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Music Interviews

Pocketmoth
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Pocketmoth

by the partae
written by the partae
Instagram: @pocketmoth_
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Emersxn Louis
Music InterviewsMusic News

Emersxn Louis

by the partae
written by the partae

Where are you currently based?

 

Gold Coast, Australia.
 

How did you first start playing music?

 

I had just left school, my birthday wasn’t to far off and it had been the first time my mother could afford to get me something nice, I asked for a home studio set up, I bought Logic Pro X and started to teach myself music. At first I’d just narrate random videos, I wanted to learn expression and how to get comfortable listening to my own voice, and how to use projection, eventually I recorded my first rap.
 

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

 

My life never stops, there’s always something crazy going on, so COVID was just another small bump in the road, I’ve just been concentrating on being a better family man, and prioritising things better, having that clarity of knowing I’m getting shit done, has helped me curate my music better.
 

Your new single ‘Playboy Type’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

 

It was a time I was feeling a peak in my alter ego, it had been on my mind for quite sometime to make a track where I could perform live and just flip the show upside down, with bass melody and specific lyrics, that were influenced by an overdose I had.
 

How did you go about writing Playboy Type?

 

I got in a more controlled but similar head space of the night I overdosed, and tried to tune into the thoughts I was having so I could bring the sound I was hearing to life.
 

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

 

I recorded PLAYBOY TYPE in my apartment at the Meriton, Damien Alter produced the beat, I mixed and mastered the project as a whole.
 

What programs/instruments did you use?

 

Logic Pro X
 

How did the concept for the music video come about?

 

The creative direction of the music video was based around the trip. I told my videographer I wanted to recreate the scene of where it happen, and that his edits were to create a visual experience similar to what I was seeing that night, and he did exactly that.
 

Where and when did you film and who did you work with?

 

I filmed it in the lounge room of my apartment, I worked with Micha O’Brien.
 

What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of the video?

 

The challenging part was the budget we were working off, the most rewarding part was everybody was on the same page, and super comfortable with one another, everybody respected what I was trying to do and we executed it as group.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

 

At the moment I’m listening to Bryson Tiller, 21 Savage, Flatbush Zombies and Schoolboy Q the most.
 

What do you like to do away from music?

 

I just signed a modelling contract so I’ve been focusing on getting fitter and learning more about the fashion world, and designing my own clothing pieces etc.. I like to do a lot of reading books, cooking, watching documentaries and having sex. As all 5 of these things help me make better music.
 

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

 

To finish putting together my first Mixtape, finish my merch designs and start to put together a schedule for the new year.
 

Favourite food and place to hangout?

 

Favourite food at the moment is bao. Favourite place to hang out is my girls bed.

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Keary
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Keary

by the partae
written by the partae

Where are you currently based?

Hamilton, South Lanarkshire.

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

Been keeping fairly quiet and just working on music if I’m honest. This whole experience has taught me a lot about myself and the world around me. Ultimately it has taught me not to take the small blessings in life for granted and to be grateful for what you have.

How did you first start playing music?

I was introduced to DJ decks at the age of 13 at a local ice rink (where they had a DJ booth) and after making a few song requests the DJ took me under his wing and showed me the ropes. I instantly got hooked as I was already a music enthusiast but this was a proper way to express my musical taste. I downloaded PCDJ software from age 13 then upgraded to a CDJ set up when I was 16 and the rest is history!

Your new EP ‘Be Free’ will be out on October 16 2020, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

The main message behind this release comes from the name of the lead track “Be Free” and its pretty self explanatory. I feel like we all go through life searching for opportunities to set ourselves free, and I always get this feeling with music. So I just hope that when people listen they can take themselves to a happy place and have a wee two step while they are at it.

How did you go about writing the music?

I typically just get an idea in my head and need to load up Ableton as quickly as possible. I take a lot of inspiration from other music that resonates with me and try factor that same feel into my own music. Funny story with the lead track, the vocals is actually me and my mate Olly. I had made the beat and knew it needed some sort of vocal, and that was the first phrase that came to me. So I set up the microphone and we just hit record.

Where and when did you record/produce?

I started most of the tracks in my bedroom studio, but I finished the tracks & also mixed them down at Pirate Studios in Glasgow. Shout out to Pirate as their facilities are fantastic for young musicians and they are always brilliant to deal with. I love being at those studios I always feel at home with all the other music being played throughout the studio.

What programs/instruments did you use?

Ableton is the DAW I use for production and I have a whole host of VSTs that I use, I don’t stick to the same VST or preset I typically change it up on every record. I also use Native Instruments Maschine a lot for drums.

How did you approach the record and production process?

Once I had 3 solid ideas down that I knew would be right for an EP I just dropped every other project and gave them 3 records my full attention. Forced myself not to open up any other project or get side tracked and just spent anytime in the studio getting these 3 tracks totally finished. This can be challenging as it’s very easy to get bored of listening to your own record after 100 or so plays haha.

What did you find most challenging/rewarding through the creative process?

As stated it can be challenging only focusing on one thing, when you’ve got a creative brain it typically runs away from you on to the next idea. Either I start a project and am so focused I finish it there and then or I take it to a certain point and then leave it and revisit it with a fresh pair of ears at a later stage. But the rewarding part of keeping my attention on this EP was getting to sit back and hit play on the final results. I typically premier my records to my mates first and watch for their reactions, that’s always rewarding.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I’m actually listening to a lot more hip hop at the moment. Mostly 2pac. Most people may perceive me as just a dance music head, which really is not the case. I love dance music and always will however I am a music lover first. I have such an open mind when it comes to music and I just like what touches my soul. So of late I have really been enjoying some 2pac, I feel that I can really understand the emotion he is conveying through the music and his lyrics. I go through stages where I only listen to dance music but I typically have little breaks from that and check out other music! A few honourable mentions from my Spotify most played are; Juan Atkins – Track Ten, Yeah But No – Run Run Run (Adam Port Remix), and Scuba – Never Forget.

What do you like to do away from music?

I mean I’m pretty much a music geek 24/7 but when I’m not working on or listening to music I really enjoy getting out into nature or researching stuff that I’m big into like cosmology. Also I listen to a lot of podcasts, watch a lot of documentaries and now make a lot of time for meditation.

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

So the plan is really to keep working on more and more music! Also I constantly dig for music and am always on the hunt for more. I guess keeping a constant flow of inspiration is really important for me. I have a lot of faith for the world in 2021 and am praying for the clubbing industry to make a big return. It would be awesome to hear one of my tracks on a dance floor.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

I love Asian food, when I was younger I was extremely fussy with food and as I’ve got older my pallet has managed to catch up a bit, I like spice but it also needs to be bursting with flavour. Favourite place to hangout… I mean before all of this madness started I would be out all the time. I love Glasgow city centre always so colourful and vibrant and always a laugh to be had. Favourite place to hang is probably the Hillhead book club, it’s just nice vibes in there. You could go on a busy night or a quiet night and still have a class time, it’s also a spread out space so plenty room for people to get comfy and relax. They do a good strawberry mojito as well by the way!

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Cinema Heaven
Music InterviewsMusic News

Cinema Heaven

by the partae
written by the partae

Interviewer: Anthony Huttley

Where are you both from, and what brought you to Tokyo?

