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BABYMETAL 2026 Australian Headline Tour With Special Guests Bloodywood

November 10, 2025

JULES SHELDON & THE BOUNDARY RIDERS RELEASE NEW ALBUM ‘ELECTRIC TRANSPORT’

November 10, 2025

Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers unleash their second album GLORY

November 7, 2025

RUNYAMOUTH hits the scene with explosive debut single HEAD ON A STICK

November 7, 2025

Chris Williamson bringing the Mostly Wise live show to Australia, New Zealand...

November 7, 2025

SATANIC SURFERS (SWE) Australian Tour 2026

November 6, 2025

Crowded House to headline inaugural Golden Hour on Bondi beach supported by...

November 6, 2025

JUST ANNOUNCED — RÜFÜS DU SOL [DJ Set] x The Wool Store

November 6, 2025

TEG MJR presents Rain City Drive Debut Australian tour set for March...

November 6, 2025

Jelly Roll – Qudos Bank Arena – 4/11/25

November 6, 2025

Music Interviews

by the partae
What is your name and role within Supernova? Emiliano is a Dj,  producer and A&R, Giacomo is a Dj, Musician and producer. Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? We live in Florence, we have our studios and our families here in Italy. Music scene here is pretty hot, we love to play in Italy! How did you first start playing music? We both starts at 15 years old playing vinyls, drum machines and samplers at some hot parties in our cities at the end of 80s. What's been happening recently? We had a great end of 2019 / beginning of 2020 djing between Europe, Usa and Asia and releasing music on Defected, Downtown Underground and 8Bit. What influenced the sound and songwriting for your new EP? We love to mix House and Techno sometimes and we are always influenced by the old school scenes creating a new Supernova sound. That’s what we like mostly. How did you go about writing the music? Sometimes we start from a groove that we like, sometimes we work around an acappella or a sample and sometimes we have an idea in mind, like a direction or a mod we want to go. Where and when did you record/produce and who with? How did you approach the recording/production process? What programs/equipment did you use? We produced this in our recording studio in Florence. We brought here the vocalist Fay aka Medusa from London and we did a couple of days of recording vocal sessions. We recorded the vocals on some reference beats, not the track as it’s now. After a few days we did start working on this raw house beat with a techno feeling and we created the string pattern with an old school feeling. We were loving how the track was building up but we felt it was missing something. We went through the vocals recorded with Fay and felt that that the spoken one was perfect for the track. We re arranged the vocal over the track and at the end we were very happy. We produced on Ableton Live as daw, Kontakt to write the strings pattern and OB-6 for synths. What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation on the EP? Any upcoming gigs/tours? We wanted to create a raw beat with a techno attitude but keeping the house feeling and merge them with a classical string pattern. Unfortunately in this moment after the COVID-19 crisis all the gigs we had planned have been cancelled.. If so, where are you headed and when? What can we expect from your live show? We hope to reschedule soon gigs we had planned in London, Italy and South America for Aprile and May. Our live shows are always a surprise, we love to drive around the music and to see what the crowd need from us. It’s like a mix between a dj set and a live set. Who are you listening to at the moment? Funk, Jazz and Trap music. What do you like to do away from music? Reading, sports and to stay with our families. What's planned for 2020? We will be really focus on new Supernova music this year, we are preparing a lot of stuff for some hot labels we love and of course for Lapsus Music, Downtown Underground and Blackboard which are our labels. We are also planning to release a new album on 2020 or maybe 2021, will see. Favourite food and place to hangout? We love to have special dinner with our crew, it’s a perfect place to hangout before the party. We love our Tuscan traditional food and to try food from other countries when we travel.                                                                        Purchase: https://8bit.lnk.to/MyVision Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/supernovaitaly/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/supernovaitaly/ SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/supernova  

Supernova Interview

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Sydney. I think the scene here is really interesting. Although the lockout laws hit us pretty hard, the quality of music is astounding. There are some killer jazz and funk bands, but it’s a shame those genres don’t get as much exposure as they do in other cities and countries. How did you first start playing music? I picked up the guitar at around 14 to be part of a high school rock band. From there it was just a process of exploring my own curiosity while trying to understand how the guitar worked. I was obsessed with metal for a few years, then moved on to blues which led me to jazz, funk and R&B. What's been happening recently? I’ve been in writing mode for a bit. It comes in waves but this last batch sounds really promising. It’s always super interesting when you stumble across new ideas or different sounds. Your new single 'Crazy' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? Tame Impala definitely turned me on to more synth based sounds, but after spending time in London I was drawn back to the guitar, so I wanted to blend the two. I tried put in a lot of R&B influences in there too, but still maintain a rock feel. In terms of songwriting, I was reflecting on the state of the world and how we seem to be headed for further isolation and disconnection. Although it was written before the coronavirus broke globally, it has some eerie parallels. It touches on mental health because I felt it was important to talk about a subject matter that often feels uncomfortable to discuss. Music has an incredible way of opening you up to things you could never express normally. Ultimately the song carries a positive message - you’re never alone when dealing with mental health issues because they’re universal. How did you go about writing Crazy? I was staying with some friends in London for a few months in 2019. I played some shows in Europe and by the end of the trip I had run out of money. I couldn’t afford to do anything but stay in the apartment and write songs all day. I ended up with about 40 songs and Crazy seemed to be a stand out. It started out as a simple demo with just the chorus and a verse. Once I got back to Sydney I rewrote a lot of parts and recorded everything again, but the core of the song is still the same. The lyrics were written in Sydney once the instrumental was finalised. I kept rewritting them up until the last minute before I had to send it off to be mixed. Where and when did you record and who with? My friends Nick Twiney and Siebe Pogson from the band Funk Engine play keys and bass. I did all the guitars, vocals, synths and drums. We recorded most of the track in my bedroom studio at the end of 2019/start of 2020. Then I sent them to be mixed by Jackon Barclay who is a wizard at making things sounds great. What programs/instruments did you use? Logic as the DAW, Diva for the synths and samples for some of the drums. The guitars, keys and acoustic drums were either straight DI instruments or recorded live. How did you approach the recording and production? I wanted to blend rock with R&B, so I’ve got those huge synths and fuzzed out guitars in the chorus mixed with 808s in the verse. I usually record everything just as demos first in my room then eventually reach out to other people when necessary. The recording itself is pretty straight forward. I use basic Logic plug-ins and a focusrite audio interface for instruments. At the end of the day the song is the most important thing for me. If it’s a great song it should stand on its own. Who are you listening to at the moment? Theophilus London, SZA, Stormzy, Brian Eno and a 60s Argentinian band Sandhy and Mandhy. What do you like to do away from music? It’s all music for me at the moment. I teach guitar and do a lot of cover gigs on the side for regular income. What's planned for 2020? I had a few releases planned but with everything in lockdown who knows. Maybe just songwriting quarantine. Favourite food and place to hangout? Fruit smoothies in the studio. https://www.facebook.com/slinkysounds/

