

Montel/MNTL

How is the Toronto music scene lately, anything we should look out for? Toronto's music scene(s) are kicking it right now! So many undeniably talented musicians and bands in multitudes of genres, It's such a huge list, it would be hard too choose just one. I Guess cold winters here shack us up with warm amplifiers. How did you first start playing music? Day one, noise and blisters on a acoustic guitar Day 2 - one chord, Day 3 - 2 chords, Day 4 - 3 chords 6 years - bar chords and augmented such and suches And so on and so on and so on for many years later. What have you been working on recently? Always something. Every show is different. We play quite a few, so there is always a new work to be produced, a new vision to come to fruition, people to play with and for. Music has become often then not an audio visual experience for me and I spend a lot of time in that realm collaborating with mulitmedia artist Saúl Lederman. We make one minute concert series, animated vids, comedy musical sketches, live projections, full on music vids, and there is so much more to come up with. Plus i'm in pre-production to record an new LP this summer with a big cast improvisors that play at times in Ronley Teper's Lipliners. You have a very unique approach to music and stage performance, how did has your approach to music and stage performance evolved over time? Hmm, my philosophy these days: Embrace change and strive to evolve or else you'll disappear like the dinosaurs. Who or what influences your music and stage performance? Many things. Anything or anyone that makes me feel something, weather it's the goosebump sensation of seeing something inspirational, the feeling of anger or joy in everyday experiences, current affairs and the energy created by collaborating with others. Who are you listening to at the moment? Honestly, I rarely listen to recorded music, and barely listen to music at all at home. But on an occasional heavy day I will never get enough of Nina Simone, Radiohead or D'Angelo. Listening for me mostly is about seeing live shows. I see a lot of stuff in all kinds of genres. And like I said there is no shortage of amazingly talented musicians in Toronto. If a great musician is in a band because they want to be there and not just because it pays big bucks then it probably will be a good project. These are just the first tonne of names that came to mind of such musicians from Toronto... Karen Ng, Christine Bougie, Thom Gill, Ryan Driver, Tim Posgate, Vivienne Wilder, Gordon Hyland, Maya Kiltron, Rebecca Hennessy, Andrew Downing, Chris Pruden, JaronFreeman Fox, Dafydd Hughes, Caleb Hamilton, Chris Adriaanse, Chris Banks, Sandro Perry, Bruce Mackinnon, Friendly Rich, Isla Craig, There are soooooo many more. What do you find most rewarding and challenging within your musical career? Rewarding: The process of creation, presentation, collaboration, and audience participation. Challenges: Money What has been your most memorable and also craziest performance mishap? There's been a few, but this one popped into my head first so.... Me: For half a set, I kept thinking that I had peed my pants on stage while in the midst of a performance, but was so confused as I didn't feel like i had to pee. Only right after getting off the stage, a person from the audience came running up to me to say how they really were affected by the performance art and how "brave" the bloody symbolism on the back of my white pants was, and how much it meant to them. A happy accident? Is there anything that you want your audiences to take away from your live performance? To be affected in any way really. Too much apathy these days. Does the current political environment influence your music or stage performance? Sometimes and sometimes. What do you like to do away from music? Chillaxing, I admit I like to be lazy. Summer is coming so some patio time, some cruising the lavender fields outside of Toronto, risking my life riding my bike in Toronto, and chilling with friends and family.

Ronley Teper

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I'm based in Los Angeles which is a massive vortex of creative and spiritual energy. The music scene here is centered around the pop industry and there are just huge amounts of artists, writers, labels, producers, all just buzzing around like busy bees. I've found that most of the people I meet are very optimistic and open to collaboration, as soon as you meet someone they're like, hey let's write a song together! And you don't see a lot of artists that are content with just playing a few shows here and there and scraping together a humble living, it feels like everyone here is dreaming big, trying to transform themselves into something greater and shooting for the stars. Which is good because that's what I'm here for too! How did you first start playing music? I grew up in a musical family. I sang in choir, and I started playing guitar when I was maybe 10 or 11, then played flute and tuba in music class and eventually studied classical music in university. For a while I was playing the tuba professionally in a few different bands in Toronto (Lemon Bucket Orkestra for example), and also got into composing and film scoring before starting this project a year and a half ago. That caused me to pick up the guitar again after a hiatus of almost 20 years, so I'm back to square one in a way. You have an album coming out in the next few months called 'Love Is Surrender' what influenced the sound and songwriting for this album? The biggest influence for me is probably Trevor Hall, I was going through a process of growth and spiritual awakening, and his music not only guided me through my own personal process, but he also showed me that it's possible to be an artist that writes songs about spirituality and have a career doing it as your authentic self, rather than twisting yourself into what you think the industry wants you to be. Sonically I was also drawn to artists like Gregory Alan Isakov and early Bon Iver who have a soft and gentle Americana vibe that I really love. How did you go about writing the music for this album? A lot of the songs I wrote quickly, whenever inspiration struck, which would sometimes be when I was at the beach, or at home, or at my girlfriend's house. Many of the songs showed up in the aftermath of an intense emotional event and I would use the song as a way of processing while the feeling was still fresh. At first they were just kind of like journaling songs for myself, but as they started to accumulate (I've probably got about 40 since I started this process a year and a half ago), I started refining them and choosing the ones that fit together well to make a little record. Where and when did you record? I recorded last summer at a studio in Burbank called Eldorado Recording. It's a beautiful big building with huge rooms and a grand piano which I loved. They are especially renowned for their drum sounds and used to do a lot of rock records there, including Offspring's "Americana" and My Chemical Romance's "The Black Parade", which is funny because I remember listening to those records when I was younger, but I'm now doing something totally different. How did you approach the recording and production? We did three days of bed tracks with a four-piece band, all live off the floor so that we could capture a tight ensemble sound. Then another two days of overdubs of additional guitars and vocals. I went back and finished the vocals later that summer. All told it was pretty quick and efficient. I thought we would get four or five songs done and I'd have an EP, but it ended up being seven. Did you work with anybody during the recording/production process? My secret weapon was Tim Callobre who played guitar (and also figured out how to play Hammond B3 and lap steel on the spot!). He's insanely talented and I work with him at the same TV scoring studio, he is primarily a composer, but was a child prodigy guitarist, and I was very lucky he agreed to be part of my project. He brought a beautiful touch and emotion to the record through his guitar-work, in fact it was so sweet that I started calling him "honey-fingers". My plan was to produce the record myself, since I have enough music experience to know how to arrange the tunes and get good performances, and work with Eldorado's in-house engineer to shape the sound since I'm less knowledgable about mic techniques. I was really luck that the engineer, Phil English, immediately understood what I was trying to do and brought a huge amount of heart and creative energy into the record and took it sonically into a completely new arena that I couldn't have imagined. I ended up having him mix the record and giving him a co-producer credit. What are you plans for this album? This is my first release as Kalon Hart, so it's my way of saying "here I am!". It feels like there is a shift in consciousness and spiritual awakening happening now across the globe that I've tapped into, so I'm hoping the record gets out there and finds an audience online and that people resonate with its message, and in that process I meet the right industry people who can help take my career to a higher level. In the meantime, I'll be doing a 15-show CD-release tour in July and I'm really looking forward to getting on the road and connecting with people. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of this album? It's sometimes a challenge juggling my other career, which is writing music for film and TV, with trying to build this project up as a solo independent artist. When I'm working on a film, I'm not as able to get out and see shows or go to writing sessions with other artists for example. On the recording days I was dealing with painters and contractors at the studio in the morning and driving across town to record so I was exhausted by the end of the day. The biggest reward was hearing my songs come to life with a professional band, and realizing that these songs were not just a hobby, but my spirit's calling. By the end of the recording, I realized that Kalon Hart was a real artist who was going to have a real career, and it changed the entire way I look at my life. Do you find Amercian and Canadian influences creeping into your music? Definitely there is an "indie Americana" sonic influence happening. That's not necessarily a uniquely American thing though because a lot of Canadian artists sound like that too, there was a whole folk-roots scene back home in Toronto that I was probably tapping into. Is there an influence in my music that's specifically Canadian? Good question, I don't know. You have experience working in TV, please tell us what it is that you were doing? I've been a composer for most of my career and I got into scoring films about eight years ago. In 2015 I moved to Los Angeles to see what I could accomplish down here, and I was very lucky to find work as the assistant to a major TV composer, Sean Callery. We have a nice Master-Apprentice type relationship going on and besides keeping the studio running, I've had the opportunity to write some music on a few of his shows, namely "Elementary" and "Jessica Jones". What has the TV experience taught you about music? SO MUCH. When I started I wanted to pack every scene full of all of my emotions and all of my musical knowledge, and it would just be way too much. Like, it's just two people walking down a hallway, chill bro! I've had to learn to give only what the drama requires and trim away the fat. As a songwriter, that lesson gave me confidence to expose my voice and write clear, simple lyrics, rather than cramming the mix with too many sounds and muddling it, or writing obscure lyrics that hide my heart. What do you like to do away from music? I love spending time in nature. LA is amazing for that, there are beaches, mountains, forests, deserts all within a one-hour drive. I think it's important to get out of the city and remember that nature is not just a place we go to, it's what we are, and this capitalism machine that's got us all in its grip, well that's one story, but not the whole story. I always feel like the universe has my back when I put my feet in the ocean or lie down on the grass. Often that's when a song will come. Who are you listening to at the moment? I'm on a "gentle spiritual acoustic" kick. I'm really into two artists in particular: Danit (her album "Aliento" is a masterpiece), and Rainer Scheurenbrand. What do you have planned for 2019? It depends entirely on what happens in the next 6 months. I know that I want to make more recordings, write more songs, play more shows, shoot more videos, collaborate with other artists, and continue growing and experiencing life. Beyond that, I'm open to the unexpected. Any secrets that you care to share? Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream. Favourite food and place to hangout? I became a vegan about 8 months ago so that brought a lot of changes to my life. Luckily LA is a good place to be vegan, there are a lot of us here. My favorite spot is a fully vegan restaurant called Sage Bistro. Favourite place to hangout - gotta go with the beach, you can't beat the ocean, and it's free!

Kalon Hart

Dom Youdan

Dom Youdan

Jackson Carroll

Jackson Carroll

For close to 10 years, Music Victoria has been representing musicians, venues, music businesses, professionals, and music lovers across the contemporary Victorian music community, providing support and advocacy, all while celebrating and promoting the state’s music sector. As the state’s peak contemporary music service organisation, Music Victoria has something to offer everyone in the music community. As Music Victoria has expanded the scope of its servicing, it has introduced new membership categories including Sound Engineer/Producers, Music Industry Professionals and a Free Under 18’s Membership. These new changes allow a broader range of professionals free access to the workshops and professional development series, and enjoy the benefits of the discounts. Music Victoria has brought on a raft of new discounting partners this year that cover the spectrum of the industry, from food and beverage, to merch, freight, acoustic reports, Auslan services, record stores, guitar repairs and green screen filming. We caught up with Music Victoria’s new General Manager Dale Packard to find out about what he does and what Music Victoria have in store for rest of 2019. How did you first become involved in music? I more or less grew up going to folk festivals, My dad played double bass and mandolin in a lot of bluegrass and folk bands (and still does) so being part of a musical community started very young. I then rebelled in my teenage years and started punk bands. Who are you listening to at the moment? I listen to a lot of country music and dance music these days. Modern techno and old-timey acoustic music. Not sure why exactly, maybe there’s something about having a foot in the past and a foot in the future. You played in a band called the Ground Components back in 2002 for several years, how has the local music scene changed since that period? There has been a lot of changes but the most obvious would be the shift away from the ‘new rock’ period of the early 2000s where boys in tight jeans were trying to relive the glory days of rock n roll. Since then the scene has become more diverse and inclusive both in terms of genre and the people participating. There’s a lot more rnb inspired music which is cool. Even the idea of ‘bands’ seem to be a bit dated. What is Music Victoria all about and what goals lie ahead? Music Victoria is the independent voice of the Victorian music industry. We look after the interests and voices of musicians, music professionals, venues and music lovers. One of the major aims of the organisation is to support venues, artists and the local community by ensuring live music venues stay open with more gigs and no lockouts. It’s fair to say we want to avoid what’s happening in NSW. You're new to Music Victoria, what is your new position and what does your role entail? I’m am the General Manager at Music Victoria, before this role I was in the programming department at Regional Arts Victoria. My role is basically to keep the operations of the organisation on track, look after the finances, oversee projects, ensure staff are well supported and to make sure Victorian music has a loud and strong voice politically. You came over from Regional Arts Victoria where you coordinated events around Australia that connect artists with new audiences and opportunities. What events did you coordinate and how did they help artists? I developed and delivered a lot of touring projects. We ran an event called Showcase Victoria which is a marketplace for the performing arts. Artists and producers pitch their work in front of a room full of venue bookers and then Regional Arts Victoria would coordinate touring projects for shows that got sufficient interest. I was there for about 6 years and had a great time but it feels good to be back in the Music Industry, it feels a bit like coming home. You have spent years touring the world with many successful bands as a tour manager, sound engineer and musician, including: Midnight Juggernauts, Architecture In Helsinki, First Aid Kit, Little Red and more. What were some of the biggest challenges that you encountered with touring and how does Music Victoria help touring artists? Dealing with different personalities on tour and the way different people react to touring life is pretty challenging. I always loved it but some people really struggle with moving to different cities every day and barely sleeping. It was great fun though, I strongly recommend that people do it, particularly in their 20s. Music Victoria helps in lots of ways, particularly through the membership program. Members get extra baggage allowance on Virgin and Qantas flights which is a life saver if you have lots of gear. There are also discounts on freight, accommodation and vehicles. You currently run Club Kids Music Academy, a place where children learn how to make music on electronic instruments and you're also a board member for Schoolhouse Studios, a not-for-profit arts organisation providing workspaces for emerging artists. How are these two great causes making a difference to children and emerging artists? Club Kids Music Academy is great fun and I’ve had the pleasure of running it at many festivals around Victoria. Basically, I get a bunch of 3-10 year of kids together, set up electronic instruments like samplers, drum machines, synths and fx pedals and teach the kids how to use them. It ends up in a great big chaotic jam session and everyone loves it. Schoolhouse Studios is doing great work in the community arts area. They provide affordable workspaces for artists and also have created an accessible, harmonious community. Before becoming a board member I did an Auslan course there and loved it! Why should people sign up to Music Victoria? I strongly encourage people to become a Music Victoria member. You’ll get discounts, key information, professional development, access to the latest music and opportunities to further your career. We are like the community radio station you don’t hear, but we need memberships to continue to work behind the scenes, keep the fragile ecosystem together and help create sustainable careers for artists. What are the new membership categories, prizes and discounts that are available? Music Victoria has made some exciting changes to our membership categories. Some of our new types include memberships for Sound Engineers/Producers, Managers and a Free Under 18’s Membership. We’ve also introduced a category for Music Lovers who may not be part of the industry but want to support the work Music Victoria are doing. We've brought on heaps of discounting partners this year that cover the spectrum of the industry, from food and beverage to merch, freight, acoustic reports, Auslan services, record stores, guitar repairs and green screen filming. Music Victoria continues to offer our (free-for-industry-members) which equip musicians, venues and industry professionals with the tools they need to thrive in the industry. Membership also provides a discount to the Changes Music Summit and Brisbane’s BIGSOUND Conference. Please tell us about the upcoming professional development programs and workshops that Music Victoria will be running this year: There are some fantastic professional development opportunities throughout the year which are free for members. Coming up soon we have a venues day for the City of Port Phillip, we’ve got a workshop on artists management, one on pitching music to radio and getting on playlists. We also have one at the end of the financial year to help musicians and music professionals get on top of their tax. You can check them all out on the Music Victoria website. New Membership Types and Prices 2019 Under 18 memberships - Free Concession $33 Music Lovers $55 Musicians/Performers $77 Sound Engineer/Producers and Music Industry Professionals $77 Non-Profit Organisations/Small Businesses $220 Venues $440 Platinum $1100 Council $2200 Full list of Membership discounts at musicvictoria.com.au.