Josh: Sunshine Coast, Australia –I originally came to Japan to be a J–pop singer! I was in a punk rock band before that. For me the spirit of punk rock was supposed to be about rebelling and doing something different but I felt that my band was not doing that at all. We were playing loud music but it wasn’t necessarily very different from other bands. There was nothing new or risky about it. So I guess my way of rebelling was to move to Japan to make pop music. Thankfully I didn’t end up becoming a J–pop star but I did fall in love with the food, language and culture of Japan along the way and later ended up becoming a J–pop producer. 
Flo: Cologne, Germany –My whole life I have been a language geek and learning languages is my passion. I was eager to learn a language that is linguistically far away from the European languages and I already had a basic interest in Japanese culture so I started learning Japanese around the age of 16, going to Japanese classes twice a week after school in my private time. During my first year in uni I was finally able to visit Tokyo for the first time through an internship, which I did at a German company for 2 months back in 2008. I fell in love with the city and so I decided to do my exchange year abroad at Sophia University in 2009 and then finally I moved to Tokyo in 2010. I have been living here ever since.
How did you meet?

We both attended a monthly producer meetup in Tokyo called Music Producer Conference. From there we ended up making a lot of mutual friends and DJing together a lot at different clubs around the city. After a while we noticed our common taste for records with great chord progressions combined with strong vocals. This made it very natural for us to join our forces to create a music project that incorporates our favorite musical elements and aesthetics.

How did you get into electronic music?

Flo: I grew up listening to a lot of hip hop, both German and American. Once I turned 18 and started exploring the club scene in Germany. The music I was listening to quickly became mostly the electronic music that was playing at the clubs. At the time I was very much into French house music and was listening to artists like Daft Punk, the early David Guetta, Joachim Garraud, Fedde le Grand etc. However the artist that inspired me the most to actually start producing my own music was Deadmau5. I was a hardcore fan and I was also a computer geek so around the age of 19 I figured out how to be able to create my own songs on the computer. I bought my first DAW which was Fruity Loops (now FL Studio) and I have been using it ever since. 

Josh: I’ve been into music my whole life. I started playing drums, piano and guitar when I was a kid. Then I started recording guitar, vocals and drums mainly on pro tools when I was in high school and really got into the production side of things. That progressed to making electronic music on Ableton using samples and virtual synths. Once I realised how fun and quick it is to produce on my laptop rather than recording a whole band it quickly took up most of my songwriting bandwidth.

How would you describe the music that you play?

Flo: Our music is based around having each individual element of the record to be a strong pole to the song on its own, while focusing on the melodic and vocal variety to be most prominent. I have been playing the piano since the age of 6, which influenced my production in the way that I usually begin to write a chord progression as a base and then start to build the song around it. I was the lead singer in aMetalcore band called “I Promised Once” which gave me experience writing melodies and toplines as well as recording vocals.

Josh: We both love melody and great chords and I think that the combination of those elements with unique sound design and drums patterns is the key to our sound. We’re starting to work with great vocalists now so that has had an impact on our music. We both have a very diverse taste in music which creates a challenge of choosing which genre of songs to release!

What’s been happening recently?

Josh: I’ve been back in Australia on the coast during the ‘rona’ situation. I hadn’t been back for 3 years so it’s great to see family and friends and just chill at the beach and go surfing. There’s been a lot of reverse culture shock! For the last couple of months we’ve been working like crazy to finish our new EP. 

Flo: During the last few months I have been mostly confined to my house in Tokyo. Being forced to stay home helps alot to write new music and is in that sense a great way to use the critical situation for a good opportunity. I was able to write on this EP a lot and we managed to finally finish and release it. As for the outbreak in Japan, it is small compared to the rest of the world and the Japanese have proven yet again their highly disciplined and health conscious way of living, which is in my opinion the main contributing factor to the situation being rather calm here. Therefore I believe I can count myself lucky to be in Tokyo during these times.

Please tell us about your new EP:

Our last EP “Midnight Movies” was a new direction for us. For this EP we’ve continued on that path of more pop oriented songs with chill uplifting vibes. We worked with a singer in LA on the first track “Let Me”. The whole process has involved a lot of video calls and messages!

What was the inspiration behind it?

Flo: Separation has been a big theme this year, both in the minds of the public and in my own life. So that was a big influence on the sound of this EP. They say out of lovesickness emerge someof the most creative ideas, which I think this EP proves. It incorporates a lot of the feelings I was having while creating the sound.

Josh: The whole world is very divided right now. Earlier in the year people couldn’t go outside to meet their loved ones and even now we still have social distancing rules. Plus the fact that we are collaborating with different people around the world over our computers. Separation was a natural theme for these songs. I think on this EP we really worked on honing the sound from our last release and worked hard to make everything cohesive and to sound as clear as possible.

Which software do you use?

FL Studio, Ableton Live and sometimes Pro Tools.
What are your top 3 plugs in the studio?

Decapitator! It’s asaturator from Soundtoys that just sounds great. FabFilter Pro–Q is probably our go to EQ and the Waves series of plug–ins including the L2 and L3 limiters are very solid too.

Where can we see you DJ?

Our most recent show was at Ce La Vi in Tokyo on New Year’s Eve. Hoping everything gets back to normal soon so that we can get back to the clubs to drop our new songs!

Favourite food and place to hangout?
Niku yokocho in shibuya is fun! There’s a small standing udon place in naka–meguro in Tokyo which is amazing too. So many amazing food options in Tokyo. When we hang out it’s usually at a club in Tokyo like Womb or Ageha.
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Beyond The Willows
Music InterviewsMusic News

Beyond The Willows

by the partae
written by the partae

Where are you currently based?

The sleepy town of Kurnell, New South Wales Australia.

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

Covid was pretty tough on us financially as we all had our jobs put on hold. Creatively though it really forced us to finish off the album we had been recording at my place intermittently over the past year. We live together so it made it easy to knuckle down and put time into the recording and mixing process.

How did you first start playing music?

I first started playing the trumpet when I was about 4, haha. I picked up a guitar at the start of high school and haven’t looked back. We’ve all been a part of many bands growing up and all have metal backgrounds so playing the style we are now is really refreshing.

How did Beyond The Willows form?

Beyond the Willows formed after Matty (guitar) actually approached me to record a song for him. He was cousins with one of my best mates Harry who was hanging out with us during the recording process and we ended up having a jam afterwards.

We got on really well and the rest was history. We have had a few line-up changes since then but our current line up; Matt Joyce (guitar), Mitch Coelho (bass) and Liam Newman(drums) has been the driving force along with myself in putting this album together.

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

Into the Sun is a song I wrote just under 3 years ago after I lost my best mate in a tragic accident. It had been stowed away for a long time and we decided to bring it out for this album at the last minute. We have a lot of blues and country influence in our earlier songs. Keeping it acoustic but still at a rock tempo just made it a lot more fun to play and kept the vibe of the song more positive than your traditional blues sound.

How did you go about writing Into The Sun?

Matt brought the music to me one day pretty much complete minus a few sections and we worked on it with some lyrics I had been writing at the time. It came together really quickly.

How did you come to work with Ruby Fields and how was the experience? 

Ruby is one of my best friends and had previously released the song ‘Conny’ on her last EP. She had asked me to play the guitars on that song as it is about the same friend of ours. As soon as we started recording the song I wanted Ruby to be a part of our song as well as he meant so much to both of us.

Where and when did you record/produce?

We recorded and mixed the whole album in my house. It was a fun experience doing it all ourselves, Daniel Antix at Def Wolf Studio then mastered the record for us.

How did you approach the recording process?

Most of the songs I had recorded demo’s for with midi drums so they were pretty much complete tracks. We then started from the ground up and re-recorded each section again getting everything perfect. It’s a longer process doing everything twice but it just gave us the opportunity to really listen to each song and make any structural changes before we were too far down the rabbit hole.

What programs/instruments did you use?

