Music Interviews

Why do this new alias anonymously? What is the thinking behind that? Because I have another project which is more tech house and techno-focused, so I like being able to split the two projects. That’s it!

Aside from music, can you tell us a bit about your inspirations? 

I have always been very sensitive to sound in general, I have always had a passion for recording sounds and voices, since I was a child, in fact I have a childhood memory where using an old director of my father, I recorded my grandfather talking, and thanks to those recordings now we can still remember his voice.

What else you got coming up/are you working on? I started a new album that I would like to release on some big label, let’s see the upcoming news 🙂

Where are you both based?

We are both based in Glasgow. 

Your latest EP Leatherbound – released on Soma Records – dropped at the beginning of this month, what influenced its sound?

Being forbidden from clubs and the absolute nick of 2020 has made a lot of producers ramp up the pace of techno and we think we went down a similar route with this release!

French producer Felicie is behind a huge remix of Leatherbound – how did this collaboration come about?

We were looking into a few different names around the time of making the EP – Felicie had not long released her debut on Soma and had been on our radar for quite some time before that. We both felt that her sound really matched what we were going for with the release, so it felt right to have her on board. She delivered an absolute stomper of a remix and we really couldn’t be happier with it.

When did you two start making records together?

In 2019 we got in the studio for the first time to produce a remix of a classic soma track by Equus. The workflow and idea’s we had were so similar it made sense to continue the journey of making tunes as a duo.

Do you have similar approaches to the way you produce music? 

As we have a similar taste in music that kind of draws out our collective creativity when we produce together. We generally have an idea of what we want to create when we sit down in the studio and the process is very much 50/50. We always know what the track might need, or not, and generally work fairly quickly once we have an idea going. Two heads are definitely better than one in this case. 

Once the world can dance together again, where are you each most excited to play?

We had a few gigs lined up before everything shut down so hopefully we’ll pick these back up. One particular one was with the Voxnox crew in Berlin and would be the first time we both play under the Animal Farm banner abroad together. We’re also looking forward to being back at our home in the Sub Club. We’ve missed the events in there loads during this pandemic and can’t wait to see the explosive energy of the Glasgow crowd once we return to the basement. 

www.facebook.com/quailafr
www.facebook.com/aisha.gla
www.soundcloud.com/animal-farm

https://www.somarecords.com/artists/quailaisha/

https://www.beatport.com/release/leatherbound-ep/3159184

Hey Joe, welcome to the Partae!  You’ve got a pretty epic 7 track EP ‘Texture’s dropping imminently – it might be your first EP, but you’ve been turning heads for a while, we particularly loved your track Crystal Clear. Why did you decide to release a 7 track EP?

Hey! Yeah this EP has been a long time coming – but I can’t wait to get it out there for everyone to listen to. There were a few reasons behind the longer track-listing. A big factor was that, as you stated, this is my first EP and I wanted this body of work to have some sustenance and structure to it. Rather than a collection of random songs, I wanted all the songs to weave together and feel like every song plays a significant part in the EP’s journey. 

You were in bands before you started producing electronic music, right? What made you make the switch? 

Yep, that’s right! The change from band to producer happened pretty smoothly to be fair. I had been learning to produce for a few months (just making random ideas with no real direction), then our band split up – which I was gutted about. However, I felt like I had to embrace the change of lifestyle and shortly after, I started to find my feet in production and the rest is history!

What bands or artists did you listen to when you were growing up? Have they had an influence on your production style?  

Growing up there were so many different styles of music being played in my house. I’ve always loved class Motown and Disco tracks, which I feel like are the ‘club’ tracks of the 70’s and 80’s. I think the thing I try to take from those genres is the heartfelt harmony and melodies in Motown, mixed with the dancefloor based disco grooves. My style is obviously very different to them on paper; however I definitely feel those two genres in particular helped shape my music taste and later on, my decisions when writing and creating music.

It’s a scary time for the UK live music and events scene. Can you tell us about one or two key events you went to when you were younger that have helped shape who you are/the career path you’ve taken? 

I remember the first year I went to Reading Festival I was so amazed by the spectacle of the whole place. How big the stages were, how you could see so many different acts you could see across the weekend. It’s a bit cliché, but I remember watching bands up on the main stage and thinking ‘that is the coolest thing ever – I want to do that!’ So ever since then I’ve always had the ambition to perform at one of the bigger festivals, hopefully one day!

