Music Interviews

Where are you currently based?
Currently still based in Sydney!

How did you first start playing music?
I first started playing guitar and piano through school, and from there my guitar teacher convinced me to start singing. I started growing more confident and becoming better with my craft I suppose. I then started to create my own project as
such, and everything flowed from there.

What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?
Covid at the start was tough, as my first national tour was cancelled halfway through. Like a lot of people that kind of forced me to shift my priorities and financials. These days it’s going great though! I’m in the latter stages of completing my first album, and I just recently played 2 sold out shows.

Your new single ‘The World Is In a Bad Room’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? 
I guess the song is a conglomerate of a lot of personal relationships mixed in with everything that’s going on in the world. I also took a lot of inspiration through Tom Misch’s latest album.

How did you go about writing the single?
The song itself didn’t actually take too long! It kind of popped up one day when I was in the studio. I had been playing around with a particular drum groove (the one you can hear in the song) and everything just fell into place really quickly!

Where and when did you record and who with?
I recorded the track in a few places, but mainly within Kiln Studios in St Peters, Sydney. I developed the final stages of the track with my engineer ‘Danial Notoli’, someone who I’ve been working with for the past 2 or so years.

How did you approach the recording process?
Like many of my other projects, I started this song with the drum rhythm. I find it a lot easier and, in some way, a lot more fun to create stuff over a rhythm that you can bop to to begin with.

What programs/instruments did you use?
I use Logic Pro for pretty much all of my recording! I also played pretty much every instrument you can hear in the track and recorded them all individually.

What do you like to do away from music?

I like to do a lot of things to be honest. I think the best thing I like to do other than music is hang with friends. Either going away somewhere or just having drinks really sets my mind straight. I also love a read.

Who are you listening to at the moment?
A lot of Jordan Rakei, and a lot of SG Lewis.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?
I’ve got a few more sit down shows within rural NSW before the year is up which I’m really looking forward to doing! Assuming everything eases up as it has been, 2021 should be full of touring!

Favourite food and place to hangout?
I don’t think I can go past Italian with some really good wine. And my absolute place to hang is the beach.

https://www.facebook.com/olyshermanmusic/

Where are you currently based and what’s the music scene like there?

I’m currently based in Osaka, Japan.

There are a lot of bands playing — rock, punk, heavy metal, noise, hip hop.

There are a few clubs — drum n bass, techno, house, bass music.

There are some spaces for more experimental music, ambient, IDM, modular.

So there is a good music scene, but it’s all quite hidden and underground.

Only certain people go to these kind of places which is a shame.

You recently spent a prolonged period in London, what took you there?

I actually came back to Osaka in 2012.

 The love of music took me there.

I found myself getting into music from the UK when I was in Japan, and I was curious to experience the music scene and culture for myself.

I wasn’t really into electronic music until I experienced it in London. I had some many memorable nights there.

How is it being back in Japan? Did you experience any reverse culture shock? 

When I came back to Japan, I stopped making music for a while and worked full time as an English teacher.

Having a routine and not having to think too much was quite nice, after my more free-like lifestyle in London.

The first year was fine, but during the second year, I started to feel like I was starting to miss something.

I missed something so much, I can’t explain what that something was, but I knew I wanted to create music again.

How has it been getting back into the music scene there?

It has been really great. I saw Andy Stott, Mala and DBridge amongst others, and I have played in various venues around Osaka, such as Circus Club supporting Machinedrum.

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

I first got into music writing songs with my acoustic guitar, and being in a band.

I still love bands. I got into electronic music after I experienced some amazing nights at clubs in London.

I also became a member of Nedry (electronic band).

How would you describe your sound/the music that you play?

My music, especially, the latest album sayonara dance is like you are under the water.

Swimming slowly, trying to get to the other side.

Last year you released a new album ‘Sayonara Dance’. Can you tell us a bit about it? 

I did everything except mastering, so it was a challenge and it took me 4 years to make this album.

I wanted to paint feelings with the sound. I was interested in the feelings in between. 

Between the light and the darkness. I was very inspired by Four Quartets by T.S.Eliot

The track in the middle of the album “The lights are extinguished “ has the lines from East Coaker by T.S. Eliot.

——So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing————

Then at the end of last year, dBridge made a remix of this song, and I was blown away by it.

The titled song sayonara dance is saying sayonara to your love by dancing together for the last time.

Was there anything in particular that influenced the sound behind it?