I use Pro Tools  and a UAD rig for recording. We play a selection of Gibson and Fender Guitars through Fender and Orange amps. Liam has a pretty nice custom Pearl kit and way too many Cymbals.

You have an album on the way, please tell about the creative process and a little idea of what we can expect:

The album is quite a bit heavier than any of our previous releases. We still have kept our roots however there is a heavy doom and psych influence throughout the album.

What do you like to do away from music?

We all live by the beach so surfing is our main hobby aside from music, besides Matt he’s pretty good at rock climbing and sinking beers though.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

All Them Witches new album has been on repeat the last few weeks for me, I can’t fault a song on that. We all have pretty heavy taste between us so a lot of Polaris and bands like Witch, Graveyard etc. Ruby’s latest release Pretty Grim is epic too.

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

Having plans in 2020 is almost laughable hey, I’m done with trying to plan anything and just taking each month as it comes. We are hopefully going to tour this record in Summer though! Fingers crossed Covid chills out.

Favourite food and place to hang out?

Kurnell Rec Club and the internal Chinese restaurant is where you’ll find us most of the time.

Into the Sun Single Launch

Brass Monkey, Cronulla  Wednesday 30th September and Thursday 1st of October – both sold out.

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

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

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/7JaEpPwtQyyu7ciAK3YTtY

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Music InterviewsMusic News

The Buckleys

by the partae
written by the partae

What’s been happening in the last couple of months?

Lachlan: in the last couple of months we’ve been doing plenty of song writing for our next album, planning the year to come and recording for a special release in Christmas!! We also just released our new single Woodstock69.

Your new single Woodstock69 is out now, please tell us about the influences and songwriting process?

Sarah: I wrote this song over in Nashville as an ode to one of the most iconic music festivals of all time and generally, that era in music which we love so much. We grew up listening to all of that music from the 60s and 70s and it’s had such a big impact on us as a band and as people. I wanted to write a song on our debut album that spoke to that influence and love we have for that music.

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

Lachlan: we recorded, produced and mastered everything over in Nashville Tennessee with the legendary Chad Carlson, it was an insane experience to say the least and we’re all over the moon with how everything turned out. We’ve also been doing alot of recording in my home studio while working with Chad Carlson remotely in Nashville for an up and coming release this Christmas.

The video clip was directed by Molly Buckley at Chris Murphy’s property, Sugar Beach Ranch.  Please tell us about how the film clip concept came about and the special meaning that this clip has to you in particular:

Molly: Creating and directing the Woodstock69 music video was such an incredible journey/ experience and to also be able to film it on Chris Murphy‘s property ‘Sugar Beach Ranch’ gives the music video such a deeper meaning.

The music industry has dealt with so many losses these past couple years and still continues to, so when coming up with the initial concept for the video I was exploring how I wanted to visually communicate the song in a time when the lyrics couldn’t seem more prevalent and real.

‘Woodstock69’ has so much more meaning to me after this experience. I realised it’s representing everything we have all been so greatly missing – live music, festivals, singing crowds, dancing feet, and peace.

What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of the film clip?

Molly: I can’t think of anything that was the most challenging, especially since I absolutely loved every twist and turn that came with the creation of this clip. There’s so much knowledge and growth that comes with the challenges I was facing with editing, or the day of filming and making sure everything was lined up etc. The most rewarding part was probably overcoming any challenges that came my way, also proving to myself that I could make a music video from start to finish was an awesome feeling.

Sarah Buckley recently won the APRA development award, how did this come about and what does it mean to you?

Sarah: To be recognised by APRA and winning the Professional Development Award is such an honour for me as a songwriter. I applied for this award many months ago and to be honest, when applying for awards like this I often end up forgetting about it because I don’t think anything will come of it or that I’ll win but it’s always worth a shot! When I found out I won it was so unbelievably exciting and unexpected and I just feel so thankful to be recognised as a songwriter by such a prestigious organisation as APRA.

You’re playing Bluesfest next year and will be playing live shows as soon as lockdown is over, how has not being able to play live affected the band?

Molly: It’s been really really hard not being able to play live shows.  We miss being on the road, the adventure, the people and the atmosphere of a live show… everything! We couldn’t be more excited for our upcoming gigs!

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Lachlan: I’ve been listening to a lot of Allman brothers band and A Tribe Called Quest. Those two groups have some of my favourite music in the entire world!

What’s planned for the next few months?

Sarah: Well it’s the Christmas season and we’re very excited to be releasing our very first Christmas track! I think people will be really surprised by what’s coming and we’re excited for them to hear it… Christmas like you’ve never heard it before!

 

www.thebuckleys.net

info@thebuckleys.net

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The track is a manically high energy and anthemic piece of synth-rock, with a punchy ear-worm chorus and scything vocals. ‘I wrote Eyeliner when I was at rock-bottom and involved in some really toxic relationships.’ says lead vocalist Patrick. The lyric “Sitting on my bedside, I need to ask myself, where to my ambition go?” is literally what I did everyday at the time.’ Gone Sugar Die are Patrick McWilliams (vocals, drums and synth) formerly of The Cut Losses and Mike Hindert (bass) who was previously a notorious member of hit NYC band The Bravery. McWilliams has recently become a voice for the penalized youth of his native Canada after speaking out against backlash from an alleged ‘Party Bus’ incident that was falsely reported to have caused violent scenes in Vancouver city. He has also previously received a letter from the office of John Horgan, the Premier of British Columbia, to recognize and commend his activism, charity and advocacy work. Eyeliner is released on September 18th via Pet Shop Records and is the first new single from a forthcoming EP by the band. The track was exec-produced by Skip Curtis and the music video was made by the band’s bassist Mike. Gone Sugar Die have toured the US and Canada and are planning another run of live performances as soon as it is safe to do so. Social media: https://facebook.com/gonesugardie https://instagram.com/gonesugardie https://twitter.com/gonesugardie
Music InterviewsMusic News

Gone Sugar Die

by the partae
written by the partae

Where are you currently based?

Patrick: I’m up in Vancouver right now and Mike is down near San Diego.

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

Mike: We haven’t been able to play and had various shows cancelled and that’s been a real bummer. But, we found our new label Pet Shop Records during this time and we have been very happy with them. We just released our first single “Eyeliner” through them along with a music video we made using, of course, eyeliner (MAC brand if it must be known, but we are happy to be won over by other brands if they would prefer us using their eyeliner). All in all I think we have been pretty fortunate during the covid experience, we haven’t had any friends or family fall ill although I swear I had it in January when we were recording, and we have been able to work tons on new material, which is always a blessing when you are given time for that.

How did you start playing music?
Patrick: Ironically it was largely in part due to Mike, I was a fan of his and saw him open for Green Day here in Vancouver in 2009. I was kicked out of my music lessons in high school because I supposedly sucked (arguably I still do) but I just sat in my room recording by myself and playing all the instruments.
 
How did Gone Sugar Die form?

Patrick: I had begun emailing back and forth with Mike in 2016, and after being pen-pals for a while we decided to meet up. We had a lot of similar music tastes and were enjoying the music each other was putting out at the time, so I flew him up here in 2018 and we spent a month writing and listening to lots of the Smiths and Depeche Mode.

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

Patrick: I was listening to a lot of electronic music and pop on our last EP, but for this song and a few I wrote around the same time I was really into some of the glam music from the 80s and a lot of 90s grunge that I grew up on. Weezer and The Offspring were big for me, and some new bands like Paerish and my friend Marshall’s band Teenage Wrist.

How did you go about writing Eyeliner?

Patrick: Lyrically, it’s about a time where I was at rock bottom in life, and at one point literally sleeping at people’s houses just so I didn’t have to sleep in my car.