Dale Packard

What is your name and role within The Wild State? Josh Difford, my role includes songwriting, vocals, piano and occasional guitar. Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? We are based predominantly in Brighton at the moment, which has a good music scene in many ways, however we are yet to really dive into it as our opportunities so far have been more London based. How did The Wild State form? Oliver and I met at school many moons ago, and as soon possible we moved to Brighton and attended BIMM where we met guitarist Laurie White and began to trial different sounds and genres until we found ourselves and became immersed within the sound of what is now The Wild State. Your new single 'Lavender' is out now, where and when did you record? We recorded Lavender at Tarquin Studios in Connecticut US last June. Who did you work with during the recording/production process? We worked closely with Peter Katis who produced our whole record. He had a great team at his studio. Gabe Wolf was a huge help throughout the process. What or who influenced the sound and songwriting for 'Lavender'? Lavender actually started off as an instrumental song, pretty up beat and post rock inspired. One day I really felt the urge to project some emotion into this track, I had a lot on my mind at this time and the track provided a great back bone for writing. I sent the idea to Oliver who was touched by the fact I was able to make an upbeat song, kind of heartbreaking. And soon enough we collaborated on it and he dusted the song with his beautiful harmonies and melodic strength and the song quickly formed into what it is today. How do you usually go about writing music? We try to mix up the writing process as much as possible in order to not follow the same formula. Who are you listening to at the moment? Big Thief, genius songwriting. Radiohead. Death Cab for Cutie You have a unique set up being two lead vocals, with piano and drums being played, how did this come about? We don’t particularly like the idea of this deeply engrained need for a front man. We aim to allow the music to speak for itself. Our vocals blend really nicely together and I think it represents the closeness we have as a band. Your debut album is also on the way, can you give us an idea of what to expect? A journey of emotion & expression, don’t worry, not all sad! What have you found most challenging and rewarding whilst putting the album together? Writing/recording & living with your closest friends is the dream. And we were able to tap into this dream and do exactly that. There’s no better feeling. The challenging parts were insanity, ear blindness and HEAT. It was very hot in Connecticut and as a bunch of very English guys, we were melting a fair amount. What else have you been working on recently and what's planned for 2019? We are very excited to really get our live set out there, that’s our main aim currently. Our album ‘Light Along The Waves' is out on 10th May. What do you like to do away from music? Country walks and ale. We are the epitome of party animals. Any secrets that you care to share? I’m scared of sharks, and mayo. Favourite food and place to hangout? The Better half pub in Hove, great atmosphere, great food, great landlord!

The Wild State

What is your name role within Milo Viti? I’m Luke and I’m the lead singer/ Synth player. Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Milo Witi is based in Sydney. Since Sydney is so big people don’t go out to just see live music for the sake of it. The Liberal government is also killing the venues for live music which I see as a good thing because it makes people more aware of how important live music is and gives you something to fight for. I see it as a really big learning experience because it makes you have to understand what makes good live music so you have a better understanding of what will bring people to your shows. How did Milo Viti form? It started out as a solo project and I found each of the other members through Facebook music groups but we’ve become so tight together now. Your new single 'Be Cool' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? There’s a really big punk rock scene in Sydney like Skegss, Dear Seattle, Johnny Hunter and we really love the punk energy they have at their shows but we also wanna give our music a dance element like The Presets and Rufus Du Sol so we try to mix huge synth in to our sound. How did you go about writing 'Be Cool'? I wrote it a few years ago and it started off being more of a chill pop song with piano during the verses and half-time drums but then we double-timed the drums so it was faster and gave it a whole new energy to the song with our huge synth sound and guitars. What programs/equipment did you use to record? We recorded in a studio with all our instruments and equipment we use live cause we wanted to try and recreate that experience so there’s nothing artificial on there. Do you approach your live sound differently to your recording sound? I like to keep the song pure and we play live with a lot of energy so I want that same energy to come across in our recordings. A lot of punk bands record their music more chilled out but then play their live music with a wall of distortion and energy. I love that energy that comes from live punk music and I like to try and convey that in our recording as well because it’s something that a lot of pop music is lacking so it becomes kind of numbing listening to recorded music. Where did you record and who did you work with? We recorded at A Sharp Studios in Sydney with guy called Justin Gonzales and he was incredible in helping us develop our sound and trying to convey that in a recording since we’re trying to do something different so there’s not a single band we can reference for our recording to sound like. Who are you listening to at the moment? I listen to a lot of different music but the two songs that I’m really feeling at the moment are Old Friend by Elderbrook and Lightning by Bag Raiders feat. The Kite String Tangle. I really love dance music but I want to incorporate the huge energy of punk. What do you like to do away from music? I love all the artwork that goes along with our music so every time we put out a song I love following the concept of the song and coming up with the artwork and for it and the general image of the band. I love the whole creative process. You also have a new video for the single, how did the film concept come about? Our video is coming out soon but we’re taking the idea of being “cool” and expressing the ironies that the glorification of that reveals. Everyone selfies themselves on social media these days so we’re capitalising off that idea and instead of using a big film production team we’re just filming each other off our phones and a GoPro to save costs and create a more natural/ realistic experience for the viewer. Who did you work with? We filmed it all ourselves but we got some live footage from an amazing photographer called Jack Thepsourinthone who filmed our single launch gig and got some live footage for us to put in our video. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the film process? Finding the time is always hard with our normal life schedules but we just love having a lot of fun with each other so it was basically just us mucking around and having a good time. What's planned for the remainder of 2019? Since this is our first single we’re looking to record another 2 more singles before the year is out and just generally trying to get out there and gig as much as we can. Any secrets that you care to share? A secret is only a secret when you have information that people want to know that you can’t share and we’ve got a lot of information that we can share but no one wants to know yet so we’ll keep you updated ;) Favourite food and place to hangout? We love Korean BBQ. It’s such a great experience to share and it’s something we really love doing as a band.

Milo Viti

What is your name and role within West Thebarton? My name is Nick Horvat, and my job is to make rhythm with the guitar with four strings. Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? In the 5031, west of Adelaide, South Australia. We still rehearse in the same 3m x 6m practice room we formed the band in. The scene is thriving, tight, varied, interesting and exists outside a lot of the industry noise of the east coast. Small band-rooms like the Crown and Anchor, the Exeter and Jive reign supreme with a thriving DIY punk, rock and independent community. Mid-sized venues are popping up like Lion Arts Factory which is supporting emerging professional touring artists, and then we’ve got the holy cathedral – The Governor Hindmarsh (The Gov) where we’ve all been utterly transformed by the calibre of bands visiting Adelaide, what used to just be a stopover town. What have you been working on recently? Touring til recently, then as soon as we took a breather from that, we hit to studio to record our latest release ‘Tops’. Of late, we’ve been writing like mad hoping to strike while the irons hot. It’s pretty hot still, so we’re busy writing and demoing. Your new single 'Tops' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? ‘Tops' is about feeling anything-but. Rev says it like this, "This song is about those times in your life when you know you should feel so fucking good about yourself, but all you can focus on is negative." The sound: the driving bass hook throughout, the big guitar riffs, the gruffness of Rev’s delivery are all pretty quintessential West Thebarton elements. But with this one, we started to try out silences, and tried to reign things in a bit much like we did on the record (‘Different Beings Being Different’) with songs like Set it Straight and Reasons. ‘Tops’ was probably influenced by us trying to add dynamic, and groove, and giving some thought to the textures we could play with on the song. How did you go about writing 'Tops'? It came out of being basically naked (not literally) and vulnerable in front of the nation’s critiquing ears on the national broadcaster, Triple J, where we did a cover of “You’ve Got the Love” (first performed by Candi Staton, and later reinterpreted by Florence and the Machine) for JJJ’s ‘Like a Version’ segment. It is truly an honour to get a shot at the LAV challenge, and such a massive milestone for us as a band. But, of course, despite the giddy heights of the experience and an overwhelmingly positive response to the tune, one can’t help but take personally the inevitable potshots at your attempt, or your appearance, or your voice, or your playing. ‘Tops’ is about taking all that unfounded negativity and trying to live in the sunshine in spite of it. Where and when did you record and who with? We demoed ‘Tops’ at Monkey Moon Studios in Dortmund, Germany while we were touring Europe last year. Then we returned to Twin Earth Studios in Adelaide (where we did the album sessions) and got Dylan Adams (DMAs, The Vines) over to produce and engineer it again. Dylan has ears of gold, and knows when the performance is just right. He’s an absolute asset and a truly wired in individual. Richard Bowers was around for the sessions tinkering with some guitar tones too. Why did you choose to cover Florence & The Machine? We wanted to attempt a pop song with a huge vocal delivery, to challenge ourselves and also to stretch our ability as a self-professed garage-rock band. I hear that you all have interesting and varied jobs, what do you do for work away from music? I was working as a law clerk whilst going through uni and immediately out of it (probably six years total), but when things started moving a bit quicker with West Thebarton I took my leave from the office (definitely miss my old boss Tim though). These days I take photographs for bands’ press and publicity, design websites, labour on festival sites, sell things on Gumtree…you know, an array of interesting things that take my fancy that I can scrounge some coin from. How do you juggle your day jobs with your music / touring? Sometimes it’s like juggling 7 rapidly spinning flaming knives – we’ve got a tattooist, a radiotherapist, hospitality workers, a Red Cross employee, a music education and community engagement worker… basically we’re a working band, making it work. So touring is our release from a lot of those other pressures. Us 7 (plus Nick Astanei our photographer and Michael Ellingford our sound engineer) out on the road is what we really work for, I think. To be able to take music on the road is the dream. In 2018 you toured Europe (Reading/Leeds/Pukkelpop) what did you find most rewarding and challenging during this tour? Most rewarding: seeing how far hard work and unity can take us. Most challenging: sleeping altogether in a coach with earplugs in every night. How do the European crowds differ to your Aussie fans? Whilst we are definitely still emerging in Australia, we were pretty much unknown over there. So the fans were new, and it was exciting to be playing to people who may have read about us in a festival program or seen an interview and come out to check us out. Rock fans are outsiders these days, it’s not as in vogue to listen to or play guitars, but regardless of where those people live, the commonality is that rock fans, especially our fans, are adventurous and are looking for something with less polish. I think that our old fans here and new fans there enjoy the mongrel of our shows. What do you like to do away from music? I like to read, and I’ve recently been getting back into it. I read Black Elk Speaks as told to John G. Neihardt the other week and it just kick started my imagination and love of books again. It’s been some time since I’ve had a still enough mind to be able to take anything in. I picked up a copy of The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru in the airport coming back from India late last year, which I’ve been attempting, and like everyone I know I’ve got a stack next to my bed about waist high of books-in-progress: there’s a few music books like Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azzerad, a Murakami, some self-help books, all sorts. Who are you listening to at the moment? Right now I’m listening to: Turnstile, Fugazi, 808 State, Orbital, Mildlife, Miles Davis, Thought Gang and heaps of techno (it helps me concentrate). But I came across this band today who have one song out I loved listening to, who are from Brighton in the UK and they’re called GURU. They’re really carrying that torch that was set alight by Fontaines D.C. and IDLES who I’m also really into. What do you have planned for 2019? We’ve got a tour for ‘Tops’ coming up throughout Australia in May and June, and after that we’ll keep drilling down into these songs we’ve been writing, piecing them together, getting happy with them. And just getting on with our lives – trying to do our best in all aspects, y’know. Any secrets that you care to share? I’ve got a whole saucerful, but perhaps another time. Favourite food and place to hangout? Thai food, at home.

WEST THEBARTON

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I grew up in and am based in Melbourne. Besides being an incredible city, I'm constantly so grateful for how supportive and collaborative the creative community is here - so many of the people around me are constantly sharing each other's work. There's so much going on in terms of music as well, with heaps of young creatives regularly taking the initiative to get together to put on gigs. How did you first start playing music? I grew up as part of a Hare Krishna community, in which music is a huge part of worship, so was exposed to lots of incredibly beautiful music from a very young age. I started singing there when I was about 13, then started writing my own music, outside of my spiritual upbringing, at 18. What have you been working on recently? I've been spending a lot of time lately writing for a second EP, as well as working on some concepts for some visuals for my first release. I've also been working with some friends to put together features on some tracks of theirs. You've got a new EP in the works, what has been influencing the sound and songwriting for the EP so far? I've always used songwriting as a sort of outlet for my real world experiences, so this EP has been drawing on a super emotionally transitional period I've been working my way through. I think my recent state of mind has also had a pretty formative impact sonically - I want to write songs that I can cry to while also wanting to dance. Lots of early 2000s-inspired angsty pop moments. How has the songwriting for the EP been taking place? Little phrases come to me at really random times, and I've got a folder on my Notes app where I write them all down. It's the same with melodies - they'll hit me so unexpectedly, and I hum them into my Voice Memos. I'll then usually dedicate an evening where I piece bits together to form a song. Do you have an idea of where you'll record and produce? I'm working with my friend Balaram, who's a producer based in northern New South Wales, so I'll be flying up there in a few weeks to record. You also have a music video on the way, what's been happening so far? At the moment, just lots of conceptualising and story-boarding! Because it'll be my first music video, I'm trying to make sure I'm 100% happy with how I imagine it in my head before I start filming. I'm working with some insanely talented local creatives on it, so I'm beyond excited. You're working on some features on tracks by a couple of your friends, please explain: I'm not sure if I can say whose tracks at this stage, but it's such a cool experience to add your own creative input to somebody else's project. Sacred almost. It's an experience that's new to me, and one that I feel so grateful for. Who are you listening to at the moment? Lots of Robyn, lots of Charli XCX. What do you like to do away from music? I do a bit of photography and creative direction. It's a creative outlet I get so passionate about; although there's a whole lot of planning involved with every shoot, it moves a lot quicker than music does, so it's a sort of semi-instant creative gratification. Any secrets that you care to share? Not at the moment! I like working quietly until a project is properly ready. What's planned for 2019? Aside from music related releases, lots of work, a Europe trip, more work, and a potential India trip. Favourite food and place to hangout? Most days it's anything vegan and involving fettuccine, and Indian food when I'm travelling and homesick. I love Melbourne's northern suburbs - Fitzroy and Northcote in particular. There's always so much going on around there, arts-wise, and the people are so lovely and so switched on. https://soundcloud.com/tunesbykavi IG: @karvesh Facebook: facebook.com/tunesbykavi Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7GmuVIS9CdJkdAmbwu1yV1 Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/train-tracks-and-bad-dreams-ep/1453034712