Not really, nothing in particular.

Can you tell us a bit about the process?

I first bought a new computer, a good audio interface(RME) and monitors

Then after that it was pretty much, trying, failing, trying , failing until I was happy with it.

Did you record the parts yourself?

Yes, I did everything in my bedroom.

What programs/instruments do you use?

Ableton Live mostly, I used to use pro-tools but I got Ableton Live and taught myself to use that.

I also used KORG MS200, and Gibson acoustic guitar

Tell us about your live set up, what do you use?

A:I use Ableton push, a guitar with various effect pedals, vocal with voice live, a RME interface, and MacBook

Where can we see you perform?

At music venues in Osaka such as Socore Factory, environment 0g

Follow me on instagram @ayu_okakita

What do you like to do away from music?

I love swimming and going to sentos (Japanese public bath)

Being in a sauna after a cold bath feels so good, and after that I love taking a walk with a drink.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I’ve been listening to a lot of UK Grime because of my boyfriend, he has introduced me to some other music too.

My favorite songs of the month are Patience by RHYE and Dismantle by Andy Stott.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020?

I’m working on my next album!!

And I’m planning to organise a music event with Jack, called 深音(shinon), a night that focuses on deep sounds.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

I love going to standing bars, one of my favorites is Ushitora in Minami.

Base Island Kitchen serves great vegan food. And for a late night Bar Muffin is a fun intimate bar with an amazing sound system.

Where are you currently based?  

Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne

How did you first start playing music?  

My mum ran a Backpackers accommodation in the 90’s and all the international guests would bring the latest cassette tapes from places like London & Amsterdam. At the age of 13, I was given the responsibility of playing music for the wild parties that were happening.

How did Uone & Western form?  

I started doing A&R for BEEF records in the 2000’s, Nick was one of the owners at the time.  Our friendship and shared passion for music grew from there. We started producing music 4 years ago after a series of successful releases on Sol Selectas, Katermukke, Beat & Path. We decided to release a concept album that focused on combining our love of cinema (spaghetti westerns), live instruments, psychedelic culture and rolling deep tribal house.

How has Covid impacted the underground electronic scene? 

It’s been pretty hard actually. Not being able to play music, and connect with humans has been challenging.  But at the same time the COVID-19 outbreak opened up the opportunity to reset and reflect on where music and DJing started. It’s been a time to reflect on my early roots and a time I was young, free and completely transfixed with the art of DJing and the music it embodies.

What are you doing to support the industry and stay creative? 

I run a weekly radio show called RANCH-O-RADIO, which is broadcast on 33 radio stations globally. It’s a platform to showcase local artists as well as international artists I love. I have also been doing a few live streams raining money for Multiple Sclerosis to keep my creative juices satisfied.

Your new album ‘The Lone Wranglers’ will be out on October 16, what influenced the sound and songwriting?  

The biggest influence on this album is the love of cinema that Western & I share. I remember in between studio sessions we went to see Blade Runner 2049 and had a vivid conversation about the importance sound plays in creating mood and feeling. The conversation naturally flowed into the studio and we ended up writing 3 cinematic musical interludes for the album, (Let Red Go, Cotton in the Clouds, Forest Walker). The second biggest influence would have to be Quentin Tarantino and his modern day take on western cinema culture, the album naturally developed to be a modern day western dance musical tale.

Where and when did you record/produce?  

Mostly produced at the Smith and Western Studios’ in Sydney over the last 2 years, but a lot of the tracks finalised at the Ranch-O-Relaxo studio. A special thanks to Jamie Stevens for helping us finalise a lot of the mix downs on this album. Jamie’s musical knowledge & studio skills are phenomenal, having a 3^rd party come across and give the music a final tweak really brought extra clarity to the mix. The mastering was done by Danny Bonnici from Liquid Mixes.

What programs/plugins/equipment did you use? 

We use Ableton 10, big fans of Spectrasonics’ plugin called the ‘Keyscape’. A lot of the piano, vintage keyboards & Rhodes sound come from this extraordinary plug in. We also spent a lot of time recording live guitars with different pedals, all our percussion is recorded live and then processed inside Ableton. Combining a human feel inside the digitized computer world is important. Some key synths used were the Roland Juno-106 & Nord Electro 3 Stage piano.

What can we expect from this upcoming album?   

The album is a combination of some key key influences for Western & I. Quentin Tarantino films are a big one, The Doors and Pink Floyd also heavily inspired the album.

