A Quick Chat with SUPEREGO and Sakidasumi

Perth-based alternative hip-hop group SUPEREGO have returned with the assistance of acclaimed vocalist and multidisciplinary artist Sakidasumi for their latest single ‘Lies’.

To get to know the track and collaborators better, we had SUPEREGO and Sakidasumi tell us all about the growth of the Australian music scene in the west coast, the rehaul of their live show, the studio session which gave rise to the track, their unique coffee orders and a little bit on their upcoming debut album ‘Who Are You Hiding From?’

1. Nice to see SUPEREGO return, why did the group go on hiatus? What was the inspiration behind the return to music?

SUPEREGO (POW Negro!): Thanks, it’s great to be putting work out again and playing shows! We disappeared for a while to work on new music, spend some time living life and creating outside the circuit of releasing and playing shows.

We’d been playing the same songs for over a year and we all wanted to create something new and exciting for ourselves and our audience. We’ve re-emerged with exactly that and we’re all ready and keen to get the gears cranking again!

2. Your live shows are phenomenal. What has it been like getting back into the live music scene after not being able to tour for a while?

SUPEREGO (Moiya): Thank you! The live music scene in Perth has definitely changed from what it was when we first started gigging. A fair few venues didn’t make it through COVID and not as many people seem to be as interested in live local music outside of indie rock or the DJ scene.

We've always enjoyed playing live shows, it's definitely been something we've worked on and tried to push over the years. It's been an interesting process so far bringing the new songs into the live realm. We’ve always worked to get our recorded sonics to translate as best we can in our live performance. However with the new releases we pushed our studio process/ recording approaches and layered the songs with whatever was sounding good. This resulted in some sounds being difficult to recreate live so we designed a hybrid live set up. We’ve combined DJing with the live band that still sounds full without losing too much of the live instrumental energy of our previous shows.

The last piece of the puzzle was our visual aesthetic of our performance. We teamed up with our friend Jacob Gosper who has taken 3D scans that are manipulated by audio...there is way more to it... it's a long explanation but we've never seen anything like it. Not being able to tour and do live shows has given us the time to create all this, our new Live show. It's been incredible.

3. The previous single 'Chrome Face' featured a character of the same name. What did this character represent and what was it like being painted in all chrome for the video?

SUPEREGO (Moiya): Chrome Face is a satirical caricature of certain people in the ruling classes' and explores their apathy to change- in a tongue in cheek way. Filming the Chromeface video was a ridiculous, fun and spontaneous experience. The chrome face character was made while the song was being written.

I had an idea of these business interns from another dimension running around a city trying to get all the citizens to sign dodgy deals in order to make a million dollars in 24hrs. Kinda like a game show or something. Being painted in chrome was sick! Haha helped to get into character. However I would sweat a lot and the body paint would get in my eyes... it stung so bad... The best thing of the whole chrome face roll out was going out into public, it freaked everyone out.

4. This newest single 'Lies' is a tonal shift from 'Chrome Face'. What inspired this tonal shift and is it representative of a new direction for future music?

SUPEREGO (Blunderland): Chromeface was mostly written by Moiya, Lies was mostly written by me (Blunderland). We’re all creatively unique and we’re embracing that on the album - casting a wider net to explore further.

The parameters of what is and isn't SUPEREGO is something we’ve talked about through the album process. We’ll have a dance beat and ask ourselves if we’re comfortable going there; or a soft vulnerable moment and push ourselves to embrace it. The music is an extension of us and all our different experiences and feelings.

To me, it makes sense that it’s diverse. I don't understand how other artists can get their releases to sound so cohesive in terms of style. I’m jealous of that, but I also love the way we make music and wouldn’t want to change it. Every song we release just has to make us feel. If we still feel the feeling of it at the end of the process it's probably a keeper. There's a cohesion in that.

5. How did this collaboration come about? What was it like in the studio and what was the inspiration behind the track?

SUPEREGO (Blunderland): The beat and song bones are a little over 2 years old I realised the other day, which is crazy to me. Nelson really pushed for it to be SUPEREGO and I’ve always loved it. We talked about having Sakidasumi on it for a long time.m, so we were so stoked when she said she was keen because she was the only person we could hear on it. We really wanted a different voice to represent the different sides and perspectives to a relationship breaking down.