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

Patrick: We recorded some tracks back in January, luckily before the pandemic happened, up here in Vancouver at Park Sound Studio with our pal Dan Ponich. It was mixed by Josh Tyrell and produced by ourselves with some help from Skip Curtis who runs the label we’re on.

How did you approach the recording process?

Patrick: It was really cool, since Mike and I are best friends and speak the same language musically we breeze through tracking. On our last EP, Mike’s drummer from the Bravery, Anthony Burulcich, played drums and Marshall Gallagher played guitar. This time, we decided to take it as a two-piece, and I played drums, guitar, synths etc which I hadn’t done for almost 5 years before this. But it was a really cool production idea, because my drumming was a lot more raw and unrehearsed and I think complemented the songs really nicely.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Mike: Alfred Aholo Apaka (the voice of Hawaii) soothing tunes to help escape the hectic world.

What do you like to do away from music?

Mike: Surf, doodle and meditate in isolated places

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?
Mike: We hope to have a new EP released soon!  We recorded some of our favorite tracks recently and we made some very cool videos to accompany them, Gandry would be proud.  Also our new comic (on our instagram highlights) “The Adventures of Gone Sugar Die” has some crazy plot twists comin your way.
 
Favourite food and place to hangout?

Mike: Favorite food is definitely Phó with a Twizzler desert. The Library is always a cool hang because you don’t have to think of anything to say.

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Amela
Music InterviewsMusic News

Amela

by the partae
written by the partae

Where are you currently based?

I am currently based in the hinterlands of the Gold Coast. 🙂

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

To be honest, it hasn’t changed a whole lot for me.. I’ve been teaching the same amount and have been working on writing and recording some new tunes in the background. 

How did you first start playing music?

My mother caught me singing around the house (and everywhere I went) when I was about 9 and booked in a singing lesson for me. I’ve never looked back since. ? I fell in love with playing the piano, flute, cello, and started writing songs in Grade 10 after borrowing a guitar from my work experience week working at a primary school.

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

Ah – for a long time (probably since I started writing). I always really wanted to write a pop song – the best pop song that I could ever write.  I’ve played in bands all throughout university and after I realised that I wanted to be a solo artist and pursue writing the ‘best songs’ that I could write. 

In the recent year, I’ve been wanting to challenge myself and try to write the catchiest, strongest pop song I can write. DNM was one of those songs that came out around that time.. I really love the fat synths from The Chainsmokers and am obsessed with ALMA and Years and Years’ music. I wanted DNM to fall in line with these artists. I wanted it to be catchy, and big and melodic. I hope I have achieved this. ? 

How did you go about writing DNM?

One night I was feeling supa lonely and had so many things I wanted to share with someone. “I’m dying for a DNM” came to my mind and I immediately went to the piano with my thoughts and this melody. That’s how it was born. When I played the hook on the piano “I’m dying for a DNM”, I knew there was something there worth trying to conceive. 

Please tell us about the studio that your partner and yourself built in the Gold Coast Hinterlands:

Yes! Ah, it has been a journey!

I used to own a music school in Parkwood, Gold Coast called Nighitngale Music. We did super well but I kind of struggled with managing the whole business as well as trying to pursue my own music, so I sadly decided to close down the school. The funny thing is that I would’ve had to close it down anyway because of the pandemic. Anyway! Josh and I live in the hinterlands and knew that building a studio was an option so my dad had us digging holes the very next week which would 

My room really is for artists to develop themselves. To come in, develop their singing voice and songwriting and for me to also help in any mentoring way that I can. One of my students Jenna is an up-coming singer-songwriter on the Gold Coast who’s only 17 and is AMAZING. I am so passionate about helping her in her musical career.

Josh on the other hand is the master-mind. He does an incredible job at understanding an artists’ vision and bringing that vision to life, mostly in terms of production but also in artist-development areas. He put in a lot of detail into making his space really accommodating for artists. His studio space design has a boutique feel and is super Instagram-able! 

We may plan to build a room for artists to stay here during their recording process, as well. We’ve called the studio ‘Our Space Studio’.

Is this where you recorded?

Actually, we recorded DNM mostly in our bedroom while the studio was being built however, we recorded my vocals at QSound with Maddy Breen.

Please tell us about your music teaching and who are some of your clients/students:

I have been teaching for a decade now and every year I seem to love it more and more. I really love to motivate and inspire people and I thoroughly enjoy teaching students who are currently singer-songwriters and wanting to break into the industry or kids who are passionate about music and singing.

One of my students, Jenna Cogzell who I mentioned above is a singer-songwriter with incredible talent. I’m trying everything I can to help guide her in the right direction. You should go check out her song Roses! Go now. ? ? 

You have a few upcoming releases with some collabs with popular artists, please tell us more:

Yes! I absolutely LOVE to collaborate. It’s so much fun and it kind of takes the ease off coming up with the chord progression and the feel. I think I tend to stick to the same patterns so it’s super refreshing and inspiring to write to something new.

I have a song coming out with TINY on October 23rd who is a good friend of mine and a successful DJ, producer and singer-songwriter! I am so honoured to be releasing her very FIRST original track with her called ‘On My Mind’. 

I also have a song coming out with the amazing Luke Howell who used to tour with One Direction!! (Fun fact!). We have a song called ‘Closer’ coming out in December.

And then I also have a collaboration coming out in November which this Instagram artist called Tokyonite from Kenya!! The track is a vapourwave pop-ballad and I absolutely can’t wait to release it because it’s been a dream of mine to record something like this!

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Oh man, I found this chick called MARINA who I’m loving lately and also watched the Above & Beyond Acoustic live show which brought tears to my eyes – absolutely beautiful! 

What do you like to do away from music?

I actually like to be a boring 27 year old haha. I really enjoy just being at home and being creative.. Cooking, cleaning, gardening.. I also take care of my grandma and uncle who is disabled which brings me a lot of joy. <3 

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

I’ve got so many tracks coming out in the next 5 months, I am so excited! Mostly those collaborations but then hopefully a couple of more strong solo songs early 2021. 

Favourite food and place to hangout?

The Henchman in Miami is my new grill! The burgers are amazing and I’m so glad there’s live music there too. But otherwise, I really like Dust Temple or any cafes that allow me to sit and ponder for hours while drinking amazing coffee… 

https://www.facebook.com/ameladmusicpage

https://www.instagram.com/amelamusicinsta/

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Music InterviewsMusic News

Edapollo

by the partae
written by the partae

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

 

It’s been a tough one for everyone, we’ve definitely had a tough time in Melbourne recently with the strict and extensive lockdown. It’s good to see cases dropping though and there’s seems to be a light at the end of a long tunnel which is good!

How did you first start playing music?

 

I originally started playing guitar and writing songs when I was 13 and it all started from there, I was mainly obsessed with rock music and played in noisy bands for many years, then slowly my music tastes became more eclectic and my writing evolved in to a more electronic direction.

You’ve just released two singles ‘Air’ & ‘Illuminate’ what influenced the sound and songwriting?

 

Both of these tracks were written during lockdown and I think this definitely influenced the mood of the tracks, they both have melancholic feel and slightly darker undertones than I’ve written for a while. I have definitely been craving the outside world and missing the freedom I usually have and that has definitely influenced the feeling in these tracks.

How does your creative process take place?

 

Normally it starts with experimenting, I might loop a simple beat and then start jamming on a synth or guitar over the top until something excites me, then it’s like completing a puzzle, gradually building and adding layers until I find a balance that feels right. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ method I find but often when I’m not feeling too pressured I find I can come up with my best ideas.