‘The Lone Wranglers’ has a super unique sound, you can definitely hear the psychedelic influences and tribal deep house sounds. The live guitars and tribal drums really make you feel like you are experiencing the album in person.

How did Covid affect the creation of this album? 

Fortunately, it was completed before COVID fully set in, but we pushed back the release date because we felt like the timing wasn’t right. There’s no time like the present, onwards we go!

Who are you listening to at the moment? 

New Zealand based Sanoi and Beacon Bloom have been on high rotation. Plus, diving back in the late 1990s & early 2000s sounds of Underworld, Orbital, Brian Eno, Bruce Springsteen, Jimi Hendrix and Midnight Oil.

What do you like to do away from music? 

Gardening! I am somewhat of a green thumb. Here at our property we have 5 acres of gardens & vegetable patches to look after. I really enjoy mowing the lawns with my John Deer.  Also having recently become a father, spending time with our baby girl has been filling my heart with joy.

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

I’m taking part in Beyond Borders ‘Desert Dwellers’ live streaming event October 23, then we plan to follow up this album with an EP ‘Magician On Duty’. In December I’m super excited to be playing ‘Elements Music Festival’ in QLD – a return to live music!

Favourite food and place to hangout?  

During COVID it’s been our local Goat Curry at the Himalayan & Nepalese Restaurant.

Hey Mark Roma, welcome to the Partae! Your debut on DOORN has just dropped,  ‘The Realm’, massive congrats! How did the release come about?  

Hey, thanks for having me! It’s quite cool how the release happened, I started sending  tracks to Morten at the start of the year and he loved them. He supported The Realm in a  Spinnin Records X 1001 tracklist ID livestream and when I asked would he think spinnin  would like The Realm, he personally introduced me to the A&R team via email and it  stemmed from there! So really all I can say is networking is SUPER important! 

How long had you been working on the track, did it work quite naturally or did it take  quite a bit of tweaking?  

Most of the track happened to just fall into place in about a day (maybe I was having a  good because this is rare haha!) I started searching really strange cinematic sounds on  splice and I used lots of dark sounding stabs and pads and the drop sounded cool. The  acid took a bit of tweaking to make it fit in with all these pads but not too much. I even  sampled a racoon and a dinosaur sound but it works! 

Where does the name for the track come from? 

The name came from the feeling that the breakdown gives me, like a feeling of flying over a  mountain range or over an ocean through a feeling of elation. I’m a huge lover of trance and  love to incorporate some in most tracks I create so that was the aim to give a huge  euphoric flying feeling. 

What sort of music did you grow up listening to yourself? What actually influenced  you to go into production and a career in music?  

I grew up listening to a lot of trance, mainly Tiesto, Armin and Ferry Corsten, which  eventually branched out into more electro and now I’m a fan of pretty much all dance music  genres. When I was younger I used to down synthesiser apps onto my phone and would  play about making trance melodies, then a friend of a friend I met mentioned he was doing  a music technology degree and I immediately signed up. I almost was not allowed to do the  degree as I had no previous music qualifications but I was determined and it showed so  here I am 5 years later getting signed to my dream labels. Determination and hard work  pays off! 

What advice would you give to others who were hoping to follow in your footsteps  and release on the labels of their heroes?!  

The best thing I can advise is to network. Go to ADE, go to local networking events, like  Liverpool Audio Network Sound Summit which is local to me. Make sure you setup  meetings beforehand and talk to the right people who are relevant to you, face to face  interactions are SO IMPORTANT! 

On another note for productions, finish tracks faster, don’t spend too long forcing a track to  work. I used to spend upwards of 3 months on a track and it would be trash. First time I  finished a track in 4 days, Blasterjaxx supported it! 

Also, do not give up. I get knocked back weekly by labels but I learn from it, maybe the  track did not suit, maybe the quality was not great, maybe the A&R had a bad day, do not  give up! Work hard and consistently and I promise it will happen. 

Buy Link: https://doornrecords.release.link/the-realm

https://www.instagram.com/markromamusic/

https://www.facebook.com/markromamusic

https://soundcloud.com/markroma

Where are you currently based?

I am based between London and Miami where I’m currently recording

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

When Covid first came about I quarantined out in Spain with my family for a few months. It was hard to begin with being stuck indoors everyday but I just used the opportunity to work on my project creating new music and ideas.

How did you first start playing music? 