‘Textures’ is a really varied release, with a mix of dance, vocal hooks, more crossover… is this how you naturally produce, a bit of a mixture rather than focusing on one specific sound? 

Yeah that’s definitely how I produce. I have tried to limit myself to working within a specific style before, however I found that it just hinders my creativity. I think that ‘Textures’ lays a good foundation as to what I have to offer as a producer right now.

What’s next for Joe Turner? 

I will be spending the winter months writing a load of new music, maybe a few livestreams thrown in there too. Despite being in lockdown at the moment, I aim to be as creative as possible. You have to accept some days you won’t come up with anything, however it’s all about managing your expectations, and writing as many good tunes as you can!

Joe Turner ‘Textures’ EP is Out Now on LG105, get it here: https://joeturner.lnk.to/TexturesSo

Acclaimed Scottish Dream-Folk outfit Constant Follower release their double sided single ‘I Can’t Wake You’ today.

Self-released it preludes their debut album ’Neither is, nor ever was’ on Shimmy Disc / Joyful Noise Recordings having just signed a deal with the label behind countless seminal records from the likes of Sufjan Stevens, Deerhoof, Dinosaur Jr, Kishi Bashi, and Yo La Tengo. The album is being produced by the internationally renowned Kramer.

Moments last forever, but you’ll sleep through it now,” McAll’s voice carries the wistfully bittersweet lyrics with a unifying sense of sincerity in I Can’t Wake You. The track is underpinned by the sentiment that, not only do things stay with you forever, but more significantly that in a moment of grief or great pain that time seems to stop.

The second track is more instrumental, floating over haunting strings and finger-picked guitar. Inspired by the area of Hamburg where McAll’s partner and bandmate Kathleen grew up, Altona means “all too near” in German. “It’s okay,” he says throughout the track, “It’s okay…”

Where are you currently based? 

We’re based in the tiny city of Stirling in Scotland. It’s a great wee place with a beautiful castle on the hill and the mountains within walking distance.   

What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far?

The lockdowns have been hard because of not being able to play live shows. I miss that. And I miss seeing other live music. I’ll be quite happy to never see another livestream again! Ha! But I think one thing the livestreams have shown us is that the people on stage are only a part of what makes live music so special. When you lose the audience and the setting, it just feels empty. I’ve put the time to good use – working on making this album special and reconnecting.  

How did you first start playing music? 

I asked to learn piano when I was about 6. My parents were recommended a teacher who took lessons in a nearby church when there weren’t services on. One of my only childhood memories relates to this. I remember walking in for the first time – all the lights were off in the church except a dull light over the grand piano in the far corner. This old guy was hunched over, playing something very sad that filled the room. I remember the smell of candles and damp. I loved going to that old guy. My parents say that he was often drunk when we went and short tempered and grumpy. But I loved him. And, though his problems caught up with him pretty soon after we started together, it was that small handful of lessons with that troubled old guy that started me off playing music.  

When was Constant Follower formed? 

I‘d been writing some songs for a couple of years and played them out once. Which went well but I felt like I wanted to be able to present the songs in a fuller context. Kurd started playing guitar with me after we got talking at a gig a few years ago and the band has expanded since then to include Kessi and Amy as well as a few other collaborators like Kenny Bates who plays guitar on a few songs on the album. The band around me is a fluid entity, always with the key purpose of serving the songs. 

Your single ‘I Can’t Wake You’ is out now. What inspired you to write this track?

In the song is the phrase “moments last forever”, which is kind of about how our perception of time is completely relative to what is going on in the moment, but also about how momentary events stay with you indefinitely. We’re all aware of how time seems to stand still in moments of shock. I was attacked from behind one night and had a bottle smashed over my head. I remember seeing the sparkling shards of crystal tinkling past my head onto the ground in slow motion. They kind of hung in the air before time sped up to normal again and I realised what had happened. Stopping time like this, it’s a superpower!

Tell us about the accompanying video for the track? 

The video was made by this fiercely creative Swedish/German artist called Nathalia van de Kerst. Nathalia was helping a friend clear the basement of an old house in Froseke when they came upon a box full of glass negatives from the earliest days of photography, depicting life in old Sweden. The images seem to marry to the music in a very special way. 

What’s your songwriting process like? 