Slinky Interview

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? We live in italy,here the scene is around italian trapper e and house music. How did you first start playing music? I start playing at 14, for school birthday parties.   What's been happening recently? We signed with Sony Music.   Your debut single 'How To Fly' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? Sound is always influenced from market, same for all, but have origins from personal style, we born with house music, and this sound is from there….   How did you go about writing How To Fly? I sent demo to Jo3l,who involved Nathan C and they wrote lyrics.   Where and when did you record/produce and who with? We produce track with Jo3L and Nathan C end of last year. How did you approach the recording/production process? I start work in radio many years ago, after I decided to produce my own stuff. What programs/instruments did you use? I work old school, cubase.   What do you like to do away from music? Fishing, and doing sport.   Who are you listening to at the moment? All kinds of music, important is quality, not style.   What's planned for 2020? We want make many collaboration with different artists.   Favourite food and place to hangout? Of course Spaghetti, as Italian :-) https://www.instagram.com/lazyguysofficial

Lazy Guys 

Jordyn Elliott

Jordyn Elliott

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m in Ottawa, Ontario. There’s always work to be done to improve the local scene, but I feel like it’s getting there. There’s never been a lack of talent in the region, and I’m pleased to see so many thoughtful artists trying to support one another.  How did you first start playing guitar/music? Initially, I started out on drums. I guess I wanted to be Peter Criss or something, so my parents enrolled me in drum lessons for a few years. Eventually I decided guitar was my true love, but those early lessons have proven valuable as a writer and an overall musician.  What's been happening recently? I have been working on the 5th music video in support of my new album, “Lifting the Curse”. I’m hoping for an early-May release date – keep an eye on my Youtube channel! I’m also working on a follow up album, with plans for a fall 2020 release.  What influenced the sound and songwriting for your new album? The album was a form of personal therapy and healing for me during the recovery of a car accident that profoundly complicated my life, to put it mildly. I spent a lot of time trying to connect with nature, and the entire summer of writing and recording was almost like a sort of spiritual awakening – not meaning to get all deep here or anything – but that is why I called it Lifting the Curse. By the time it was done, I realized I had a piece of work I was tremendously proud of, and in the process of creating it, I had left a lot of the negative energy in the past.  How did you go about writing the music? Most songs started out with guitar parts and expanded from there, although I will occasionally start with a drum groove to stimulate some creativity. I am always writing little notes and ideas on my phone, or using the voice memo feature to capture an inspiration before it disappears. I’ve been writing songs with lyrics and vocals for as long as I can remember, so my approach to writing this instrumental album was actually very similar. Most of the music follows similar arrangements that we are already familiar with – verse, chorus, etc., and I don’t think any of the songs even surpass four minutes in length. Obviously I took the liberty to spill over the structural edges a little because the confines of a vocal composition were absent, but I don’t see it as a progressive album at all.  Where and when did you record/produce and who did you work with? Other than the fantastic Emily Dolan Davies, who played drums on the track “was it something I said?”, no other musicians were harmed during the recording process. I recorded the bulk of the album over the summer of 2019, entirely from my home studio. I set a deadline for completion, and for certain goals to be met during the process. There’s certainly some self-discipline required when you’re producing it all yourself. It’s important to be realistic though, when setting those goals, otherwise you’ll get discouraged when life gets in the way. Allow yourself sick days, and days when you really aren’t into it, because that will happen.  What programs/equipment did you use to record? I actually recorded everything through Garageband. You can do a lot with programs like that if you spend enough time learning the details. I have a long way to go, but I’m still really pleased with the overall production! The cherry on top is always getting the music professionally mastered, which I did through H-Bomb Mastering. I used some of the stock instrument plug-ins with the program, and also my live guitar rig, to get a nice blend of guitar tones. The guitars were almost entirely tracked with my Fender Telecaster and Gibson Les Paul. The bass was all played on a Fender Precision.  What do you like to do away from music? I try to read as much as possible, and I love all kinds of movies (I lean toward the horror genre a lot). That keeps me occupied during the winter when I don’t enjoy the outdoors very much! In the warmer months, I try to get out in nature every chance I get, cycling, hiking, kayaking, and herping (Google it – it’s not what you think! Haha!)  Who are you listening to at the moment? I’ve been listening to The Darkness and The Muffs. I have also been alternating between Youtube videos by Skating Polly and Fleshgod Apocalypse.  What's planned for 2020? The release of my second instrumental solo album, along with plenty more troublesome music videos! I am really hoping to get this show on the road too, if time permits!  Favourite food and place to hangout? Well, I’m not sure if this will give me street cred or not.... But if I’m actually hanging out anywhere, it will probably be the library. I also work there, so I’m definitely not winning any wild rockstar points! I love lots of different food, spicy and sweet. I make a killer plate of nachos. I’m a huge fan of ice cream and have an incurable weakness for sweets.  http://www.darrenboyd.com https://www.youtube.com/user/thewhorrorcanada https://instagram.com/darren.michael.boyd https://www.facebook.com/darrenmichaelboydmusic