I started writing my own material when I was 14 after finding out my mum had cancer. It was a rough time for me but music really saved me. It was the only thing that could take my mind off all the bad things that I was experiencing at that time.

Your mixtape ‘Long Time Coming’ is out now, what were the influences behind the Mixtape?

I have many influences ranging from classic R&B to modern afro beats with a hint of latin rythm and melodies right back to 80’s hip hop and I love my Drum & Bass!

Please tell us about the process:

The music flowed nicely during the creative process of the mixtape. I didn’t really think too hard, it was more a case of just making music I love and making sure the record has a wide range of sonics and vibes.

How did the concept for the music video come about?

The concept for the video was to have something dark and edgy with a sexy feel to it. The video showcases the storyline that is told through the lyrics of the track with a constant movement which is what gives it that rolling vibe.

Who did you work with and where did you film?

I work with various different film crews from Miami, LA, Spain and the United Kingdom depending on and what we are trying to achieve with each project, I love Kaz Ové’s work and I’m working with a cool Jamaican director at the minute on my next video.

What did you find most challenging and rewarding throughout the creation of ‘Long Time Coming’?

To be totally honest I wouldn’t say it was challenging as I enjoyed every part of creating this piece of work. The rewarding feeling was to finally finish up the project ready for release!

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I am currently listening to mostly latin urban artists ; people like Farruko, Sech and Myke Towers.

What do you like to do away from music?

I like to work out in the gym, go for a bike ride or some basketball or hit the beach, if there is one close by of course!

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

I am currently working on finishing up my latin project which I have been working on for some time now and I’m feeling great about it.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Jerk chicken with rice and peas and a good movie binge on the sofa!

What is your name and role within LIMBS?

Hey I’m Austin and I sing in LIMBS.

Where are you currently based? And how did LIMBS form?

I’m currently based in Tampa, Florida, as is one of our other members, Tyler. The rest of the band lives in northeast America (two in Connecticut and one in New York). At one point all of the members still lived in Florida when the band branded to LIMBS in 2014. 

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

Being in quarantine has been challenging to say the least, but thankfully I’ve still been able to do a few of things I love other than music like go surfing, fishing and learning new recipes. I absolutely love to cook and all this down time has allowed me to try new ideas in the kitchen and perfect some of my favorite home cooked meals. 

You have just dropped a surprise EP called ‘Only The Lonely Know’, what influenced the sound

and songwriting behind this release?

I’m so excited to share this EP with everyone. We wanted these songs to be a representation of us at our very best as musicians. We were able to collectively write these tunes together, having a unified theme of going heavier and a little darker than our previous releases while still retaining catchy post-hardcore influenced choruses that hopefully get stuck in your head. 🙂 

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

This EP was a massive collective effort: starting with Jordan, Tyler and myself recording most instruments and vocals with our friend/producer Matt Johnson in Florida. From there, our drummer Joey teamed up with engineer Nick Bellmore to track drums in Connecticut. After all instruments were tracked, the songs were sent to our man Sam Guaiana in Toronto, Canada to work his magic in producing and mixing. And FINALLY, from there, the EP was sent to Mike Kalajian in New York for mastering. Writing and recording an entire EP between multiple states and countries remotely and on COVID lockdown was one of the most tedious but insanely rewarding experiences ever. I’m so thankful for everyone who had a helping hand in bring OTLK to life and I couldn’t be prouder of the results! The summer of 2020 was a wild ride but in the end, we came out with what I feel is our best material to date.

How did the concept for the releases’ music videos come about?

Our bassist, Chris, is a videographer and is also our visual/social curator. He took the themes from our EP and created the visualizations accurate to lyrical content.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Currently I’m listening to the record ‘tryhard ‘by The Band Camino on repeat. It’s just a flawless album front to back.

What do you like to do away from music?

Away from music, most of my time is spent going on surf trips, antique shopping with my wife and working on boats.

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

It’s still too up in that air to know for certain. Obviously we’d love to be touring again but people’s safety through the pandemic is top priority. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see. 

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Favorite food: Yellow Curry with chicken // Favorite Place to hang out: the beach!

facebook/com/whoislimbs

instagram.com/whoislimbs

Spotify

Where are you currently based?

Melbourne. 

How did you first start playing music?

I started playing violin when i was three years old and piano when I was four (my parents are musicians).

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

I’ve been working on this EP which is finished now! And covering songs, making videos for them and releasing them on YouTube. Oddly enough my Covid experience has been really great, allowing me to essentially work on music full time. 