There’s no process really – I just try and play guitar a lot so that I’m ready whenever a song starts to come. Every now and then a small phrase pops into my head that seems like it has something attached to it; I’ll sit down and sing it, then the next bit will come and on and on in a kind of linear fashion until there’s a full song. Most often I don’t know what I mean by the song in the moment, only later do I attribute meaning in the same way someone else does when they hear it. And that meaning changes when things in my life change. I don’t ever try to force a song out – they just come when they’re ready.

What instruments and equipment is behind Constant Follower’s sound?

Well, there are no drums to worry about – that makes it a lot easier to play live! That rhythmic element comes from my fingerpicked acoustic guitar, which is most always at the centre of the arrangements. Over that I layer synths and guitar parts from Kurd and Kenny, both of whom have very different styles. Kurd has these incredible floaty, swelling, lush sounds that fill out the acoustic guitar perfectly. But I think the most important element in the ‘sound’ if there is one, is Amy and Kessi’s backing vocals. There’s just something about the way they each sing. Amy has the most beautiful and unique voice.   

What’s the inspiration behind the title of the debut album, ‘Neither is, nor ever was…’, due to be released in March?

That’s a long, and personal, story… 

Can you tell us a bit about the album’s production?

We initially went into the studio with a Glasgow producer to make the recordings for the album. But the studio environment didn’t suit the intimacy of the songs. I wasn’t very happy with the performances – don’t get me wrong, the recordings were lovely, but there was something about the ‘feel’ that wasn’t right. So I decided to improve my own studio and have another shot at the songs, which has paid off. I learned that if I’m sitting writing these songs late at night while my daughter sleeps in the next room, then the best way to capture that feeling is to make the recordings in the same way. We’ve been very lucky that Kramer, the producer who discovered Low and Daniel Johnston, heard my music through a mutual friend and offered to mix the record.   

How do you spend your time when you’re not making music?

I get outside into nature as much as possible. The hills are so near that there’s really no excuse not to spend a lot of time there. Being a musician is hard work for no pay, so it’s essential to nurture your mental health in any way you can – being in nature is the best cure.  

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I’ve been listening a lot to the Cinder Well record. Man, it’s beautiful… devastating, but beautiful. I’ve also been improving my knowledge of Mark Tranmer’s music. He lives locally now and we’ve been meeting for coffees and music chats. He and Roger Quigley were The Montgolfier Brothers. Roger’s recent passing has brought new attention to their incredible work ‘Seventeen Stars’, which is just the most wonderful record and well worth getting to know. 

Where are you based?

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Your debut album ‘The Second Renaissance’ will be released November 6 2020, what influenced its sound?

Every emotion in my body and my love for Metal. In this album, the tracks are made anywhere from a couple of months ago to 8 years ago. Older tracks I revisited and cleaned up. The sum of it all tho is a collective of my emotions that express me. 

What is the inspiration behind the title of the album?

It expresses change, understanding one’s past, and moving forward in a new light. A lot of the inspiration came from the animated series The Animatrix. We are entering a new era.

How did you approach the recording and production process?

Considering it was all done over an extensive amount of time there were many different processes at the beginning full digital and eventually a healthy mix of analog, vst, and samples. 

How did you first start playing music and how did this evolve into electronic music?

I first started playing music when I was 6 learning the piano, I eventually moved over to drums, later I joined a metal band called Bleeding Halo. We did some small shows and “tour” which was just one other province but In Montreal, we had many shows. From there I moved over to electronic music which became my obsession. 

What’s your creative process like?

I like to start my day with music. I open Ableton on an empty canvas and usually start with a kick. I take some time with the kick as the kick brings different emotions, heavy bass rumbling kick reminds me more of aggression as a small light kick with attack may bring something more melodic. From there I complete the drums and focus on the leads and hooks. All this is layered until I have the peak of the track. Once that’s done I move over to layout. 

Your label Starskream is named after DJ Starscream – Slipknot’s turntablist. How much do bands like Slipknot influence the techno you create? 

An incredible amount, a large portion of my day is listening to Metal, I get so many ideas that I want to incorporate in my techno, from guitar riffs to drum rolls, screams, effects, and song titles. 

Why did you decide to start your own label?

As much as I love finding new music to share with the world, I wanted to do the same with talent. I wanted to be a platform for individuals to have a shot at showcasing their art. As well, I wanted a label that represents metal, healing aggression. 

How has 2020 felt for you creatively?

It has had its ups and downs, full of doubt, second chances, and ambition. Each day is never the same but I push through. I also have 2 alias which helps me stay creative. Melora is synthwave and Three Faces Of Eve is faster-paced techno. 

