We reviewed the last compilation put together by the good people at New Weird Australia a couple of months ago, calling it “a meticulously curated exploration of left-field sounds – surreal, sublime atmospherics through to experimental electronic pop through to ten-minute noise jams, all seamlessly ordered, and all from our very own shores.” Yes, that’s the first time I’ve quoted myself. I think you can go blind from that?

Anyway, it didn’t seem like two months has passed since then but it must have, because the project’s next installment came out today – potentially their most obscure to date? It was put together by Stu Buchanan and Feral Media’s Danny Jumpertz. We asked Stu a couple of questions, questions that are on everybody’s lips, questions like Where Do You Even Find This Stuff, I’ve Never Heard Of Any Of It And I’m Ashamed.

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Stu Buchanan’s New Weird Australia

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+ Wow. I’ve heard of exactly one of these artists. Where do you even find this stuff?
> It’s around 50/50 proactive / reactive. We’re about six months into the project now, and we’re lucky to now be receiving expressions of interest from many artists who’ve found us and are keen to take part. The door is always open, and artists are welcome (and encouraged) to get in touch. That said, we’re still locked in our garage most evenings trawling the net, looking under rocks, trying to find new weird music.

+ It seems like each NWA compilation gets more and more obscure – like you’re casting your net wider with each installment. Is there pressure to keep going further outside the box with your selections?
> We don’t feel any pressure as such, but it’s important to constantly contradict and surprise ourselves, and broaden the definition of what ‘new weird Australian’ music really is. We’re conscious that there’s an ocean of beautiful electronica / abstract sounds out there – and whilst we cover that and will continue to do so, we don’t want to continually repeat ourselves. With Volume Four, we were particularly keen to divert into other spaces. Artists like Textile Audio, Reunion Sacred Ibis or Paint Your Golden Face are all very different from one another, but also quite unlike any other music that’s being made in Australia.

+ You featured Kyu in an earlier compilation. We talk about them all the time; they seem to be teetering on the edge of a huge amount of hype that for many ‘buzzed’ bands – especially ones with new, experimental sounds – can end up crippling their chances at long-term success. What do you think is the best move for bands in this position?
> The best move is not to believe it all, or get messed up in it; to stay true to the reason you started in the first place. Hype is fleeting, and will pass – but artists with genuine intentions and talent are long-lasting. I think the Kyu girls have their heads completely screwed on the right way – they’re going to be successful, and probably quite quickly, but I think they’ll also be around for a long time to come.

+ Do you think Australian outlets are doing enough to showcase experimental music?
> It’s true that our media, bloggers and commentators generate a huge amount of promotion for innovative overseas artists – which is fair enough to a certain extent, it’s important to celebrate music that you love. But there’s music that is equally good, if not better, being made right here at home – and it’s music that deserves more attention. We recognise that it is difficult to find, but helping to expose that more readily is essentially the whole point of the New Weird Australia project.

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NEW WEIRD AUSTRALIA :: VOLUME FOUR

1. Textile Audio :: Some Kind Of Mininova
2. Paint Your Golden Face :: Television Is About Picture
3. Reunion Sacred Ibis :: Sing It To The Mountains
4. Tantrums :: Beat The Happy Pavement
5. Scattered Order Mk 1 :: Ruined By Me
6. Alister Spence Trio :: Two Halves Of The Moon
7. Scissor Lock :: Codify
8. Gutter Parties :: Sashi
9. No Zu :: Lay Of The Land
10. The Townhouses :: Jigsaws Under The Clouds
11. Seaworthy :: They’re Cicadas You Know?
12. Gentleforce :: Our Last Day Together
13. Gold Tango :: Telescope
14. Alpen :: A Meditation On Flight
15. Red_Robin :: The Surveyor
16. Automating :: When Use Becomes Abuse
17. Silver Bulletin :: Minding Time

Download the whole thing for free from their site. Happy new year.

Posted by steph in Features, Music

Tags: Danny Jumpertz, Feral Media, new weird australia, Stu Buchanan