HARPER BLOOM ANNOUNCES CHARMING NEW SINGLE & VIDEO ‘RED ROCKET’
Melbourne-based, Perth singer-songwriter Harper Bloom has today shared an affecting new single Red Rocket, a bright and empathetic tune that delves into dealing with loss in a positive way – by looking back on fond memories. Released today, the charismatic song is accompanied by a charming music video that reflects on the simple things in life, set in country Victoria.
If Courtney Barnett had written a song for the Juno soundtrack, this would be it. Red Rocket is a positive, upbeat indie-folk track that ironically stems from melancholy, about finding happiness after losing someone close to you. The simple production from celebrated producers Steve Schram and David Quested (Paul Kelly, San Cisco, Jagua Jonze) and mastered by Grammy award nominee Joe Carra (The Teskey Brothers), delivers big, with ukulele and piano blending perfectly to allow the song room to grow and flourish, and the artist’s signature Aussie drawl adding an extra layer of charm. Featuring minimal percussion and a horns section that builds to an outstanding outro, Harper Bloom proves the theory that more often than not, less really is more. Speaking on the inspiration for the track, the young artist says, “A Red Rocket is a symbol of an indent someone has left in your life that you hold onto for comfort. This song navigates grief but it’s also a celebration of how lucky we are to have had a chance to know someone so special – no matter how brief that encounter may be.”
The video for Red Rocket is transportive as it takes the viewer on a journey into the familiar and humble moments that make us who we are, whilst lyrics of a life well lived reinforce the core of the song – to reflect and reminisce positively. Directed by Matt and Lawrence from LP Creative (Maddy Jane), the video opens with beautiful vistas of the Australian country, taking the viewer to rural Victoria in a clever and delightfully nostalgic yet contemporary melange of Super 8 and digital videography. “We wanted the music video to reflect the overall mood of the song, rather than tell a narrative-based story.” Harper Bloom explains of the video, “our idea was to head to a beautiful quiet country town and shoot little everyday moments out in the town that you don’t really think about at the time, but are the special moments we all live for. Like a pleasant little encounter with a stranger that you’ll never meet again.”
Harper Bloom is set for a big 2022 with a new sophomore EP and plenty of shows on the cards, Red Rocket may be the first thing we hear from this talented singer-songwriter this year, but certainly won’t be the last!
Red Rocket is out today, March 24.
Listen: RED ROCKET
Watch: RED ROCKET
DRIFTWOOD. ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO BREMFIELDS FT. STILL GREEDY
Endlessly prolific, multi-disciplinary artist Driftwood. has today released his remarkable new single Bremfields, featuring British rapper Still Greedy. It’s a truly creative and thoughtful track, a glowing addition to this growing artist’s impressive discography, and is accompanied by a visually stunning, self-directed and self-edited music video, also out today. Fiercely independent and intriguingly enigmatic, Driftwood. proves time and time again that he is one to watch.
Bremfields evokes feelings of Kanye West at his most exciting, most innovative; classic Ye albums My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Yeezus have both clearly influenced the electronic/RnB stylings of Driftwood. during the creation of this song, but Bremfields still feels fresh, unique, new. Featuring backing vocals from platinum selling, ARIA nominated Reigan Derry (Snoop Dog, Jay Z, Neo) and mixed and mastered by Dan Vinci (Big Nasty), the song arcs creatively, synths spiking in unexpected moments, while Driftwood. and Still Greedy’s vocals provide the smooth melodic, rhythmic anchor. Speaking on the otherworldly inspiration behind the song, Driftwood. says, “This single is about breaking the fourth wall. It’s about the idea that there could be subterranean energies and other factors operating within other paradigms of consciousness. It’s about feeling like I’m trapped within this paradigm, and I don’t belong here…the one thing I love about art is I have a licence to explore ideas, no matter how crazy they may seem.”