Kavi

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I'm based in Brisbane and the music scene is fantastic here. Theres such a variety of talented upcoming acts, and a really wholesome supportive vibe between everyone. I can't get enough of collaborating at the moment and it'll be amazing to see where people finish up in their careers. How did you first get into music? Originally I wanted to be a professional soccer player, from the ages of 5-20 to be exact. I even went and played over in England and in China, but I got two huge injuries back to back which kept me on the treatment table for a combined 2 years and 2 months. During that time I spent injured, I felt super isolated because I had built my life and friendship groups around soccer. I was super bored and stressed because my injuries kept being misdiagnosed and I didn't know if I'd ever recover. Since both of my parents were professional musicians we had guitars lying around the house, and I had some rudimentary skills, so I started writing songs to get some of my anxieties out. Then I started doing gigs to make some money on the side, and found that I actually enjoyed writing and performing music more than any career I could hope for in soccer. You've recently completed an EP, what influenced the sound and songwriting? So a while ago I thought I had met my future wife. It sounds melodramatic but if you've ever had that feeling when someone walks into your life and totally turns your world upside down over night, you know where I'm coming from. We quickly became best friends, but after a while it became obvious that she didn't see me in any romantic context, and that was really hard to take. We actually didn't part on the best of terms, although that's fixed now. After getting some distance from it I think I'm a better person from the lessons I learnt about myself during that time, about who I am and not changing to fit someone else's mould. The other souvenir I have were some songs I wrote about the unrequited love, and I thought placing them all together on an E.P would be a nice theme, to give people a bit of insight into who I am and where I've come from. After all, venting and connection to others is why I started writing in the first place! The sound is very much of my early influences, Crowded House, Jeff Buckley, Plain White T's, early Ed Sheeran, The Killers. How did you go about writing the music? The songs didn't come at first, I think the whole drama was a bit much to digest, but then honestly they came in all different ways. One I was jamming on a guitar at uni, another I was thinking in my bed late at night, one I was driving home from a singing practice and another I found an old chorus fragment which I hadn't used! Where and when did you record? Down in Coolangatta last year at the end of winter. I remember because the days we planned to do vocals I came down with a cold! Aria winner Govinda Doyle produced the EP, how did you come to work with Govinda and how was this experience? Govinda was recommended to me through a friend, and I remember just feeling like we were on the same wave length with the song production. I had spoken to a few producers at that point, and they were really good, but Govinda started laying out suggestions for the songs and it was like he was taking the words right out of my mouth. He's an amazing instrumentalist too, he actually played drums and bass on all the tracks. I knew he'd be good because he's won ARIA's and produced hits with Angus and Julia Stone, but seeing it in person was really something else. What programs/instruments did you use to record? Bass, drums, and a string section! Other than that nothing too crazy. Govinda's got an epic collection of guitars, amps and pedals so mucking around on his Fender was a treat. How did you approach the recording process? Nervously! We had demos, reference tracks and did a pre-production day, but I think I wasn't as helpful as I could've been because I didn't trust the quality of my ideas. However, during the weeks between pre-production and actually recording, a friend and I released a bedroom produced song that got played on commercial radio in Queensland and Sydney! So I took it as a message that my production ideas could have validity too, and felt much more at ease after that. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the recording process? Wanting to get the perfect takes was hard! As mentioned before I kept getting sick because of the long days where I'd drive from Brisbane to Coolangatta and back after every session. Our poor violin player had a terrible flu when he recorded his parts for 'Look Away'. The most rewarding part was hearing the tracks go up another level from the demos, and it was a really profound thing to hear melodies and lyrics that I'd made up in my head actually come to life in a studio. I'd recommend that feeling to absolutely everyone. Who are you listening to at the moment? Billie Freaking Eilish. I think she's getting famous enough now where an anti-mainstream backlash will hit her soon, but credit where it's due Billie and her brother have some serious talent. I was reliving vintage Arctic Monkeys and Panic at the Disco the other day too, in case someone's just come out of a coma and hasn't heard of them. What do you like to do away from music? I tutor a Burmese refugee family in English, and honestly it's the highlight of my week. The 3 kids are all school age, and their exuberance and energy can really bring you out of a mood. The benefits are definitely mutual, and the whole refugee situation is something I feel very strongly about. Also for a long time I was volunteering at the AWLQ animal shelter near my house, but I've just put a pause on that while I finish my music degree. Other than that I'm a bit of a home-body, or just hang with my close friends. I really want to go somewhere in music so I try not to get too distracted. What makes music special to you? I think I'm a passionate person, and music is one of the few joys in life that really gives people a transcendent experience. It connects people across the world, and across the centuries. Music saved me in a lot of ways. I play it down but I was in trouble mentally for a while during my injuries. I love being moved by music, and I love when people are moved by music I made. It still blows me away when a song I wrote that is special to me winds up also being special to someone else. Any secrets that you care to share? I'm currently answering this instead of working on 3 uni assessments that are due next week! Oh also followers of my social media will get a chance to hear a bunch of my unreleased music very soon! What's planned for 2019? I have my single launch on May 16th, and the rest of my E.P to be released. Later in the year I have another E.P to follow it up as well, and I'm applying for touring grants down the East Coast. I'm finishing my music degree and will hopefully be able to channel that free time and education into my career, it feels a bit like I've been fighting one-handed so far. You're playing Black Bear Lodge in Brisbane on May 16, what do you have in store for this show? It's a bigger, better show than my first single launch. I love Black Bear as a venue, it was my first choice for the show with a great room and stage. I really pull out all the stops for my launch shows, so we've got dance bangers, saxophone, heaps of feature artists, new songs and new arrangements of old favourites. I also don't want anyone to miss out on attending so you can actually choose what price to pay for your ticket! I'm asking for $10 but live your life. I've also got two award winning opening acts in Annie Joelle and Hoo Ha Hipsters so it's really the place to be! Favourite food and place to hangout? I've recently stopped eating meat and dairy, so I've been constantly starving working out the new diet. Anyone on a similar program should try the Deliciously Ella recipes online or on the iPhone app. If you want a great place to eat, hit up Eat Street Markets. I used to play shows there all the time and the port next to it actually inspired the opening lyric in my upcoming song 'Look Away'. Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/HarryPhillipsMusicAus Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/harryphillipsmusic/ Website- https://harryphillipsmusic.com.au

Harry Phillips

What is your name and role within Vesper Green? Hey, my name is Nick Ashby, I am the singer songwriter and guitarist in Vesper Green. Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Currently based in Brisbane Australia. the music scene in Brisbane is small but diverse. I'd say it's a supportive scene and the most exciting thing is that recently there seems to be a whole bunch of new bands really starting to do something more unique instead of replicating a particular style exactly as it was. How did you first start playing music? I first started playing music when I heard Nirvanas nevermind. I know its classic response. and Nirvana really isn't our biggest influence. but that was the album that inspired me to pick up a guitar in there beginning. that and Eric captions "cream of Clapton" album. How did Vesper Green form? Vesper Green formed between guitarist Chris Fleming and myself. born out of the ashes of our previous band, we were keen to keep moving forward. the other two members auditioned later that year. What have you been working on recently? Well we recently finished recording a couple songs for our EP. They are currently in the mixing process and hopefully will be ready to be mastered soon. apart from that we've actually got a whole bunch of new material in the works. so definitely not short on creativity at the moment. I think we'll continue to prepare the EP and play many more shows, before we announce tour later this year. You had your show at the Zoo on the 13th of April, how do you normally prepare for gigs? The work that goes into the show in the weeks leading up are the hardest. constructing a set that not only flows well, but creates an emotional journey can be so draining sometimes. at the end of the day, as well as being Artists, we are Performers. so theres a lot of work that goes into representing the music justly in a live setting. What influenced the sound and songwriting for 'Sub Solar'? Sub Solar is just a big conglomeration of influences. Definitely ones that people wouldn't expect. id says huge part of Sub Solar was based on sounds coming out of the early to mid 2000's. you could name bands such as Bloc party or Queens of the Stone Age for instance. but the song really is there to portray an array of emotions felt through a panicked journey. Where and when did you record and who did you work with? We recorded with Josh Wilkinson if Burrow Studios' in his studio in Samford and a hidden gem of a studio, deep in the forests of Mt Glorious. We recorded it October last year. Bryce Moorhead mastered the final track for us. we really enjoy working with Bryce and Josh as a team. How do you usually go about writing music? Usually the riffs and ideas come to me while I jam by myself and once I have a basic outline I'll bring things to the band and we'll work on it from there. But usually I have an idea of how everything should fit together and how things should sound, so it's pretty easy to put everything together. What programs/instruments do you use? We record everything on Protools, however we usually run it back through an analogue tape machine in order to get that nicer authentic analogue sound. in terms of gear we have an array of amps we record with from Marshall Jcm800, Peavey 5150, Vox AC30 and Fender baseman's. We Generally use Fender Guitars. most of our rhythms were done using a Fender Mustang, while the leans and leads were done using telecasters and Strats. otherwise our rhythms section uses the good old drums and bass guitar. not too different from a classic band setup. Your debut EP is on the way, can you give us an idea of what influenced the sound and songwriting and what we can from your first EP? I Think since we've taken such a long time to produce an EP. not for lack of songs, the songwriting has has time to mature. you can expect to hear diverse range of influences in our new tracks. The main kicker is that its something that you can't find anywhere else. its music you can hear the influences in, however has our own sound to it. our own feeling. its something that is designed to hold its own. As a band we struggled to get into our own scene as there really isn't anything else like us in Brisbane. so we were either too heavy for the rock bands, or not heavy enough for the metal bands. In these harder times, how do you stay motivated with work and music? Music is the motivation for my life. it is what I do constantly. so its never something I lose motivation for. and work is just something I do in order to push my music career further. so motivation really isn't a problem. we all have make sacrifices for what we want. you just have to decide how far you are willing to go. Who are you listening to at the moment? Listening to a hell of a lot of Frank Carter & the rattlesnakes, Dinosaur Pile up, LTNT, Queens of the Stone Age, RAAVE TAAPES, Billie Eilish (just because I can) and Ecca Vandal. What do you like to do away from music? Im never away from music haha. but I guess traveling gets me in another zone. I enjoy the fresh experience of being in a new environment. Having lived all over the world growing up. its slightly comforting to keep moving. I especially enjoy Africa. it bustling with life and the wildlife is insane and leaves one in absolute awe. Any secrets that you care to share? Vote for Sub Solar in the Brisbane city councils QUBE Effect competition. ( opens in June) and you could see us at a major festival this year. What's planned for 2019? An EP, A Tour + many other shows and More recording. Favourite food and place to hangout? Favourite food is some sweet Italian Seafood Ravioli, and id say one of my Favourite places to hangout is Crowbar Bris, the Brass Bell in Cape Town, South Africa, and The Montreux Jazz Festival, where I'll be working this year in Switzerland. so come hang out whenever haha.

Vesper Green

What is your name and role within Lucifer Gunne? I'm Rory McDonald, Lead Vocals and Bass-playing thing. Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? We're all in Wellington, New Zealand, and to be honest, we have an awesome music scene over here. Bands like Pale Lady and Ego Valve are amongst my favorites from the capital and should definitely be checked out if you want a taste of the action. How did you first start playing music? Unless you count Guitar hero at mates places, it would have to be a drum kit that my parents got me for my 6th birthday. My dad was a drummer so I thought that gene of talent might've been passed on to me, unfortunately it must've skipped a generation, so at 7 I moved on to the guitar and I haven't looked back since! What have you been working on recently? We're currently all prepping for our first national tour, so we're really just getting our set down and adding in some new tunes that have not yet been heard (unless you've been in a 10 metre radius of the office we work in), so we're all pumped for people to hear what we have to offer. Who are you listening to at the moment? At the time of writing this interview I have Madvillain by Madvillainy on in the background, however on a day to day basis it's a mix of Boris, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, and Primus. Your new single 'Energenetic' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? I gotta tribute a lot of that song to the sound of IDLES, specifically their most recent project "Joy as an Act of Resistance". We wanted to make something that was very chaotic and I feel like we achieved that pretty well. As far as the songs meaning goes, I can mainly attribute that to the people in life that irritate or irritated me a lot, and is just a bit of a silent jab and a release of aggression. Where and when did you record? We recorded at Elysian Sound Studios in October of last year, it was such a fun time working with the people of that studio, and I think our visions for the track were captured pretty well by the crew there, so big props to them. How do you usually go about writing music? It really does vary from song to song, but it'll either be me or Don (one of our great guitarists) who will write a riff or sometimes full track to bring to practice, and we just see what sticks. What do you like to do away from music? Honestly a lot of what I do outside of music does relate back to it in some form, whether it's going on walks and jotting down song ideas, or making some sketches when I get writers block, I just like to stay creative and take inspiration from everything that happens around me. What do you have planned for 2019? Defintely some more singles on the way for you, maybe even an album, who knows! This upcoming tour won't be the last time you see LG on the road this year either, and we can only go bigger and better from here. Any secrets that you care to share? I don't like to get anyone's hopes up, but I definitely think it's time to pay our friends from across the ditch a visit, don't you? Favourite food and place to hangout? You can never go wrong with a burrito man, and if you don't think so, then I respect your opinion of you but you're wrong. I checked out this sick place in town yesterday called "The Ballroom", good place in Wellington to drink beer and play pool with mates after a long day at work. https://lucifergunne.com/

LUCIFER GUNNE

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I am based in my hometown Nice (south of France). Actually, we have seen recently a lot of artists coming from Nice like The Avener, Feder, Hyphen Hyphen. The music scene here is growing very fast. How did you first start playing music? My father was the first true inspirational figure for me as he let me very young listen to his vintage Vinyls from Bob Marley, Queen, Pink Floyd etc. That’s when I decided to choose Music as a way to boost my inspirations. How did you learn how to produce? I've had the chance to work with great friends’ producers who learned to me a lot, so I could also look and manage it myself. Every day since then I work to improve my skills and transform as much as possible the ideas into new tracks. Who are you listening to at the moment? At the moment I’m into the fabulous album Of Billie Eilish, it’s a masterpiece, otherwise I’m more of an 80’s guy, since little and till now I’m always a big fan of the pop Music from that time. What do you like to do away from music? I love to hangout in my hometown, it’s such a pleasure to live here in south of France next to my family. Hanging out with my dogs or watching soccer with some friends it's something that I love to do. Where and when did you produce/record? Actually, the story goes way back like 6 years ago…Back in the days Larry handed it to me the acoustic original version of Free Like A Bird, after listening to it I knew already what to do with it. With Larry’s great collaboration we gave the track another shot and shaping into something groovier and more electronic. Who did you work with on this track? I Had the collaboration of my little brother from another mother Arthur Rémond on this track, he spiced it up and included some amazing vibes on it, and last but least course Larry Lynch my friend the singer of Free Like A Bird who did and great job with the vocals. You've recently signed to Warner Music, how did this come about and how has the experience with Warner been to date? I would like to give a special thank you to Sylvain Baudier my Co-Producer on this project, without him we wouldn’t be doing this interview. It is a dream coming true to share my music to the world. I remain grateful also to Warner Music via the Elektra Label to trust in me. They've been really carefully and full of good vibes with me. What do you have planned for 2019? I’m working already on some upcoming tracks with some new artists, it’s really exciting and of course we are already planning a tour. Any secrets that you care to share? I can say that we should always follow our dreams and trust in ourselves, I’m more than confident on this one ;) Favorite food and place to hang out? I recommend in my Hometown, “Marinette “in the old town a super good restaurant, Le Délibo as well with a fabulous brunch and La Fabrik Bistrot in Beaulieu, it’s the restaurant of my brother Jerémy Vernevaux it's simply Delicious!

Chuck Wonderland

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I am currently based in Eindhoven, a city in the south of The Netherlands. How did you first start playing music? I first started when I was 14 years old. I played music with my cousin at family birthdays and started to experiment with DJ’ing in their basement. From there on I got more interested in playing and producing music and figuring out how this worked on my own. Who are you listening to at the moment? I am currently listening to Droeloe a lot. I really like the creativity and originality of their sound. I also made a playlist on Spotify where you can see what I am listening to as well! What programs/equipment do you use? My main software is FL Studio by Image Line. I run this on my gaming laptop, which is a real necessity to keep my projects from running slow. When I’m on the road I usually produce my music on my headphones, but when I am in the studio, I have a nice big system on which I can produce my tracks. Please tell us about your relationship with music and sleep: Sleep, what’s that? I usually sleep during the day and produce music at night. I feel that at night my creativity comes to live. Also, during the day there are so many distracting impulses that just kill my productivity. Who have been your favorite artists to work with and who would you like to work with in the future and why? David Guetta and Martin Garrix for sure! They supported me very early in my career and always believed in my sound. They also helped me a lot and giving me the chance to make music with them. How did you find your own sound? Finding my own sound took a very long time. I remember the days when I was just sitting in the studio for hours on end, trying to get down the smallest details. So right now, I am still a perfectionistic, but I have a good workflow that makes things a bit more streamlined. I found my own sound by experimenting a lot with different samples, genres and plugins. Don’t be afraid to try something new and don’t listen too much to other people. What do you like to do away from music? I like gaming a lot and hanging out with my family and friends. I bought a Nintendo Switch that always goes with me on tour. This way I have some entertainment for long flights. When I get home from touring the first thing I always do is go to my family and friends. It’s really nice to have some solid people in your life when everything around you is moving so fast. How do you approach remixing? I usually start working with vocal of the original track. Just start experimenting and see what I can do with the vocal. When I have a good idea for the drop, I get into my normal workflow of how I produce most of my tracks. I go bottom to top, so this means I start with my bassline and kick and then work my way op to the melodies of the track. How do you decided which track it is that you’ll remix? I usually get asked by the label of other artists if I would be willing to do a remix for them. If I like the track and see possibilities to make a remix that’s suitable, I will start working on it. How did you learn how to produce and remix? Like I mentioned before I got into music together with my cousin at these family birthday parties. I also got more and more into producing music and started to figure it out on my own. At one point I ended up using FL Studio and never stopped using it. At the age of 17 I started an education in sound design, which I finished 2 years later. This really helped me in understanding the technical part of music production. What do you have planned for 2019? There are a lot of things on my agenda. I am playing Ultra Music Festival, Tomorrowland, Parookaville and I have my first residency at KAOS in Vegas. Music wise, I am currently working very hard on finishing my new tracks before the summer kicks in. At this moment I unfortunately can’t share anything about my new releases, but if you watch my live sets you might hear some new ID’s. Favourite food and place to hang out? My favorite food is Asian food, especially the Malaysian cuisine and Sushi from Japan. My favorite place to hangout is the studio. The studio is my comfort zone where it’s just me, my creativity and my laptop. When I’m not in the studio I love to hang out at home with my friends. Just to get away from the hectic of all the clubs and festivals.

