Tim Shiel and Wally ‘Gotye’ de Backer have relaunched their independent record label Spirit Level with a brand new signing and release from Melbourne-based artist Braille Face.
Tim Shiel, the voice and mind behind Double J’s experimental electronic music show ‘Something More,’ and De Backer (of Gotye and The Basics) have known each other since the age of 17. Since then, they’ve collaborated together on more than 100 live shows worldwide, with Shiel stepping out from behind the radio microphone to take on the roles of multi-instrumentalist and technology producer.
The two artists launched Spirit Level in 2014 with an album and tour from American experimental pop group Zammuto. The project was then shelved, but they’re now back in business, operating from Melbourne’s converted meat locker studio made famous by Chet Faker’s recording there for Built on Glass. The label is devoted to “developing and amplifying unique creative voices”, with distribution support from Inertia. What’s in the name? According to De Backer at the time of the original launch, they went with ‘Spirit Level’ because “one day, when the money’s all gone and everyone’s deaf, we might want to shift into architecture and construction. It would also give us the means to bury the evidence.”
All jokes aside, the new label has delivered a luxurious electronic track from new signing Braille Face. “We discovered the music of Braille Face last year, while he was deeply immersed in a very ambitious private project – writing an album for every month of the year in 2015,” explained Shiel and De Backer to The Music. “We watched in awe as he wrote 100 songs in 365 days. “Glow” is one of them.” Percussion samples drift and drop as the richly textured electronic waves shimmer with carefully produced energy.
Spirit Level will release Braille Face’s debut full-length album with Inertia later this year. Keep an eye out for new releases, artists and projects on Spirit Level’s Facebook page and website.
Image: Andy Hatton / Cybele Malinowski
Originally written by Delia Bartle on Indie News
English producer Bibio has just released new single The Way You Talk, taken from Bibio’s upcoming eighth studio album entitled A Mineral Love, which is scheduled for release in less than a month’s time. The track features none other than Australian songwriter Gotye aka Wally De Backer.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Bibio explained the influences and thought process behind the new single. “The emotional nature of the track and the way I played the piano part seemed to lend itself to an Eighties ballad type sound, something I have a bit of a soft spot for.”
Also speaking to Rolling Stone, Gotye highlighted why he wanted to collaborate with Bibio. “I’ve loved his music for a number of years now. And I’ve always had a soft spot for short musical vignettes that capture a certain feeling in a compelling and compact way,” he said.
It is not the first time the pair have worked together though, as Gotye had previously asked the producer to do a remix of his international smash hit Somebody That I Used To Know. The sparse but melodic new single stands as yet another hit that the pair have produced together. You can listen to it here and listen to their previous collaboration below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB2xyzh4aAo
A Mineral Love is released on April 1st via Warp.
Image: Rolling Stone
The Basics are hitting the road over December and January in support of their forthcoming EP The Lucky Country. They’ve just released a new single of the same name and its clear that the Melbourne three-piece of Kris Schroder, Tim Heath and Wally DeBacker (AKA Gotye), have taken a pretty significant shift in their songwriting. It’s political, it’s powerful and it’s bloody excellent. Think Midnight Oil’s punchy lyrics mixed with the snarling tones of The Drones.
Their new political direction comes as no real surprise, considering their recent attempts at setting up a new political party (The Basics Rock and Roll Party) in the Victoria State electorate.
The single comes along with a wicked video to boot. It’s a “Rock n’ roll rant against the age of entitlement, and the leadership gulf in the Abbott-Shorten-Palmer-Milne circus.” In the current political environment, it’s invigorating to see some good ol’ fashioned protest music.
Don’t miss your chance to catch one of The Lucky Country’s best live acts grabbing Australia by the wrist, giving it a shake and shouting WAKE UP!
THE BASICS
THE LUCKY COUNTRY TOUR
Tickets on sale from 9:00AM, Friday October 31st
December 16/17
Newtown Social Club
Newtown, NSW
December 19
Sol Bar
Maroochydore, QLD
December 20
Old Museum
Brisbane, QLD
December 27
Corner Hotel
Melbourne, VIC
December 31
Princes Wharf 1 “A Taste of Tasmania NYE”
Hobart, TAS
January 1
Cataract Gorge “The Basin Concert”
Launceston, TAS
January 3
Rosemount Hotel
Perth, WA
January 4
Mojos
Fremantle, WA
February 13
Aurora Spiegeltent @ The Garden Of Unearthly Delights
Adelaide, SA