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

 

I have a home studio set up in my flat where I record, produce and mix everything.

What programs/instruments did you use?

 

I use Ableton and for these tracks I used a mix of my Korg Minilogue, Moog Minitaur, soft synths, electric guitar, field recordings and samples I created.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

 

This week I’ve been enjoying listening to Washed Out, Zola Blood, Tourist and Kaytranada.

What do you like to do away from music?

 

I love to travel and explore new places / other cultures, something which I’ve really missed this year. I’m also a designer, so I love creating new visuals and working with other artists to bring their ideas to life. Other than that I like to try and keep fit, I enjoy cycling and swimming, I grew up by the seaside so any chance I have to jump in the sea… I’m in there!

What do you have planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?

 

I have a 2 remixes I’ve done for other artists coming soon, as well as 2 collaborative tracks made with Koresma. Then in Dec / Jan I have a new EP coming out, which is a collection of ambient tracks – so it’s a little bit different to my usual releases but it’s something I’ve wanted to do for while. Then early next year I also plan to release a new full length album, that’s the main project I’m currently focusing on. I’ve written so many tracks this year and I’m currently refining them and working out how it will all work as an album, I’m really excited about how it’s sounding so far.

Where can we hear your music?

 

Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, YouTube and all the usual places.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

 

I love sushi. Also anything spicy pretty much!

Place to hang out – any sunny beer garden with friends would be a dream right now!

Listen to “Air” & “Illuminate” here:

Connect with edapollo on socials here:

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love drunk hearts
Music InterviewsMusic News

Love Drunk Hearts

by the partae
written by the partae

What is your name and role within Love Drunk Hearts?

Aaron Ikin – Main songwriter, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist.

Where are you currently based?

The Northern Beaches of Sydney.

How did you first start playing music?

I had always had an inclination for poetry growing up and an ear for good music, but it wasn’t till I lost my dad at 21 to Motor Neuron Disease I taught myself guitar, singing and songwriting. I decided at that point music is twofold – great for self-expression but also a gift to someone else. 

How did Love Drunk Hearts form?

There was a warehouse in Brookvale on the Northern Beaches which was a bit of a hub for a lot of musicians and bands. Some features included an Elvis picture on the wall and a bike hanging from the ceiling. Benny Bryant (Bass) had auditioned Chris Falkland (Lead Guitar) to play in his old band Bec and Ben and invited Chris along to a party at the warehouse. Aaron was there with some pretty raw and undefined songs and hit it off with Chris over ‘Rock The Casbah’. Michael Brown (Drums) had also played with Benny in his old band so we asked if he wanted to jump on board. It clicked.

Your new single ‘Those Boys’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

The sound has a definite 90’s feel in both guitar and melody. I really love the Britpop songwriting. Oscar Dawson of HOLY HOLY produced the track and had such great input on the song sonically and structurally. 

How did you go about writing the track?

Initially I had come up with the verse and chorus melody over 2 chords. I sang this in practise, and everyone immediately clicked with it. Chris had been working on his own song called Ghost Town which had an eye worm riff like the 90’s. I couldn’t sing Chris’s melody as it was too high so we decide to marry the 2 songs together and it worked a treat. Brought the song to life and a great example of all our heads working together. We then took it into the studio with Oscar and he added a whole another level of knowledge, experience and flair!

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

In Melbourne at Aviary Studios with Oscar Dawson. That was April last year. We had a blast.

How did you approach the recording process?

We came at it from a live feel. We all got in the room and tracked live. After 3 or 4 takes we would escape to the NASA control room and pick the best parts. Once the bed of the track was done we recorded the vocals and worked on extra guitar parts.  

How did the concept for the music video come together?

The inspiration for the video came from the title of the song (i.e. ‘Those Boys’). It along with the lyrics tend to ignite ideas that sometimes many men or boys can get lost in their own world of interest or passion. The 1978 BMX footage (that we were so fortunate to use) was a perfect vehicle for this, showing all the men passionately supporting each other, when people not part of this scene might not find it interesting/impressive at all. 

Who did you work with to create the music video?

It was in house. Brownie created and edited the video.

What do you like to do away from music?

Everyone in the band surfs which is great for writing sessions by the coast. Michael likes his woodwork. Ben and Chris have an unhealthy obsession with golf. Aaron likes to run half marathons and perform yoga stretches. 

Who are you listening to at the moment?

The new Taylor Swift album is great. I believe the guitarist from The National helped with the songwriting. I’ve been listening to some classic dance floor anthems like Praise You and Music Sounds Better With You. Love the idea of those circular melodies. It’s melody economy.

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

Another track to release for summer. We’re currently putting the final touches on a new song, set to be released real soon and also getting ready to film some draft ideas for the video this week. 

Favourite food and place to hangout?

I’d have to say a burrito with chips. California style with a beer. The best every time. I love hanging out in Manly by the beach. Nothing better. Home in Freshwater isn’t too bad either.

 

https://www.facebook.com/lovedrunkhearts

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZRGY2aIk1lK2ofT8AO4kWw

http://instagram.com/lovedrunkhearts

 

 

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Where are you currently based? We're all based around the inner-west of Sydney City. How did Grids & Dots form? We were originally sort of an art project between myself and Carmen Minikus, before going through a number of different iterations over the next few years few years to becoming the band we are now. I feel like we've really just found our feet (and our sound) over the past year and a half or so. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? Like everyone else, our live shows came to a grinding halt as the world turned upside down in Feburary or March, but I think we were really lucky in a way as we had already just booked in recording and mixing time for our debut EP and we were able to get a lot of done just as the restrictions came into place. There was some down time as we isolated like everyone else, but we've still managed to keep moving! How did you first start playing music? Myself and Carmen first started playing together in a flat share near Chinatown about six years ago, coming from completely different musical backgrounds. She was a classically trained pianist, and I was a guitarist more used to playing in noisy post-rock types of bands. We somehow found some kind of connection in each other's music, but it really took shape when Carmen started playing guitar. We haven't looked back since. Your new single 'The Great Divide' is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting? I feel like the sound of the song really sits in that pocket of being dream pop, with the reverb-drenched guitar and floating melodies, but it definitely has a driving element to it coming from the rhythm section which makes it sort of an uplifting tune and stops it from being too melancholic, I think. The songwriting itself was influenced by personal experiences of people you care about or used to care a lot about who have become physically or emotionally distant to where you can't find them anymore.  How did you go about writing the single? When I was writing the initial melody and structure, I definitely thought about having Carmen becoming more involved in the singing and writing process and trying to harmonise together. I have always loved bands who used multiple vocal harmonies drifting in and out with each other, like the Byrds or maybe Teenage Fanclub, and I really wanted to try some of that approach in our music. The song was actually still unfinished when we brought it into the studio, and our producer, who is a great songwriter himself, helped give it a few finishing touches. We taught it to the rest of the band on the spot and ran with it. Where and when did you record/produce? Th EP was recorded and produced with Wayne Connolly, at Hercules Street Studio in Surry Hills. The main instrument and vocal tracks were recorded in early March, and then we added more overdubs and layers when we could over the partial lockdown months, before going in and starting to mix everything in the months afterwards. We're still mixing the EP now actually, but hopefully it will all be done soon! How did you approach the recording/production process and who did you work with? Some of these songs had actually been ready for a couple of years before we went into the studio, so they had been demoed a few times already, and we were dying to get them out there. Then there are a couple of songs like the Great Divide which are really new comparatively. We worked with Wayne, whose production work with a number of Australian indie-rock bands we were really big fans of, as well as admiring the bands he himself had played in as well. What do you most enjoy about writing and playing music? For me writing music is pure catharsis. Some people just need some kind of outlet for their happy / sad feelings or else they go a bit nuts, and I think that I am one of them. I write a lot of stuff in the songs that I sometimes find difficult to say. Then there's just the thrill of playing the music to an audience, with some people who you really care about playing with you, and literally creating something out of nothing with them. Nothing can beat that feeling, really! Who are you listening to at the moment? I've been obsessed with Ruby Haunts latest album for about half a year now. Black Marble are another go to band of mine, and I've recently started listening to an old Alt-rock band from 80s New Zealand called The Clean. They were on that amazing Flying Nun record label and the music is just fantastic. What do you like to do away from music? I'm a digital designer by trade, and I like photography and reading a lot, and occasionally playing retro video games. We also go out camping a lot in summertime. What's planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021? We have a new single which is a cover of a song by Nick Drake out next month through Scenic Drive records, and then our debut EP will be out early next year. We have an albums worth of material we're writing now which we hope to record in Feb or March next year which we are literally so excited about. Favourite food and place to hangout? One of my favourite restaurants is a small Italian place on Cleveland St. in Darlington called Kindred. Just a super nice local atmosphere and the best food. Our favourite place to hang out and chill is the dog beach behind the main strip in Rose Bay! ‘The Great Divide’ is out now! Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Triple J Unearthed
Music InterviewsMusic News

