SUMNER ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE PICTURES + EP ALL THAT I AM
There’s something very special about the enigmatic electronic duo Sumner, consisting of Jack McLaine and Chloe Wilson. The underground newcomers have already played alongside Vera Blue, The Smith Street Band, Montaigne, graced the Falls Festival stage and are a part of the upcoming Party In The Paddock…but in 2018, it’s about to get a whole lot bigger with the release of their exciting new single, Pictures, on February 9. This dark RnB track examines solitude, and is the first taste of Sumner’s upcoming debut EP, All That I Am (out Feb 16), a release that explores illness, diagnosis, personal struggle and catharsis, all within Sumner’s own very cool little world.
Pictures plays with a wide variety of elegant influences; the duo embrace the production style of Lorde’s first LP, while adding their own distorted pop/RnB stylings reminiscent of Frank Ocean and heavy bass that feels like something off an Arctic Monkeys record. It’s a potent combination that particularly shines on this single, as the duo have skillfully pieced together some seriously eclectic moments to create this one intelligent, mature, hooky song. Reflecting on the inspiration behind the track, Jack and Chloe agree it’s definitely about feeling very alone, “The song was inspired by the feeling of being alone in a packed club full of people. Feeling distant and out of touch with the people around you laughing, dancing and having a generally happy time.”
The EP All That I Am is further proof that Sumner are one to watch. This collection of songs is perfectly unique and completely self-assured, and not only is that very rare for such a young project – it’s precisely what makes them special. All That I Am is effortlessly cool and refreshing, with open vulnerability within the lyrics that overflow atop consistant beds of glowing, pulsating, dexterous production. Jack and Chloe share a little more about the process and the team behind it all, “The EP was entirely self-produced and recorded. We worked with some mates for particular parts such as Shanice Osita Chuku on additional vocals in 45 Roses and Pictures, and Billy Bennett (Save The Clock Tower) on additional guitar for Lover. We also worked with Ross Irwin (The Cat Empire, The Bamboos) for the horn parts on 45 Roses. The EP was mixed by Kevin ‘KD’ Davis (Rihanna, TLC, Destiny’s Child, Tupac) and mastered by Grammy Award winner William Bowden (Gotye, Hermitude).”
Music is the constant thread shared between Jack and Chloe, as they reflect on the theme of the EP and what it was that brought them together, “We used music as a catharsis, with the EP following a story from illness to a cleaner, healthier mind with a change of perspective through the process… We met living in the small town of Launceston and finding each other’s music through mutual friends. We decided to link up to play a one off gig as ‘Sumner’ and we haven’t stopped making music since.”
Pictures will be out on February 9 and All That I Am is set for release on February 16.
MARY WEBB ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE + VIDEO GECKO FINGERS + NEW ALBUM LOVE LIKE PLANETS AND LAUNCH SHOWS
Captivating and unique, Mary Webb has today announced her new single Gecko Fingers, a stirring ode to the relationship shared between sisters, out January 26, accompanied by an eerie video, directed by Aaron Schuppan (West Thebarton, Nakatomi). Gecko Fingers is the first taste of Mary’s new album Love Like Planets, a spectacular body of work that explores the complexities of modern relationships and personal rediscovery, set for release on February 16. Mary will be taking the new album on the road from mid January through to March, kicking off at the Exeter Hotel in Adelaide, then continuing through SA to Sydney, Melbourne and finishing up in Newcastle on May 4.
Gecko Fingers unfolds delicately, inching closer to the listener as each second passes. The subtle guitar, languid percussion and Mary’s sweet, assured vocal evoke influences such as Nick Cave and Julien Baker, yet the idyllic atmos is without comparision. Gecko Fingers speaks of sisters, and the tenacious bond they share. Reflecting on the theme of the song, Mary says, “Growing up with 7 years between my sister and I in age, we had a lot of love for each other but there was also a lot of anger and conflict. As adults we are very close, and have come to a calm understanding of each other. I have reflected a lot on how we managed to transform our relationship. It is a fun song to play and sing, and it’s also really satisfying because so many people relate to it. It’s also a positive reminder to me of the bond we have.”
The clip is unsettling yet tranquil, as figures cloaked in fabric from head to toe stand and writhe in shopfronts and at the sea. There’s something nostalgic about it, but also somehow alien – it feels like a cut from Twin Peaks, as colours begin to saturate and distort yet the soundtrack remains constant and serene. Speaking about the film clip, Mary enthuses, “We talked from the beginning about creating something that wasn’t a traditional music video. The discussion was to make something that could play silently on a wall and still be captivating. Like a moving painting. The idea of two figures covered in opposing colours reflected the song’s themes. They begin in contrasting environments – with one figure very still and calm and the other frenetic constantly moving – and they finally meet together and become a pair.”