What influenced the sound and songwriting for your new single “25”?

Being introduced to The 1975 definitely has a big influence on 25, specifically their honest and revealing approach to lyricism.

How do you usually for about writing music?

I’ll basically just sit down in my studio and start tinkering with different instruments. Eventually I’ll come up with a melody or polyrhythmic synth line and just build on top of that. 

What programs/instruments do you use?

I use Logic as my DAW and then in the synth department I use a Juno-106, Behringer Model-D, Prophet 08, Nord Electro 3, Bass Station 2, Arturia V Collection. Maschine and Spark take care of the drums, and then use a Neumann TLM 103 mic to record all my vocals, violin, percussion.  

How do you approach recording/production?

I approach the recording aspect by mucking around in the studio and then once I’ve got a a demo of a track, I’ll go back and do proper vocal takes etc. and then send it off for mixing. I used to mix everything myself but over the last couple of years I’ve been very fortunate to have my very talented friend and other half of Juno Disco Nick Bond take care of it and it’s really taken everything to another level. 

Please tell us about the upcoming video, how was it filmed and where?

I was very influenced by how they filmed The Mandalorian by their use of rear screen projection with giant screens. So I experimented with making visuals then putting them on my TV and then would shoot a single take of myself performing in front of it.

Please tell us about how you got into videography:

Filmmaking is something I did a bit in High School but hadn’t really touched it again since lockdown. I started making these videos for the covers I was making and then through doing so many of them, I got better at filmmaking.

It’s something I really love and will continue to do, the process is very similar to making music.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

The only new thing I’ve really gotten into recently is Parcels, such an amazing band and was very excited to hear that they’re big Whitest Boy Alive fans. That and The Weekly Planet podcast which is 11/10.

What do you like to do away from music?

Very lucky to have a park as my backyard so hanging out there, Watching movies, I’m watching The Sopranos for the first time and  I’ve gotten weirdly into running this year. 

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

More music! You’ll be hearing some new stuff from me very soon! The EP is done so I’ll be bringing out another single and the EP before the end of they year. And then I’ll work on my next release over the summer. We also have a lot of Juno Disco stuff in the pipeline which is exciting so I reckon it’ll be a busy 2021. 

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Without a doubt ‘Leonards House Of Love’.

Hey Paria, thanks for speaking with us! Congrats on the release of your new track ‘C’mon’. You wrote this in record time didn’t you, when you were staying on a farm in Norway? 

Yes, I was on a farm and really bored haha, I remember walking around humming the melody that now has become the hook for this song “c’mon, c’mon, c’mon” for some reason. I figured, I could just record it on my phone, I ended up putting the recording in a project and started making a beat. After half an hour I had written the whole song. The hook and the chords gave me a really dreamy and romantic vibe and the melodies went together perfectly. I tend to write story-based lyrics and often from a certain character’s point of view, but this time I just wanted to paint pretty pictures with the melodies and lyrics. C’mon puts you in the situation of someone who tries to convey their basic needs to another person, but they’re too scared to say the words out loud.”

How do you find tracks normally come to you? Do you often find the hook will come to you out of nowhere, or do you prefer to lock down in the studio and work on tracks in a big session?

It’s different every time, like with C’mon it was instant but sometimes I spend the whole day coming up with things. But I would say I always have a chill set-up. So, it’s never big sessions for me unless I’m writing for another artist. I do like to take things as they come in the studio. I only have a few producers I choose to work with, and they are my friends so it’s always like, ok let’s meet and make something nice. And often I’m producing myself at home so it’s easy to work several hours without even noticing. 

You were born in Iran and moved to Oslo in 2013. What inspired the move? And why Oslo?

Well I lived in Turkey before moving to Norway in 2013 so when we moved out of Iran, I was very young and had to do what my parents wanted me to do. And I guess their motive was to build a better life for us, so we moved out. 

How did you get into singing and music in the first place?

I grew up in a musical family and was always exposed to a lot of music. So, I started playing the violin then piano and guitar, but nothing gave me so much joy like singing did. So, I’ve continued to love singing and felt called to make music that maybe can move people the way music moves me. 

Do you remember your first singing performance? 

Uuuuuhm the first ever? Cause that would be in kindergarten in a children’s play performance my mom forced me to do haha.

What are your favourite things about Oslo/Norway in general? If someone was visiting you, where would you take them for the best coffee/food/culture for example?