The video for Bremfields is the perfect visual representation of this exchange and exploration of energies. Slow, deliberate shots of bodies moving purposefully in the just-risen, just-set sunlight pepper throughout closed shots of darkly lit bars and eerie cliff faces, one step away from oblivion. It’s a beautiful triumph, created by an artist completely in charge of his own vision, as Driftwood. explains, “I direct and edit all my videos now. I came up with the idea and the aesthetic behind the visual as well. They represent the ebb and flow, the push and pull, the yin and yang of energies which are manifested within the material universe…my creative team is small, but we get it done. Too many bodies fuck up the flow and a lot of the time are unnecessary for what I am trying to accomplish.”
These are wise words from an artist who’s been in the game long enough to know what works and what doesn’t. To be so immune to the chaos and noise of the modern music industry and so completely, totally immersed in one’s art is no mean feat, but Driftwood. does it all with ease. He offers more wisdom on the subject as he reflects, “I’m just an artist creating pieces of work I want to create and doing it independently. I’m not signed to a major record deal, and up until late last year, I did everything on my own, with the help of a few friends, and without any backing. You don’t need to be signed, or in the cool crowd to create what you want to create. No one has a monopoly on art.”
Bremfields ft. Still Greedy is out today.
MAISON HALL SHARE NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO MONTREUX ALONGSIDE EAST COAST SHOWS
Indie Aus rockers Maison Hall have today shared their new rambler Montreux, a love letter to the connection between the left and the right sides of the brain. The duo, made up of Ben Byron and Joe Kneipp, have also announced a colourful, eccentric video to accompany the track. This is Maison Hall’s first release since their 2017 debut album It Was Never About Me, and will be celebrated with an east coast tour playing Black Bear Lodge Brisbane on February 3, The Retreat Hotel Melbourne on February 11 and Gang Gang Café Canberra on February 13.
Contemplative and upbeat, Montreux is classic indie rock evocative of The Kooks and Catfish and the Bottlemen, with sparks of innovation unique to Maison Hall throughout. Guitars thrash amongst steady, driving drums; lead vocalist Joe Kneipp’s voice feels right at home amongst the chaos, commanding attention with thoughtful lyrics and strong melodic hooks. Speaking on the inspiration behind the anticipated return single for the duo, Joe reflects, “Montreux is celebratory. Not just because we’re still doing this, but because we’re still doing this despite our ‘real-life’ obligations, the distance between us, the total absence of pecuniary success, etc. We are so divorced from any external validations – the simple fact is, I love making music, and I love making music with Ben. And we’re gonna keep fucking doing it!”
The video clip for Montreux is as considered as it is amusing – a never-ending, ever-cycling job interview is consistently interrupted by a vigorous visual artist, determined to be acknowledged by the two men in their meeting. It’s a clever commentary on the push and pull of a working artist’s time and headspace, caught between creation and survival in capitalist society, as Joe sums up the video, “The concept of the clip is pretty on the nose – the juxtaposition between the left and right brain, the creative and the pragmatist, the poetic and the prosaic. If you’re a musician, or any creative for that matter, who’s not lucky enough to make all their money from creative endeavours, you’ll understand these tensions. I workshopped it with Ben and then James Cooney, who stars in the clip as the ‘right-brain’ and is part of our live lineup.”
After almost six years since their last live show together – during which time the two members of the group have been exploring other musical projects – Maison Hall are thrilled to return to the stage to celebrate the launch of Montreux in Brisbane and Melbourne and Canberra. Despite both moving through several different cities since the guys met and formed Maison Hall back in college in Brisbane, the band are stronger and sharper in their songwriting than ever before, as demonstrated in the tight brilliance of Montreux.
Maison Hall is Ben Byron (Drums, Backing Vocals) and Joe Kneipp (Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboard)
Montreux is out today.
THUR 3 FEB | BLACK BEAR LODGE, BRISBANE QLD | 18+
Tickets available from https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/maison-hall-montreux-single-launch-tickets-219745323177 | All Eventbrite Outlets
FRI 11 FEB | THE RETREAT HOTEL, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+
Tickets available from https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/maison-hall-tickets-242537585447 | All Eventbrite Outlets
SUN 13 FEB | GANG GANG CAFE, CANBERRA ACT | 18+
Tickets available from Oztix | All Oztix Outlets