What artists are you most excited about right now?

Remy-X has been on my radar for some time I’m loving his music, Alexander Wittenby is swimming in talent, and Aahan another artist I’ve been watching climb to the top. These 3 are the first to come to mind. 

Available now on Beatport: https://bit.ly/3jA4XfG

https://www.facebook.com/atroxxofficial

https://www.instagram.com/atroxxofficial

Where are you currently based?

I’m currently based up in Northern NSW. I’ve been spending a lot of time in Byron finishing off a few EP’s this past year. Before Covid I was commuting fortnightly between Sydney and the Gold Coast for 2 years for DJing.

How did you first start playing music?

I started writing songs when I was 14. For me music saved my life, it was something I could turn to when I felt like I couldn’t talk to anyone. It was always there, it never judged me & it made me feel good. I wasn’t a very popular kid in school so I kept to myself and spent a lot of time writing music during lunch times or in my bedroom at night.

Your new single ‘On My Mind’ Feat Amela is out now, what influences the sound and songwriting?

There was never really anyone we looked to as an influence for this track. I usually just sit down and see what sounds inspire me & the song always writes itself depending on what situation I’m dealing with in life. Making music is like having a therapy session. I feel like working with Amela and her voice inspired me to re-work the production, especially in the chorus. I re-sampled Amela’s voice to create the low sounding vocals in the chorus and I made the synths to complement her voice. This was a song that we just kept chipping away at until we were both happy with it.

How did you go about writing On My Mind?

I made it about a year ago and had written a top line for it although I felt like it didn’t suit me as an artist. So I decided to reach out to Amela and we re-wrote the track together. Amela and I first started writing together when we were around 15, so we’ve always had this great chemistry when it comes to writing. We did a few zoom calls back and forth and once we solidified it I got Amela in the studio to lay down the vocals. 

It’s been 10 years since your last release, how did you get back into releasing?

I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I wanted to master everything in production before I felt like I could put my music out. Thankfully I had a lot of friends and family who pushed me to release my music and I finally accomplished my goals this year. I was sitting on it for a while and didn’t know whether to approach labels or just release it myself. It’s a bit overwhelming when you do everything yourself but collaborating with Amela helped me to get past that fear and just put it out.

You have an EP coming soon which will include some more massive singles, please give us an idea of what to expect.

I’ll be singing on the rest of the tracks for this EP. The next single is called ‘Good Life’ & I did everything from making the sounds, writing, producing, mixing & singing. To me it’s something I’m really proud of because it’s a very self accomplished track of completing my long term goals as a producer.

I’ve basically based all my EPs around the consistency of how the songs I’ve made ‘sound’ and this is my most commercial sound.

You were the winner of Your Shot DJ Competition in 2018, how did things change for you as a result of this great accomplishment?

I feel like winning Your Shot gave me credibility as a DJ where people took me seriously. As a full time DJ I played a lot of commercial gigs over the years which kind of pigeon holed me as being super commercial. I wanted to show people that I could play Trap & Bass music so it was a great platform to show people that I’m not just a commercial DJ & I can play any genre.

You have been writing music from a very young age, how did you first start and learn how to write music? 

I started getting keyboard lessons at the age of 6 but I always loved guitar. I was shown some chords at the same time I started keyboard and after a few years of begging my parents they finally bought me a guitar when I turned 10. During school I wrote a lot of poetry and won a few competitions for it. So writing songs came quiet naturally to me when I would hear chord progressions and writing music was something I started doing every day.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I came across a really incredible rapper named Phora. He’s lyrics are like poetry. I kind of listen to anything and everything depending on how I’m feeling on the day. Amy Shark, XXXTENTACION, Alison Wonderland, Flume, Willaris.K, Elton John, Tash Sultana are my most recent listens. 

What do you like to do away form music

I love keeping active to keep my sanity. Working out, meditating, hanging with the people I love & surfing keeps me sane. Music takes up a lot of my time so I don’t get to do it as much as I’d like.

what’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?

I’ve got about 6 EPs I’m solidifying which cross over to a few other genres like trap & R&B/Grime. So the main focus is getting as much done as possible so I can just keep releasing music over the next few years.

Favourite food and place to hang out?

Favourite food is definitely thai or Japanese. I love hanging out in Byron or being by the beach when I’m not making music.

https://www.facebook.com/tinyofficialpage/

https://www.instagram.com/tinyis1/

Where are you currently based?