Brooks

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Technically I’m based in Melbourne but I’m travelling so much these days I don’t know where home is. The Aussie music scene is very indie dominated which I love. It’s driven by JJJ where you’ll get anything from Billie Eilish to Flume. When I’m home I get so much inspiration from the music there. How did you first start playing music? I started learning guitar when I was 8. Who are you listening to at the moment? I love Billie Eilish. Her new album is incredible. In the dance space I love what Duskus is doing. He did a remix for DROELOE recently which is out of this world. What do you have planned for your S20 performance? A tonne of new music! How do you prepare for each show? A beautiful dinner followed by a shot of fireball. Who are you looking forward to seeing play at S20? Unfortunately I’m in and out of Bangkok so I won’t have the chance to see many people play, but I’m stoked to see Fatboy Slim. He’s a legend. I caught some of his set at Tomorrowland but have never seen a full show. What have you been working on recently? Music music music. I took a few months off touring over the Aussie summer to rethink the whole project and finish a bucketload of new music. You present Dirty Disco Miami, please tell us about this experience and what you found most rewarding and challenging? It was the first time I’ve held my own party in Miami. There are a million parties going on every year in Miami so I was super nervous about hosting my own night. Having CID and Autograf on the lineup was such a buzz for me, as they’re artists I’ve always looked up to and admired. The night was a complete success and something I definitely want to do again in future. What do you like to do away from music? I love cooking. When I’m not on tour I work on music out of my bedroom, so cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner has become my creative break time. You wouldn’t believe how long it takes me to craft a toasted sandwich. Recently I’ve been getting into swimming every night. It’s like creative cocaine for me. Not that I’m into cocaine. It’s such a good escape from the madness and always leaves me itching to get back into the studio when I’m done. What programs/equipment do you use? I use Ableton Live. I mostly work in the box but will incorporate my own guitar and vocal too. Any secrets that you care to share? Then they wouldn’t be secrets! What's planned for the rest of 2019? I’m finishing up my debut EP. It’s nearing completion now and I’m so excited for the world to hear it. It’s a real departure from what Throttle has been in the past and I couldn’t be happier with how it’s all sounding. Favourite food and place to hangout? Pad Thai! It’s scary how much Pad Thai I consume on tour. My favourite country to visit is Japan. Switzerland too, it’s a wonderland there.

Throttle

The Matchstick Skeletons x The Partae What is your name and role within The Matchstick Skeletons? My name is Neu Mannas, and I'm the singer of The Matchstick Skeletons. Does the Vancouver scene affect your music in anyway? Those who know me, know I'm a studio rat. Spend most my time in a windowless room nibbling on the cables 'till I get electrocuted. And at that point I just hope the red light was flashing when it happened, so it got recorded. But that being said there's a lot of great musicians in this town and collaborating with them / seeing them live can help bring new energy into songs where there might have been a void otherwise. Think about the song "I'm the Dog" on 'The Know-How EP.' When that was coming together I got help from 2 of my favourite singers on the planet. Jasmin Parkin & Krystle Dos Santos sung with me on that tune and ma ghaaaad, they're unbelievable. How did The Matchstick Skeletons form? We came from the ashes of my last band Head of the Herd. Matty played drums, and I sang in that group. It was clear the two of us had a musical connection and when that band took a bullet, we got right to work on this. Found Ryan & Cole and it feels like the band I've been trying to make since I was a kid. I'm a happy boy. What have you been working on recently? Shhhhhh....But....We....Might...Be....Recording something..... Who or what influences your sound and songwriting? My 2 favourite singers on the planet are Nina Simone and Ray Charles. There's nothing 'perfect' about the delivery but gaddam if you don't feel every word. I try and take that passion and put it into everything I do. It's not about technical precision, it's about feeling. And if you feel something, then you've succeeded. Music wise, I fuckin' love funk music. And the rhythmic elements of those tunes have had a huge impact on me. How did you first start playing music and singing? I played piano growing up cause I had to. But when I hit 12 or so I picked up a bass and started my first band. It flipped a switch for me that never unflipped. From that moment I knew exactly what I was gonna do 'till I die. And I haven't died just yet! Did you get music / singing lessons at any stage? I took bass lessons when I first picked it up. From a dude missing a thumb but who could still slap with the best of them. Singing wise I really just zig zagged 'till I found my voice. Then when I had to start touring for months at a time I worked with a coach to keep me from losing my voice when we'd do a pile of gigs in a row. Who are you listening to at the moment? Funkadelic, Grinderman, D'Angelo, and Billie Ellish have been in high rotation this week. You've recently come off of a tour, what did you find most rewarding and challenging? The tour was a dream. As well it was a trip. We were on tour while there was only 1 song out in the world. Regardless, we had people singing along by the 2nd chorus to tunes they'd never heard before. It was magical. We covered some Prince, some Bowie, and some Nancy Sinatra just for the helluvit too. Your voices harmonize magically on this track, please tell us how 'I'm The Dog' came about: First off, cheers. We love singing this song. Especially acoustically, the words really get to shine. It started as a synth loop I was considering for another project but when I picked up the guitar, the vocal melody poked its head out. At that point I knew it'd be a Matchstick Skeletons' tune. The lyrics to me are the centrepiece, and the harmonies built around the lead were done by Jasmin Parkin (mother mother) and Krystle Dos Santos. Any day I get to sing with those gals, or Ryan/Cole, is a good fuckin' day. 'I'm The Dog'has a light orchestral feel about it, what effect was used on the guitar pedal? It's basically a mellotron emulator on the flute setting. I keep the wet signal pretty high cause I don't want it to feel campfire-y at all. Where was 'I'm The Dog' recorded? We did the live version at Hipposonic studios in Vancouver, (same place we did the drums on the album). That room has a lot of history, I love recording there. How do you usually go about writing music? Oh man, that's a loaded question! I've never really done 2 songs the same way and had it work out. I write loads of poetry (like i've got stacks of full books), from that when I've got the emotional capacity to, I carve through it and see which things work as lyrics (cause lots don't). In the meantime I put together instrumentals with the band and then we get in a room and see what fits where ya know? Any secrets that you care to share? Ryan and I once went to 15 shania twain shows in a row. What do you have planned for 2019? The Know-How EP just came out so we're spreading the good word on that. A handful of gigs should be getting announced as we roll on through the Spring too. And shhhhh....but....maybe....more...music....will....be....released. Favourite food and place to hangout? You can't pry us away from the noodles of Vancouver. If you ever need to find us. We're in a food coma in the corner booth at the many noodle delivery locations around town.

The Matchstick Skeletons

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I'm living in Japan. There are tons of music scenes here in Japan, but when I say techno, I think people are getting interested in more experimental or minimal techno than before. And it is really nice to me! How did you first get into playing and producing techno? I've never DJ in my life, but I really love electronic music. When I had an electronica band, I started to compose and singing. After years, I met my producer and gave me a chance to touch vintage synthesizers. After I started to touch old school rhythm machines(808, 909) or analogue sequencers, I felt this is really fresh and I though I can make tracks forever! What have you been working on recently? I'm making galcid's 2nd album right now. You have a new Melting EP on the way, please tell us what or who influenced the sound and songwriting for this EP? Hummm...I've never though of that. But Squarepusher is my hero! What programs/instruments did you use? I used TB-303, TR-8s, and eurorack modular systems. Hisashi, my producer, recorded on logic and edited in there. How do you approach the use of your equipment when recording and in contrast playing live? When I use my equipment at live, I try to make a vibe to move body. But recording is not only that, people keep listening. So I tried to make the scene in your mind, but not only try to make your body. Did you work with anybody during the recording/production of 'Melting' ? Hisashi Satoi. Where was the studio located and what was the space like? The studio is in my house. The studio is surrounded by old synthesizers. Please describe how the tracks on 'Melting' came about and what process you follow to produce each track: Usually, I don't use 4/4 beat much when I do galcid. But when I played 4/4 beat and TB-303, I felt the beat deviation but it was not. It was interesting, so I kept recording. Who will you be releasing with? You've focused specifically on Acid, why is this? this is my new project, "lenacid". galcid is more experimental and industrial. I love Acid music, and just wanted to focus pure Acid music. What is it about Acid that you love and how is it different to your work in the past? The sound of TB-303!! I always use modular systems for galcid. There are harmony with TB-303 with something. But lenacid use only TB-303, rhythm machine, and a few modules. It is very simple set for lenacid. Who are you listening to at the moment? My tracks for 2nd album! Any secrets that you care to share? The cable I'm using is 40years old. Hisashi made this cable when he was jr.high. This cable make this good cheap sound. What do you like to do away from music? sleeping or watching movies What do you have planned for 2019? I have some schedules to do live and workshops in China, may be in the US. and of course in Japan!! Favourite food and place to hangout? Old Japanese Izakaya(tapas). I love the atmosphere. like Bladerunner!!

Lenacid

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like? I am actually living between LA and the Sunshine Coast in Queensland at the moment. Currently I’m in LA and have been for the last couple of months and I think we all know how insane the music scene is here. So many creative people collaborating and supporting each other and there is always something going on. I can’t wait to spend more time here and to get to know the place a little better. How did you first start playing music? My dad is the reason this whole music thing started for me. He was in bands as a drummer his whole life and growing up, made sure I knew how cool being a musician was.. He taught me the basics on his acoustic guitar and drum kit and after that I just became obsessed with it. You've just spent the past month or so writing and recording in LA, what or who influenced your writing during this period? Yeah I set up a little home studio in my room in West Hollywood and I’ve just been in my own head a lot. I would say the change of scenery has had an impact on my music. Really I’m just trying to keep my head straight, not focus on what everyone else is making and to just keep doing me. How do you usually go about writing music? It’s different every time. A lyric that pops into my head can start the process or even a drum loop that I come up with. Most of the time I just get this overwhelming feeling of inspiration that forces me onto my laptop and I just start messing around. What were some of the most memorable times whilst on this latest LA trip? Other than keeping to myself in my little studio dungeon, I’ve met some really inspiring people who have done amazing things with their life. I’d say getting to spend time with people like that has been really beneficial for me and a really big eye opener. You have recently been on tour with fellow Aussie Dean Lewis, how did you come to be apart of this tour? Dean’s a really good friend of mine and has been for a few years now. We met before all of this craziness and his success in a small studio in Sydney. He was rehearsing for a showcase and I was recording a new song. He heard the guitar riff I was trying to write lyrics to, let himself in and starting helping me out. Since then I’ve done a bunch of tours with him and really gotten to know him. He’s a fkn legend! What did you do on this tour and what do you most enjoy about being/going on tour? This tour for me was really about exploring these beautiful cities in North America, getting my music to as many ears as possible and finding my feet in this part of the world. Honestly I’m just so grateful to be able to travel around like that, meet new people and see all kinds of shit at such a young age. My parents didn’t have that luxury growing up so I thank my lucky stars everyday. Your new track Down Side Of up is out now, what influenced the writing for this track? My mate and I were unsure whether to write a happy or depressing song, so we kinda did both. I’m also a big fan of bands like ‘Ball Park Music’ and ‘San Cisco’ so those vibes could have been subconsciously coming out of me. How did you go about recording Down Side Of Up? We wrote the song in about 45 minutes in my bedroom and then I spent the rest of the day tracking the instruments in. That’s my favourite part so let’s just say I had fun that day.. What have you been working on recently? Heaps of new songs and my live show predominantly.. And I’ve been attempting to go to the gym but I’ll keep you posted on that one. I’ve also finished up a new song, ’Take Our Time’ that is coming out very soon. Who are you listening to at the moment? Jon Bellion’s new record ‘Glory Sound Prep’. That shit is hectic.. Because I’m a producer, I obviously obsess over the production and it’s next level on this album. What do you like to do away from music? I love to go to the movies. Like way too much aha. I dunno, there’s something really peaceful about it for me. Any secrets that you care to share? Ummm there’s new music in April And May…. What do you have planned for 2019? Music, music and more music. Then shows, more music then maybe some more shows! Favourite food and place to hangout ? Burger and fries... and the studio. Ideal scenario is eating a burger and fries in the studio..

Jack Gray

Party Dozen

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m based on the Central Coast and have been since I started playing. It’s a bit of a hub for singer/songwriters with a lot of markets and pubs to come through in terms of gigs. That’s certainly how I got into playing here, and there’s a define creating culture as lead by local organisations such as Musicians Making A Difference. How did you first start playing guitar and singing? I first sang when I was 8 years old at my school in a Michael Jackson tribute show- where I wore a black wig and sung ABC. I started playing guitar and writing songs at around the same time when I was 12, almost immediately after getting into busking and market gigs around the coast. What do you most enjoy about music? The two main things I enjoy about music are writing and playing live. I love lyrics and music and get such a fulfilment out of playing my songs to an audience and connecting to a crowd. That feeling has only amplified further since playing with my band in Indy Linzbichler and Grace Labrum. Who are you listening to at the moment? I love singer/songwriters with Bob Dylan probably being my biggest influence in music... I’ve been listening to quite a lot of Paul Kelly recently and just in awe at his lyricism and storytelling. What have you been working on recently? My Thoughts EP that I am so proud to have released now has been my biggest project recently. From writing these songs, to arranging them with the band, recording and the processes that are involved with that have had my biggest attention. I’m so keen to hit the road and play these songs live with the band. I hear that you built a recording studio with some of the money that you won from Australia's Got Talent, where did you build the studio? The studio is built in Berkeley Vale on the Central Coast about 20 minutes from my house. It was such a fun experience building that up with my Dad, and definitely more rewarding to have a sense of pride in the space. How did you go about designing the layout of the studio and what programs / equipment / instruments did you include in the initial setup? The roof is slanted which is great as it stops the sound bouncing around as much. We put in bass traps and sound foam which helps a bit too. There’s a drum kit there and amps for bass and guitars. I use Logic Pro X and have a few cool plugins too. Do you work with anybody else during recording sessions? I work solo and also with my band, but definitely keen to have more people come over and collaborate! What have you been up to in the studio since it was setup? As soon as it was set up the band and I played a gig there which was sold to the 30 people capacity haha. That was a sick night to preview some of the songs of my new record. It’s been amazing to have the studio to write, practise and record demos. I’ve been up there every day and it’s such a great space to have for rehearsals with my band too. What are your future plans for the studio? One of the songs off my EP I recorded myself; so I’m definitely going to continue to get better at recording and production and write songs there every day. We’ll probably do more gigs there for fun and look to build the gear as well. You had a contract with Sony, how was this experience? It was definitely a great learning experience and I’m still grateful to Sony. I guess I was looking to have a more long term plan around the music I wanted to release, which has been quite different to the usual ‘TV show’ path. I think ultimately this is why I’m now independent, which for me means I can release the music I want to make in the way that holds the most value to me. You have a new EP 'Thoughts' coming out on April 5, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this EP? This Thoughts EP has been hugely influenced by my experiences over the past few years. From feeling like I’m owning my music more now and my own personal spiritual journey. Lyrically, the songs go into my opinions on things such as the psychology of a hater, expressing honesty and passion, and allowing myself to contemplate and question things such as the education system and politics to name a few. Musically I’m largely influenced by Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Jeff Buckley and Arctic Monkeys. How did you go about writing the music? I wrote these songs in my bedroom by myself, which made it all the more interesting to hear how it came together with the band. I wrote usually lyrics and music together, as I feel it lets each compliment the other. Where and when did you record and who did you work with? I recorded Thoughts with my band at Studios 301 with Tim Carr at the end of last year. He mixed 2 tracks and the other 3 were mixed with Gus Bonic of Emerald Point Studios. What do you have planned for 'Thoughts'? The 5 track record is something I’m extremely proud of. Planning on pushing this with a couple of tours around the country, and also video series that explains some of the lyrics and themes behind the songs. What did you find most rewarding and challenging during the songwriting and recording process? It’s definitely rewarding when it all comes together in both a writing and recording sense. Some songs instantly feel good and others take time to grow. There were aspects of getting the mixes right that I found challenging but ultimately I’m stoked with the final product. It was also challenging to capture the emotion when I went to re-record ‘Letters’, which is why a live take of that I did in my bedroom is what is on the ep. You're going on tour soon, where are you headed and what can we expect from these shows? The band and I will be playing shows at: Sat 6 Apr - Avoca Beach Hotel (Central Coast) Sun 14 Apr - Going Off At The Swamp (Central Coast) Sun 21 Apr - Seaview Tavern (Woolgoolga, NSW) Fri 3 May - Some Velvet Morning (Melbourne) Sun 5 May - The Newsagency (Sydney). Also dates for June/July to be announced. Can expect a variety of both riff-driven band songs and also more intimate singer/songwriter style with poetic like social commentary. We love to have a lot of fun and interact with an audience, so each show will bring something new! How do you prepare for each live show? We do a lot of practice together as a band at the new studio... but for me personally, I try to make sure I’m healthy and connected to the purpose of the show. On top of everything you are also in your final year of High School, how do you manage your school and music / touring? Music is definitely my main priority and I treat school as a bit of a blessing to learn things that I feel are beneficial to me. I do what’s called ‘pathways’, meaning I can do the HSC over a few more years to give me more time to dedicate to music. What do you like to do away from music? My biggest passion outside of music is definitely surfing. Whenever I get some free time or take a breather from music I always turn to the ocean. I live across the road from the beach, so it’s a huge part of my life and identity. Any secrets that you care to share? I couldn’t be more open and honest than I am in my new Thoughts EP, so my music reflects as honest as I can be. What's planned for 2019? This EP is a big tick off my list for plans this year, along with the shows we’ve got coming up. I’m really keen for that. Will finish this year of school and write a whole bunch of songs to work toward the next record. Favourite food and place to hangout? I love pineapple and hanging out in my studio or the beach.