Grids & Dots with Daniel Handaru

by the partae
written by the partae

Where are you currently based?

We’re all based around the inner-west of Sydney City.

How did Grids & Dots form?

We were originally sort of an art project between myself and Carmen Minikus, before going through a number of different iterations over the next few years few years to becoming the band we are now. I feel like we’ve really just found our feet (and our sound) over the past year and a half or so.

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

Like everyone else, our live shows came to a grinding halt as the world turned upside down in Feburary or March, but I think we were really lucky in a way as we had already just booked in recording and mixing time for our debut EP and we were able to get a lot of done just as the restrictions came into place. There was some down time as we isolated like everyone else, but we’ve still managed to keep moving!

How did you first start playing music?

Myself and Carmen first started playing together in a flat share near Chinatown about six years ago, coming from completely different musical backgrounds. She was a classically trained pianist, and I was a guitarist more used to playing in noisy post-rock types of bands. We somehow found some kind of connection in each other’s music, but it really took shape when Carmen started playing guitar. We haven’t looked back since.

Your new single ‘The Great Divide’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

I feel like the sound of the song really sits in that pocket of being dream pop, with the reverb-drenched guitar and floating melodies, but it definitely has a driving element to it coming from the rhythm section which makes it sort of an uplifting tune and stops it from being too melancholic, I think. The songwriting itself was influenced by personal experiences of people you care about or used to care a lot about who have become physically or emotionally distant to where you can’t find them anymore.

How did you go about writing the single?

When I was writing the initial melody and structure, I definitely thought about having Carmen becoming more involved in the singing and writing process and trying to harmonise together. I have always loved bands who used multiple vocal harmonies drifting in and out with each other, like the Byrds or maybe Teenage Fanclub, and I really wanted to try some of that approach in our music. The song was actually still unfinished when we brought it into the studio, and our producer, who is a great songwriter himself, helped give it a few finishing touches. We taught it to the rest of the band on the spot and ran with it.

Where and when did you record/produce?

The EP was recorded and produced with Wayne Connolly, at Hercules Street Studio in Surry Hills. The main instrument and vocal tracks were recorded in early March, and then we added more overdubs and layers when we could over the partial lockdown months, before going in and starting to mix everything in the months afterwards. We’re still mixing the EP now actually, but hopefully it will all be done soon!

How did you approach the recording/production process and who did you work with?

Some of these songs had actually been ready for a couple of years before we went into the studio, so they had been demoed a few times already, and we were dying to get them out there. Then there are a couple of songs like the Great Divide which are really new comparatively. We worked with Wayne, whose production work with a number of Australian indie-rock bands we were really big fans of, as well as admiring the bands he himself had played in as well.

What do you most enjoy about writing and playing music?

For me writing music is pure catharsis. Some people just need some kind of outlet for their happy / sad feelings or else they go a bit nuts, and I think that I am one of them. I write a lot of stuff in the songs that I sometimes find difficult to say. Then there’s just the thrill of playing the music to an audience, with some people who you really care about playing with you, and literally creating something out of nothing with them. Nothing can beat that feeling, really!

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I’ve been obsessed with Ruby Haunts latest album for about half a year now. Black Marble are another go to band of mine, and I’ve recently started listening to an old Alt-rock band from 80s New Zealand called The Clean. They were on that amazing Flying Nun record label and the music is just fantastic.

What do you like to do away from music?

I’m a digital designer by trade, and I like photography and reading a lot, and occasionally playing retro video games. We also go out camping a lot in summertime.

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

We have a new single which is a cover of a song by Nick Drake out next month through Scenic Drive records, and then our debut EP will be out early next year. We have an albums worth of material we’re writing now which we hope to record in Feb or March next year which we are literally so excited about.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

One of my favourite restaurants is a small Italian place on Cleveland St. in Darlington called Kindred. Just a super nice local atmosphere and the best food. Our favourite place to hang out and chill is the dog beach behind the main strip in Rose Bay!

‘The Great Divide’ is out now!

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YOURS TRULY ANNOUNCE ALBUM RELEASE LIVESTREAM + 'SELF CARE' TAKES OUT FEATURE ALBUM ON TRIPLE J THIS WEEK + LIMITED VINYL COPIES SELLING FAST
Music InterviewsMusic News

YOURS TRULY ANNOUNCE ALBUM RELEASE LIVESTREAM + ‘SELF CARE’ TAKES OUT FEATURE ALBUM ON TRIPLE J THIS WEEK + LIMITED VINYL COPIES SELLING FAST

by the partae
written by the partae
Image: Brandon Lung
Yours Truly will celebrate the release of their debut album ‘Self Care’with a livestream direct from their intimate release show at Crowbar Sydney next month. After the limited capacity acoustic set and Q&A sold out in a matter of days, the band are appeasing demand by bringing the show to screens on Saturday October 3. More details and tickets available here.

After its long-awaited release on Friday, the album from Australia’s pop-punk bright lights also took out the lauded Feature Album slot on triple j this week.

The huge nod of praise comes alongside a groundswell of global support for the record, out now in full via UNFD.

PRAISE FOR ‘SELF CARE’

“Yours Truly have underlined just what an exciting and dynamic band they’ve become.”
Rock Sound

“‘Self Care’ sees Yours Truly take things up a notch thanks to their powerful pop-punk compositions. 4/5.”
Rolling Stone Australia

“‘[‘Self Care’ has] the guts and charisma of traditional pop-punk, but with the vulnerability and fearlessness of now.”
Pilerats

“‘Self Care” is this year’s most important album, and quite frankly, it’s our favourite of the year so far.”
Bloody Good Music

‘Self Care’ arrives after a whirlwind start to Yours Truly’s career, captivating stages and critics alike at home and abroad. After their 2017 EP ‘Too Late For Apologies’ saw the band band independently burst out of the local Sydney scene, Yours Truly followed with the breakout track ‘High Hopes‘, now sitting on a sweltering 11 million lifetime streams and climbing. After finding a home on UNFD the band released their follow up EP ‘Afterglow‘ in April 2019, igniting festival offers from the likes of Download UK, Riot Fest, Slam Dunk, Yours & Owls, Good Things & Sad Summer.
Earlier this year the four-piece were hand picked to perform on triple j’s famed Like A Version segment, taking on a huge cover of Oasis’ classic ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’, meanwhile album tracks continue to trail-blaze over global radio including Kerrang! Radio, BBC R1, Sirius XM Emo Project, Triple M and idobi.