We are currently based in North London.

How did Théa Marie form?

I began my music carrier as a singer songwriter simply called ‘Théa’. As I started studying in the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in London, I realised I needed a band to portray my songs exactly how I wanted. One thing lead to the next, my flatmate Julianna became my drummer and our friend Peter became my guitarist. They both add a ‘rock style’ to my soul/jazzy compositions, which I absolutely love. Two years later, we created Théa Marie – a soul rock trio from London.

Your band members are based around the world, how does Théa Marie operate as a band?

Yes, Julianna is Franco English, Peter is American and I am Franco American! It’s crazy to think we all just randomly met in our uni in London. We are very good at getting the job done and concentrating on our music. We operate very well together because we are first of all friends and have the same work ethic.

For rehearsals, I will bring a new song, sing and play it on the guitar and we’ll all just jam on it and feed off of different ideas.

You released an album a few months ago, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

Some songs on the album were written about five years ago, while others were written two years ago. They all express the emotions I used to have like homesickness, loneliness, falling in love for the first time… This is why the album is called ’THEN’ – emotions of the past. The songwriting was influenced by folk artists like James Vincent McMorrow and soul artists like Amy Winehouse.

How did you go about writing the music?

I find a progression of chords first, then melodies and lastly lyrics. Usually, my best melodies and lyrics will be written late at night. For some reason, the emotions that I’ve felt throughout the day become more intense in the evening… I don’t know why. In a way it’s great because it means I have more inspiration for my writing.

How did you approach the recording process?

So we recorded the album in two different sessions: one in December of 2018 and one in April of 2019 – we took our time. I kept all the stems of the album for a long time because I wanted the perfect person to mix the tracks – someone who understood the atmosphere I was going for. Luckily, I spent the London lockdown with my flatmates and Jimmy, a brilliant sound engineer and producer. He was nice enough to mix the whole album within 2 weeks – amazing! He now has his own mixing/mastering/production studio called Vakant Studios, you should check him out!

Where did you record?

We recorded in the recording studio of my university.

Please tell us about your latest collaboration:

I wrote ‘Settle Down, Love’ with The Dunwells, two brothers from Leeds. We met in 2018 during one of my school’s events and have kept in touch since. During our songwriting session, I was very anxious by my life. I was explaining to them that I wished I could calm my mind and tell it that everything will be okay. That’s how the idea of ‘Settle Down, Love’ started. We personified my anxious mind and built a conversation with it trying to settle it down.

As soon as we finished writing the song, we knew we had to release it. We knew that so many people would connect with it.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I am still listening to James Vincent McMorrow, I love all of his albums. I recently discovered Lucy McWilliams – her sound is so groovy, chill and elegant.

What do you like to do away from music?

I love finding new places to hang out at. When I’m free, I love walking around London and finding cute places I can come back to later.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?

We’re preparing a new set up for our live sets: I play bass instead of guitar, and Julianna and Peter do backing vocals while they play their instruments. It’s fun to change it up and it adds more spice to our authenticity and style of music.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Théa: Favorite food is the Bufala pizza from the Salusbury Food Store in Queens Park. Favorite place is at the top of Alexandra Park on a clear day.

Julianna: Favourite food is the veggie breakfast at La Diva Kilburn and favourite place to hang out is on Primrose Hill on a warm evening.

Peter: Favourite food is a vegetable red curry from Spicy Basil – Kilburn’s hidden culinary gem, and favourite place to hang out is Hampstead Heath on a sunny day.

Are you still based in Canberra?
Born and bred! Besides a brief stint living in London town back in 2006 (some cracking parties back then).

Canberra is not a particularly big place, how’s the underground scene there?
Canberra has always had a thriving, close knit underground scene since way before I was old enough to go out partying.

Unfortunately, I have personally witnessed the demise of nearly every single last left night club and festival venue in the city over the years due to a rapid rise in rental costs, liquor licencing costs and residential properties spreading too close to the last pockets of music venue hope – which of course comes with sound complaints. To top that off a global pandemic hit and we are left with just two last venues in the city that regularly offer electronic music. It’s a real shame to think that when I started Djing there were countless pumping nightclubs and late-night venues in Canberra and now we are left with nearly none at all.

The positive side to this is that the ‘underground’ scene is building up and forming together stronger than ever with new ideas for the future.