Darren Michael Boyd Interview

Jordan f

Jordan F Interview

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I am based in Trail, a small town in the Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. There's a pretty good live music scene in Rossland and Nelson which are close to here! I can often sell out our Charles Bailey Theatre as I have a lot of home town support here! It's fun!  How did you first start playing music? I started singing at 8, but when I was 15, I started playing jam sessions at a local bar. The legal drinking age is 19, so I would wait outside for my turn to sing and then be escorted to the stage. For me, it was a great chance to learn how to connect with an audience through music. What's been happening recently? Besides the time I’m spending promoting my new single, “Wait on Me”, I am a huge podcast nerd. Naturally, I released a podcast. It's called “Wild Hearts” and you'll find me chatting about the music business, health, fitness, self love, and lifestyle! You can listen to it on any of your favourite streaming platforms. Your new single Wait On Me is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? This songwriting is influenced from my own journey of balancing a music career and my relationship back at home. The sound was influenced by the writers (Dave Pahanish and Jason Thomas – my guitar player of many years), the musicians and my producer, Jeff Johnson. Jason played all the guitar parts to the song, while Jeff added a pop influence that fit in well with a new musical direction that I was eager to take. How did you go about writing Wait On Me? I wrote this down in Nashville in March of 2018 after I had moved there. Jason had accompanied me for our drive across Canada and into Nashville. Once we got there, we connected with Dave Pahanish, an amazing hit songwriter, and the song was a natural extension of my own personal and professional circumstances and artistic goals. Where and when did you record/produce and who with? This was the first song we recorded from my new album coming out, which is called “Where the Wild Hearts Beat”. We recorded the whole album in the beautiful Okanagan region of British Columbia last spring with Jeff Johnson. How did you approach the recording/production process? This song was probably the quickest to record because Jason and I have been playing it since we wrote it. We couldn't not. It didn't need any lyrical or melody changes. We started with a drum groove, acoustic guitar and a rough vocal. From there Jeff built the track and did the piano, bass and programming. He even got Travis Toy from Rascal Flatts to play the Banjo and Steel Guitar. To make it even more special I had my "band mom", Tonnie Stewart sing all the background vocals on this one.   Please tell us about your experience with working with Jeff Johnson: He's the best. He worked me hard and we dug deep to get exactly what we wanted. He really took the time to get me into the right zone. Even pumped me up by doing push-ups one day in the studio, haha - He's super comfortable to work with. But basically he's a musical ninja.  How was your time living in Nashville? I love Nashville. It was so good for me to spend that time writing and singing every day. It was the best way to hone in on and focus on my craft. I felt very at home there.  You recently sang on stage with Keith Urban, how did this come about?  How has this experience affected you?  It came about when I asked him! haha - partially kidding. A few years ago, he was playing a pop up/word of mouth show that I knew about. I signed my CD to him in the line, called my family back home and told them I was planning to sing with him. Once the concert started, I made my way to front stage, waited for a quiet moment and asked him! It really literally was a dream come true. Not everyone can say they sang with one of the best male Country artists on the planet and I was fortunate to do it in Nashville of all places! The experience affected me deeply as it inspired me to go back to Nashville to live a year later. Now with my new music, I feel more determined as a result of my own choices, but they wouldn’t have happened the way they did if I hadn’t had that moment of inspiration. Who are you listening to at the moment? I love Miranda Lambert's new album "Wild Card", Maren Morris' "Girl" and Taylor Swifts album "Lover". What do you like to do away from music? I do Crossfit about 5 times a week, and also ride horses as often as possible – a couple of times a week if I can! I also love hiking and being outdoors!  Please tell us about your podcast 'Wild Hearts': I really wanted to invite my fans in on a deeper level, open up and be more vulnerable and real. I thought what a better way then this! And I'm loving it! I am almost 15 weeks in and have talked about topics such as "How The Music Industry Can Make You Feel & 5 Reasons for A Hit Song" to "Peanut Butter, Crossfit And An Eating Disorder" and "How To Produce Your Own Music Video".  What's planned for 2020? I’m so excited for this year! We are getting ready to hit the road in March for a Radio & PR tour throughout Canada. Of course, I will be continuing with the podcast and we will be releasing another single in time for summer. This is going to be a fun one! Throughout the summer, I will play various festivals and venues and by the time the fall comes around, we will be heading back out to Hamilton, Ontario for Canadian Country Music Week, and more shows. The album release will be after that, so stay tuned!  Favourite food and place to hangout? Oh my favorite food... I love Adams peanut butter and apples as a snack! Or blending a frozen banana with peanut butter – it’s like ice cream! Also when I feel like cheating, I love fish and chips!!   Favourite place to hang out, well.. I am a bit of an introvert. So I love being at home because I'm always out being social the rest of the time. BUT I do love going to the cutest town of Nelson BC about an hour away. It's full of cute coffee shops, boutique shops and great restaurants. It's fun to restaurant and bar hop and try different food with friends!

Lisa Nicole

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like? I'm based in Redfern, Sydney. I moved here to immerse myself in the music scene which I have done, but tbh I spend most of my time on my laptop or in my bedroom. I get out by DJing on the weekends when I'm not performing and try to drop into Oxford Arts Factory once a week to see something live.   How did you first start playing music? The first song I wrote was a radio jingle when I was ten. After that, I was in the country music club performing at country music festivals whilst playing the drums in the school concert band. I returned to making music whilst selling handbags out of the back of my car. I was listening to a Bertie Blackman CD over and over and then started writing songs on Garage Band, literally recording percussion and drums using kitchen utensils and singing into a fan for vocal effects (until I found out how to use the software properly). I posted an ad on Gumtree and met Ben and we started Bec and Ben. After that, I taught myself guitar and started writing material which I put out as RACKETT.   What's been happening recently? Recently I've returned from my first headline tour of Japan. I put out 2 new songs; Machinations and Oxytoxic. Toured them in Melbourne and Sydney. I've been working with photographers and designers to create visual representations fo my new music, learning how to edit better and DJ ing. My day to day routine since coming out as a solo pop act is more on the admin side. I dedicate a lot of my day to researching venues, playlists, artists and communities to build on my music.   Your new single Oxytoxic is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? The word Oxytoxic is something I made up based on the love chemical produced by the body; Oxytocin. My obsession with love is toxic = Oxytoxic. The sound design and production is by Dave Hammer, my producer and co-writer. We wanted to create something to dance to and the lyrics are both fierce and vulnerable at the same time. We made something that sonically reflects the intensity of my toxic obsession.   How did you go about writing Oxytoxic? Dave and I worked closely together on a collection of tracks to make a cohesive and informative sound to my new music. We had references but we also wanted to create something original that hadn't been heard before. I listened to a lot of pop like Charli XCX, Kim Petras, Dorian Electra to get my head around how far artists are pushing the pop music template. We shared lyric ideas and personal experiences to form a collaborative relationship. I'm really happy with what we've created.   Where and when did you record/produce and who with? I produced and co-wrote with Dave Hammer (Lime Cordiale) and we recorded at a studio in Petersham after we'd settled on demos.   Please tell us about the music video and production process? The approach to everything I do visually is, for the most part, DIY. As a millennial artist without much budget, I've had to learn graphic design, editing, photoshop etc. Prior to the video, I made a little green screen music video for a Christmas song I put out for fun and thought 'how much harder can this be to make a proper video using the same technique'. Well, it was a lot harder. Lucky I have tech friends that helped me clean it up. I produced it, directed and edited it myself, simply the budget does not exist right now for what I wanted to create. Having said this I curated a cast that didn't need more than for them to turn up really. I'm a real Tim and Eric fan so I found a middle ground between ultra lo-fi comedy cuts and simplicity that didn't over shadow the talent.   How did you decide who to work with and why? On my journey towards pop, I've lost a lot of the die-hard rock fans. I've had to look in places to find people that are listening to pop and embody pop culture. On my first tour of Australia with the new sound I wanted to play in new places, that's when I landed a show at Pride Of Our Footscray (an LGBTQIA community bar in Melbourne). I met Joslyn Bosoms, the host. I fell in love with her charm, fabulousness and creativity, she was liberated and the people in the venue were open-minded. Her commitment to entertaining people resonated with me. After that, I started inviting queens to perform with me on stage, I want my shows to be inclusive and a celebration of unique individuality. That leads me to the cast; Copper Feel, Bae L'amour, Krayola, Cerulean, Joslyn Bosoms, Alf Alpha, Dazza and Keif. I found them on instagram, pithed them my idea and they executed it in less than 2 takes each.   Who are you listening to at the moment? Alice Longyu, Dante Knows, 070 Shake, Denzel Curry, Clypso, The Presets, Mood Killer, Dorian Electra, L Devine, Pablo Vittar, Charli XCX, Cub Sport, Tkay Maidza, Ash Nikko. It's all here if you want it > https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1bwM0GbXORVdCO7o9HSX0b?si=bFZ7iAt8QJifcbQJzvjamw   What do you like to do away from music? I like to DJ. It's the best job really. Getting paid to listen to music and connect with people through the nostalgia of 90s pop music and slip in a few things they might not have heard. I also like to binge watch RuPaul's Drag Race.   What's planned for 2020? I released the new music video for Oxytoxic this week. Throughout the rest of the year, I'll be releasing more music, finding my home fanbase and writing and collaborating as much as I can. I'd like to tour again outside Australia, but for now I'm exploring my local community.   Favourite food and place to hangout? Favourite place to eat it 'Butter' in Surry Hills, Sydney. They sell fried food and sneakers and I like to go there when I'm hungover, so like, every Sunday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DySh8kitk6U&feature=youtu.be