Thematically, ‘Self Care’ unravels the momentous year 2019 was for the band personally and professionally, and the means for reflection and coping that writing their debut album was for them.

‘Self Care’ is out everywhere now, with limited vinyl now available via 24Hundred.

YOURS TRULY
‘SELF CARE’ ALBUM RELEASE
LIVESTREAM

TICKETS

Saturday October 3
From 7pm AEST

streaming via Netgigs
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Luiz Faria
Music InterviewsMusic News

Luiz Faria

by the partae
written by the partae
Where are you currently based?

I’m currently based in my hometown, Jaboticabal, it’s a small town in the countryside of the São Paulo state in Brazil. And there’s not much things to do, especially in the quarantine. But I’m always travelling.

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

I’m still in lockdown since March and in the first week I thought I’d be crazy, to be honest. And didn’t happen, because I took all my time to start to make songs and lyrics that were popping up in my head, and I started to go back and look into the music that I’ve already put online or the songs that I’ve finished, and in my mind were finished, and started to make it completely different with these songs.
And quarantine has helped me so much, allowing the time to look inside myself and not to be just like “freaking out because of what’s going on out there and I can’t change”. Of course, there’s a lot of things that change your perception and make your mental health pretty bad. So I started to think about who I am today as an artist and who I am going to be tomorrow, you know. Because everyday we wake up as a new person. And the things that I’ve wanted to say in my music.How did you first start playing music?

I started to play music when I was 12 years-old. I’ve always been in love with music, my parents used to have a local radio station, so growing up in a house like that was like heaven. Surrounded by vinyl collections, albums and all the equipment get you inspired. And I remember thinking: “this is really what I love to do.”. But then I went to Disney Channel Brazil to act in some TV shows and I came back to musical theater.

And in this meantime, I was still writing my own songs, but I decided to put just covers on YouTube, in acoustic or acapellas, from pop songs. Because I was so afraid of putting my music out for the world, and looking back now that was the most non-sense fear I’ve ever had. And I held myself back when I was at university. So when I started to put my songs on, it was like taking all the cuff around my wrists and finally breaking free, because I wanted to be recognized by my music and not like “the cover guy from YouTube”.Your new single ‘No One Who Loves’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

My new single ‘No One Who Loves’ is influenced by the sound of my favorite bands and artists, like Oh Wonder, FINNEAS, Taylor Swift and LANY. The songwriting of them is amazing. And it’s so different. I’ve been making pop music for a long time, and I always wanted to be involved in everything. If you take my first single ‘Battle Scars’ and this new one, you will see a whole path and how these songs connect. And I wanted to make music to make people feel things and create an atmosphere, because there’s a story to tell.

How did you go about writing No One Who Loves?

This is a very crazy story. I was reading a book named ‘Chain of Gold’ by Cassandra Clare, which I’ve been a fan for a long, long time, and while I was reading the last pages of the book in a very intense way and feeling very connected with the characters’ dynamics in the story. And the last chapter crashes you and there was a line saying “no one who loves”, and I thought it would be a great name for a song.

So the next morning, I could not work and get away from that story inside my head. Since I was 12, the only stories that I’ve told in my music were about myself, people around me and my feelings and broken hearts. And then I wrote a verse about the characters and after an hour, I had the complete lyrics of the song in a different point of view, very away from mine. And that was the first time that this happened.Where and when did you record and who with?

That’s the most complicated part when you’re in quarantine. So I had to set up a home studio to record my new songs from home. I started to seek different music producers and looked over my favorite songs and artists, and through Love You Later, I discovered that she has an amazing producer named Jordie Saenz. So I sat down and wrote the top line and piano guide a month ago and sounded like a ballad in my mind. But at the same time, I wanted to go in another direction.

How did you approach the recording process?

I’ve sent Jordie the demo and gave him 100% of the liberty to make the song happen. Usually I’m always the co-producer of my music, my last single ‘Delicate’ was produced by myself, but with ‘No One Who Loves’ I was willing to give the full power to the music producer. And Jordie took all my references of sounds and turned into this amazing indie-pop track and changed the whole point of view of the song, because in my mind it would be the piano and violins. When I sent the first mix to some people, everyone was surprised by how it sounded.

And it’s hard to be away from Jordie, especially being in Brazil while he’s in California. So I recorded the vocal tracks and sent them to him. But I’m used to that, because I’ve been producing music with friends in London and Vienna like that. For me, it’s very important to see how people are responding to this new single.Where can we listen/buy?

You can listen on every single streaming platform and you can buy in music stores. I know that there’s a lot.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I’m listening to a lot of songs and artists at the moment, Taylor Swift’s Folklore, which is a masterpiece of her songwriting and Aaron Dessener’s production. The singer-songwriter named Luz. I’ve been listening to a lot of Vance Joy, because he’s the best to uplift your mood. But I’m also listening to Jessie Ware’s What’s Your Pleasure, one of the greatest albums of the year, Jack Garratt, an incredible producer and singer. And there’s Twilight Driving, a British band and with incredible lyrics.

What do you like to do away from music?

Well, I’m a marketing analyst in a brand agency in Brazil, so I’m always making things around art. I love to write stories, which I already published in a sci-fi book series ‘The Dark World’ in Portuguese and planning to publish it in English next year. And recently I discovered that I love to make drinks. And travelling.

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

I’m planning to release more songs, actually I’m already recording them. And for the first time I’m collaborating with songwriters, which is new since I’ve always written my songs on my own. But first I need to release ‘No One Who Loves’ music video, before diving into more music and different sounds. And I can’t wait to see and hear them.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

My favorite food is Pizza, because c’mon, everyone loves pizza.
And my favorite place isn’t a place, but the idea of it. It’s going to concerts, no matter where. The atmosphere and feeling before a great concert is beyond everything and this is what I’m missing the most this year. But I can’t wait to return to these places next year when everything is normal.

STREAM ‘NO ONE WHO LOVES’: https://ditto.fm/no-one-who-loves

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: https://www.luizfariamusic.com/

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Sydney hip hop artist Lanstan debuts new single, ‘Trophy’
Music InterviewsMusic News

Lanstan

by the partae
written by the partae

Where are you currently based?

I’m from Sydney’s Northern Beaches! I have lived here my whole life.

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

My Covid experience was confusing and frustrating at times as I’m sure it has been for most people but I was also very blessed that my girlfriend moved in with me just before it all went crazy. We got a lot of time to hang out, relax and get a lot of song writing done.

How did you first start playing music?

I started playing piano in primary school. After a few years, I stopped and then ultimately picked up guitar instead. In high school my mates and I used to steal the guitars from the music room and jam in the park across the road. That was where I really found my passion for music.

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

My song writing never really feels influenced by anyone as I usually let my mind go blank and just see what comes out. The melodies that my vocals found were mostly just me dancing with the instrumental and the lyrics came from somewhere deep in my subconscious. The project I’m currently working on focusses on themes of ambition, hunger and pride, so to me Trophy feels like the track that best embodies the project as a whole.

How did you go about writing Trophy?

I had spent the last couple of weeks writing, recording, sending emails, finalising features and filming videos when I woke up to the realisation that I was finally at the point in my career that I had been dreaming of. I finally have business to attend to at all times and people who are waiting to hear what I create. This song was me allowing myself to be proud of that while still being aware of how much work I still have to do.