Fletcher Pilon

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I live in Denver, Colorado! Born and raised. The music scene out here is amazing. There's such a large demographic for any genre of music, and with all of our amazing venues including Red Rocks, it makes it a great place to experience a bit of everything. When and how did you first get into producing and DJing? I got into producing when I was about 17 or 18, late in highschool. I was accepted into a digital audio production program that my school was a part of, so for all of senior year, I spent half of each school day at another campus studying recording and production. I didn't really get into DJing or live performance until a few years after that when I started realizing my music could become something more. I learned to DJ just as a way to perform the music I had written. Who are you listening to at the moment? La Bouquet is a band that have been on heavy rotation for me lately. It's not really Dance/EDM, but then again I don't really listen to a lot of electronic music in my own time anyway. I've also been listening to a lot of music that I used to listen to back when I was in high school - lots of pop punk bands like We The Kings, Saosin, Yellowcard, etc. You recently teased your new collaboration with Slander, ‘Potions’. How did this collaboration come about? They actually hit me up not too long ago, and sent over the vocal of the song asking if I had any interest. As soon as I heard it I fell in love with it and we started working on it immediately. Where and when was ‘Potions’ recorded and produced, and can you give us a little hint as to when you might be officially releasing this one? Not too sure where the vocal was recorded/mixed, but the rest of the track was produced in both my home studio as well as Slander's studio! And as far as a release date goes, not sure how much I can say other than it is coming, and soon :) You have previously collaborated with Illenium, Seven Lions, Dabin, Matthew Koma, 3LAU and others. What do you most enjoy about the collaboration process? I think my favorite part about the collaborative process is learning to trust other peoples’ instincts and letting them take the reigns with certain things. Its easy to get to a point in producing where you feel like you know what you want, and how you want certain things to sound, but I've found that some of the most rewarding sessions and songs have come from giving up some of that control and seeing where the other artist takes it. Are you working on any new collabs at the moment? I am! Quite a few actually, but not too sure which ones will turn out and be released so I really can't say too much about them :) You've just finished 25+ stop Wide-Eyed tour in January 2019, selling out numerous venues. What did you find most rewarding and challenging about this tour? The biggest challenge really turned out to be the most rewarding aspect in the end for me. From the beginning of the tour, when I was still figuring out what I wanted to play and how I wanted to play it, the hardest decision for me was to decide to stay true to myself and only play my music, rather than add in a bunch of other peoples music to add to popular appeal or energy to the set. My music, when compared to most music in the scene today, is arguably quite chill. I decided that I wanted my set to reflect that, and before the tour started I was worried it might either bore most people, or leave them feeling like there wasn't enough energy. Based on the responses I got through the end of the tour, I'm SO SO happy I made the decision that I did, and I’m glad I focused more on the meaning and feeling of the set and music rather than how "hype" or "heavy" the set was. You're playing S2O Songkran Music Festival in Bangkok, Thailand in April, which artists are you most looking forward to seeing whilst at S2O? ((other artists playing are Fatboy slim, tiesto, Steve Aoki, 1788 L, 3lau, bassjackers, netsky, robin schulz)) There are so may amazing artists on the lineup, but really looking forward to seeing another 3lau set, as well as 1788L. Also really hoping to catch Netsky. I've been a huge fan for years and have never seen his set! What can we expect from your S2O set? Expect a lot of my own music! I'm not an artist that people come to for the heaviness and opportunity to head-bang for an hour straight. I focus much more on the musicality and the vibe, and simply hope to leave the audience feeling a little happier and maybe even younger. I want them to smile and realize how easy it can be to simply be nice to one another, and forget about all the hate and negativity in the world, even if its just for a moment. What do you have planned for 2019? I've got a lot planned for this year! A lot of festivals to play this summer, but any time I get at home will be focused on new music, as well as starting on a second album and of course some collaborations here and there. Favourite food and place to hang out? Favorite food is a tough one. That answer changes weekly for me. Lately I've been craving pasta. Specifically chicken alfredo. What can you be found doing whilst away from music? Honestly not a whole lot! Mostly video games. I've been trying to find things to do outside lately. Frisbee, kicking a soccer ball around, hiking... I've been noticing how much time I've been spending inside my studio and feel like I need to make more of an effort to get up and out for a bit.

Said the Sky

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Phoenix, Arizona. It's kind of a terrible and ugly city but there are still gems - Sun Trio, Treasure Mammal, Roar, Gene Tripp, Glob....I've never been good at defining a music scene. How did you first start playing music? My mom played guitar. One day I just picked it up. I think I was 14. I wasn't into learning covers. I liked making up my own songs. What have you been working on lately? Ard Eevin is my new project. I've been working on it with Ryan Breen who helped engineer my last record. Ard Eevin is Gaelic for "beautiful heights". So hopefully the record doesn't suck. I'm pretty sure it'll win us a Grammy. We finish mixing it this May. Please tell us about the collaborative nature of your recording process and why you choose to record this way: Some times I day dream about changing art forms....maybe a solo gig, like painting. But with music, it feels better to include others - "Here, make it yours too". Where did you record most recently? At Water Works Studio in Tucson, AZ with Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth). He's playing drums on the Ard Eevin record. What is it about the magic of the first take that appeals to you most? The more takes, the more you think. Like that Tony Robbins quote, "In your head and your dead". Who are you listening to at the moment? I'm always listening to The Bee Gees and Tom Petty. You use incidental noises through out your tracks, please explain why you do this: My husband took me to see Wolf Eyes while I was making that last record. During the show I got freaked out by the noise and thought a demon was trying to possess me. I had to walk out of the venue to calm down. A week later I realized noise was cool, that a demon wasn't trying to posses me, and that I wanted to experiment with scary sounds. What or who influences your sound and songwriting? I'm not always sure. I can really hear my influences in my older records. But more recently, I just hear me. But maybe fast forward in time and I'll feel or hear differently. How do you go about choosing which songs to include on an album and which to leave out? What ever feels right. I want to day dream. And I don't want anything to interrupt that dream. So if it doesn't flow, nope. What do you like to do away from music? I like hanging out with my cats. Sometimes I ride my bike or take long city walks. I like getting lost in the aisles at Target. They have neat stuff. Probably one of favorite things to do - buying a lotto ticket and getting myself psyched up about maybe winning. Any secrets that you care to share? There are two Maroon 5 songs that I'll turn up if they come on the radio. What's planned for 2019? To keep playing the lotto and maybe win? To be nice. To play music. Favourite food and place to hangout? I like Gracie's Tax Bar in downtown Phoenix. Stacy's in Melrose District has a good goth night on Wednesdays. Favorite food - Moira's Sushi , Federal Pizza and Welcome Diner.

Lonna Kelley

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? For the moment I am living in Pavia, which is the city where I was born and is about half an hour from Milan. In Pavia the house techno scene is not famous at all but I am lucky to be very close to Milan which is a great metropolis and it’s full of clubs. A few months ago I performed in Milan at Magazzini Generali with Luciano and at the Armani Privè Club. It is very good to be near Milan also to travel for my gigs because the city has 3 airports and is very connected. Your productions are distinguished for their powerful, percussive and playful sound, with deep energetic bass lines and vocal sampling, who or what influences your sound and songwriting? Yes I love playing with vocal and percussions! I don't have a real inspiration, I like listening to lots of music and learning new things. I like to experiment. What programs/equipment do you use? In the studio I currently have an Elektron Analog Rytm drum machine, a Moog Sub 37 synthesizer (in love with it), a mute keyboard that receives the signal from the vst (for example nexsus, sylenth1 etc), 2 Focal Trio 6be monitors and a Motu Express as audio soundcard. Now I'm planning to buy a mixer and the vintage synthesizer Roland Juno 106. In 2017 you found success in the Beatport charts with Music On resident Leon, their record “Cant You See” reached #2 of the tech house chart and #3 on the global Beatport Chart, becoming the most played track during BPM Festival 2017. This caught the attention of Nic Fanciulli and Saved Records who signed Simone’s next EP “Halo” which also cracked the global Beatport top 10. What do you think it is about your music that appeals to so many people? I'm really happy with the result I got with these 2 ep. Both have reached high positions in the world rankings and they have been played by many djs! It was great to receive videos of Carl Cox, Nic Fanciulli, Joris Voorn and many others who played my tracks at the Bpm Festival. It’s a huge satisfaction to see that the songs you have worked alone in the studio have reached that world stages. How has the experience been working with Nic Fanciulli and Saved Records ? Nic and Saved Records have always been a point of reference for me since I took my first steps in this world. Saved has always been one of my favorite record labels and having the opportunity to work with them has been fantastic for me. I even for a while been on the charts in the label and Nic Fanciulli posted the Ep on his social media saying that Halo was one of his favorite records of that year! Nic and I are still in touch and soon there will be more news. How do you usually go about writing music? There are days where I go into the studio already with an idea on my mind but most of the time I come in without ideas, I sit down and start to record what's on my mind until I find what convinces me. Who are you listening to at the moment? Right now I'm listening a lot Crosstown Rebels , the label of Damian Lazarus, especially the tracks of Sis, one of my favorite producers! You were born and raised in Pavia, near Milan, how did this location shape your musical taste and career? Pavia for me was the starting point. The first time I played in my life it was here in my city for a party organized by a friend of mine. I was 17, there were 300 people and I was very excited. I prepared the whole DJ set with great care and at the end of the party the people made me many compliments and urged me to continue on this path. From that moment I began to take my DJ career seriously. In Pavia, however, as I said before, the house & techno scene has not developed, so being near Milan has helped me a lot to gain experience in this world. In Milan there are many parties and many clubs. In 2018 you performed 80+ gigs in 30 countries! What do you find most rewarding and challenging when touring? That's what I've always aspired to! For me it is a huge joy and satisfaction to be able to travel the world and bring my music to the people. It's a wonderful feeling for me to see people dancing and having fun when I play. I really like to connect with the public and thank them for the support they give me, they are the ones who give me the energy! What do you do to relax and in your spare time when on tour? When I'm on tour and I have some free time I always try to use it to visit the cities and try their typical foods! I have always enjoyed traveling and I am lucky that my work allows me to see so many places and learn about many new cultures and people. This opened my mind a lot and made me grow on many aspects. In 2018 you had success with an EP on Elrow Music. Your new release is out now on Chicago label ‘incorrect music’ - listen here , how did you come to release with 'incorrect music' ? Now I am a great friend of Anthony Attalla (the label owner) . He believed in me right away and I've been working with his label and his Incorrect party in the United States for a few years. A few months ago we did a crazy showcase on the Groove Cruise from San Diego to Cabo in Mexico. I released on his label for the first time a few years ago with a remix that does very well on the charts and this is the first time I release an EP on the label. What influenced this release? Nothing in particular, as always I entered the studio and started recording. Where and when did you produce? If I'm not on tour I produce in Pavia in my studio that I created. I rented a spacious box and soundproofed it completely. What do you have planned for 2019? There are many things in the program! A tour in Central America, a tour in Asia and Australia, loads of gigs in Europe. There will also be a fairly important news that I will reveal soon on my socials and that it will change some things. Any secrets that you care to share? I have some music ready to go out including a good project with a really good singer: Mikey V. Favourite food and place to hangout? I like a lot of things, I love to eat and I'm lucky to be Italian from this point of view because the Italian cuisine is one of the best in the world. I really like the risotto alla pescatora, the cannelloni and the real mozzarella di bufala. One of the places to hang out for me is Miami, I love warm places with a tropical weather.

Simone Liberali

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m based in the inner-west of Sydney, NSW. The music scene is complicated, fertile, independent and populated by extremely talented people. As you might know, there seems to be a disconnect between the local government and artists like myself when it comes to nightlife, culture, festivals, arts funding ect. Despite this I’m constantly inspired and fascinated by the sheer quality and talent of many of the artists that call Sydney home. I’ve always been bubbling under the surface with a fairly gorilla approach to events and music, It seems more important than ever that we continue to find spaces and fill them with experiences, stories and people expressing themselves. How did you first start playing music? My dad used to play Bass in a band when I was fairly young. There was usually a guitar sat around the house and at some point I thought I’d give it a go. One thing leads to another and before I new it I was recording crappy demos on a cracked version of cubase. Your new single 'Places People' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? There tends to be a strong visual element to the way I perceive my music. I want it to feel alive. Often producers will look at a mix or sound as a static separation of elements. That approach is totally understandable when it comes to recording live music i.e guitar/ bass / ect . However electronica feels similar to animation. You’re almost limited by your imagination. I look the music as ribbons in space. They ripple, move emerge and dissipate. It’s like a reflection of energy, motion, movement, birth, death. That’s essentially what ‘Places People’ is about: feeling trapped between the pillars of birth and death while simultaneously looking at things as simply…energy I guess. Where and when did you record? I have a studio space that I cycle to most days. I feel very at home there. Took me a little while to build the wall / door but it’s looking pretty good these days. You achieved some beautiful stereo atmospheric moving sound on this track, how did you go about achieving this?  Thanks! I’ll often have multiple synths weaving and morphing around each other. I’d say it’s a mixture of paying attention to frequencies, depth/ width of field and being open to changing these parameters over time and experimenting a bit. I tend to view each track as a moving thing so that helps.   Who are you listening to at the moment? Today: Chong the nomad, Snarky Puppy, Sophie, Selftape, Isy isy, Sparrows, Jaala What have you been working on recently?  I’ve actually been experimenting with drawing recently. Thought It might be fun to have a go at animating something, 822 scribbles later, my hand hurts. I’ve also been working on the install for an interactive sound work with Kieran Warner hunt at PACT theatre Erskineville for their salon called ‘Slurp’ for a work by the artist Vivienne Linsley. Also been putting together a new monthly intimate music event called “Arcadian Rhythms” at 1989, an awesome arcade bar in Newtown. You have an upcoming EP, please tell us about the songwriting and recording process for this EP and what we can expect:  Similar themes to ‘places people’. More motion, movement, sonic ribbons in space. Some catchy tunes, some weird tunes. You can expect a dynamic journey. Something worthwhile, Something only I could have made in that particular way (hopefully). The recoding process is fairly ephemeral and relative to each track but it’s all about translation and repurposing and staying limber. I was in a very transitional period during the recording process. It’ll be interesting to see how I look back on these once the dust settles. You have a residency this March at Sydney's famous 1989 Arcade Bar, how did this come about and what do you have planned for these shows?  I thought it would be nice to use my residency at roll into something larger than myself and start fostering a bit more of a community for other local artists. It came about after performing at 1989 during newton’s King st crawl where live music essentially takes over Newtown. After a chat with the owner It seemed like a good idea to do more events like that. This month we’ve had Isy isy and Warner Hunt soon to be followed by Alon Ilsar of ‘The Sticks’ and Tru with me this Thursday. I hear that you are also curating a monthly night through April - July at 1989 bar as well, can you give us a taste of what's coming up? Yes! I’ve started piecing together a new intimate music night called Arcadian Rhythms! After the last residency it’ll roll into a monthly event. We’re focusing on local emerging experimental electronica, synth pop, art pop and beyond! I’m big on unique intimate events so I’m looking forward to seeing it develop. We’ll also be dropping live session vids to document the good times.  I’ve got a some wonderful things bubbling away for future events but I’d rather lock in all the details before I go talkin’ about them. What I can confirm is an amazing vibe, wonderful people, an aural fizz of local talent that makes you feel happy to be here in every sense. What do you like to do away from music? Currently I’m enjoying drawing and noodling around with very basic animation. I also like to make videos, think pieces. Art stuff. I like listening to pod casts, walking around. My studio is great for just hanging out and catching up with friends, I like to do that when possible.   Any secrets that you care to share? Nup, none, I’ll never tell. You can’t make me. We all made a pact. I was young and reckless. You can’t prove it. What do you have planned for 2019? Making things! More music. Hopefully some collaborations. Probably a broader approach to what kind of things I create. Favourite food and place to hangout? In the winter, Pho from PHD in Marrickville. In the summer, Camperdown park + Beer + sultans table falafel kebab with fresh Chill/garlic/hummus.