I am so fortunate that I’ve been able to travel around Norway and performed in so many different cities. I guess the typical answer to this question would be the nature; I’ve seen some crazy fjords and mountains here! But I guess the thing I enjoy the most about Norway/Oslo is the flea markets. I’m a total sustainable fashion junkie and I’ve found some really exciting treasures in markets all over Norway. So, I’d take any visiting friends to one of those markets. 

What’s next for Paria?

I’ve just released the video for “C’mon” and I think this is the last single for this year. But I really want to release Christmas songs that I’ve been writing lately. So that’s a big maybe for this year… and of course my album is coming next year.

Paria ‘C’mon’ is Out Now on Bøl Records, get it here: https://ditto.fm/paria

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7tBuWTC4AL48W3dWjdNnFQ?si=j2HxxZk-RTylAugruDi-xQ

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/paariia

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pariamusicofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pariaofficial/

Where are you currently based?

Hi Partae! I live in Seattle.

How have you been navigating the current situation around Covid?

Having to stay at home has forced me to spend more time in the studio & be more creative. I have a day job which keeps me pretty busy as well, I work in the aviation industry.

When did you first start getting interested in music and making music?

Well I got into music in my early teens. I was a total metalhead. Listened to lots of thrasher & death metal, things like Sepultura, Slayer, Megadeth, etc. Once I got a little older in my teen years, I started to listen to lots of other stuff. I think it was around 15 when I discovered electronic music. I listened to things like Hardfloor, Front 242, Orbital, Juno Reactor, Kraftwerk, The Orb, etc.

I started learning to DJ when I was around 20 or 21. I was really into psytrance at the time, but I also liked tech house, techno, progressive, etc. So I was back & forth with my djing styles. I think it was probably in my late 20’s/early 30’s that I got interested in making my own music and I’d mess about with Logic & Ableton. I would kind of do it on and off as I was focused on my career mainly. When I moved to San Francisco and started clubbing again, I think it helped rekindle my interest in making music again and started getting a bit more serious about it and started buying some gear to make music with. I just started actually getting serious in the past year and finishing up productions.

Your first EP on Superfreq will arrive on Friday, talk us through the ‘Alebrijes’ ep.

Yeah! I’m pretty excited to have my very first ep out. So the first track I did for that was ‘Purrr’. I had a cool sample of a lion roar and a fat sub I had done. I had a pretty cool loop going with some tribal drums and those other elements in it & I finished the track up. Next I had a loop I liked for ‘Tomorrow’ which I had actually done on a modular system. I was going for something a little darker, edgier and more aggressive with that one. I had a cool vocal sample which I had been wanting to use for quite some time which I used in that track. Next I did ‘Spirit Animal’. With that one, I was going for something with a more organic feel & an acid bassline in it. It is something that I would play earlier on in a set with a more minimal style to it. I like trying to keep things sounding different and I prefer not to be associated with any particular one style, so I try to use different elements and styles in every production.

Where did you record the EP and what programs and gear did you use for it?

I recorded the EP in my home studio with Logic Pro. I used a variety of gear on all of the tracks. I tend to use a mixture of both analog & digital. For ‘Purrr’, I used a Prophet 6, some drum loops/samples I tweaked and a kick & sub I made. With ‘Tomorrow’, I made it almost entirely on a modular system with one of my favorite vocal samples. With ‘Spirit Animal’, I used an MFB Tanzbar 2 drum machine, some VSTs and an Avalon Instruments Bassline (a 303 clone) for the acid bassline in it.

Who are the most inspirational peers and figures in the industry right now?

That’s a tough one. I’ve drawn inspiration from countless artists and influences over the years across my musical journey. I can’t name any single one that just stands out for me at the moment. I’ve been inspired by so many artists over the years. A couple of big influences for me were always Depeche Mode & The Cure for instance. And as for electronic artists in the dance scene, well, that list would be endless!

What are you listening to at the moment?

Well, I’ve been listening to a lot of older stuff lately from my younger years. Artists like Megadeth, Pink Floyd, Smashing Pumpkins, Depeche, Trentemoller, Shpongle, etc. I’ve also been listening to a lot of more indie electronic stuff lately. And I’m always listening to some new tech house & minimal grooves.

What do you like to do away from the DJ booth & studio?

I enjoy creating art and traveling quite a bit. I like to illustrate & sculpt although I haven’t created a sculpture since forever. I’m also a big movie buff. And of course the typical stuff, I enjoy hanging out with my family & friends which is always a treat.