It was the morning, Umi and I drank a lot of tea and honey and talked about the song. Umi could relate and wrote her lyrics almost stream of consciousness - a good sign. Umi was singing so incredibly softly and I love that character in the song. Moiya joined in along the way and we finished the song in probably an hour. It felt surreal because it sometimes takes us waaay longer to get the right ideas and recordings. She’s just a pro and so easy to work with. We spent the next hour showing each other our music which is always the best bit.

Sakidasumi: SUPEREGO approached me and asked if I wanted to collaborate on a track for an album they were working on. I remember coming through with a super relaxed fit on with my herbal tea with loads of honey in it. I immediately felt relaxed because of the calming atmosphere of Walyalup and all the instruments and music gear around me! I could feel the air of artistic curation around me. I started writing to the track and it surprisingly took me 10 - 15 minutes to write which is a record for me!

The inspiration for me was the period of dating after my last relationship and how much of my energy I'd give to people that don’t deserve it – which concluded in losing a sense of self and feeling betrayed when I'd give all that energy and wouldn’t receive it back, which to be honest was a blessing!

6. The Boorloo/Perth music scene seems to be only getting stronger, who are some rising talents we should be keeping a close eye on?

Sakidasumi: PERIOD! Boorloo has an incredible array of artists and performers and I'm blessed to be around inspirational individuals. Danisa Snake, a powerhouse performer, Grace Sanders, also a very powerful performer, Es Pleasant, one of my favourite movement artists, Mossy, an incredible visual and tattoo artist, Toko Hutcheson (Angelcity Nails), an other-worldly nail artist, Jason Partridge, a skilled designer at SÄRSKILD, Maria Bravo, a talented creative producer, Nora Zion, an inspirational producer and DJ, are a few I can name. I could go on forever!

SUPEREGO (POW! Negro): Yeah the scene is getting stronger for sure, too many people to mention all here but Mali Jo$e, Anesu, Otiuh, Cam Deg, Josh Chan, Sudo Chick, And Beyond to name a few...

7. There aren't many hip-hop fusion collectives in Australia like SUPEREGO. What are the benefits of creating as a team and what makes that process special?

SUPEREGO (Moiya): The mix of super creative egos can be incredible and disastrous. That phrase “a camel is a horse designed by committee.” definitely applies to our creative process sometimes. However sometimes we make an alien.. some strange undiscovered world that could only be made by a collection of brains and oopsy-daisies.

Everyone in the collective is a producer and brings something unique to the process, whether it’s filming skills, visual arts practices, production skills or work ethic. The cohesion varies but it's not too hard to tick the originality box when you’ve got so many angles. Pythagorean

8. We're tasked with getting your coffee order... What's the SUPEREGO and Sakidasumi group order and why?

Sakidasumi: My order is a weak latte with oat milk and LOADS of honey. One shot of coffee is just enough for a whole day’s work for me. If I have a lot of work to do (especially admin, ugh!) I take two shots. Oat milk is so delicious and creamy and buttery... I obviously need an insane load of honey because I think in a past life I was a bear. I am in love with honey, it makes me feel so warm and uplifts my mood whenever I have even a little! The word honey even sounds nice lol.

POW! Negro: Batch Brew is my go too! With some kind of vegetarian panini if they got it. Foul Duke: Cappuccino and a bacon and egg roll

Moiya: soy flat white with honey & an almond croissant!
Blunderland: I love me a good Batch Brew!
All Kaps: A long black with a savory muffin
9. Heard there's a debut album on the horizon, what's it called and what can we expect? SUPEREGO (POW! Negro): Yes indeed, the album is called ‘Who Are You Hiding From?’

And it should be arriving sometime in the first half of June!

Thanks for interviewing us!

‘Lies’ featuring Sakidasumi is available to stream below.

australianmusicscene13 April 2023