Ross Henry

Where are you currently based and what is the music / art scene like there? •Currently in SYDNEY, Australia. Not really sure about any scene here although I’m sure there is one at least, if not many. I’m sure they are full of “too cool for school”cliques with top end shit talkers, social climbing parasites and of course the ever so common enthusiastic haters, backstabbers, imitators and wannabes. I really just kind of keep to my studio and to myself, well actually that’s not entirely true , I do go to art openings occasionally and a few public gallery functions here and there I suppose. The scene feels quite quiet and a bit too grown-up and drab actually. I find myself in bathrooms of dirty dive bars either writing my number on the walls or calling numbers left by other weirdos just to see if they have the courage to answer. How did you first get into art? •My grandmother used to give me butchers paper when I would stay at her place on the weekends. She told me to draw everything I saw. She herself painted many paintings over her lifetime and I recall her keeping an active studio in the back room of her hot box of a house for as long as I knew her. She didn’t call them paintings though, she called them practice boards. Whenever I would visit her we would go straight to the studio and she would talk to me about what was going on in all the pieces she was working on. She died at the age of 91 having never sold a painting. A true lover of painting my grandmother was. My favourite painting to this day is a portrait of Will Smith which she painted at the age of 84 not knowing who he was. I asked her why she had painted the “fresh prince of Belair” and she replied; “that he was an attractive young man”. She’d simply seen him in a magazine one day and cut him out and knew she just had to paint him. Her name was Josephine ‘Steele’ Lister and she was an orphan born in 1919 on Christmas Day. What have you been working on recently? •I’ve just completed a body of work where by I have altered a number of old masters’ classic paintings. Works like the “sunflowers”by Van Gogh and “weeping woman” by Pablo Picasso. Some of the other artists i have remixed include Lucien Freud, Henri Matisse, Salvador Dali, Rembrandt, Lichtenstein and Degas. Upon finalising these works I began work immediately on a new series of two headed superhero’s which I am calling my “breakup” paintings. What inspires or influences your art and how has your inspiration and influences changed over time? •I am inspired by color and form as blunt and boring as that may sound. Constantly realising my work influenced by several combinations of philosophy and culture, people and history, music and technology and a large portion of disaster between. A great statement by a great painter once said, and I quote; “inspiration is for beginners, the rest of us just get to work” - Chuck Close. Id like to think that I actually just get to work most of the time. Until I find myself answering ridiculous questions like this and just have to shake my head and wonder who even bothered writing to ask such trite predictable fluff. You are originally from Brisbane, Australia. What was it like growing up in Brisbane and did Brisbane influence you and your art? •Brisbane was and still is a bit of a punish for me personally. I don’t really want to go into the details but let’s just say I’m glad I don’t live there now. I may completely change my mind one day and realise I was the problem all along but for now I’m happy to leave it where it is. Who's art are you really digging at the moment? •My own work to be honest. I really dig being in the studio. Iv always been about the work and more importantly -making it. I don’t think that ever changes. I need to be enthralled and excited about my own practice and the new developments and directions I activate. There is a world of great art that I love and get great joy from visiting on my travels and through books and the internet of course. I feel that if I was digging anybody else’s art more than my own I would’nt be doing a very good job at challenging myself. Having said that I am constantly seeing great work which makes me smile and at the end of the day I feel that if an artwork is truely great my first reaction is to smile when viewing it for the first time. I only hope my work can create a responses like these in others as much as they can do to me. What do you aim to achieve with your art? •Just that I guess - a feeling of happiness and or joy. Naturally to encourage others to seek out their own means to enjoy being creative. And of course- to echo in eternity as I stand upon the shoulders of so many so much greater and grandeur than myself. The streets play a major part of the medium where you create your art, how did you first get into street art and why do you like to use this medium to create and display your art? •I began working in the public in 1999 and have maintained a steady uncommissioned urban practice since. I like the immediacy. I like the secrecy. I like the exposure. I like being stealth. I like pretending to be drunk and/or on my phone. I like to have a plan. I like the activation of public spaces. I am a believer in the freedom of visual speech. I believe in freedom. What music are you listening to at the moment? •Mostly classical radio. Some Pusha-T. A bit of techno and the rest just rubbish. What do you like to do away from art? •Going through trash on the sidewalk. Antique stores. Shopping for flowers. I like to skateboard with my son. Eat nice food. Take walks in the gardens. Go on dates. Get dressed up. Read. Spend hours in second-hand book stores. Same as everybody I suppose. How do you know when a piece that you are working on is finished? •When something is done it feels done. Sometimes I can take it too far or occasionally in hindsight I will realise I could’ve done more. It is kind of the same thing with eating; you know when you have eaten too much right? In the same way (when you are still hungry after dinner) you realise you should’ve eaten more when you had the chance so you do the next time you get the opportunity to and so on and so forth. Painting is much the same. As we grow older and more a tune to things like eating or painting for that matter we develop a keen sense for fullness. If you could live anywhere and during any period of human existence where and when would it be and why? •Simple. I would choose now and here. I wouldn’t change a single thing. Everything is as it is for a reason. My only wish is that my children live happy, peaceful and fulfilling lives. Any secrets that you care to share? •Only that there are no secrets to anything in life when one can truely listen to the nature of goodness. To hear the great teachings of those that have gone before us would be true peace. If someday I could somehow calmly lead others with love toward goodness I’d share that secret. Too bad I’m actually more like some asshole snaking spots and calling people all sorts of fucked up in this big ass traffic jam of life for all that “do the Tao now” just yet. What do you think makes good art? •Questions like that. Or maybe answers like these. Not sure exactly. Probably a bit of this and a bit of that and whole bunch of hard fucking work I presume. Please describe your creative process, from how you arrive at an initial idea to the finished piece: •It is always a little different. When I think I have the pattern sorted I realise that it’s all a sham and I find myself back at the drawing board. So short answer: I draw, then think, write some notes, then think some more, prepare my surfaces then go for it. Sometimes the preparation is enough, sometimes it is far too much. Somewhere in between giving too much or too little of a shit I find myself facing my fears and that is where I am at my best and when I shine brightest. The product of this is what I find myself calling my artworks’ complete. And thus the whole process of working my way around a planet sized apple begins once more. Art and drugs can a lot of the time go hand in hand, do you think that by being under the influence of certain drugs that one can create great art? •I don’t think it matters whether someone is on drugs or not when they are making art. When it comes down to it at the end of the day, if someone has not applied themselves to their practice and devoted a countless amount of hours to their craft, whether that be making art or making cupcakes for that matter; if you can’t make cupcakes you definitely can’t call yourself a baker and you’re pretty much up shit creek. What drives you to create and what about the process do you most enjoy? •Seeing something new with fresh eyes. My mother’s reactions to when I try to shock her. And drugs of course. What would you be doing if you weren't an artist? •Either a pianist, an astronaut, a poet or a dead shit bored as fuck nodding off at the train station drug addict. Any words of wisdom? •Have children early. Do what you love. Favourite food and place to hangout? •Grapes/ lasagne. City centres with a skateboard worldwide. Please include links to socials and website. Website - www.AnthonyLISTER.com Instagram - @AnthonyLISTER Danger- www.LISTERdangerzone.com Google - Anthony LISTER

Anthony Lister

Second Prize

Second Prize

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m from Sydney. Whilst the lovers of live music and culture are pretty pooped about the results of the last state election, the majority of us are remaining positive and will keep fighting the good fight. The Sydney Music scene is awesome. It’s going to take a bit to stop us. How did you first start playing music? My parents sent me to piano lessons as a kid. That didn’t last too long - Angry teacher. But of course, singing was always a huge passion from when I was quite little. I started to take songwriting seriously right after I finished school. What have you been working on recently? A debut album! It’s been a long time coming so I am super excited. Life has gotten in the way at times so it’s also been a long recording process. Now I’m just looking forward to recording the next one. Your new track 'A Holiday' has just been released, where and when did you record? Early last year at The Golden Retriever studios in Marrickville. My producer Ben was in town so we took the opportunity to keep working on the album. There was a lot of different bits still to do, but I was feeling for something fresh, so we smashed this one out instead. Very happy we did. What inspired the sound and songwriting? A lot of the vocal layering comes from my love of 60s music. I’m a huge fan of ‘The Shangri-las’ and that spoken word type singing. I was after a more boisterous and ‘loud’ track that was straight to the point and got up in people’s faces. Who did you work with during the recording/production process? I’ve been working with Benjamin Fletcher on production, and Matt Landers has been recording and mixing the majority of the tracks. How did 'A Holiday' come about? In the songwriting phase, I ended up going on a bit of a rant that stems from my experience growing up in an Italian household. That’s in reference to the “A boat away from A Holiday” line. Immigrating to the lucky country and carrying traditions with them. What do you have planned for 'A Holiday'? The music video is out, and the band and I are about to start an east coast Aussie tour in celebration. Road trip! Where do you like to go on holidays? I love to explore. Somewhere in nature where I can also soak in the culture and try new things. Who are you listening to at the moment? I’ve just started getting into “The Jesus and Mary Chain” after hearing their song ‘sounds like honey’ on the ‘Lost in Translation’ soundtrack. So good. That, and I’ve also been going back over the Nick Cave catalogue. Where did the filming of the music video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLT-eHaKuH8 take place? The Holiday beach and pool scenes were filmed at Port Kembla, south of Sydney. That beach is stunning in the evening- Wow. The family scenes are in a pergola in a park in Sydneys Inner West (is best). The car scenes.. well, I can’t tell you. Who did you work with during the filming and production of the music video? Adam Singer. One of the most calm and supportive humans I know. What do you like to do away from music? I love spending time with my people. And then there’s alone time on the beach, reading and writing, and I love exercise. A good power walk and practicing yoga is my thing. What was your first job? I worked at a pool canteen at the ripe age of 14 and 9 months. Super eager to get a job, I learnt how to fry potatoes and work a cash register. It was a time. Any secrets that you care to share? Eggs, parsley and breadcrumbs in your meatballs. Always. You've got a tour coming up, where are you headed? We start in Newcastle, home show in Sydney, then Canberra, Thirroul, and Melbourne. What can we expect from your upcoming shows? A pretty sweet band performing all the tracks coming off the album. What do you find most challenging and rewarding when on tour? Being an independent musician, the ongoing organisation ontop of being the Artist is pretty exhausting. Playing to new audiences and meeting new people that connects with my music is pretty tops. How do you prepare for each show? If I have the luxury of a day off, I like to do a morning warm up and then enjoy the day mostly relaxing before show time. What do you have planned for 2019? Perhaps another single release before releasing the album. Trying to take each month as they come, but the album will definitely be out. Favourite food and place to hangout? Hard one! A long brunch in a sun drenched cafe with girl friends would have to be one of them. ‘A HOLIDAY’ TOUR DATES Sat 30th March - The Stag and Hunter, Newcastle NSW Thurs 4th April - Waywards (The Bank Hotel), Sydney NSW Sunday 7th April - White Eagle Polish Club, Canberra ACT Thurs 11th April - Franks Wild Years, Wollongong NSW Sun 14th April - Some Velvet Morning, Melbourne VIC lisacaruso - Facebook lisacaruso - Instagram lisacaruso - Squarespace

Lisa Caruso

What is your name and role within The Empty Threats? Matt - Guitarist Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? We're all based in Adelaide, there's plenty happening if you're looking in the right places, especially over the Adelaide Fringe which goes from mid February to mid March. What have you been working on recently? We've just released a 4-track-EP called Ablutions, we've got a video clip in the works for one of the songs, and we've got a couple new recordings that we're currently working on. Your new EP 'Ablutions' is out now via GD FRIENDS. What influenced the sound and songwriting for the 4 track EP? The sound of the EP was pretty influenced by our engineer, Matt Hills, he's known us since very early on, mixing some of our very first shows. Matt has had a lot of success through the years so it was a pretty safe choice for us to ask him to record, mix and master the EP. The songwriting was influenced by a range of different elements, all of us have different preferences in music so bringing that all together can be difficult but I think it can give us something pretty unique at different moments. How did the songwriting process take place? We like to keep the writing pretty wide open and collaborative, we all write and play our own parts without trying to mess with each other too much. I think that's part of the fun of writing as a band, letting someone take their instrument and playing a totally different part in the song than what you would have played yourself. Coming to terms with the idea of not being in control of every part of the songwriting was a little difficult for me personally but now it feels like we've got a good idea of how to bounce off of each other. Loss of Breath and Wasted Time were actually written with a totally different bassist to our current bassist Lenny, Lenny has a very technical jazz brain and the bassist we had before had a more experimental style. Magnolia and Stubbornness were both written with Lenny and I feel like you can tell that the technicality is a little bit more of a focus in those tracks. You recorded, mixed and mastered with two time ARIA Award nominated Matt Hills at Hillside Studio. How did you come to work with Matt? Matt has sort of been our musical Dad through the existence of the band, he's really got a good handle on how to tame the clarinet in a live setting and we're always happy to play at the Crown and Anchor in Adelaide where he is the resident engineer. We heard plenty about Matt Hills before we had approached him to record, he's got a pretty big reputation in the Adelaide scene. Please describe how the recording, mixing and mastering unfolded and what your found most challenging rewarding during each process: Because we took a year to put the EP together the styles that we approached recording totally changed from start to end. At the beginning we really hadn't seen a studio before and hadn't really gotten a grasp of how it worked, so there was a huge learning curve for us. Matt has a pretty insanely fast workflow, he'll really just record and mix on the go, most days that we went in to record a new song we would walk out with a master that sounded fantastic to us, it was only at the end of recording Stubbornness that we decided to go back and have a rethink about a couple parts of different songs. What was challenging for me in particular was sort of just letting go of control over the process, especially in the early stages of Lenny being around I had to step up in the song writing a little bit just until Lenny got settled in. I think I found it hard to know when everyone was pretty comfortable in their own roles and everything was naturally falling into place without me pushing it. Recording and mixing the end of Wasted Time was probably the most rewarding moment, we really went all out in production trying to use every sonic inch we had to make it as ecstatic as we could. What is the idea/concept behind the Ablutions EP? The whole concept of the EP mostly reflects on the changes that we've been through as a band over the past year, that's around when we started writing the songs on the EP. We also try to refer to our mental states and the state of society from our point a view, and trying to keep a positive mindset through all the bad. What programs/instruments did you use during the songwriting and recording process? Our engineer runs Cubase on his rig which is a bit different to what we've seen other people use but he's really efficient with it which makes the recording process easier. We mostly just used our own instruments and processing, it's just what we know and how the songs really sound live. We added in a bit of percussion like shakers and tambourine in the final stages of mixing to fill out some space, but mostly it was just Matt's drum kit, bass, guitar running through my own amp, vocals and clarinet. Of course the clarinet is a big highlight, we really process the clarinet and try and make it as wacky as we can, and we don't know of many psych-rock bands that include a clarinet. Who are you listening to at the moment? I'm really getting into Khruangbin at the moment, along with Pond's new album, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Melody's Echo Chamber, Boogarins, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and plenty of early Tame Impala. There's a pretty great range of new psych music coming out at the moment, and there's already plenty in existence. What do you like to do away from music? Most of us don't really have a life away from music, I'm a freelance sound engineer, Lenny studies Jazz Performance at the Elder Conservatorium in Adelaide, Stuart (Singer/Clarinetist) plays in a couple bands and works in hospitality and Michael (Drummer) works in a call center. I guess we all have dogs, so we're probably spending our spare time hanging out with them. You're playing Thursday the 11 of April at the Grace Darling Basement | Melbourne, VIC Details / tickets @ https://bit.ly/2EOgCqe ,what do you have in store for this show? We're pretty excited for this one, we've played a few shows in Melbourne before but I think we're all feeling more prepared for this one which is adding to the excitement. We've got Mac Springs opening up for us and The Oh Balters playing as main-support, they spent a bit of time in Adelaide a couple years ago and have a pretty solid reputation over here. How do you prepare for each live show? We've worked out that the best way we can prepare for a show is to have a little jam before we play, not really rehearsing songs as much as getting a vibe going. We like to keep our live shows pretty open so it doesn't get to stagnant or over-rehearsed, so when we get a chance to just mess around for an hour at Stu's place before a gig we feel a lot more comfortable. Any secrets that you care to share? Has anyone seen our Hi-hat chuck? We still can't find it. What do you have planned for 2019? We've got some big plans in the works, we're looking at a few releases this year, you'll just have to wait and see. Favourite food and place to hangout? We can't go past something a little greasy (at least I can't), we love a decent feed at Lord Of The Fries when we're in the area. Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theemptythreats/ Instagram - @theemptythreats (https://www.instagram.com/theemptythreats/) Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/3yFZgbeIbg9UmgkOojGuGt?si=tBJRhax5TuqPPNEQmoOQNA Bandcamp - https://theemptythreats.bandcamp.com/