Recorded in the US, Mary’s new album Love Like Planets is nothing short of a triumph. Her quiet intensity is bound to entrance and inspire – and this is a record that is to be heard and understood from start to finish, as a body of work, in order to be properly absorbed. After years of hard work writing and recording demos, Mary and her producer Mike Kirkham travelled to Montana, USA to record Love Like Planets, and the result is mesmerizing. Mary reveals a little more about the process, “One night Mike called me really excited and said, “We’re going to Montana!” From there everything just fell into place. Mike and his hifi company Halcro invested in the project and I ran a crowdfunding campaign to raise extra funds… The album is made to be listened to as a whole piece of work, rather than a collection of singles on shuffle. In this respect I was especially influenced by Radiohead’s Kid A and Camille’s Le Fil as well as some older records from the 60s and 70s. Most of the songs on Love Like Planets I wrote during a personally turbulent time in my late 20s. I had ended a long-term relationship and was going through a painful process of trying to rediscover who I was and what I wanted.”
Gecko Fingers is out January 26. Love Like Planets is out February 16.
MARY WEBB ‘LOVE LIKE PLANETS’ LAUNCH SHOWS
SUN 4 FEB | CHATEAU APOLLO, ADELAIDE SA | 18+ (unless accompanied)
Tickets available from www.eventbrite.com | Online
SUN 25 FEB | SANCTUARY FESTIVAL 11AM – 4:30PM | NATIONAL WINE CENTRE | ALL AGES
Tickets available from www.adelaidefringe.com.au | 1300 621 255 | All Adelaide Fringe Outlets
FRI 2 MAR | GASOLINE PONY, MARRICKVILLE NSW | 18+
Donations at door
SAT 17 MAR | ALBUM LAUNCH | WESLEY ANNE HOTEL, THORNBURY VIC | 18+
Tickets available on the door $20
FRI 4 MAY | THE EDWARDS, NEWCASTLE NSW | ALL AGES
Free Entry | Make a dinner reservation at www.theedwards.com.au
SUN 13 MAY | CHEESE FACTORY STUDIO GALLERY, MEADOWS SA | ALL AGES
Bookings recommended | (08) 8388 3725 info@cheesefactory.com.au
AMISTAT ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE + VIDEO THE COWARD
Off the back of a sold-out European tour earlier this year, Amistat, otherwise known as brothers Jan and Josef Prasil, have announced their new single The Coward – an anthem for those who are having difficulty living as their authentic selves, set for release on November 10. This effecting yet understated tune has been perfectly reflected in the song’s stunning video, directed by Kathleen Mary Lee (LANKS, BATTS, Canary).
The Coward might first evoke thoughts of Ben Howard or The Tallest Man On Earth, but there’s a sensual quality here that cannot be compared to anyone. Patient, authentic and stirring, The Coward lays it all on the line with careful exhilaration. Soaring harmonies prevail, delivered with a synchronization only twins like the Amistat brothers can achieve, and the chorus propels itself forward with tenacious acoustic guitar and driving percussion. Speaking of the inspiration and depth behind the track, Josef says, “The Coward is about knowing who you are deep inside but not being able to let it out. People are very fast with making assumptions and judging you based on what you look like but little do they know about what’s inside of the person.”
And the clip encompasses so much in such a simple yet effective format. The viewer watches one man struggle with his sense of identity and purpose, as a pivotal moment in his life plays itself out backwards. The grey, stormy palette, the storyline that is left to the audience to interpret – it all lends itself to a melancholy, important reflection of the theme of this track. Josef enthuses, “Jan and I love the concept of ‘one-shot’ videos, where the whole film clip you see is done in a single take…It’s impossible really, trying to get it in one take but we always like a challenge! We started with that concept about two years ago and decided to keep it as sort of a trademark of the band. For this clip, we came up with a vision of a soldier who is being denied going to battle, even though he wanted to defend his loved ones, and show his courage and commitment.”
Born and raised in Germany, the Prasil twins made the move to the set up home on the other side of the world in 2012. “We decided to come to Australia as our father is Australian and we had heard amazing things about this beautiful country,” says Josef. “When we arrived we were struggling to find work so we picked up some musical instruments and started busking to survive! Jan really took to the guitar while I sung along. We realised pretty quickly that we had a unique sound and people wanted to listen to us back home and that is how Amistat was formed.”
Amistat will be hitting the road again in December to celebrate the release of The Coward, kicking off in their adopted hometown of Melbourne before swinging on through Newcastle, Canberra, Sydney, Byron Bay, Brisbane and fittingly finishing up at Woodford Folk Festival to see the year out.
Amistat is Jan (guitar) and Josef Prasil (vocals), joined on the road by Julian Swinnerton (cello) and Ryan Oliver (piano and percussion)
The Coward is set for release on November 10
AMISTAT – UPCOMING SHOWS
SAT 2 DEC | CHAPEL OFF CHAPEL MELBOURNE VIC | 18+
WED 6 DEC | LASS O’GOWRIE NEWCASTLE NSW | 18+
THU 7 DEC | FRONT GALLERY CANBERRA ACT | 18+
SAT 9 DEC | RECORD CRATE SYDNEY NSW | 18+
THU 14 DEC | BEACH HOTEL BYRON BAY NSW | 18+
FRI 15 DEC | MILK FACTORY BRISBANE QLD | 18+
WED 27 DEC – MON 1 JAN | WOODFORD FOLK FESTIVAL QLD | AA