Favourite food & places to hang out. 

I love spicy food. I love Mexican, Indian & Japanese food. I don’t think you can beat an amazing taco!

As for places to hang out, I travel a lot to Guadalajara, Mexico. It’s home for me, so I have family and all my old friends there. From there you can drive to a lake, go to the mountains and a drive to the beach which is only a couple of hours away as well. I tend to do quite a bit of traveling, but when I’m at home, I like to spend time with friends, go to the record shop, go clubbing or to a cool bar, go for a good cup of coffee, go out and try new restaurants, etc.

Thanks for the interview and for your time, Partae! Stay cool & stay safe!

https://www.beatport.com/release/alebrijes/3129827

http://www.instagram.com/brad_jehr

https://www.facebook.com/superfreqrecordlabel/

Where are you currently based?

Right now, our bedrooms! The band is spread across Melbourne, all of us in various stages of lockdown. 

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

We’ve mostly been preparing for our upcoming EP release, ‘Not Here’. Covid has definitely thrown us a curveball though – it put a pin in our touring plans and meant we had to rethink a lot of our approach when it came to performing and promoting the release, especially when Melbourne hit round two of lockdown as the rest of Australia opened up. Fortunately, we’ve all been really lucky in terms of our day-to-day employment, we have a great band support team around us and isolation has turned out to be a really productive, creative time. So we’re actually pretty excited for what we have planned with the EP release now.

How did you first start playing music?

We all got into music pretty young, learning through school either self taught or lessons – Alison (vocals) and Andrew (keys) went to high school together and have been playing music together since about 2010, while Ben (guitar / bass) and Lyle (live drums) have both been in different bands over the years. In terms of playing together, it was a matter of convenience – Alison and Ben started dating, so he joined the band with Andrew, and for a while it was just the three of us. We met Lyle last year, when he was playing drums for a mutual friend, and quickly realised we needed to recruit him!

How did Howlite come about?

Howlite is Alison’s baby. She initially wanted a musical project that didn’t have her name on it, and had a kind of ambiguity over whether it was a band, a solo project or something else. It also gave her the chance to move more into pop music and away from the folk music she was performing at the time. Alison recorded Howlite’s first EP ‘Reasons’ with a friend from uni, Michael Robinson, but slowly grew to incorporate Andrew and Ben into her live sets. From that point onwards Howlite was formed as the band, and we went on to record and perform together as a group rather than a solo project.

Your new single ‘Canary’ is out now, what or who influenced the sound and songwriting?

The idea of metaphors or analogies is something that happens a lot in our writing and it’s fun to incorporate them into a narrative. We’d all been listening to a lot of trip-hop music, and we were definitely influenced by bands such as Portishead and Massive Attack, along with bands such as London Grammar and Daughter, that delve into that more sort of dark-pop or left of field pop realm. At the time of writing, Alison had also been listening to some of Aurora and Marika Hackman’s early stuff, and she really liked the dark imagery of their music.

How did you go about writing Canary?

Alison tends to write all the songs, and will bring them to the band for evaluation and workshopping. The seed of the song started with Alison on piano, just the chord progression of the verses and the opening line, “Curse me in your mother tongue, do you kiss her with that mouth – why not me?”, and it kind of developed from there. At the time Alison was in a transitional period of life, really questioning identity and sense of self within the context of others. It’s a very “lost” song. Kind of pleading and looking around for answers from people, or wanting to feel accepted and safe. The chorus is quite sparse, with the line fading off into repetition, to give that idea of isolation and a lack of clarity or response. 

Where and when did you record/produce?

We recorded the bones of the whole EP way back in 2019 at The Alamo Studios here in Melbourne, working with our producer Tyson Fish and mixing engineer Daniel Caswell. From there, we did some development on drum tracks and arrangements with our friend and producer, FAULK. The main post-production, and some of the mixing was then carried out by our other producer JP Fung, who’s based in Sydney, who helped craft and articulate the tracks. We then left the final mastering in the capable hands of our longtime mastering lord Joe Carra from Crystal Mastering. It takes a village to build an EP!

How did you approach the recording process?