The Empty Threats

Kirklandd x The Partae Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m based in my hometown of Canberra, and the music scene is budding to say the least. We’re really starting to find our musical identity as a city and I’m constantly discovering new fire artists every week. It’s a majorly inspiring place. How did you first start playing music? I first started writing lyrics around the age of 12. From 14-18 I learnt to play the cello, and this has instilled a strong passion for live instruments that I try to incorporate into everything that I make. You have been very active in the Canberra hip-hop scene for many years now, how has the scene evolved over the years and where do you see things going? It’s evolved with the quality of output and level of artistry you see in our artists now. I firmly believe the reason I’ve been able to grow so much in Canberra is because of the outpouring of support I received early on – and this has only gotten stronger and more widespread over time, and more artists are succeeding because of it. Your new single 'Impulse' Ft Zellow was released on Feb 14, where and when did you record/produce this track? I produced the track with my producer Cam Bluff mid last year. We worked on the early idea for the song, and throughout the year I conceived the world I wanted to create around the song: its visual aesthetic, the look and feel of the video, and what you experience when you see the track live. You worked with Cam Bluff (Amy Shark, Allday) & Citizen Kay, please tell us about the creative process between the three of you that brought us Impulse: So Cam and I began the early idea with the instrumental; the soaring piano chords, electronic instrumental, and the Black-Panther inspired bongos you hear in the track. I had this immediate reaction to the beat of a feeling of a pained attraction, which led to the track’s concept. I brought the project back to Kay in Canberra, and we had a heap of creative meetings about my delivery, the structure of the song and exactly what we wanted to communicate. I think we really captured a feeling that’s reflective of the zone I was in when I wrote the song. What inspired the sound and songwriting? The lyrics were inspired by personal experience; the highs and lows you feel when being impulsive and returning back to an old connection, kind of painting a picture of what this feels like. The sound is very uplifting, haunting and emotive, and all of this channels from the moments Impulse was birthed from. What have you been working on recently? Honestly, a heap. I’m really working to define what my sound as an artist is this year, so collaborating with as many people as possible is the primary goal. On top of that, the next project to follow Impulse, which I think is going to be an exciting turn that brings in more of an 80s vibe. You've just become an Australian Artist Ambassador for Global Citizen, what does this entail and how did this come about? I want to always use my platform to inspire those around me and draw attention to things that matter to me. Global Citizen is an organisation that encourages people to become a direct part of the change they hope to see in the world, by taking direct action in areas that matter most to them. Signing petitions, sharing online articles; these are all rewarded actions that are directly contributing to global change. I was invited to perform at GC’s Louder Together documentary screening in Sydney last year. It was narrated by Hugh Jackman, and showcased the artists they had performing at their festivals overseas: Jay Z, Coldplay and Rihanna to name a few. From there, I learned more about the organisation and I strived to become more heavily involved – I’m excited to show my fans what they’re all about and how they can become directly involved in resolving a number of global issues. Who are you listening to at the moment? I’m listening to a record called Trouble in Paradise by Elhae. It’s a soulful project that explores a turbulent relationship over an acoustic-trap soundscape, and its music videos are shot solely in Cuba. You can tell some artists take their time with their melodies and writing, and this is a strong example of that. What or who influences your sound and songwriting? I’m influenced by my conversations with people. I love learning about how people explore and nurture their mental health, what inspires them, and identifying that drive that I feel everyone has for what they truly want. I try to channel a lot of truth in my writing and that comes firsthand from my interactions with those around me. What do you have planned for 2019? To take things to a whole new level with my creativity, live set, and the release that’s set to follow Impulse. Favourite food and place to hangout? Garema Place Pho, Canberra. As for my best hangout: Kay’s studio, The Hive.

Kirklandd Interview – Canberra winner for the triple j Unearthed Groovin The Moo comp

How are things mate? Below is the answered questions for the Heads & Tails INC interview we agreed. I’ve attached their artist pic to this email and at the bottom put some social media links. Let me know once the interview is published and I’ll make sure it gets a share on socials :) 1. Who makes up Heads & Tails INC, and what part of the world are you currently based in? Heads & Tails INC is a duo based in the surroundings of Barcelona formed by Xavi Martí a computer engineer, and Marc Trepat an architect. 2. For those not already familiar with your sound, how would you describe your music genre? We don’t really have any specific subgenre that we would classify ourselves in, as we are trying to cover a wide range, but techno is probably the simplest way to describe our sound. We love trying different things to discover new vibes, and we have done tracks ranging from dub to industrial techno, but we are always exploring ideas for the next releases. 3. How do you guys know each other, and what got you into music? We both met in the surroundings of Barcelona, in a club where Xavi was initially playing. Marc had a doorman friend in that club, and he would visit him every week to say hello and have a chat on the street outside the venue before the club opened its doors for the night. One evening when Marc was chatting to his doorman friend he heard some music from the club that caught his attention, and the doorman let him inside to check out the rest of the DJ’s set. After the set, the doorman introduced Marc to the DJ who was Xavi. Xavi always had an obsession with electronic music since he was a kid, which turned into a love for it when he sneaked into the city nightclubs on weekends when he was still only 16 years old. The moment he saw the DJ playing he knew he wanted to learn how to mix records, and after accomplishing those skills he also turned his hand to music production. Marc has always been in relationship with music, as his mother is a classic and contemporary dancer, and his father is a jazz musician from a successful band based in Barcelona. He started studying piano and clarinet before joining several bands, but he thought this wasn’t the sound he liked, so he stopped for about five years until he met Xavi and returned to music. 4. I understand your next EP is due out on UNER’s label Solar Distance, could you tell us about how you first made contact with UNER? Our first contact with UNER was returning from the 25th anniversary of Space Ibiza during the long flight delays Ibiza usually has. Marc saw UNER just next to us, and since we are both huge followers of his work he didn’t hesitate to politely say hello. During the conversation we told UNER we were going to see him play the Ants party at Ushuaïa, and asked if we could bring him some of our music on a pen drive, which he very kindly agreed to us doing. So a month or so after that conversation, we arrived at Ushuaïa with almost nothing to show, as we had not made many new tracks, but UNER had remembered meeting us so this was the beginning of our friendship. Afterwards we started going to some of the parties that UNER played, and attended a masterclass he was teaching, so via those we kept in contact. It wasn’t until Sónar festival during the labels meeting that we eventually showed UNER our tracks, which he accepted to release in his label Solar Distance. 5. The release on Solar Distance was a lot harder and more techno focused than the label’s usual output. Could you talk us through the concept behind the EP? We knew that Solar Distance is an eclectic label with a wide range of styles, and that allowed us to be unrestricted with our own sound. The main trait of this EP is hypnotic grooves made by the complimenting patterns of the synths and drums. We tried to make those elements evolve over time, alongside with the inclusion of some background pads, and voice textures that add some organic elements. 6. Tell us a little about your writing process when it comes to making music, and are there any bits of equipment essential to your style? The first thing we decide is the energy and the mood of the track, and then we decide how to transmit that concept to the listeners. That will often be the only fixed step, as Xavi is a bit chaotic, and he may be inspired in some form or another depending on his mood that day. Sometimes the percussive groove is the first part to be finished, and from there new ideas arise when it comes to the synth sounds or background elements. Other times the percussion part comes after setting the melodic idea. Xavi initially had a studio with some synths and controllers, but ended up selling almost everything because often we work mainly with the computer and just a few plugins. Stripping it back just to a computer was a great decision, as the less equipment the more creative you force yourself to be with the few things you have access to. 7. Outside of music what are your other interests, and do they influence what you guys do as DJs or musicians? We think Heads & Tails INC couldn’t be defined without talking about the design and multimedia attached to music. Xavi is a computer engineer and his natural curiosity with new software brings him to learn in multiple disciplines that link technology and music. Things like visual designs, 3D mapping, or even creating a synthesiser are just a few such examples. Marc is an architect and is always trying to link music and architecture. The first project where he did this was an architecture school project where he conceptualised an electronic music academy where a strong correlation between the space (designed by Marc) and sound (generated by Xavi) was presented. The second collaboration between us was at Sónar Festival (Barcelona) for the Sónar+D stage. For this we presented an audio-visual reactive project where a 3D mapping show was evolving in real time based on music (bpm, frequencies, and transients), and the users movements captured by a motion tracker. We not only love music, but also how music can interact with other disciplines, and enjoy experimenting with these multimedia concepts. 8. You mentioned at the start of this conversation that you are currently based in Spain, what’s the local music scene like at this time of year? This time of the year is where everything starts coming up, and we are preparing for the summer when the first outdoor festivals like SoundEat or Brunch-In take over Barcelona and kick start the party season. Also, in the summer is Sónar Festival alongside all the OFFSónar parties that bring together local talent and international artists. We really think it’s the best and most beautiful week in the whole year of Barcelona’s electronic scene, where every spot of the city is stained with electronic music. 9. What can we expect from you in the future? Honestly, we don’t know what’s coming next just yet; the only thing we know for sure is that we’ll keep trying our best, and enjoying the process of creating/playing music. So as long as we keep this love and curiosity for music we hope this will go a long way for our Heads & Tails INC project. Heads & Tails INC's new EP on Solar Distance: https://www.beatport.com/release/arctica-ep/2517235 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/headsandtailsbarcelona/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headsandtailsbarcelona/ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/headsandtailsbarcelona On 11/03/2019 05:08, The Partae wrote: Awesome Will !! They look great! Thanks, We will need social, website links and an image please. Chris x On Tue, 5 Mar 2019 at 23:45, Will - Mainline PR wrote: Hi Chris, Nice one :) I've written out the below questions, let me know if they are ok, and I'll get them sent over to the guys... 1. Who makes up Heads & Tails INC, and what part of the world are you currently based in? 2. For those not already familiar with your sound, how would you describe your music genre? 3. How do you guys know each other, and what got you into music? 4. I understand your next EP is due out on UNER’s label Solar Distance, could you tell us about how you first made contact with UNER? 5. The release on Solar Distance was a lot harder and more techno focused than the labels usual output. Could you talk us through the concept behind the EP? 6. Tell us a little about your writing process when it comes to making music, and are there any bits of equipment essential to your style? 7. Outside of music what are your other interests, and do they influence what you guys do as DJs or musicians? 8. You mentioned at the start of this conversation that you are currently based in Spain, what’s the local music scene like at this time of year? 9. What can we expect from you in the future?

Heads & Tails INC

Joe Hertz ‘Møøn ft Nonô’ https://juicebox-recordings.lnk.to/BkQ_Y 1. Where are you currently based in the UK and what is the music scene like there? I’m currently based in Brixton, London. It’s a vibrant place and has been a key part of London’s music culture since the 1950s. There’s a record shop near my place called Soul Proprietors, my friend who runs the place gets a lot of rare groove, funk, soul and hip hop. It’s always a fun way to spend a couple hours in there digging for bits I’ve never heard before. 2. How did you first start making music? I first started DJing when I was about 15, and it wasn’t soon after I found that passion, I wanted to explore making my own beats. I think my first program I was using was reason 2.5. It was the first time I found a way for me to express my ideas in my own space. I loved staying up all night making beats so I could share them with my friends, even though they were super rough and all over the place! 3. What have you been working on recently? I have recently been working on tracks for my album. Some are ready, some are still in the process. I also just got back from my first Asia DJ tour which was nuts! Had a great time. 4. What themes/concepts does your work explore? I have always wanted to draw out an emotional response from people with my music. With beat making it’s very much a personal preference / on-going experiment on what sounds and melodies to use to do this. In terms of collaborating with songwriters I always like to spend time just chatting with them about what’s going on currently rather than try and put yourself in a position that you're not really in. It’s easier to write about stuff your experiencing at the time. 5. Who are you listening to at the moment? Jengi, Wantigga, Jael. There’s a lot of good shit coming out of the Netherlands at the moment. 6. How did you meet and get to work with Nono? Like most of the sessions that come through, my management and myself discuss and find people online that we like the sound of. I met Nonô for the first time when she came into the studio. There wasn’t that much expectation, but we got on so well in the session and it was actually a lot of fun to write with her. It’s always good to work with someone who’s not just talented but who you have fun with on a personal level 7. What do you like to do away from music? Cooking a 12-hour tonkotsu ramen, it’s kinda similar to making a beat. 8. Top 5 dream collaborators? J Cole, Kaytranada, Bobby Caldwell, Patrice Rushen, Bonobo 9. Any plans to tour Australia soon? We’re looking into it for later in 2019 / beginning of 2020. I have family in Aus and there’s so much good music that comes out of Aus, I can’t wait to play there. 10. What do you have planned for 2019? Really just finishing the album, DJ’ing - there will be some US dates, and dropping singles. 11. Favourite food and place to hang out in your hometown? I love Asian food! Ramen, hotpot, Korean BBQ

Joe Hertz

What is your name and role within Beverly Kills? Alma Westerlund on vocals and synth, Viggo Mattsson on bass, Hampus Höggren on drums, and John Jonsén on guitar. Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Alma: We’re based in Gothenburg. And I’d like to describe Gothenburg as an active city, musically. There’s a lot of stuff going on here. I don’t think there’s ever been a Friday or Saturday night that I’ve been bored. What have you been working on recently? Hampus: We have been writing a lot of new stuff recently. Viggo: We also recorded a music video for our next single. Alma: Another edition of our zine is also on the way! Which bands are you digging from Gothenburg? John: Terra and Tyred Eyes are two of the bands I like the most right now. Viggo: Westkust’s latest record slaps! Agent blå and Kollapse are great too. Does living in Gothenburg influence your sound? Hampus: Not for me, at least. Viggo: I don’t think it influences us, but it might be something that affects us subconsciously. Bands like Broder Daniel and Makthaverskan are very typical for Gothenburg so it’s hard to be an active pop band here without getting somewhat inspired by them. What or who influences your songwriting? Alma: It’s hard to answer that question, because I’ve never heard anything and felt “that’s how I want to sound!”. Of course I have musical preferences, but I don’t think it affects how we write music. None of my favourite bands sound anything like we do, and I think that’s good. You've just released a new single 'Revellers'. How did this track come about? John: Alma and I used to live in a shared flat with some of our friends, where we wrote our first tracks for Beverly Kills. Back then Alma still played guitar instead of synth, so all of her melodies used to be guitar parts. I sang on two or three tracks, and this was one of them. When Alma switched to synth we kept very few of our older tracks since they didn’t translate very well into our new sound change, but Revellers made it through. Hampus: We didn’t actually plan to record it, but we had some time left during the session when we did ‘Melodrama’, ‘Dreamless’ and ‘In This Dim Light’. And here we are! Where and when did you record and who with? Alma: At Welfare Studios, sometime around the beginning of March 2018. Everything was recorded with Kalle Lilja, Per Stålberg and Olle Björk. John: We recorded our debut single ‘Fourteen’ with them too, and we were so satisfied with how it turned out so it felt natural to go back there the second time around. What programs/instruments did you use? Hampus: They use Cubase for recording. Alma: I used my Micro Korg, with a Roland Space Echo RE-201. John: I always use my Fender Telecaster for everything guitar related. Viggo: And I used my Fender Jazz Bass. How do you usually go about writing music? Alma: John and I usually sit at home and write stuff together. We often record a quick demo and then we take it to the rehearsal space. When we wrote ‘Revellers’ and ‘In This Dim Light’ it wasn’t as easy to write vocal melodies, since we hadn’t rehearsed that much as a full band at the time. So I wrote all the vocal melodies at home, or on the bus at times. How did you come to sign from punk/indie Melbourne/Fitzroy label Hell Beach? John: When we released ‘Fourteen’ in August I tried to spread the song as much as possible, so I used SubmitHub for the first time in my life. We had some blogs who picked the song up, and one of them was Little Indie Blogs and Hell Beach found us through there. He sent a mail a few weeks after the song was out saying that he wanted to work with us. What's the Hell Beach experience been like so far? Alma: It’s not easy having a record label on the other side of the planet. But Luke has been a pleasure working with, and he’s given us countless of good ideas and advice how to handle our social media. It’s lovely working with someone that understands you and understands where you want to go as a band. Where do you usually go out in Gothenburg and what's a typical night out look like? Viggo: We begin at someone’s flat and drink a few beers at first, since alcohol is pretty expensive in Sweden. Then we usually hit up one of the bars at Andra långgatan, which is one of the more popular bar streets in Gothenburg. Alma: Most of our nights out are the same, but I think that’s the charm of it as well. That way it’s even more fun if something unexpected happens. You have a limited edition double single vinyl record coming out in April, what can we expect from this release? Viggo: It’s blue, for one! Alma: About eight and a half minutes of emotions. Why did you decide to release on vinyl? Alma: To make our parents proud! Just kidding. It’s amazing to have our music printed in physical format. John: But it was all Hell Beach’s idea really. Where will we be able to purchase it? Viggo: From the Hell Beach store (https://www.hellbeach.com/store/beverly-kills-in-this-dim-light-7-vinyl) and from our merch booth at live shows. What do you like to do away from music? Hampus: Watching movies, cooking and playing video games. Viggo: I love to draw and sometimes tattoo my friends. John: I like to eat good food and watching Netflix series. Alma: I’m a big fan of plants, but I’m too busy to take care of them so they always end up dying. Other than that, I like to read and to pet our bunnies that John and I have together. How did you first start playing music? Viggo: I don’t know really. Everyone I knew played guitar when I grew up so it felt natural to play something else, so I chose bass. Hampus: Honestly, I first got into playing music through the video game Rock Band on PS3. Alma: Music has always been a part of my life. There has always been different instruments around the house, but I started getting into it when I felt that it brought me so much joy. Fun fact – my first performance was at the local church, and I forgot the lyrics. I started playing guitar when I was 8, and everything that followed after that has been a way to express my creative outlet. John: I don’t know if I ever had a choice, to be honest. My father is a musician and works with production and mixing nowadays, and my mother was a music journalist when I grew up. I’m surprised that I didn’t learn to play guitar until I was 16. Alma: I’m more surprised that you didn’t revolt against your parents to become a soccer player instead. Any secrets that you care to share? Viggo: My guilty pleasure is the Instagram account @samantha_holic. What do you have planned for 2019? Alma: A lot. Viggo: Releasing more music and to play a lot more outside of Sweden. The second edition of our zine is coming as we mentioned. Alma: Drink a lot more beer, hang with more friends, write some more banging tunes. Favorite food and place to hangout? Hampus: The bar/restaurant Omnipollo in Gothenburg. Their Sloppy Joe is incredible. Viggo: Soy in Berlin. John: Eating a nacho plate at Kelly’s in Gothenburg. Alma: My killer Ceasar salad, and me and John’s apartment.

