Lovesick with Mia Marcelle

1.) What were some of the inspirations for you writing this EP? 

"Ooh, I spent a lot of time listening to a lot of music this last few years, but some key inspirations for this EP I would say are Dean Blunt, Tirzah, HTRK… 

I’ve also been listening to heaps of experimental music, rnb, post-punk, pop (SZA or Caroline Polachek on repeat…), guitar music (particuarly from Mali/Nigeria)..."

"While I was writing these songs I was living in the desert in Australia, program managing a festival in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) called ‘Bush Bands’. A lot of the bands I worked with play Indigenous ‘desert reggae’ - kind of a blend of gospel harmonies, casio keyboards, and australian 80’s guitar music - I would say this inevitably found its way into the songs somehow too… It definately gave me a deeper appreciation of Lo-Fi DIY attitude to just making what you want with whatever you have."

2.) There are a lot of interesting sonic textures you achieve, particularly between guitar and synth. Can you explain your process at mixing these sounds to make a melody? 

"I’m really obssessed with layering and harmony between these different sounds. I love the idea of finding a hook, progression or loop and building from there within the repetition by adding on texture / removing it where needed. A lot of this EP writing process was removing actually, to let it speak for itself without excess layers, with the mininum needed to get it to where I wanted it to be."

"To be honest, this was my first attempt at producing the album myself / writing all of the different componenets, so I’m not totally sure what my process is except for just being playful and adding, subtracting, adding, subtracting until I hit something that I think sounds a particular way, or makes me feel a particular way; the way the sounds touch."

3.) You recently enjoyed a residency in Mexico. Can you tell us what that was like for your creative spirit? 

"Amazing! Being at Pocoapoco I had the time and space to just spend time thinking, writing, listening non-stop for 5 weeks in a supported environment, which is a huge privilege and blessing. I spent a lot of time thinking about process, writing new songs and exploring new genres, and also re-connecting with the role of music/creativity in a broken world in which I was feeling pretty dissolutioned. Shout out to my co-residents for being on that ride with me."

4.) Do you have any behind the scenes stories you'd like to share about your experiences recording the EP? 

"I was moving around a lot this last couple years with music, work, love, life etc… so this EP really holds a lot of people and places within it. Both physically (I wrote this EP across probably about 5 different bedroom studios and 4 different towns/cities) and emotionally the people and places that I was feeling / loving / being held by and in throughout this time."

5.) What's next for you?

"Gigs gigs gigs! I’m relocating back to Naarm (Melbourne) - where I grew up - to really get back into playing this music live. Living remotely since COVID meant I’ve only played a fraction of the shows I’d have liked to. I miss playing this music with other people, going to spend some time getting the live show / band version of these songs on the stage more often, alongside some amazing friends. Hoping to tour the EP in 2024 - so stay tuned."