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

I recorded this track with Espa at his studio in Five Dock. My homie Ollie Roland mixed it for me in one massive 10 hour session. I drove to his house at 8pm and told him I needed this track to be perfect. I ended up driving home at 6am in the morning feeling very accomplished but mostly exhausted.

Where can we listen/buy?

Trophy is on every major streaming service! If you wanted to buy the song on Itunes or whatever people do these days that would be great too! The best way to support me is by joining up as a member on my website lanstanmusic.com

What do you like to do away from music?

Not much. If I’m not listening to or creating music, I’m sorting things out on the business end.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Recently, I’ve been loving watching The Kid Laroi’s run unfold. His album was as good as I could’ve hoped for and has already made a massive shift in the way Australian hip-hop is perceived.

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

Just to keep dropping music! I spent the first half of the year organising a massive run for the back end. Now I’m working to make sure there’s a new song out every few weeks.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Bacon Egg Roll! I just have to try and not eat one every day. My favourite place to hang out is the studio. When the vibes are good in there, nothing beats it.

 

 

Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Triple J Unearthed

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“Velvet Bloom consistently gives me shivers. Her music is enchanting and laidback. It’s always a pleasure finding out what’s in store  with this artist.” - Nkechi Anele (Triple J Roots N All)  - “Your voice is stellar. It's got so much character and soul to it. It's so clear and it just oozes with star power.” - Claire Mooney (Triple J  Unearthed)   Hailing from Melbourne, Velvet Bloom releases a slinky new single ‘7Hundred25’  encompassing the very essence of longing and the prospect of loss.   Oozing with lush vocals and honey dipped stripped back acoustics, ’7Hundred25’ takes  listeners on a journey, subtly introducing elements until you realise that you are in the  midst of an electronic strings section with choir like harmonies, rolling cymbal crashes  and droning bass notes.   The single speaks to the fact that an acoustic style song can be entirely full without a  major drum and bass section.  Velvet Bloom is a neo-soul, alternative-pop and jazz-rock music project with captivating  ballad style vocals. The project is fronted and founded by Maddy Herbert, she performs  solo and with different variations of her live band “The Vito Collective”.  This intricate single will be released as a part of a ‘Cousin Will Records’ compilation  album with artists like ‘The Grogans’, ‘Auntie Leo And The Backstabbers’, ‘Polly And The  Pockets’ and the like.  The band had a huge 2019 with the re-release of Maddy’s debut EP ‘Bitter Sweet’, as well  as the release of singles’ ‘Isobel’s Song – Live At Box Hill’, ‘Teach Ya’ and ‘DM ME’  receiving praise and airplay from Triple J/Triple J Unearthed. Velvet Bloom also won  Listen Up Music Org’s 2019 national ‘Songs That Heal’ competition. In early 2020 saw the  release of ‘Standards’, an up beat alternative-rock, soul- pop track that showcases  Maddy’s raw and powerful vocals.   During COVID-19 Maddy was accepted into the MIME mentoring program through Boxhill  Institute and is currently being mentored by Kylie Auldist.   If that’s not enough the band has also supported many established Australian acts like  Kim Churchill, Josh Cashman, Death By Denim, Dulcie, The Grogans, Great Gable, Ben  Wright-Smith, Zoe Fox And The Rocket Clocks, Teenage Dads to name a few.  https://www.facebook.com/velvetbloom.music/ https://www.instagram.com/velvetbloom.music/ https://velvetbloom.bandcamp.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLsOjd3he7oB58TqtCDNkgg?view_as=subscriber
Music InterviewsMusic News

Velvet Bloom

by the partae
written by the partae

Where are you currently based?

I live on the Mornington peninsula in Victoria!

The boys are also originally from the area and Yara lives in Kew! It’s so nice being away from chaos of the city at the moment and having some calm!

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

It’s been challenging hey.

There have been lots of ups and downs but I feel that we are incredibly privileged to live in this beautiful part of the world and have access to all of the assistance and resources that we do.

I’ve taken this time to centre myself and write lots of new tunes.

Your new single ‘7Hundred25’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

The subject matter of 7Hundred25 revolves around realisation and acceptance. We wanted an extremely gradual build and to make the song fee like it was forever growing.

7Hundred25 has this simplistic and raw energy to it and we wanted it to really develop during the recording process!

How did you go about writing the track?

For this track in particular, I created the foundation with a simple two chord progression. The melody had already came to me and I wanted to incorporate numbers into my writing. Once I started jamming it out in my bedroom, I recorded a demo with harmonies – this is when the magic started to happen and the tune really came together!

Where and when did you record and who with?

We recorded with Quin Grunden, partly at Boxhill Institute and partly in his studio.

This track is a part of a compilation album released through Cousin Will Records so we are stoked to be a part of it!

How did you approach the recording process?

I think this song had a really solid structure coming into the studio. We knew which elements that we wanted to incorporate but hadn’t fully refined them yet. 7Hundred25 was recorded over roughly six sessions and we had lots of time between our studio visits to evolve our ideas even further.

What programs/equipment did you use? 

A stand out piece of equipment that we used for recording was the E-Bow. Our guitarist, Alex Marko, made the track shine with its beautiful, meditative, layered drone – it almost sounds like a violin!

Please tell us about the track vocals and instrumentation/harmony layers:

Vocals have always been at the forefront of our music. I resonate most with raw, powerful and emotive voices and lyricism.

We had so much fun adding all of the layers to the track and really adding that dynamic build.

I wanted the vocals / harmonies to become more emotional and prevalent as the song progressed and I feel that we achieved that.

We layered different sounds on Yara’s nord, had about 8 guitar tracks, a grand piano track, 2 bass tracks, a cymbal track, about 8 harmony tracks and the lead vocal track.

You run a charity organisation called Flo Events, please tell us about this:

Flo Creative Events is a not-for-profit events company that I co run with my beautiful artist friend, Shan Primrose. I guess our main focuses are creativity, community and charity.

We create various opportunities for people of various artistic backgrounds and local businesses. Shan and I put on wholesome events and quarterly magazines with each project donating money to important organisations. Flo is such a lovely community and we are super blessed to be a part of it!

What is your role in Fem Jams and what is Fem Jams all about?

Fem Jams is a project that I co run with Yara Alkurd and Pia Nesvara! These queens and I decided to create an empowering and inclusive jam space for all womxan.

Fem Jams occurs once a month at the Night Cat (out of isolation) and we curate an all female house band performance, paired with open jams once the energy is there!

We encourage woman to  network and support one another in this space and in the broader community!

You also book gender equality driven nights at the Night Cat called ‘Sonic Textures’ please tell us more:

I miss Sonic Textures so much.

Tuesday nights (pre Covid) I hosted events at the Night Cat that always had equal female representation for an entire year.

It was such a beautiful space and I can’t wait to get back into the swing of things to discover more incredible emerging artists and showcase their talent!

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Lots of Lianne La Havas, Nasty Mars, Raveena and Lief Vollebekk!

Also heaps of local Aussie acts like Dulcie, Great Gable, Rissa, Benjamin Trillado, Indigo Mckeon and many more – what a great time to soak up all of the music!

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

We are planning to record and release an EP over the next 9 months. Unfortunately our national October Tour with Great Gable was postponed but we hope that we can get something going in 2021.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

At the moment I really miss The Night Cat –  being able to work at or watch a stunning performance then head to Shawcross Pizza on Brunswick street to get a late night slice was always such a good time!

https://www.facebook.com/velvetbloom.music/

https://www.instagram.com/velvetbloom.music/

https://velvetbloom.bandcamp.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLsOjd3he7oB58TqtCDNkgg?view_as=subscriber

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