MAL DE MER ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE DO YOU SEE ME?
Dynamic Perth six-piece Mal de Mer have today announced their glistening new single Do You See Me?, an eclectic, irresistible track that details the tough, dramatic reclaimation of personal power that occurs when a toxic relationship ends, out today, November 24. Mal de Mer have also announced a visually stunning lyric video to accompany the track, made in collaboration with photographer Mare Elzinga.
Do You See Me? is the result of a truly unique amalgamation of influences; evocative of everything from Camp Cope to Andy Shauf to BADBADNOTGOOD, in other words – it’s just Mal de Mer. Steady, funk-inspired bass lines sit harmoniously amongst sharp, vintage synths while lead vocalist Saskia Fleming’s distinctive voice confidently takes centre stage; handclaps and crisp drums drive the song forward – it’s a curious number, and the expert mesh of genres within this single is nothing new to this skilled group. Speaking on the inspiration behind Do You See Me?, Saskia explains, “The song came about when I was in a pretty dark headspace. At the time, I was trapped in an exhausting combination of deep sadness, and overwhelming anger. I’ll let the lyrics speak for themselves, but I hope the listener can feel those emotions wash over them as they flow through the song. When I finally plucked up the courage to show the band what I’d written I was blown away- everybody’s parts felt like essential pieces of the song that were meant to be there all along. It was like everything just clicked into place.”
The video for Do You See Me? is a quaint, child-like celebration of the formidable lyrics in this song. Nostalgic, colourful, crafty, and clever, the lyrics are built from small letter beads, all mismatched and topsy-turvy. Explaining the brilliant idea behind the video, Saskia says, “It’s a stop motion lyric video using beads, pastel felts, and glitter (among many other things!!). My housemate Freddie came home one day from Spotlight with a load of colourful beads, and made me a necklace with a lyric from this single on it. When I was given the necklace, it at first sparked the idea of doing a very limited run of merch in the form of jewelry for this track. That idea then snowballed into doing an entire stop motion lyric video using those beads. The concept is using colourful childlike craft supplies to create a clip that at first seems upbeat, and straightforward, but over the course of the track, gradually begins to reveal it to be a facade hiding the dark reality of what is going on beneath the surface. I worked on the concept with the amazing director Mare Elzinga, who took my basic idea and has brought it to life.”
Mal de Mer, a French maritime term for seasickness, is a band with an undeniable, unbreakable connection to the ocean. The band’s name is a part of family history for lead vocalist Saskia, as she explains, “My family has had a long history with water and the ocean – a captain, a swimmer, a pirate, a professor of maritime law, a sailor… so I guess naming the band was a way for me to feel like I was continuing that family history. Looking back on deciding the name now though, I think I may have just been tricked by my mum who strategically placed a thick book of nautical phrases and sayings in front of me when I was trying to name the band….”
Do You See Me? is out now.
ISLA NOON ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE & VIDEO I NEED TO GO HOME
Steadily making a name for herself in New Zealand, Australia and across the world with her infectious brand of electronic indie pop, Isla Noon has today announced her elevated new single I Need To Go Home, a deeply relatable track about feeling jaded at a party, released today. The exciting new artist has also released a dazzling video to accompany the song, directed by Swap Gomez and Oshara Ardelean of Umbrella Creative. I Need To Go Home follows Isla Noon’s glistening track Talk About Us, which has had over 50,000 streams on Spotify alone since its release.
I Need To Go Home is a brilliant testament to Isla Noon’s sheer skill as a lyricist – “I see a glistening line of spilled red wine like a runway to the door – I think I need to go home,” is so deeply affecting, a pretty twist of words that perfectly sum up that feeling of being totally preoccupied with leaving a night out. Evocative of pop queens Carly Rae Jepsen, Robyn and lyrical master Taylor Swift, I Need To Go Home is an irresistibly danceable tune – synths and sharp beats percolate underneath Isla Noon’s assured, unique vocal. Speaking on the conception of the track, Isla Noon explains, “The song tells the story of a night out where the illusion of a grand ideal is shattered; that moment you sober up to see a girl crying into her drink, the spilled wine all over the floor drying to a sticky sheen and a few lonely souls looking for connection on a dancefloor. More than anything, it’s a metaphor for confronting times in my life where I’ve pulled back the veneer on things I was taught to accept or expected to enjoy. The track speaks to a time where I had no choice but to listen to that inner voice – even if it meant leaving on my own.”
