ALEX L’ESTRANGE ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE NOTHING TO HIDE AND DEBUT EP AUCHENFLOWER
Exceptional young songwriter, producer & multi-instrumentalist Alex L’Estrange has today announced his new single Nothing To Hide, a gritty mystery of a track lifted from his debut EP, Auchenflower, both set for release on December 16. Following several vibrant singles which have gained the attention from a bunch of large tastemaker blogs including DIY (UK) and Hilly Dilly (US), L’Estrange’s debut EP Auchenflower is a clear, confident collection of songs, named for the sleepy Brisbane suburb in which they were written. L’Estrange has just finished traveling around the country supporting Holy Holy on their Darwinism national tour and will launch his EP with a hometown show at Black Bear Lodge’s Last Party Before Lockout on January 28.
Nothing To Hide is hazy, evoking a nebulous feeling of early Tame Impala, or even The Beatles of Revolver times. L’Estrange’s voice sits defiantly atop an intoxicating, guitar-driven instrumental that pulls towards the magnetic, soaring chorus. L’Estrange reflects on the track, “It was written on one of those strange days that felt more like a dream. I’d been working away at this tune, I knew it had something about it that I’d never felt before, but I didn’t find out about what that really meant until later that night. That evening, a stranger visited me at the house I was living at in Auchenflower. I ended up going back to her mansion that she lived at alone. She divulged her life story. When I finally got back home, the song made sense. It was for her.”
The video for Nothing To Hide is a delicate gem, framing the track with finesse. Directed by Corey Donaldson (Cloudfall), the clip depicts a young woman living in a lifeless world, inhabited by mannequins. Eventually conforming, she transforms into a mannequin herself, leaving the audience to wonder whether she can maintain a sense of individuality in a world where everyone looks the same. Of the clip, L’Estrange says, “It’s clear that deep within her mind there is an original voice struggling to get out, she’s questioning her environment, and trying to understand why she feels so disconnected…(Lead actor) Cecilia Griffiths’ incredible expression really created the atmosphere of the clip and brought an air of mystery to the role. She has an innocence that is both charming and devastating.”
L’Estrange has arrived at a conclusive new juncture with the upcoming release of his debut EP, Auchenflower. The thoughtful collection of songs is natural, personal; the result of years of practice, years of listening, writing, and learning. Lurching guitars thread themselves around towering choruses, while quieter moments are buoyed by oblique acoustic arrangements and introspective lyricism. For the most part, Auchenflower was self-produced, however Australian music industry veterans Matt Redlich (Holy Holy, Ball Park Music, Ainslie Wills) and Andy Aubin (MTNS) both played a part in the production of the stunning debut. Reflecting on the ideas explored on Auchenflower, L’Estrange says, “Each song tackles a different thing. Some of the themes are focused inwards and concern feelings of fleeting love. Some of them concern others around me, like troubled relationships or exciting, enigmatic people. I’m often more interested in the listener’s interpretation of a song – A song like Nothing to Hide evokes a whole range of different moods and atmospheres within different people.”
L’Estrange has been on the road with Holy Holy on their Darwinism national tour this month, wrapping up at The Triffid in Brisbane on the weekend. Excited to be on the road playing live, L’Estrange enthuses, “Playing live has shed a whole new light onto the songs. I’m lucky enough to have some of my best friends (and some of the best musicians), play on stage with me. My line up at the moment usually consists of Sam Cromack and Dean Hanson (Ball Park Music) on guitar and bass, and Zac Moynihan (Mid Ayr) on drums. We try and recreate the feeling and atmospheres of the songs in a live setting without just replicating the recordings. We change stuff up and play off the crowd. Each show is different and unique.”
Auchenflower will be out December 16
SAT JAN 28 | ‘LAST PARTY BEFORE LOCK OUT’ BLACK BEAR LODGE, BRIS | 18+ | TICKETS http://blackbearlodge.oztix.com.au/?Event=68822