What’s it like trying to make a name for yourself in a place like that with deep house and breaks?
I started Djing and dabbling in music production in way back in 2002 when I was still in high school.
I have been fortunate enough to have held residencies, helped promote parties and have awesome friends who ran some of the best parties this town has ever had and still do.
The scene was quite strong in Canberra in the early to late 2000’s, so I had many great festivals and late night venues to play at! The scene here has always been very open minded to different forms of electronica, so I find the vibe here less biased towards one genre to the other here than some other AUS cities tbh.

How did you first start playing music and how did you evolve into electronic music?
The first music I ever loved was The Prodigy’s ‘Music For the Jilted Generation’ when I was literally in primary school! I got into Gatecrasher style trance in my first year of high school. So I have basically had a love in electronic music since I knew about music.
I started making tunes with Fruityloops v1 and have stuck to it till this day.

There are a lot of breaks in your portfolio, where did they come from?
It is an interesting story.
I moved on from my passion of Trance music on to Progressive House and Techno in the early 2000’s. Then in early high school years I actually randomly won a crate of vinyl full of the entire Finger Lickin’ Records discography via a competition on the ‘In The Mix’ website. I didn’t even know I was in a competition! But I just got home from school one afternoon and there I was with all of the best Breakbeat the world had to offer at the time. This basically got me into Breaks and then as I was already into Progressive, it merged to become my real love of ‘Progressive Breaks’. I always wonder if I would have DJ’d and Produced so much Breaks if I never won that random crate?

Which artists have been your biggest influences? 

In reality, there are way too many to name through many genres, though I have to mention the big guns like: The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, Aphex Twin, John Digweed, Sasha, Nick Warren, Andy Page, Hybrid, Phil K, Hernan Cattaneo, Underworld. The list goes on but they have to be some major inspirers.

What’s been happening recently?
Due to the pandemic, no DJ gigs besides the odd livestream and recordings on Mixcloud and select radio shows. Though lots of music production has been happening which is a plus.
Oh and I got engaged! (Congratulations! – Anthony.)

Any upcoming releases we should keep an eye out for?
I have an EP coming out on ‘Late Night Music’ in November with two new originals ‘Distant Source’ and ‘Fargone’ with some fantastic remixes from Jamie Stevens, B-Tham, Kazuki and Tidy. I have had some great feedback on these tracks so far! It’s a fun EP as every track in the package is quite different so it makes for an exciting release.

Do you prefer to DJ or play live?
Djng is always fun and less stressful, but live shows which are much more rewarding.
I aim to do much more live stuff after the pandemic.
I also do a side project live show with Tidy under our name ‘Stact’ which has been the best fun I have ever had performing live. Its more of an experimental breaks/drum and bass/ idm project that we do completely live and improved on the spot with pallets of sounds, synths, vinyl and drum samples we have made. Basically, a live jam that never sounds the same twice. https://soundcloud.com/stact

What are your top 3 plug-ins to use in the studio, and why?
They change over time but at the moment I’m loving Gulfoss.
It is a live eq that balances out the sounds on the fly as they play. It’s really smart AI in a simple interface. It does wonders to the mix.
Native Instruments Guitar Rig has always been something I use on all sorts of sounds to re shape and texture. I use it in a much more subtle way than its designed for, but it really works for me.
I’m also loving Pigments by Arturia at the moment also, it’s a really full textured synth. The Arturia range is amazing.

Where can we hear you DJ? Do you have any future ambitions for your music?
The last gig I was billed for was to warm up for Booka Shade in back March but that got cancelled due to the pandemic, so at the moment you can only hear me on various livestreams and radio shows that I will always announce on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/fourthstate
The future is shrouded in mystery at the moment.

Is there anywhere you’d really love to play, or any labels you’d love to release on?
I’d love to play at Rainbow Serpent festival for sure!  And my main goal is to support John Digweed one day and especially feature on his Transitions radio show.
Getting a release on Johns label Bedrock would be paramount.

What do you like to do away from music?
I love to get away from the electro-concrete jungle and head into real nature. camping, the beach, bushwalks etc.

Who are you listening to at the moment?
I’m always finding new tunes and shazaming ones I love in mixcloud and soundcloud sets of artists that I keep adding and following on those platforms. And I’ve been listening to John Digweeds Transitions radio show religiously every week for years and years now.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020?
Write more tunes, try and play at a real gig and get to the beach as often as I can.

www.mixcloud.com/fourthstate

www.soundcloud.com/fourthstate

www.facebook.com/fourthstate

Interviewer: Anthony Huttley

Where are you currently based?