Rackett Interview

What is your name and role within Fossa? Hey guys, thanks for having us! I’m Nick, and I play the role of composer / producer for Fossa, and perform synths for the live show.  Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? We’re based in Leeds, England, having all met at the music college here back in 2011. The music scene is incredible here - there are tonnes of independent venues, playing everything you could imagine. There’s a particularly thriving guitar, and underground electronic music scene as well, which is how we got into making the music we do today!  How did you first start playing music? I’m actually predominantly a saxophonist, having studied jazz performance as my undergraduate. I was brought up listening to jazz 24/7, and was playing with bands from a young age, ranging from metal groups to big band work! Since graduating, a bunch of my friendship group started to explore other sonic realms, and slowly started to expose ourselves to electronic music, which is where my interest in learning to produce came from.  What's been happening recently? Me and Tom (drummer in Fossa) have recently starting composing together more regularly which has been really fun. I found myself hitting a bit of a wall a few months back, and was struggling to come up with song ideas I was really digging. But now we can bounce ideas off of each other, write more interesting drum grooves, and have found a bit of a new sound we’re settling on. We’re hoping to keep this going and work on the debut Fossa album. Your new single 'Evolve' will be out on the 13th of March, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? There’s been such an incredible amount of electronic music being released recently, and every artist I’ve heard has influenced it in some way, but if I had to pinpoint a few, it’d have to be the latest Floating Points record, Bonobo’s recent singles and Four Tet. I think I was also binge watching Stranger Things at the time, which looking back on, seems to have had some sort of influence as well!  How did you go about writing Evolve? Evolve was one of those rare occasions when I opened Ableton, and it all just happened within a day. I spent a few hours, as I usually do, messing about with some synths until I hit a sound that felt right, and took it from there! Tracks definitely usually take a lot longer, and lot more frustration is involved, but this time was very smooth - hence the title.  Where and when did you record/produce and who with? When it was fully ready, we took it to a fantastic studio in Leeds called the Nave in October last year, and worked alongside our good friend Tom Orrell, who helped to record the drums for it, and also did our final mix. We took an interesting approach with this one, sampling live drums, so that we could maintain the metronomic drum style required for this type of music, but still maintaining a human feel to it. We were super happy with the results!  What programs/instruments did you use? Writing the music always happens in Ableton, and we also use this software to perform live as well, alongside Moog and Dave Smith hardware synths, and always live drums.  What do you like to do away from music? I love to travel (although haven’t had much opportunity recently) as much as possible. I’m also getting very into photography, and cooking has been a long time passion of mine as well!  Who are you listening to at the moment? Despite the type of music we’re putting out, I’m really into guitar music at the moment; bands like DIIV, Parquet Courts, and Real Estate are topping my Spotify plays at the minute! Electronic music always has it’s place however, and am really into a local artist called Jinjé currently. Rival Consoles and Four Ten are definitely up there as well!  What's planned for 2020? We’ve got two more singles to put out which we’re really excited about, and am in the throws of writing our first full length album as well! And as always, trying to play as many shows as possible! (any promoters out there, hit us up!!)  Favourite food and place to hangout? Mexican and Indian food top my list! Walking about Leeds’ independent venues such as The Brudenell and Hyde Park Book Club are always good stops as well for a drink and chill!   FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY | WEBSITE

Fossa Interview

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m currently based in the Netherlands near a town called Eindhoven. The music scene in Eindhoven is mainly Dutch pop/urban music but we have a lot of Electronic music festivals in The Netherlands, especially in summer.Some great colleagues in the music scene are from Eindhoven as well.   How did you first start playing music/DJing/Producing? I had to do a school project when I was 15 with the purpose to develop skills and interact with people. I played piano since I was a little girl and I loved it, so I definitely wanted to do something with music. And I found that with djing and producing you can create such an intimate connection with people, which I thought was amazing. I got the chance to play at a local pub in my village. It was so fun and there were some people who asked me to play at a little festival and those little festivals became bigger and bigger, and then I met my manager and everything went so fast after that. Just a rollercoaster, but I love it… What's been happening recently? I just released my track ‘Roll Up’ on Heldeep Records and have a few other tracks ready to go! I recently got back from India playing at an awesome festival for 20.000 people and for the rest of the year, I’m playing at Mysteryland, Summerburst and a many more awesome festivals!  Your new track 'Roll Up' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? When I play in clubs, I sometimes love to switch my sets up with some groovy house tracks especially when I feel like the crowd wants that kind of music, but I didn’t really have any track with that sound yet. So with Roll Up I found a mixture of energy and of a groovy house track that will fit perfectly into my set.    How did you go about writing Roll Up? A friend of mine had an awesome analog sample, which is the lead sound you hear in the drop. I started playing around and tweaking the analog sound and after a while I was very satisfied with it and decided that it would work perfectly as a lead sound, which you now hear in the drop. I started building the rest of the track around this lead sound, because I found it so cool that I wanted it to be the main focus of the track.     Where and when did you record/produce and who with? I started producing this track in the summer of last year, I was playing in a lot of awesome clubs, so my music style was a little more clubby and groovy. What I really missed in these sets was a track like Roll Up, so I started working on it and I actually premiered the first version in Docks, which is a club in Hamburg. People loved the track so much that we worked on it a little more together with, James Erickson, and that is the track you hear right now.   What programs/equipment did you use? I tried about every program production-wise and ended up with Ableton Live. It has such an easy workflow and I love the plugins from Ableton itself. Djing-wise I have always used Pioneer, very easy to use and it is super universal wherever you go in the world.    Who are you listening to at the moment? At the moment I love to listen to Billie Eilish and Rosalia, they are both so talented and original.    What do you like to do away from music? I love to do sports, which really clears my mind and makes me feel super healthy. I even started my own little fitness blog, which is updated weekly on my socials, called Beyond Fitness.  Please tell us about your experience with working with and being a part of the Heldeep family: I’ve met Oliver Heldens a few times now and I love him as a person and artist, so I am really happy to release on, and to be part of the Heldeep Family. I think it’s great to work with them and also be inspired by their sound and vice versa.    You have a summer tour coming up, where are you headed? So far this summer I will go to Germany - Airbeat One, Sweden - Summerburst, France - Electroland, and The Netherlands - Mysteryland to name a few. Half of my time I am in Asia and this year I am also going to South America. The schedule so far is already insane! I really can’t wait!   How do you prepare for live shows and what do you most enjoy about playing live? What I always do is check the hit lists of that country, and then I will make some specific mashups and edits from tracks that are famous in that country. What I also do is I adjust my intro to the energy of the crowd. I think that the people like to hear that and then I just go with the flow. I look at the crowd, sense them and feel how they are reacting. What I enjoy most about the sets is the contact with the crowd, I love to see when they are enjoying, smiling and dancing that is seriously the best feeling in the world.    What do you find most challenging and rewarding whilst being on tour? The most challenging experience is flying and the airports because there is so much waiting and standing in lines, pffff…. What is crazy challenging is when you have done a super cool gig for a few thousand people, which gives you crazy adrenaline and that moment when you are back in your hotel room a few hours later, alone with no sound. It’s always such an anticlimax. The most rewarding on tour is meeting different people from so many different cultures. It is such a privilege to meet everybody, perform for the crowd, making music, shows and to have so much fun with all the people   What's planned for 2020? So far INSANE festivals and clubs around the world and so many tracks! I can’t wait to show you guys everything.    Favourite food and place to hangout? My favorite food is definitely gluten and lactose free pizza with crazy amounts of toppings. But I am definitely a NO pineapple on my pizza person haha.   My favorite place to hang out is at home with friends, chatting, playing games or watching a movie together.     

