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
RESIDUAL ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO ‘ALL FOR YOU’ + EP ‘HAUNT’ AND AUGUST RESIDENCY AT THE WORKERS CLUB MELBOURNE
Alt-rockers, Residual have today announced their explosive new single All For You (available on July 15), the first taste off their new EP, Haunt, which is set for release on August 26. To celebrate their new tunes, Residual have announced a Monday night residency through August at The Workers Club in Melbourne.
All For You is a raw offering, embracing classic Aussie rock influences while remaining sharp, contemporary, and exciting. Swelling and receding in all the right places, lead singer Sam Burtt’s voice carries confidently atop the intense, driving guitars and pounding drums. Riffs abound, All For You is emotive and compelling, as Burtt describes, “All For You is about a relationship I was in – we had both recognised that the end was nigh, but loved each other too much to ever call it a day. However, that day came a day before we started tracking vocals. I remember sitting in the courtyard at the studio and giving the lyrics a pretty substantial re-write. This song is really about giving yourself to someone, despite the knowledge that it will soon end.”
The video for All For You reflects this madness in stark, black and white fashion. It appears as though Burtt is the main character in a play he did not ask to be in; a series of scenarios are thrust upon him by indifferent stagehands, he eventually rebels as the song crescendos and everything comes crashing down. Working with young director Jesse Leaman (Lorne starring Guy Pearce) of Leaman Films, Burtt explains the inspiration behind the clip, “We had presented a few conditions to him. We knew we wanted it black and white, long shots and an aspect of violence…In reality, the actor onstage is really breaking out of the play itself; he goes rogue and trashes the set. It’s like Inception, only I’m a much better actor than Leo.”
Residual have been hard at work on their new EP Haunt (their first release since signing with Sydney-based management ArowAgency), a diverse and thoughtful release that is set to propel the band onwards and upwards. Haunt boasts energetic guitar-driven jams, with just the right amount of piano-balladry to ensure ultimate balance – held together by Burtt’s relentless and skillful vocal. Produced by Malcolm Besley (City Calm Down, Northeast Party House) and recorded in part at the renowned Sing Sing Studios, Haunt is one well-crafted collection of songs. Burtt enthuses, “There’s a real theme of the unobtainable that has seemed to filter through the EP. The songs really all focus on wanting what you can’t have, whether that’s love, happiness, or acceptance. The diamond, crystal-esque artwork is representative of something precious that as much as we may desire, we may never possess.”
In light of their anticipated new tunes, Residual will be performing every Monday night through August at The Workers Club Melbourne. Excited to be playing gigs again, Burtt says, “It’s been a while since we’ve been properly playing shows. We’ve done a lot of travelling whilst simultaneously preparing for this release, so there’s already a real sense of natural excitement for us – and if we do our job right, that will really rub off on the audience. We just want to show everyone how much growing up we’ve done.”
ALL FOR YOU is set for release on July 15, available for pre-order now
HAUNT is set for release on August 26, available for pre-order from July 15
THE WORKERS CLUB MELBOURNE RESIDENCY – MONDAY AUGUST 8, 15, 22, 29 | $3 ENTRY
ADELAIDE’S THE WINTER GYPSY ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO ‘TOOK ME BY’ + DEBUT EP ‘PAGE I’ + EAST COAST TOUR
Indie folksters The Winter Gypsy have today announced their soaring new single and video for Took Me By (out July 8), the first taste of the band’s debut EP, Page I which is set for release on August 5. To celebrate their new tunes, the Adelaide six-piece will be heading out on the road in August, kicking off in Melbourne on August 28 and moving through Adelaide, Sydney and Canberra, before returning to Adelaide for another home town show to end the tour at The Exeter on September 17.
Took Me By is a drifter, progressing through ambience to defiance and charactarised by delicate vocals and a strong pulse. Deliciously reverberous and subtle electric guitar riffs magnetise to the folky environment in which the song exists, meshing genres with effortless ease. Of the single, lead vocalist Tushar Singh says, “The song itself is also about the uncertainty and fragility of situations that are out of your control. Despite the minimal lyrics, the song resonates this message through the specific choice of words.”
To accompany the track, the The Winter Gypsy have also announced a breathtaking video clip that was directed by Gerard Wood (Timberwolf) and filmed in Mount Barker, South Australia, providing a magnificent backdrop to the quirky eeriness that charactises the visual. A group of young people congregate at an abandoned railway, moving only in slow motion and partaking in behaviours as yet unexplained by the band. Singh describes, “I wrote this song about a period of time wherein my mum was battling cancer – I felt helpless because there was nothing I could do to make her better. I wanted to portray that thought into having a visual of someone restrained and ‘crying out for help,’ but having everyone run past me through the tunnel because there’s nothing they can do to help me. I also wanted to place these random ideas into the video so that other people can depict their own story. Is everyone running away from a train? Do I get hit by a train at the end? Where did the live chicken come from? Who knows.”
Took Me By is the first single lifted from The Winter Gypsy’s debut EP. After garnering praise and play from Triple J, the group have pulled out all the stops to harvest this stunning collection of songs. Produced by Hugh Atkinson, and in the works since 2012, the EP encompasses all that is great about indie folk music in 2016; it remains true to the acoustic origins of the genre, yet embraces a varied array of different sonic influences. Page I deals with themes of friendship and community, as Singh explains, “We aren’t just a band; we think of ourselves as much more of a family. The six of us recording together brought us even closer, and we all motivated one another to keep reaching for new heights.”
The Winter Gypsy will be hitting the road to celebrate the release of Page I, heading up the east coast of the country in August/September. Excited to play for new audiences, Singh says, “We love performing live and fans can definitely expect a lot more energy compared to what they might usually hear on our EP or other recordings. There is a much greater build-up to either the intro or outro of our songs which really creates a fuller sound. We feel as a band that not only do we enjoy jamming these instrumentals, but it really pulls our audience together and draws them in for each song that we play.”
The Winter Gypsy is Tushar Singh, Max Lambert, Dave Thompson, Isaac Kerr, Jonny Kotts and Sean Helps.
THE WINTER GYPSY EAST COAST TOUR
SUN 28 AUG | BAR OPEN, FITZROY MELBOURNE | 18+ | Tickets available at the door
SUN 4 SEP | THE JADE, ADELAIDE | AA | Tickets available at the door
THUR 8 SEP | PLAYBAR, SURRY HILLS SYD | 18+ | Tickets available at the door
SAT 10 SEP | SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE, CANBERRA ACT | AA | Tickets available at the door
SAT 17 SEP | THE EXETER, ADELAIDE | AA | 18+ | Tickets available at the door