We had worked with Tyson and Dan in the studio on our last single before this EP, ‘Orchestra’, and it was such a positive, fruitful experience that we were excited to dive right back in for the EP. They helped us immensely with pre-production, workshopping the songs and demos to the point of recording and planning out the recording schedule. Previously, we’d often head into the studio right away, and then end up spending a lot of time problem solving or exploring multiple ideas. This time round we had the good fortune and freedom to really take the time to do things properly, both before, during and after recording, to get the best out of ourselves and the songs. We made the decision to track the vocals first, and build the song around it. As we got further into the project, we decided we really wanted to push and develop our sound, and look at creating something that took things to the next level. That’s when we decided to work with JP on the post-production side of things, as well as sharing the mixing of some tracks alongside Dan.

Working with different people over an extended time meant that there was a lot of development, a lot of inspiration and a lot of logistical nightmares! We had some concrete reference artists and production styles, and it was exciting to build things we loved about other artists into our own work. By not setting dates on the releases this time we had the freedom to explore some really creative directions and approaches, both with recording and production, until we ended up with a product we felt 100% happy with – and we feel that you can really hear that in the recordings. We couldn’t have asked for a better team to help bring the tracks to life to be honest, and everyone was completely on board with what we were trying to achieve.

What programs/instruments did you use?

We record all our demos in our home studio using Ableton, with a basic midi set-up and direct input for guitar, bass and vocals. Neither of us are particularly well-versed with DAW set ups; so the process is very raw and serves ultimately as a way to organise arrangements, construct vocal harmonies and experiment with ideas rather than achieve any kind of polished product. As we move more into the realm of pop and synthetic sounds, it’s been so much fun to play with samples and sound packages, and create things we wouldn’t have considered a few years ago. Once pre-pro is signed off, it’s time for the professionals and ProTools. It’s always a joy recording at The Alamo because we get to work with such a large collection of vintage instruments and amps, and record with their amazing Neve V1 Recording Console.

In terms of instruments, we wanted a nice blend of organic & synthetic – so there are live tracked drums and bass, but also sampled beats and synth modulations, and a lot of elements that take cues from trip-hop and 90s/2000s electronica. JP really helped bring a sense of pop to the recordings as well, by introducing more layers of samples in post-production. We also like to reflect this approach in our live setup as well, so we now incorporate guitar, bass, live kit and keys, but also work with sample pads, vocal loops and pedals.

Your EP ‘Not Here’ will be released in the next few weeks, please give us an idea of what to expect:

A warm, dark, luxurious embrace, like cocooning yourself in velvet and taking a nap. 

What do you like to do away from music?

Our DIY projects have gone through the roof this year thanks to isolation! Alison has taken up knitting, Andrew has been renovating his bathroom and making his own salami, Ben has been restoring a 1970’s moped and our drummer Lyle has gone full handyman and built his own soundproof studio in the garage so he can play drums at 3am. 

Who are you listening to at the moment?

There has been so much time for music at the moment! We’ve been listening to a lot of local artists – absolutely loving Braille Face’s latest album ‘Original Cast Recording’. We’ve also been loving Two People, Lastlings, ALTA and EOGISM, who are such big inspirations for us. Internationally, we’ve been listening to London Grammar’s latest, as well as Anna of the North, Future Islands, Tuvaband, Florence + The Machine, and the latest The XX side project from Romy. Alison has also recently taken a dive back through Spotify and is taking a lot of inspiration from early 2000s alt/electronic artists, like Ladytron, Vaults, The Delgados – and lots of synth horror movie soundtracks! Gotta be ready for Halloween. 

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

We have a few exciting plans for the release of our EP, including an amazing music video that filmmaker Michael Roberts has been working on. He’s done some incredible work with Slowly Slowly, and produced the music video for our last single ‘Stranger’, so we’re excited for that. We’re also planning to record a live set with him and photographer Jeff Anderson Jnr at some point, once we’re able to leave the house!

As for 2021, it’s also shaping up to be pretty exciting, as we’ve been writing heaps, and looking to head back into the studio and record our next EP. Depending on travel restrictions amid the pandemic, we’re also hoping to get the chance to take this EP out on the road, and actually play some live shows around Australia. Anything further than 5kms will be exciting.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Pizza! It’s such a versatile food, with so many flavour options! And they do dessert pizzas! You’re covered for all occasions. As for a favourite hangout place, we’re all just hanging to be able to get back into a pub – any pub, anywhere, just a pub please! 

Instagram: http://instagram.com/howlitemusic/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamhowlite/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ExCBBN2rbk41iIXOA60C0

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/au/artist/howlite/213756395

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC6yah7qSYfrb7CbJK7bOWQ

Official Website: http://www.howlite.com.au/