Sophie Francis

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? Iʼve been in Philly, PA for the past 5 years or so. Thereʼs tons of music happening in Philly. House shows are still a pretty big thing here and a lot of art collectives and shared loft situations are forming, which host some cool shows and events. Also have new venues like The Met poppin up. Itʼs hard to keep up with all of the Philly bands. XPN, which is U Penns radio station, does a good job of showcasing local talent. How did you first start playing music? Hittinʼ pots and pans... like most kids. After a few long years of making rubberband / tissue box guitars and cutting cassette records with my big sister, I discovered my motherʼs old acoustic guitar in our basement. I began writing songs before I actually figured out any chords. I guess you could say I was a monophonic guitarist...for like 2 years haha. My sister dated some cool musician dudes who got me started on drums and guitar. The first band I joined was a big band / swing band that played a lot of Count, Duke Ellington and songs from other famous jazz composers. What's been happening recently? Mostly been hiding out and recording in my studio in Philly. Just finished a film score with my buddy David Carls aka Branx, which was a lot of fun. Synthy Sci - fi kinda vibe. Iʼve also been producing / collaborating with some cool Philly, Nashville and LA artists. You have an album soon to be released on Gramatik's Lowtemp, what has influenced the sound and songwriting for this album? I feel like there are primarily 2 kinda vibes happening on this record. One being a sort of classic soul and Motown vibe and the other having a more modern dancey feel. Two of the more classic artists that I always have on heavy rotation are Al Green and Sly & the Family Stone. Slyʼs vocals on the album ‘Freshʼ have definitely influenced some of the more soulful vocal moments in my recordings. For the  more dancey side of things, I would say that Prince and Justice are two pretty big influences. Also, Jamie Lidell is a recent re-discovery that Iʼve REALLY been diggin. Heʼs an all around fantastic artist who always seems to keep things super soulful and fresh. Like most songwriters, things that I experience and things that I hear and read about influence my writing. I try to be conscious of what Iʼm going to release in regards to lyrical content and message. I donʼt mean tip toe-ing around and being careful with my words, but rather choosing to release the songs that may be able to effect listeners more. Iʼm not releasing music for myself. I can listen to myself without releasing anything (I know from experience). I think that qualifies listeners as being perhaps the number one influence on my songwriting. How did you go about writing the music? I usually start with a melody or some sort of hook. I rarely sit down and decide to just write a song. Most of the ideas come randomly when Iʼm taking a walk or on an airplane. Iʼve noticed that there is something sorta neat about writing and creating while 7 miles up in the clouds. At least for me anyway. Every now and then I will start writing to a beat or a loop if it really sparks something immediately. There are certain drum grooves that almost imply harmony and / or melody in an interesting way. Sometimes all I need is the right groove and a song immediately starts to take form out of thin air. Drummers who can lay down this sort of foundation are absolutely priceless. Iʼve only met a few. Where and when did you record/produce and who with? Most of the songs were recorded by my lonely ass self through out 2019. There were a few instances where I had someone come by the studio to track another instrument live with me in order to capture a certain feel, but this record is sort of my first true solo record. What programs/instruments did you use? I used Logic Pro X as my main DAW. I think of the computer and DAW as the storage device that has replaced tape . And all of these analog instruments and devices are being crammed through the butthole of the computer and stored as 1ʼs and 0ʼs. I donʼt think I will ever fully understand how this is possible, but itʼs pretty freakin rad. Please tell us how you connected with Gramatik and how the experience have been so far: My good homies in Exmag, particularly Eric, introduced me to Denis several years ago when they were all living together and making records in Brooklyn. I remember the first time we met we were watching YouTube videos and getting excited about the musical moments. When other people react to the same specific musical moments in a very similar way that I do, itʼs almost inevitable that we will end up collaborating at some point. So eventually I got my good homie Orlando Napier to link up with Denis and the 3 of us recorded some tracks. Fast forward a few years to Gramatik Red Rocks summer 2017... around this time, Denis and I reconnected and started talking shop. I sent him a track or two, and he sent me 57 tracks, which I was to learn for the 3 hour long set at Red Rocks the following week. That was an intense 3 hours to say the least. I didnʼt even realize how severely bad I had to pee until the family photo was taken after the set. Fortunately, everything has been downhill from there and we continue to make more and more music together each day it seems. We are currently working on a blues record called ‘Future City Bluesʼ, which Iʼll be released later this year. Who are you listening to at the moment? Iʼm currently listening to the new Tame Impala record, which I very much like. Jamie Lidell - ‘building a beginningʼ has been on heavy rotation. Revisiting Justice ‘audio, video, discoʼ. Iʼm always trying to keep up with what my friends are releasing as well. What do you like to do away from music? I like to take walks. Each year from ages 20-30 I became a little less active in sports and exercise until I eventually arrived at walking. Outdoor walking only, none of that mall stuff. But seriously, if I donʼt walk at least a few miles a day, I have a tough time focusing on anything. Itʼs a great way to break up the day and give your brain a much needed reset. I recommend it to everyone, especially those who are staring at screens all day. What's planned for 2020? 2020 is the year for releases. Thatʼs been my plan anyway. Iʼve become pretty overwhelmed by the amount of music thatʼs been collecting on my hard drives that I need to do something with it before I explode. Denis and I have a project in the works that will basically serve to recycle all of the tracks we make that donʼt find their way onto an album or a film that we are writing for. There will be all sorts of styles ranging from funk to spaghetti western soundtrack style recordings. Favourite food and place to hangout? I donʼt think I have a single particular favorite food, but I do eat an awful lot of ice cream. When Iʼm not in the studio, I like to hang out on the city streets. I also enjoy floating down a nice creek or river with fishing pole in hand. I usually visit with family if I have a few days off.