Hello! I’m in Melbourne, I’ve lived here for 7 years and am originally from the Northern Rivers of NSW.

How did you first get into music?

I first got into music pretty young. An early memory was going with mum to choir when I was 5. I still recall most of the songs, some were African, in different languages and were really rhythmic. It was pretty magical to hear all the different melodies and rhythms of the voices coming together as one.

What influenced the sound and songwriting for your new single ‘Sweet Mellow D’?

With this song, I’m not exactly sure as it was pretty intuitive. I resonate with alternative folk artists like the storytelling of Adrienne Lenker and Angel Olsen, the abstract and quirky characteristics of Aldous Harding, the melody and lyrical style of Hand Habits, the finger picking of Jose Gonzalez, and endless inspiration from local queens Maple Glider, Nai Palm, Angie McMahon and Harmony Byrne.

When and where did you record it?

I recorded SMD in June during Lockdown, with legend friend Nick Herrera in his studio known as The Grove, in Coburg. 

How do you usually go about writing music?

There’s no rules and honestly my ‘process’ is pretty random. I usually pop my phone on record, and then forget about it and just go stream of consciousness for ages. Then I listen back and deconstruct little gems that I can collage together and workshop. The improvising helps me say what I actually feel.

What instruments do you use?

I play guitar and I’m hoping to get a piano soon, which has been on the dream list for a while. I play my lovely old nylon, which I picked up second hand in Tasmania, or I play my ‘85 Japanese Strat which I found in a flea market, that was a good day!

I’m left handed and originally learned left, but 4 years ago started playing right handed. Not only can I now jam at parties, but also all the chord shapes I play are upside down and I like the different fingerpicking patterns, and new chord shapes I find. All the songs on my record are written this way.

How do you approach recording/production?

I first found freedom in demo’s. I see them as a carefree and messy thang where there is no room for perfectionism, which can hinder me. As I don’t have a laptop at the moment (sad story) I keep things simple with an ipad and Garage band. It is the perfect way to get a vibing demo as a reference for proper studio time. I quite like the inbuilt mic, and I feel rebellious by not having a monster set up.

Then in the studio is where the music is expanded upon and that is so satisfying. Nick really dug the lo-fi sound of the iPad demo’s and it ended up becoming a stylistic feature in the music –  hi-fi lo-fi if you know what I mean.

Please tell us about your new video, how was it filmed and where?

The video was a rapid fire creation, that timed itself well with the lockdowns. I teamed up with my friend Joli.vision, and we managed to get it filmed the day before stage 4 came in. He suggested the time-lapse idea with ‘masking’ elements, I don’t have much language or experience in video, so Joli is the man behind all the tech.

The vision was to set up my lounge room pretty much exactly how it exists in my room somewhere in coastal nature. We found an incredible spot looking over the water to the mountains of Wilsons Prom in the background, which is a prehistoric nature reserve to the south east of Melbourne. 

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Today I was listening to Godtet from Sydney, and their live performance at the Opera House. I found Duval Timothy whose mostly instrumental sample-based piano music had me in the feels. Also Maple Gliders debut track ‘As Tradition’ has had many plays this week.  

What do you like to do away from music?

I make stained glass earrings and during Covid I started Studying Glass and glazing which is cool. I build stuff from wood, I work as a carpenter’s labourer and want to upskill so I can build a shack in the bush one day. I take my dog on adventures and I’m getting into spearfishing after Covid. I’ve been reading a fair bit- I’m super interested in how trauma affects the body, and also the ability for the brain to unlearn and relearn. Also learning about this country in terms of colonisation, the untold history, current issues and my place in it all. 

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Most common shnack at the moment is A1 Lebanese Bakery for the stretched zaatar  –
Favorite spot is Eddie Gardens beers in the sun, or Warrandyte River for summer swimming. 

What’s next for you that you’re really excited about?

In terms of music, I have this unreleased album that I’m so excited to share. It’s quite a thing of beauty and experimentation, so I’m looking forward to setting it free. I hope to tour to the UK/Europe but that’s all pretty unknown at the moment, so patience is key.

I’m really excited to go free diving and GTF out of the city.

Danika Smith Facebook Danika Smith Instagram Danika Smith Spotify Danika Smith Bandcamp