SAGE SHARES DEBUT SINGLE & VIDEO ‘FROM DUST’ AHEAD OF FORTHCOMING EP ‘TETHERED’
Ethereal cellist and singer-songwriter Sage has today announced her debut single From Dust, a gorgeous, introspective meander made especially for soulmates, out February 3. Accompanying this stunning track is a beautiful, nostalgic video, shot in collaboration with director Hugo Rose (Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird). From Dust is the first taste of Sage’s upcoming EP Tethered, a collection of gentle yet striking songs for cleansing the soul, set for release on February 27.
For fans of Laura Marling and classic folk auteur Joni Mitchell, From Dust is a soft bed to fall into after a long hard day. Enchanting and delicate, this song allows space for Sage’s elegant vocal to feature front and centre, while her adroit cello playing provides a warm glow that eminates throughout. Speaking on the inspiration behind From Dust, Sage says, “This song is about soulmates, innocence, memories, and endless love. It’s one of those miracle songs that was written in no time at all by myself in my run-down apartment. When I sing this song, I think about the movie Stardust. At the end of the film the two star-crossed lovers, having lived a full and beautiful life together, pass away and become stars in the sky, their love living on forever and shining over everyone. There’s longing involved, but also hope.” The film clip for From Dust is a perfect visual representation of the track – pretty, graceful, and sentimental, with a ‘70s film-camera flair.
Tethered is an exquisite collection of songs from this inimitable artist. Like a nostalgic fairytale, these songs unfurl themselves flawlessly; from the pizzicato of All My Lost Loves, to the sweet, strings-infused pop of The Loveliest Thing, Tethered is a glorious, sun-soaked triumph of arresting folk-pop. Reflecting on the concept behind the songs on Tethered, Sage explains, “This EP was a cleansing process of feelings I wanted to get out of my system through music. The concept behind Tethered was to write a collection of songs about things that can hold us back and keep us tethered to our place in life, in the hopes of understanding these experiences and learning to let go. Feeling stuck is a terrible thing so I always try to change and improve.” Fellow cellist Richard Vaudrey (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Sammy J, Anna Cordell) was the producer and audio and mix engineer throughout the recording process, and was a gem in the studio, as Sage notes, “I knew I had to work with Richard because he embodies so many things I wanted to do as an independent artist. Having an engineer who is also a singer-songwriter-cellist like myself was so useful in the studio and nothing ever got lost in translation between us.”
From Dust is set for release on Monday, February 3.
Tethered is set for release on February 27.
PARKER ANNOUNCES ARRESTING SINGLE & VIDEO ‘BECOME THE FOOL’
Visual artist, songwriter and musician PARKER has today announced her devastatingly beautiful new single Become The Fool, a heartbreakingly powerful song about an unbalanced relationship in which one person ends up sacrificing too much of themselves and their dreams for another, out now. PARKER has also announced a gorgeous Bauhaus-inspired clip to accompany Become The Fool. This affecting new single is the first taste of what is set to be an incredibly exciting 2020 for this innovative artist.
Become The Fool is about as vulnerable as a song can be. Everything from PARKER’s delicate, glassy vocal delivery, to the melancholy synths and deep, arresting percussion, bleeds with heavy emotion, and will speak to anyone who has gone through a complicated heartbreak – one that perhaps they wondered if they would ever recover from. Speaking on the inspiration behind the track, PARKER reflects, “This is the first song that was co-written with my writing and production team, Hans Van Vliet (QLD) and Becki Whitton (VIC), across three states and I’m really excited about it. When a relationship ends it can be devastating. But what happens afterwards can be a beautiful mess of experiences and vivid feelings. When I got to the end of my longest relationship, I realised I had lost so much of myself. I had been living for someone else and their dreams for so long I didn’t know who I was without them. But through this experience, I was set free to find myself again, to pursue my creative practice with all my heart.”
The video for Become The Fool is a stunning journey that explores the depth of emotion behind this extraordinary song. The viewer feels connected to the main character as someone who is left behind in a world built for someone else. The narrative begins in sepia tones, and as the clip progresses and the character reclaims the city for herself through expressive dance, the scene begins to fill with colour as an empowering metaphor for this story. PARKER explains, “The clip for this song is so incredible! It was made in one month on a super tight budget. It was made by Hans Van Vliet (7 Bit Hero + HUNZ) in just three weeks. We took inspiration from bauhaus design; we wanted to create something that felt nostalgic yet contemporary. Every single element in the clip has a meaning and a reason to be there. Nothing is superfluous.”
This wonderfully considered release is just the beginning of what is set to be a spectacular year for this multi-disciplinary artist, as she gives fans a taste of what is yet to come, “I’m really excited about all the singles and music videos we have lined up to release this year. I’ve also got a number of live videos in the making! I feel so lucky to be working with so many great film makers, musicians and audio engineers on these projects.”
PARKER is Tash Parker.
Become The Fool is out now.
MELBS BB ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ASTROLOGY (CLOTHESLINE) + MELBOURNE LAUNCH SHOW FEBRUARY 27
Dreamy singer-songwriter Melbs bb has today announced her new single Astrology (clothesline), a catchy pastel fantasy with a dark, edgy underside, out now. The artist has also released a sharp, self-made video to accompany the song, lovingly poking fun at the stereotypes of the signs of the zodiac. To celebrate the release, Melbs bb will be playing an exclusive hometown launch show at the Workers Club in Melbourne on February 27.
Dream pop and inspired by indie icons Clairo and Beach House, Astrology (clothesline) will soak the listener in delicious guitar, synth, and Melbs bb’s unique, deep and arresting vocal. The track sweeps up everything in its wake and envelops like a wave, prompting a feeling of deep comfort and movement in the listener; in other words, it might be the perfect soundtrack to that dark, warm drive home from a summer holiday – kinda melancholy, but acutely liberating, too. Speaking on the inspiration behind the track, Melbs bb, otherwise known as Erica Lilly, says, “I got really into astrology last year, and after digging into my chart, it just explained a lot – particularly about my love life. Stuff that I’ve talked about with my therapist was written in front of me on Co-Star. Anyway, I just felt really called out and needed to vent, so I wrote this song.”
The video for Astrology (clothesline) is a comical and witty look into the traits of each astrological sign. Clever and incisive, with a sweet DIY charm, this video includes something for everyone, and each viewer is sure to feel uncomfortably ‘seen’ at some point throughout! Reflecting on the process of creating the video, Erica explains, “My friend Bax and I were brainstorming for the video, and she suggested a party where all the star signs were present. As soon as she said it, a million setups started flooding to my brain – like water signs crying in the corner for no reason. Virgos running around picking up cups – and so on. The jokes wrote themselves really. My friends Meaghan, Isaac, Liam and Sabrina shot and acted in the video and I directed, produced and edited it. It took two exhausting days to get everything shot, but I have background in comedy and film so glad I was able to do it myself.”
Melbs bb will be launching Astrology (clothesline) at a very special show at the Workers Club in Melbourne on February 27. Giving her audience a taste of what to expect from a Melbs bb live show, Erica enthuses, “Fans can expect a non-stop set of bangers. My taste jumps around a bit and this definitely comes through in the songs I write – but I’m confident noone will be bored. Confused, maybe – but definitely not bored!”
Astrology (Clothesline) is out now.