STEHREO

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I have recently relocated back to my hometown in Coffs Harbour. There are some talented and hustling artists up here, but a much smaller audience as opposed to Sydney where I have been previously based over the past 5 years. How did you first start playing music? Growing up in a family of musicians and singers, music was just a part of life. I never sought out to pursue it as a career, even though I used to dream of being an international artist as every young kid does. My Mother’s heritage is Maori which hugely influenced my musical ear as well as growing up singing gospel in church. What's been happening recently? Recently I’ve come back to producing my own tracks. It has been hard to channel creativity and write whilst spending a lot of time in my other passion as a Youth Worker, but lately I’ve been looking to focus more on my art and collaborating with other artists. You've recently transitioned into hip-hop, how and why did this come about? I grew up listening to female artists like Lauren Hill, Brandy, Beyoncé and Rihanna. At the time I went to Uni, I struggled to find that type of community so I experimented in other genres for a long while. Hip-hop, R&B, Soul and Reggaeton are more so styles I feel I’m coming back to as I’ve been able to connect with an Australian hip-hop scene and staying true to myself as an artist. How has the transition to hip-hop been so far? I absolutely feel like I’ve reconnected with a huge part of who I am, how I write, what I write about and how I move and perform as a dancer also. Because I’ve worked with an Electronic producer for a while now, I’m still transitioning and I’m unsure if I would categorise my sound as strictly hip-hop. I’ve loved Rihanna for this because I feel like a lot of her tracks explore other genres. It’s more about representing a vibe and a feeling for me, rather than sticking to a genre. How was your experience supporting Tuka? It was so incredible to meet and support Tuka on his “Selling Me Out” Tour last year. He is one of the most kind, genuine and generous artists I have come across. Supporting him live was just as memorable as the day he reached out to offer me the slot. It was a huge gift and I am still tremendously grateful. Your first self-produced single 'On My Way' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? I wanted to write something with grit because I feel like my life and musical journey has been the school of hard knocks. I can definitely say that I’ve poured every drop of resource into carving out a musical career for myself and am still. ‘On My Way’ is a short insight to the constant hustle of mind over matter, being born into a type of situation, bumping up against it and being good with the process as you try to create something of meaning from it all. Every sound is there to represent my grind. How did you go about writing 'On My Way'? Where and when did you record/produce? I first came up with the chorus bass line. I instantly loved it and wanted to create a vibe around it. It reminded me of someone who is riding solo through life, has overcome obstacles and can smile at the future.  I have a small studio space at home that I write and produce from. I recorded and produced it last year when I first moved back to Coffs from Sydney. It was a transitional time in many ways, moving location but also getting back to producing which forced me to come up with my own samples and sounds and put my own flavours into it. I was listening to DaniLeigh and Rihanna at the time which influenced the sound, as well as Banks and Beyoncé. Women who get the mashup of soulful vocals, rock guitars, eerie soundscapes, heavy bass lines and a current beat. It went through a few trials as it doesn't strictly follow a “pop structure”, but I couldn't leave any part out once it was finished. It’s a journey, which also represents the message. It’s the most soulful song I’ve written. What did you find most challenging and rewarding through this process? It has been super rewarding to remember that I can produce my own tracks. I’ve been writing, performing, dancing, making and directing videos for a while, I kind of put producing on the shelf. It began as an experiment and once I got it mixed and mastered, I realised how achievable it was.  It definitely feels good to be able to express exactly how I feel through sound, as well as lyrics. What did you learn through producing this single by yourself? I learnt that by producing the track, I’m actually releasing my own sound and vibe, as opposed to writing and sending it off for someone else to create. I’m really proud of this one and I will definitely put myself back in the producer chair for future singles. Who are you listening to at the moment? DaniLeigh, Teyana Taylor, Jhene Aiko, Kanye What do you like to do away from music? Dance is a huge outlet. Design, draw.. shop. What's planned for 2020? Single releases and music videos! I’d love take my new music on tour as well, both here in Coffs and up and down the coast. Favourite food and place to hangout? Coffs has some really great coffee spots, my favourite is Salute on the beach. Favourite foods: sushi, dumplings and Mexican. INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/sarai.music SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/artist/3Kec4Kc2YtCGMlCBRPViS8?si=RIGJCyA8S96p4Y7wJRrwaA YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJOt3GocKeK9c-E_JLIic6w TRIPLE J - https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/sarai FACEBOOK - https://www.facebook.com/sarai.officialmusic/

