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Where are you both currently based and how do you make things work considering the distance apart?
Kendall –
Brett and I currently live about 14 hours away from each other! Early into 2020 I made the decision to leave the Gold Coast and free myself of any distraction that was slowing down my songwriting. I’ve situated myself in Townsville for a few years to really focus on this project. It’s also helped to give me new experiences and see life in a different light. With Brett living on the Gold Coast we bundle up our ideas and send to one another so the songwriting process is completely collaborative sharing ideas back and forward discussing how best we’d like to take each song.
You’ve both been DJ’s for over a decade and worked in various other music projects, how and when did PHARAOHS form?
Brett-
Kendall and I have worked on music briefly here and there together over the years, both of us being busy with other projects, it’s always been ‘its gonna happen soon’ conversation. It’s actually pretty funny that it took Kendall moving away for us to start writing together.
Kendall –
Late into 2020, pushing in our own ventures I reached out to Brett to collab, he took something i’d written and turned it great. It was at that point I wasn’t about to let the idea of us working together slip. Then came another song and before we knew it we had 20 or so songs written together!
What’s been happening recently?
Every bit of energy is being spent toward the PHARAOHS branding and steering the band’s direction forward.
Your new single ‘Fable’ released via GD FRNDS is out now what influenced the sound and songwriting?
Kendall –
The biggest inspiration for me and Fable was from a song called ‘Walking with Elephants’. The use of Horns in electronic music was a space I always saw myself tapping into. There was something organic and emotional in horns when tamed correctly over progressive style beats.
Brett –
When I got the first parts sent to me, I could hear where the inspiration was coming from. I wanted to keep the track within this realm. There was a time where the song was a bit more busy with the bass, we made it a bit more minimal which i think worked. I wrote the lyrics of Fable around making changes, and not getting caught up with something negative whether it be happening now or in the past. It’s about being the person you are meant to be, we are all writing our own story.
How did you come to release with GD FRNDS?
Kendall –
Starting a record label was an idea we all had from the earliest moments of knowing one another. The whole, build a record label, leave the day job and make millions (i’m sure some of you have had that same dream haha) Chris (GD FRNDS) was always mentor in the music world for me so it made the most sense to release through them already understanding the direction in which we saw ourselves taking the band. There’s a level of care and passion they bring so we were excited to start the venture together and see where things take us
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with?
Brett – We recorded Fable at Kendall and my own home studios, recorded vocals at another studio on the gold coast, and we used Klaus Hill for the mix and master, he always does great work.
You are both production nerds and you both have an array of synthesisers, how did you approach the recording/production process and who did you work with?
Brett –
I usually start with drums, then focus on kick drum and bass, or maybe some atmospheric pads to get a feeling sparked. If Kendall has sent me a piano progression or an Idea, I’ll normally start by writing bass around it, or sometimes I can hear a vocal in my head straight away so I will jump straight in and get that recorded.
Kendall –
It always starts with the Nord Keyboard and a chord progression for me. It helps me first understand the emotion I’m putting into the song. Say writing a verse or a ‘get on your feels’ breakdown.. I want to know where I’m heading and once I have that place in mind, it’s easier for me to fill everything else in around it. Are we partying on this song, or are we thinking about our lives or a fantasy? 😉 This is often a question I ask myself when I begin the song writing process. We’ve both have different synthesisers that make our process unique but when added together create the PHARAOHS sound. Ideas together go back and forth until we’re able to agree on a final product, this actually comes easier for us then expected. We both have very similar taste in music and are aligned on the sound we’d envision PHARAOHS to be.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Brett –
A huge mixed bag for me…
Genesis Owusu, Solomun , Billie Eillish and Holy Holy have been some of my favourites this year.
Kendall –
Anything from Tool to Billie Eilish to Crooked Colours and Glass Animals. Recently we’ve been drawing inspiration from Lastlings and the success in which they’ve had as a local Gold Coast duo.
What do you like to do away from music?
Brett –
I’m a sucker for good television.. love getting deep into a good series.
Kendall –
Take long walks on the beach, sit under palm trees and listen to the birds fly by.
Please tell us about any upcoming music releases:
Kendall –
We’ve got our second single in the final stages now and are planning for this one to be released late November.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2021 going into 2022?
Brett –
We have spent the last 12 months writing, we are preparing the next few singles to be released at the moment. 2022 will see us bring Pharaohs to the Live stage, We have just started putting a few things together for the show and we are pretty excited about that.
Favourite food and place to hangout?
Kendall –
You might catch us down in Miami Marketta, street food in one hand, a drink in the other and listening to some local live music. .
Brett –
I frequent Ramen restaurants regularly , there’s a good chance you will find me there.