Beverly Kills

What is your name and role within the Hard-Ons? Ray, bass player, vocals sometimes Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Sydney Australia. I do not know what the scene is like here. I am 53 with two kids. All I know is that the best venues I have been to recently have been the MOSHPIT and BANK HOTEL in Newtown, The BOWLO in Marrickville and the CROWBAR in Leichhardt, all superb venues. And The LANSDOWNE in Chippendale has made a comeback upstairs with a nice room, friendly staff and a fantastic P.A. How did you first start playing music? We were all huge rock fans in the mid 70s but when punk hit in 1977, it felt like anyone could form a band and I am not sure if I would have had the courage to form a band without the advent of punk in 1977. I joined the DEAD RATS in 1982 and we changed our name to the PLEBS straight away and by October 1982 we had changed our name again to the HARD-ONS How do you usually go about writing songs? I take my smart phone with me everywhere and will record riffs and melodies on there by singing into it. Then at band practice I will insist the other members amuse me by trying to play my ideas. I usually rely heavily on other members to finish off anything I start What's been happening recently? Trying to get organised for our tour with Rose Tattoo. Mixing albums by Hard-ons, Nunchukka Superfly, and Wog. Three albums at the same time. Getting ready to release “HARDER AND HARDER” 7” for Record Store Day. It will be released by Music Farmers of Wollongong You're going on tour with Rose Tattoo at the end of March till early May, how did you come to be the support with this tour? They asked us. We are friends with them Favourite Rose Tattoo song? “ROCK AND ROLL OUTLAW” for sure What can we expect from this upcoming tour? You can leave the grind of 9 to 5 behind for a few hours and get your ear-drums pummeled beyond belief. And as you lie in bed, you will hear a constant mid-range hum. It will mean you went and had a good time What do you find most challenging and rewarding when on tour? The most challenging for me personally is when long drives are involved, such as it is the case sometimes in Europe. The most rewarding would always be the 45 minutes on stage, especially if any punter happens to come tell us that they enjoyed the concert. I find that incredibly humbling and still feel extremely fortunate that there are people who like the Hard-ons Any spots that you are most looking forward to play and if so, why? Would have to be: FRI 5 APRIL - Doncaster Shoppingtown Hotel + BABY 8 SAT 6 APRIL - Chelsea Heights Hotel + BABY 8 The Hard-ons have played Europe 19 times, Japan 6 times, USA 4 times, we have played Mexico, Tromsø on the arctic circle, Buenos Aires, Joensuu near the Russian border, we’ve played many places that I’d never ever visit but I have, thanks to the Hard-ons. But we’ve never played DONCASTER nor CHELSEA. So of course we are looking forward to that very much! We’d love to play Darwin one day What do you like to do away from music? I used to be an avid record collector but nowadays I love hanging out with my family, we have two little kids. If I get a moment to myself, I love looking after my Australian native garden, I have banksias, grevilleas, Acacias and Davidsonias Who are you listening to at the moment? THE COLLINS KIDS – a rockabilly band from the 50’s Favourite food and place to hangout? Favourite place to hang out would be the Illawarra region of NSW. I just feel very comfortable there. Beautiful natural surrounds and easy going unpretentious locals. Favourite food would have to be roasted sweet potatoes

Hard-Ons

What is your name and role within Vast Hill? Elle Kress - Vocals, Synths Adin Milo - Vocals, Guitar Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? We are in Sydney, Australia! There has been a renaissance in the last say, 3 years of great bands and song writing coming out of Sydney! We feel like the next couple of years is going to kickstart Sydney back to its former glory (at least we wish it will). What have you been working on recently? Our first ever album "More Than You Imagined" has been taking up 99% of our time, which will be out this year! Who are you listening to at the moment? I Know Leopard, Froyo, Not a Boys Name, Tilda, Julia Jacklin, Dent May, Georgia June, Kira. Your new single 'Heartbreaker' has just been released, where and when did you record/produce? We recorded and produced the whole song in our home Studio with an array of gear we've collected over the years. 'Heartbreaker' has beautiful spacey harmonies, delicious poppy melodies with a strong electro drum 80's back feel, what inspired the sound and songwriting for 'Heartbreaker'? Thank you! Our influences are endless, but Electric Youth would be a big one, along with Luke Million, Touch Sensitive and Lana Del Rey. What was the songwriting process for 'Heartbreaker' ? Elle: It was a quick one. I had the chords already in my head along with the chorus hook and I just sat down on logic and smashed it out until all the bones were there. I laid down drums first, then chords and bass. You worked with super talented producer/electro artist Luke Million, how did you come to work with Luke? We have always loved Luke's music and style, and one night we were at an "All The Colours" gig at Frankie's pizza in Sydney. We bumped into another "Luke" from I Know Leopard and started having a chat about their new single Landmine and were loving what Luke Million did on their track. Then Luke (I Know Leopard) told us to contact him because he's an absolute "hidden gem" of a producer/mixing engineer. We then messaged Luke Million and he took our album under his wing. Please describe what it was like working with Luke and what took place during your time with Luke: Nothing but great things to say about working with him! He is not only one of the nicest people ever, he is so talented and easy to work with. We basically handed him over our un-releasable songs and then... lets just say... Luke is the reason we believe magic exists. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the recording and production of 'Heartbreaker' ? The biggest challenge was not being able to hear the full potential of the song due to our lack of production skills at that time. So its hard to remain with a song that you ultimately start to lose sight of, which is where we asked Michael Chow (Froyo) and Luke for help. The rewarding part is getting the song back after a fresh set of ears have taken it to that next level so that it is finally at a stage where we are so happy with it. How did the concept for the 'Heartbreaker' film clip come about? It was a very impulsive thing actually. Adin always dresses in cowboy themed shirts and we both love Wes Anderson and the idea just came to us to do a dead-pan-western-meets-Wes Anderson theme! Where and when did you film and who did you work with for each process involved? We filmed it at our house. We like to collect vintage furniture and stuff so it fit quite well. We got extra props from a Sydney Stylist friend of ours Brendan De La Hey, and Michael Chow (Froyo) did everything else - filming, directing, editing. What do you like to do away from music? Spend time with our 3 big dogs, play basketball with a few of our muso friends, Elle roller skates, and Adin is an awesome illustrator. How did you first start playing music? Elle: I started playing violin and piano when I was 4, so I guess thats how it all started for me! Adin: I got my first guitar on my 15th birthday, and taught myself because I was determined to be a decent guitar player because all my friends in high school were amazing musicians and I wanted to catch up. You'll be in a mini Aus tour in April 2019, what can we expect from these shows? We play with a full live band which is such an energetic vibe. You'll also get lots of exclusive listens to a lot of the songs on the album! What do you have planned for 2019? A second Single, our album release, loads more live shows and photoshoots! Any secrets that you care to share? yes, Adin's hair is real and it is 100% his own haha. Favourite food and place to hangout? Superior Burger - its a 45min drive - and it is totally worth it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFoFfJaqopA https://www.facebook.com/vasthillmusic/

Vast Hill

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I'm currently based in Dublin, Ireland. The music scene here is great at the minute, very diverse. There are a lot of younger people coming through now who realise that they can produce and write their own music. I had an opportunity to leave Ireland last year but I stayed purely because of the music scene here. How did you first start playing music? I was made to learn how to play a traditional instrument called the ‘tin whistle’ when I was seven. I stuck at it for a few years and then one day I heard ‘7 Nation Army’ by the White Stripes on the radio. From then on I always wanted to play the guitar. What have you been working on recently? I have been working on some tracks for a second album. The first album is yet to be released but I finished it over two years ago. I never stop writing. Your new single 'Nocturnal' is out now, please tell us why you called the track 'Nocturnal': It’s about being a night owl, someone that naturally gravitates to the night time. It’s also about being an introvert. I guess I’m trying to say the night time opens up the world and gives space to us introverts to escape the madness that is currently happening on a daily basis. Where and when did you record? I recorded the demo for Nocturnal back at the end of 2015, it’s been around for a while. After I made the demo at home, I took it to the ‘Jam Studios’ in Meath, Ireland to re-record the guitar parts and the vocals. Everything else you hear on that track came straight from the bedroom. What programs/equipment did you use? I used a basic Ipad recording programme called ‘Cubasis’. Then I downloaded a drum machine app for five euros in order to programme the drums. It was a real DIY project. What influenced the sound and songwriting for 'Nocturnal'? I have been influenced by a lot of people from Tame Impala to Mac Demarco to MGMT. The guitar is tuned down for Nocturnal to a tuning that I learned while trying to learn Jose Gonzales’ version of ‘Heartbeats’ so I guess that would be the biggest influence for this track. How did you learn to produce your own music? Trial and error! I have been writing riffs and melodies and recording them on my phone since I was 16. About five years ago I decided to record some demos for a band I was in and I never looked back. How do you usually go about writing music? It’s always changing. It could be a piano progression or a riff on the guitar. Then I’ll construct a bassline or a drum part around it. The vocals generally always get added to the mix last. How do you go about producing/recording? I usually record the basic idea first and try to build layers over it. That will usually end up as the chorus for the song. Then I sit on the idea for a while and just listen to it over and over. If I start getting sick of it then I’ll scrap it. Otherwise I’ll start to develop it and fill in the verses around it. It’s mostly done using one guitar and one synthesizer. I find limiting choice aids in my creativity. How do you capture the vintage tones and psychedelic-rock feel? The sounds come from messing around with guitar effects like phaser and reverb. I naturally write quite happy and major melodies so I use tones as a way of trying to make the music a little more interesting. You also have a new album to be released on April 19, please tell us how this album came together: Lot’s of late night sessions in my bedroom while I was at college. I was determined to make a full album so I hung a blank A3 sheet of paper on the wall and marked it 1-10. Then I’d stick a song title beside a number once I was happy with a demo I’d finished. I went through lots of paper making that album! What's planned for the album release? The album is going to be released on Vinyl and digital download. It’s also going to be supported with a small Irish nationwide tour. Who are you listening to at the moment? I just finished listening to the new Foals and Maggie Rodgers records which are very good. There is an Irish rapper called Jafaris who has just released an album that I’ve been enjoying. And Pond have a new album out about an impending apocalypse due to climate change, it’s as great as it is weird. What do you like to do away from music? When I’m not working or doing music I like to chill out and read or go to the cinema. I played a lot of sports when I was younger so I also like exercising. Sometimes you need to tune out and do something completely different. What's planned for 2019? Releasing the album! I’ve been holding onto it for too long so it will be a weight off the shoulders to finally get it out there. Then to gig as often as possible. And finally to get back in the studio, there is a lot of new material I want to get out there. Any secrets that you care to share? If I did that then it wouldn’t be a secret. Favourite food and place to hangout? Indian and sushi at the minute. Favourite hangout? Probably my bedroom studio cave where I can write more music!

Jamie Adam

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I am currently based in Berlin, Germany. The music scene here is very colourful, there are a lot of musicians from all over the world carrying their own culture and sounds. At the same time all the big names in the music business stop by Berlin for a yearly show. The city is so special and so rich in music, I can’t keep up! What was it like growing up in Cyprus and then moving to Berlin? Growing up in Cyprus was simple and beautiful. I grew up in a small village and played all day in the yard or in the streets with the other kids in the neighbourhood. Moving to Berlin was a shock! The change from a small village on a small island into a big capital city was very difficult, it took me years to adjust to the new lifestyle. How did you first start playing music? I started playing the piano when I was about 8 years old. My uncle Elias was a tenor and one day he heard me singing and said to my parents, "Eleni sings very well, you should send her to learn music!" He paid for every music lesson and piano lesson I had until I was 18 years old You transition from a classical musician to a pop songwriter, how and why did you take your music in this direction? I was trained to be a classical concert pianist but for me, practice at home meant, 30 minutes learning the pieces for the teacher, and hours improvising and playing my own music. I never thought of it as a big thing but my personal sound was always there and kept growing with me even through the time where I was really into classical music while studying and performing...now it has taken over and it is finally out there for everyone to listen to! Please describe how you go about writing music: I don’t always have a theme or a message I want to put out there. At the beginning, I am trying to figure out what a song is trying to say to me aswell. I let all my feelings go into the writing sessions and when I am writing I am thinking "oh, so this is how I feel"! Writing music can be a very healing process for me. How do you go about recording and producing your music? I am so bad at this! I am happy to have my 2 amazing friends and producers who did a brilliant work with the production of the album., Lefteris Moumtzis and Andreas Trachonitis. Andreas also recorded the album. I have been doing all of my recordings with Andreas since 2008. I was actually one of his first customers! Who or what influences your sound and songwriting? I am mostly influenced by relationships. The relationship with a partner, a friend, my own self, an imaginary partner, an imaginary friend, the imaginary self...! I also find nature fascinating, the moon and the stars and everything that is majestic and more powerful than me. I like to build a bridge between reality and my dreams, using my music and my songs. Who are your favourite artists from both past and present? Madeleine Peyroux, Billie Holiday, Alice Phoebe Lou, Freedom Candlemaker, James Blake, Sufjan Stevens, Joan as Police Woman, Bon Iver, Damien Rice, Sigur Ros, Notwist, Beatles, George Harrison, Eva Cassidy, Moving Mountains What do you like to do away from music? I like doing yoga, cooking or baking for friends, going for a swim in the summer, travelling! Who are you listening to at the moment? I am listening to Sam Cooke and really enjoying it! What do you have planned for 2019? We are planning a tour in Europe to present Rise Love, there is still a lot to be done! Apart from that, I have 8 shows until summer in Cyprus, Germany and the UK. Favourite food and place to hangout? Whatever people I love cook for me! Wherever as long people I love are with me!

Eleni Era

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Interview 1986

Classic Red Hot Chili Peppers Interview 1986 !!