SARAI

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I’m based in Melbourne, Australia. I love the music scene here, there are so many creative people which makes it easy to arrange sessions and collaborate with other artists/musicians/producers. That being said though, I write & work with people all over the place thanks to the World Wide Web.  How did you first start singing? I was very influenced by my Mum and my Aunty; they’re both great singers and very creative people. I started singing lessons when I was about 8 with Connie Lemke, the same singing teacher my mum went to, and from there it was kinda game on! I started gigging when I was 13 or 14, and that taught me a lot about how to work with a band. From there I became pretty self-sufficient, got my own gear and started doing my own gigs/writing/recording.   What's been happening recently? My life’s been pretty hectic lately, I’m towards the end of my law degree so I’m studying a lot, and I’m also working in a law firm one day a week. I’ve just moved house and have a sick music room set up, so I’ve been feeling pretty inspired to make new music, been dabbling on the keyboard whenever I have a spare moment.  You've just released your new single and video 'Scarlet Skies' what influenced the sound and song writing for this track? I wrote Scarlet Skies when I’d just got home from a big tour, I was pretty exhausted but the lyrics and melodies came together pretty quickly. In a literal sense, the sky at the time inspired the song. I was on my balcony in Fitzroy and had a beat Allan McConnell made for me on loop. The sky was so vibrant, it was really beautiful. Thoughts and ideas just started flowing naturally and that’s how it all came about. I think there’s some subliminal influences in my sound from artists like Jazmine Sullivan, Nai palm and even Solange.  How do you go about writing music? Generally I’ll give my producer a reference or direction as to what feel or vibe I’m wanting to create.. Once we come up with something we both like, I’ll then start humming different melodies over the chords or beat. Once I come up with melodies I like, then I start playing around with different vowels that suit the rise and fall of those melodies.. I then structure words around those vowels... usually the words then lead me to a concept, which ties everything together. Where and when did you record/produce and who with? It all happened throughout last year. Allan McConnell from Close Counters produced Scarlet Skies, he did such an incredible job. I’d love to post the original idea he sent me for the song so people can hear how well Allan developed those initial ideas. I laid down my vocals with Hamley who is another producer I like to work with, and he then produced my vocals. I think Hamley also added a lot to this track because so much focus is in the ambience and treatment of the vocal. Liam Quinn from Sydney then mixed and mastered and he did a killer job as always. Quinn is my go to guy! He has such a good ear and is quite the perfectionist in the studio, which I love.  How did you approach the recording process? With patience, persistence, stretches, and chamomile tea! I gotta get relaxed, comfortable and in the zone before I record.. Recording is such an intimate and vulnerable thing, the tiniest imperfections are picked up and amplified which can be good and bad. I’m pretty brutal with myself, I guess the vocal coach part of me switches on and I nit-pick everything. Hamley and Quinn will be able to testify to that I’m sure.. haha How did the concept for the video clip come about? I had a meeting with Georgia and Jenny (the creative directors) and we had a massive brainstorming session. I should actually find that pile of paper we were brainstorming on; I remember it looking pretty frantic, we were overflowing with ideas. It was always my intent for the video to be something aesthetically nice to look at- beautiful colours, abstract, patterns, but not necessarily anything with narrative. From there, we worked with our producer Darren Collinson to refine the ideas and think about how everything would work in practice.. It was a really fun process, can’t wait to do another video.  What did you find most rewarding and challenging with the creation of the video clip? The most challenging thing was definitely getting the shots of me out in the ocean.. The water was ridiculously cold and I was out there for about an hour. Georgia’s mum Andrea was genuinely concerned for my life haha, I had a warm shower afterwards and still couldn’t feel my toes for a solid 2 hours. But, 100% worth it, because those shots came out so sick. 11/10 challenge, 10/10 reward.  You've been touring as a backup singer with Ruel for the last 5 years, how was this experience? Amazing! Some of the best times of my life, for real. I’ve learnt so much about music and the industry and had some really crazy opportunities that I’m so thankful for. I’m really grateful for being a part of Ruel’s story; he’s super talented and such a lovely person.   What did you most enjoy about being on the road and performing? I mean the shows themselves are always the highlight for me, the travel can get tedious, but once you’re on stage and feel that energy, it all becomes well worth it. Also, with touring you stumble across so many places that you wouldn’t necessarily go to if it weren’t for the shows, but once you’re there it ‘s like wowza this place is incredible! A big one for me was Stockholm, absolutely loved it, like probably in my top 5 places in the world.. But because it’s so far away and I guess not overly marketed towards Australians for holiday, I probably wouldn’t have gone otherwise. Stockholm also has the best meatballs ever, I’d go back all that way just to have them again.   What have you taken away from the experience? When I’m touring, I miss home, and when I’m home, I miss touring.. It’s a catch 22, but I think because everything’s so fast paced on tour, it’s easy to get caught up and forget how lucky you are to have such wild opportunities like that. So I guess it’s taught me to be appreciative and grateful for every opportunity I get to perform. Like, what a job. Can’t complain about that.   What do you like to do away from music? I mean, the law side of my life takes up a lot of my time too, but outside of that I’m actually really into painting at the moment. Been replacing my Netflix time with painting, which has been really soothing and cathartic. I love hanging out with my nieces Lotus and Evie too, they’re the best!   Who are you listening to at the moment? Right this moment, listening to Jordan Rakei, so smooth. More generally though, I’m on a bit of a ‘No Doubt’ bender at the moment, very down with old school Gwen Stefani.  What's planned for 2020? Lots of writing! I wanna write with a bunch of different song-writers and producers. And, hopefully I will finish my law degree, that’d be nice.  Favourite food and place to hangout? Well, it depends how you interpret ‘food’. If you interpret it as a cuisine, I’d say Italian because it involves lots of cheese and pizza and pasta are just the best. But, if you define ‘food’ as a singular thing, I’d probably say hot chips. I’m a pretty harsh chip critic though, has to have the right amount of crunch and salt. Fav place to hangout is probably just at my house with my friends. We can wear our PJs all day, be as loud as we want and no one can kick us out- now that’s a good time.  https://www.instagram.com/thisischevalier https://www.facebook.com/thisischevalier

Chevalier

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I live in Los Angeles, CA. The music scene is wide and varied, but is a surprisingly small world. I’m always meeting musicians that know friends of mine or have played music with them. There is a lot of music to be heard on any given night and that is an exciting thing to be around. How did you first start playing music? There was a family heirloom upright piano in my house growing up. I started playing around with that as a child. I would sit and figure out melodies of songs I heard my parents listening to, and come up with my own ideas. Later, I started learning saxophone in school and by my teenage years, picked up the guitar and quickly got very serious about it.  What been happening recently? I'm consistently working on new music for Missives, collaborative projects, and instrumental music. Looking forward to releasing my debut single Dissolve. Your new single 'Dissolve' is about to be released from your debut EP, what influenced the sound and songwriting for Dissolve and the EP? My influences span quite a far and wide spectrum. Since I first heard "Music for 18 Musicians" by Steve Reich, the idea of repetitive musical figures changing over time or staying constant while everything changes around them has been an important part of how I hear musical ideas. Moving harmony versus static figures, textures, and atmosphere inform a lot of my sound. My music is an amalgam of that minimalist influence and inspiration from artists like FKA Twigs, Thom Yorke, James Blake, and Bjork. The songwriting revolves around concepts of discovery, transformation, loss, acceptance, and the passage of time.  How did you go about writing Dissolve? I had recently bought a Dave Smith Instruments Prophet 08 synth. I was exploring the sounds it was capable of and stumbled into a bass line that felt like it was falling over itself. It turned into a fully realized song shortly after that once I added a beat, some synth pads for harmony and a vocal melody. Lyrically, the song is about experiencing loss and navigating the disorientation that comes along with it.  Where and when did you record and who with? Dissolve and the other tracks on “Patterns of Us” (EP) were recorded in my studio over the course of the last couple years. I've worked as a composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist for years now and wrote, recorded, and mixed everything myself. I have two tracks with guest vocalists, very close friends of mine, Patrick Joseph and Eleanor Crane. I’m lucky to have close friends who are also incredibly talented artists in their own right.  How did you approach the recording process? Recording and writing happen simultaneously. They are both the process of creation and flow back and forth between each other. I record one sound or instrument that then inspires an idea for another layer or texture, and so on and so on until a structure begins to emerge. This happens fairly quickly, so I often have place-holder takes of various parts or instruments. Once I have a solid song idea mapped out, I go back and refine individual instruments as needed. I definitely enjoy using recording as a way to explore different sounds, or altering instruments or objects to make them sound like something else.  What programs/instruments did you use to record? I use Pro Tools for recording and mixing. I use some software synths, but the majority of the EP utilized hardware synths like the Prophet 08, Moog Sub37, and Mother 32. There is also a fair amount of guitar as that is my primary instrument. And a lot of guitar that doesn't sound anything like a guitar. I use an Echoplex Digital Pro Plus looper to create atmospheric and ambient textures using the guitar. I also like using vocal loops to create textures and pads. There are percussive elements in the songs sourced from random objects like a paper wrapper, scratching on cloth, tapping on things, etc.  What do you like to do away from music? I spend a lot of time camping, hiking, and being outside. Anywhere I can find mountains, water, and quiet. I read as much as I can, and watch movies and documentaries. I enjoy spending time with friends and family.  Who are you listening to at the moment? Thom Yorke's latest album Anima has been in heavy rotation for me. As well as Bon Iver's most recent album and Magdalene by FKA Twigs. Anything by Max Richter.  What's planned for 2020? I'll be releasing my debut EP "Patterns of Us" and continuing to work on new music for Missives, possibly for another EP or a full length depending on how everything shapes up. Favourite food and place to hangout? Pho or sushi (at least today). My favourite place to hangout is in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California or Northern New Mexico where I grew up. There is also a neighborhood bar here in LA that I go to fairly regularly with friends. It feels like it should be a bar in a random mountain town somewhere, but it sits in the middle of Eagle Rock, a north east LA neighborhood I’m quite fond of. 