The video is a pertinient artistic refection of Isla Noon’s inner conflict, as described in this layered track. The concept is simple yet truly effective, as she dances amongst dark and light, two opposite worlds that represent the place she is running from, and the place she is headed. Describing the video, Isla Noon explains, “The clip flashes between two contrasting locations, one being a night-time cityscape with rich colours and full body performance. The other location symbolises ‘home’, a place to which I have retreated and can move slowly and contemplatively through. This place is new to me, and I’ve had to face up to some difficult truths to get there. I wanted to capture the symbolic nature of the song, in that ‘home’ wasn’t so much a physical location but rather a more honest relationship with myself, one in which I didn’t ignore that nagging gut feeling that lets me know when a situation isn’t right for me.”
It’s always special when you can track the growth of an artist through their discography, pinpointing the songs that define their craft and propelled their career to new heights. There is no doubt that I Need To Go Home will be one of those tracks for Isla Noon – her lyricism and vocal melodies are the best they’ve ever been, shining assuredly amongst a bed of exciting, modern pop production. If you didn’t know Isla Noon before this song, don’t worry – you definitely will soon.
I Need To Go Home is out November 19 via BigPop Records.
MARVELL ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE & VIDEO NEEDLE NEW EP COMFORT IS KING OUT DECEMBER 9 PRE-SAVE NOW
Sydney rockers Marvell have today announced their most powerful single to date – Needle, a true journey of a song that describes the hardships, trauma and impossible hope that accompanies a cancer battle, released today. Accompanying the track is an equally affecting video, made in collaboration with Brae Fisher (Dear Seattle). Needle precedes Marvell’s new EP, Comfort Is King which is set for release on December 9 – fans can pre-save the record now and Sydneysiders can check out the band’s dynamic live show when they play Avalon RSL on December 4.
Needle is one of those songs that sticks with you long after the first listen. Bold, raw, defiant and brave, the track begins with a soft acoustic guitar and vocalist Max Marvell’s sole voice before interchanging vocals with his brother Tom in the second verse – symbolic in that cancer can be a lonely road, but a second voice joins in to support – then builds into a massive, full band climax, mimicking the often startling, always affecting journey that follows a cancer diagnosis. For Marvell, the song is deeply personal, as Max explains, “We wrote Needle when our then-drummer BJ was battling testicular cancer. We wanted to write about how we felt, imagining ourselves in his shoes and really trying to understand what he was going through, rather than just telling his story. The track starts as something contemplative, going through the fear and the uncertainty then quickly evolving into a more powerful song, daring at the possibility of hope. We wanted to blend the visceral, contradictory feelings of such a devastating situation with the sterile, procedural reality that we saw BJ going through. All in all, this track aims to capture that feeling of staring down the barrel of something terrible, when all the odds are against you, and saying fuck it – I’m going to give all I’ve got to make it through.”
The video for Needle is a deeply rare experience – all the emotion of the song is beautifully, respectfully reflected in visual form through the story of a man trying to escape a bad situation. Speaking on the conception of the clip, Max explains, “The video tells a symbolic story that relates to the lyrics and BJ’s battle with cancer, but also depicts the themes of struggle in a more general way. We bounced around ideas and initially wanted to paint a very raw picture of cancer specifically, but decided that representing the themes in a more abstract way would allow the audience to dig a little deeper to find their own meaning. We wanted people to empathise, rather than just be told a story. We let Brae Fisher take the story and put his own spin on it, writing and directing a film that depicts a nameless man escaping from unknown captors. We wanted to capture the desperation and panic of the escape as the man runs away from something that is unknown to the audience.”
Evocative of Australian rock legends Powderfinger, Paul Kelly, and modern influences such as Catfish and the Bottlemen and local heavy act Ceres, the EP, Comfort Is King, is demonstrative of a band in their element. Secure in their sound, confident in their songwriting skill, the EP shines from start to finish – from the contemplative, emotional Needle, to the upbeat Ratalatat, to the sweet organ sounds of Honey and the stunning, gentle closer All Of It, this is true brilliance in the form of rock/pop songwriting. Crunchy guitars pair perfectly with acoustics, pounding drums marry with the Marvell brothers’ harmonies – Comfort Is King has it all, as Max says, “Ultimately, we wanted to make a fun, energetic record, despite some of the other stuff that life had thrown at us and our mates, so that we could address all the painful parts that led up to this record while not letting it take us over completely. We wanted to try and find the fun and the life amongst it all to keep us going and that’s what this record is about; acknowledging the shitty times but also remembering why we play and make music – because it’s a blast and brings us all together despite anything else.”
Needle is out today. Comfort Is King is out December 9 and available to presave here.
Marvell is Max Marvell (Vocals/Guitar), Tom Marvell (Vocals), Jesse Gaupset (Lead Guitar), Dylan Mitchell Frost (Bass), Theo Henry (Drums).