BOO SEEKA ANNOUNCES HYPNOTIC NEW SINGLE ‘DREAM’
Aussie festival fave Boo Seeka has just dropped another perfect, sun-soaked new track, Dream, a song for escapists, for daydreamers, for those hoping, wishing for a different world, out today, December 2. Dream is a stunning return to Boo Seeka’s electro-pop roots, and follows the versatile artist’s most recent single, the affecting, melancholy, acoustic track Tripwire. Both singles are set to appear on the new Boo Seeka LP, scheduled for release in 2022. Boo Seeka will be hitting the road to play Byron Bay Beach Hotel, Queens Wharf Hotel Newcastle and Beyond The City in Melbourne through December, and will be jumping on the For The Love lineup that’ll take in Gold Coast, Wollongong, Melbourne and Perth in Feb and March 2022.
Dream sparkles, glistens; it demonstrates such a nuanced and impressive knowledge of pop songwriting paired with classic electronic production – Boo Seeka quite literally has it all. His soft, assured vocals offer hook after hook atop a sharp, shining bed of metallic beats. It’s easy to imagine this track going off at a summer festival, crowd heaving, moving in sync towards the drop. Speaking on the conception of the track, Boo reflects on some of his influences: “Given that the world is now stranger than it probably ever has been, indulging in the obscurities of life has been super important for my writing process. A world created by my imagination whilst sleeping is what inspired Dream, and was something that felt very easy to write down on paper. Also, I don’t usually listen to a lot of music when I’m creating, but for this song it was different. Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap was playing when I first started putting pen to paper, and I found myself putting the song on repeat while I wrote the whole track. This was the start of everything for this track.”
There certainly is a clear nod to Imogen Heap and her iconic production in Dream, but it also evokes the likes of James Blake, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Glass Animals, even fans of Tame Impala will find something to like in this beauty. It’s the kind of chill, hooky electro pop that feels universally appealing – irresistible, impossible not to tap your feet along to. It’s just another example of Boo Seeka’s uncanny ability to capture emotion – whether it’s an acoustic, guitar-driven song or a pumping electro hit, he hits the nail on the head every time. Reflecting on his own versatility, Boo says, “I love the fact that people can recognise a previous Boo Seeka track as soon as it’s being spun. However, I think the development of my songwriting has been exploring different ideas, different emotions that are created with different sounds. The diversity in the production of the record that is coming in 2022 is something we are really proud of, and can’t wait to share it.”
Lucky fans will be able to hear Dream live at Boo Seeka’s December shows in NSW, as Boo gives audiences a taste of what to expect from the tour: “Typical of a Boo show, there is a whole lot of energy on stage, and we just hope that we can provide the best time possible for people that pay their hard-earned money to be there. SHOWS ARE BACK!!! LET’S GO!!!”
Dream is out now on Disrupt Music Group.
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.