Missives

https://www.facebook.com/vettyvialsmusic/

Vetty Vials

What is your name and role within Fer Sher?  Benji: Guitar, production Ali: Vocals, lyrics, melodies, artwork Oscar: Bass Chris: Drums Yamin: Guitar  Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? We all live in and around Tio’tia:ke (Montreal). The music community here is great, you can find anything you’d possibly like if you look hard enough. There are also a decent amount of smaller venues and diy spots which really support newer artists like ourselves. We are also lucky to have a sizable French music scene that comes with its unique flavour, too. We feel quite fortunate to have our city in which to start a musical journey.  How did Fer Sher form?  Yamin, 26 at the time, had never been in a band. He and Aaron started writing guitar parts and were shortly joined by Jer on drums, both of whom had had touring and recording experience. The band was slowly pieced together with friends (but to us, also musical giants) coming and going (Aaron and Jer left amicably) for several years, during which time the conceptual foundations of what our sound was to be like were laid. Eventually everyone in the band was on the same page and we began recording thanks to Benji’s production wizardry and performing thanks to a finally solidified lineup.  What's been happening recently?  We have written quite a long debut double-EP, “Family”, clocking in at about 30 minutes to be released in two halves this spring. From there we are excited to hit the road this summer and work on a full-length.  You have a new EP 'Step Siblings' coming out on Feb 26, what influenced the sound and songwriting?  Compositionally, one of the three songs, Shteve, was written over the course of several years and was a painstaking first attempt at finding ways to express catchiness and complexity simultaneously. The second song, Fork, was written mostly by Yamin but with crucial contributions by Benji, while the third song, Locked Drawers, saw an inverse in that Benji brought the main gist and Yamin added his  thoughts to it. So in the ways that the songs were created, they are very much like step siblings.  What influenced our sound the most was our attempt to emulate our favourite motifs and sounds, exploring musical and collaborative possibilities, and really trying to put as much of our vulnerable selves into the music and accompanying facets (production, artwork, merch, etc) as possible.  Vocally and lyrically, it’s a whole other story. When Ali arrived in early 2019 she brought with her conceptual, storytelling, and performance capacities that really shaped the music into the product it’s become. Our live shows took on theatrical and immersive components as Ali grew into her role as a singer without an instrument to hold (a first for her).  Please tell us about the stories, concepts and themes behind Step Siblings:  The lyrics each represent a character and a story that form the basis of the three songs. The storytelling is vague and non-linear because the lyrics follow that nagging train of thought that continually reflects back on events and tries to place them into a broader context. There’s the struggling friend who continually lies to everyone in a desperate attempt at self preservation, the victim of online stalking and abuse who becomes paralyzed in their day to day life and the artist struggling to toe the line between perfectionism and free expression. Every story, after exhaustive analysis, ends back up at the absurdity of interpersonal existence and the human condition. Because what story ever doesn’t?  How did you go about writing the music?  Guitars are really the driving force behind the song compositions at the moment. At the moment, there is a large emphasis on progression within songs. We really ask ourselves, “where is the song going?”. Yamin really frankenstein's different parts together; all songs on the double-EP have tempo and time signature changes, nothing too technical but equally present throughout. Benji thinks more of cohesion with regards to mood and atmosphere between parts, and Chris confronts the challenge of when to groove and when to provide angularity. Bass is filled in next before Ali weaves her way through all-but completed tracks.  Where and when did you record/produce and who with?  All our material to date has been produced by our guitarist Ben, who actively records bands of all kinds in our area. Step Siblings was recorded throughout late 2019.  How did you approach the recording process?  Benji takes a natural and honest approach. There is no pitch correction on vocals or drum samples used in our music. It’s more fun to hear the breath of a singer or the scrape on guitar strings than to have something flawless.  What do you find most rewarding and challenging with the whole DIY approach?  The most challenging is the unpaid work. Benji and Ali work tirelessly with no compensation. The most rewarding is the pride and sense of accomplishment that come with having the entirety of a band created in-house. It takes our project beyond a conventional band and into the realm of art rock DIY  The band has a really theatrical live show that is a spectacle of its own, please tell us how your live started and has evolved:  The band was never intended to be more than a math-rock group, and we played with that mentality before Ali arrived. Having the stage on which to develop characters, crowd interaction, and pure focus on the singing without playing anything else opened up a door to the performance no one saw coming. We are now trying to evolve into a truly ensconcing experience, in which we hope that the meticulousness of the songwriting adequately backdrops the on-stage hijinks in a balanced and comprehensive concert-going adventure.  How do you prepare for live shows?  We try to meet as much as possible, which can be very difficult. Things outside the band in our lives are very hectic - engagement (!!!), immigration issues, full-time university studies, recording other local bands, beginning a career in architecture, and making time for our beloved friends and families are just some of the other things on our plates.  You also have a second EP 'Identical Triplets' coming out, please tell us more:  We had 6 songs ready to record when we planned these releases. With a closer look, the first three sounded really different from each other while the other three were pretty much the same idea expressed three different ways. This instantiated the concept of different family makeups, biological, adopted, chosen, etc., and really spoke to our appreciation for and celebration of our families. Identical Triplets became a conceptual opposite to Step Siblings and we are recording it as we speak.  Who are you listening to at the moment?  Yamin: Invalids Oscar: Mil-Spec Ben: Young Guv Ali: Cate Le Bon Chris: Circa Survive  What do you like to do away from music?  We all have varied hobbies. Oscar loves gaming and collecting vinyl, Ben’s always fixing up a guitar, amp or pedal. Yamin studies full-time, volunteers, and tries to prioritize his health. Ali likes crafting and cooking and playing outside. Chris likes watching animes & eating ramens whenever possible  What's planned for 2020?  More music, more shows, and more ramen for Chris  Favourite food and place to hangout?  You can find us at the tiny local vietnamese restaurant, Pho Ici in Rosemont area of Montreal enjoying excellent banh mi, lovely pho, and/or our favourite beverage; taro bubble tea. Everything on the menu there is exquisite, the staff is so warm and inviting, and the tarot bubble tea puts all others to shame. It’s right next to our rehearsal space so many a meal and drink have been enjoyed there. 10/10 highly recommend. 

Fer Sher

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