lahgo

Where are you currently based?

The sandy shores of Bondi Beach baby.

How did you first start playing music?

Each member found their love for music through different avenues, which we think makes the journey unique and exciting for the listener as you’ll begin to hear different experiences and memories captured in each song.

What’s been happening recently?

A healthy combination of recording, gigging and writing. We’ve headlined some sick shows this year (including a sellout at the Lansdowne), and we’ve polished off two EPs in the process, released our first single and shot 2 film clips. It’s been quite hectic.

Your latest single ‘Shallow Hellos’ will be out on the 27th of October, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

Shallow Hellos was a lockdown baby. Sonically, and maybe unintentionally, we leaned into a dark and moody twist on the classic indie sound which was quite reflective of what was happening around us. Although the core themes of the song are of isolation and alienation, the track finishes big with an energetic chorus which was kind of fitting, looking into an optimistic lockdown-free future.

How did you go about writing Shallow Hellos?

The opening riff was something Aron had in the bank for a long time. He took it to the band and it all came together real quick. Lee and Adam brought in that driving groove you hear in the second verse which left Mel’s vocals to shine flawlessly on-top. Very much a collaboration which is why we think it sounds so good.

Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with?

We recorded the song at Parliament Studios in Annandale. Our longtime friend, producer, workhorse, shaman-in-sound and baby daddy Luke Payne produced it. He’s been with us since the start and he’s seen us hone our craft. He might tell you differently, but this was one of the smoother, funner recordings from our first EP.

Matt Fioravanti did the mixing and mastering. He’s a wizard. No two ways about it. He brought the track to life in ways we didn’t think possible.

How did you approach the recording process?

Initially, like a bull in an antiques store. We used to try and hustle a full track over a single weekend. By the time we got Shallow Hellos our process had improved a lot. We wrote it, demo’d it, drilled it, gigged it, and then recorded it amongst a batch of other tracks. So when you take the whole timeline into account, it was a matter of months.

Please tell us about how the concept for the music video came about and who did you work with?

We had worked with a great photographer Nick Gascione in a past photoshoot. He’s a true Aussie legend with a ‘straight-up’ way of doing things. He came around and we just smashed through the concept. We wanted to lean into the dark themes of the track and a real feeling of isolation/ fighting with one’s own inner thoughts. Next thing we were in his studio with Mel running on a treadmill all day. Max then took all the raw footage and edited it for 2 days straight and now we all can’t stop watching it. If you pay close attention, you’ll see Mel staring at 6 copies of herself at once haha.

You have an EP on the way, what can we expect?

You can expect the beginnings of band experimenting with finding an original sound. There’s just so many layers in each of the tracks. We’re so grateful to our producer Luke Payne who doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘no’. Not once did he say, “nah that won’t work”. It was always like “yeh! Lets try that absolutely ridiculous idea.” We’re all super proud of it and it’s a real testament to our quest for originality. We look back fondly on all the laughs, cries, fights and late night Macca’s meals that went into making this beauty.

Any upcoming shows?

Ofcourse! We’re headlining a free show at the Royal in Bondi on Thursday the 10th of November. There’ll be plenty more too. Best to stay up to date with us on IG @lahgo_.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Who aren’t we listening to? Such a diverse range of artists. From late 60’s Beatles records to 80’s Japanese disco-pop, 90’s boom bap, hard rock’n’roll, 2022 neo-soul, indie pop and everything current. If it’s good, we’re listening.

What do you like to do away from music?

We’re all into different sorta stuff, you know? Az loves his golf. Adam loves skiing, When she’s not spending time with her cats, Mel gets into nature walks. Lee loves his painting, Max digs on film-making.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

One of our rituals is to hit Fish Shop after a long session on a Saturday. If you haven’t had an O.G fish burger, stick it at the top of your bucket list. Also the Royal Hotel Bondi. It’s basic, but you just can’t beat a schooner and some Totti’s woodfired bread.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2022 going into 2023?

We’ve booked some time in a secluded house in the middle of no-where. We want to get away from the rat race for a minute to continue writing our next body of work. Then it’s a tour early next year and mid-late 2023 hitting festival season hard like a fly on a freshly laid doggy-doo-doo. 2023 is gonna be huge and we just can’t wait.

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