A Quick Chat with Late June

Congratulations on releasing your new single, ‘Focus’! What was the inspiration behind the track? Did it come quite naturally, or has it been a long time in the works?

Thank you, thank you! The inspo for this track actually came to me when I was at the beach - as all good inspiration does. I was taking some photos of the beach at sunset, just trying to enjoy myself. I think I had a lot mentally draining me the previous week and the idea of focusing and just being in the moment really got me. It was quite beautiful to just sit there and enjoy a very simple, fun formative memory. That’s where the chord progression and some of the melody hit my mind. I think I was playing with the vocal sample a few days later and wanted to make something that could be calm, but also very club-y if it needed to be as I’ve been listening to so, so, so many Anjunadeep tracks as of late. The concept of having a song that could be played pretty much anywhere was such a sick vibe I wanted to capture.

Accompanying ‘Focus’ is the exciting announcement of a new album! What can you tell us about it?

Yes! My album ‘Mending’ is dropping in December- glad the news is out!! All I can say about it at the moment is that it’s a mix of instrumental ambient tracks and some chill deep house bangers that tell the story of mending, therapy and motivation during a time of crisis. It’s definitely one of the most ambitious recordings I’ve made, sitting at about 9 tracks each longer than my usual, and with more of a focus on deep house and tech house. Looking to inspirations like Deadmau5, Two Lanes, Nora En Pure and Edapollo.

You released your first EP back in 2016. How has your songwriting and production changed and developed since then?

Aw man, I did! Damn, it’s been so long. It’s changed a lot. I was going through files the other day and jammed my 2016 release and, boy, it’s interesting to see progress like that in real-time. I’d say my songwriting has changed towards less structure and more fun. Some of my more piano-heavy tracks have a lot of 4-bar melodies, whereas nowadays I suppose I feel lazy if it’s not 8-bar with interchanging chords. I’d say production-wise things have become a lot better as well. Way less errors, the sound is a lot more crisp and pronounced, and there are more places for things. Back in 2016-2019 there wasn’t a lot going on in the mix because I didn’t quite know how to have that much sitting there, whereas now I can layer a lot better and have lots of earworm candy that sits in different parts beautifully. I also have changed a lot since then. Where I’m writing from changed, no longer a student writing about friends and love. Now, I’m an adult father writing about touring and having time for everyone, making friends and trying to keep it all together.

Looking across your socials, you’ve got a lot of beautiful, serene imagery. What part do these visuals play in your creative process?

Honestly, I love flowers. I just do. When I studied at photography uni, most, if not all, of my work was based around nature and sunsets. I think I like the sort of consistency of “the end” in nature, being able to see plants grow in a certain season, knowing the day will end at a certain time and begin at a certain time. It’s just become part of me to constantly post nature stuff on my gram, just so the vibe of my music comes across as best as it can- like it grew from nature. I’ve been experimenting a lot with the idea of having my music just be a product of nature in a very sci-fi way. Like, one day, a cassette tape emerges, covered in moss, roots. It’s all battered and it erupts from a spring during sunset, and you plug it in and play. That’d be a sick music video. No one steal that.

You’ve collaborated with other artists a bunch over the years; how does your collaboration process work? Or is it just unique to who you’re working with?

It honestly depends, I’ve had a lot of requests over the years from New Zealand artists as well, and I’m just super 1. Lazy, 2. Bad at collaborating. I think when it comes to music, I’m way too precious on an idea. Usually, if I have something that’s instrumental but in a sense is missing something I’ll send it off for a musician to add to and ‘finish’. However, recently I’ve tried to just open my mind to making more and more music, collaborating with artists and singers alike, and being less precious. I love to find artists with music I enjoy a lot. I think there have been times when bigger artists have reached out and if I just can’t get behind it or feel like I can’t add anything then nothing ever really eventuates. Which is only ever bad for the pockets but, for me, I feel like I don’t miss out on anything creatively.

You’re also an avid remixer; how do you decide what you want to remix? Does a track need certain elements for you to consider remixing it?

 I love to remix. I looked up to artists like Flume, XXYYXX and Ta-ku in my formative production years, so the idea of taking something and making it into a new track that’s yours was so cool, although I think I quickly grew out of that when I got way too precious about my own ideas. I get a lot of remix requests as I think most artists do. I honestly just listen a few times to get to know their discography before I give my manager the go-ahead or the “no thanks”. At the moment, I’m remixing an artist who, when they asked, I was like “Oh, I’ve heard of you!! Wait, you want me?” Their production, their vocals, their songwriting, just … insane. Probably the best artist I’ve listened to in a long time. The process of remixing this song has been haunting because I just want to do the best job. What got me excited about it was hearing the melodies underneath the bass, beat and vocals. The super hidden beautiful little flutters of guitar made me instantly say yes.

You were selected as part of Converse’s All Star Campaign workshop with Tyler the Creator. That sounds incredible, what was that experience like?

This was a fever dream. It was two years ago so my daughter was very young and I was very tired. The people that I met on this trip ranged from extremely charismatic, extroverted and the nicest people you’ve ever met in your life to all the same characteristics but add narcissism and max that out like an attribute in a video game (skip Intelligence and Strength, and just put all points into NARC).

Converse had us set up. We stayed at a beautiful hotel called Ace Hotel Sydney. My small room was bonkers, one of the nicest places I’ve stayed, in close range of everything, and with a cafe just downstairs. Like nuts, man. We got free shoes, we got taken everywhere- everything was free. We got shown around Sydney, we worked in studios, we made work and we got drunk. I think it was probably one of my favourite trips I’ve done.

Meeting Tyler was the fever dream part. Whereas getting to the location, setting up our art and listening to everyone’s work sort of saw me lament the idea that I probably shouldn’t have been there. In the studio, I felt like I didn’t have time to add to the track we made. Listening to it, I just straight up didn’t like it and felt a lot out of place with everyone. It was an artist meet-up of sorts, but it was also an influencer sort of artist meet-up where the process of recording, writing and making was just an outlet for more photos to exist on social media. I didn’t like that as someone who just writes a lot for the sake of just writing a lot. Anyway, Tyler did the interview, he went upstairs, we all hung out and everyone got a photo. I got a photo with him too and told him about having a child (he mentioned he wanted a kid in his interview so I thought it could be something I should mention). The hype of seeing your hero very close to you, being flown out to be there to make music for him to listen to and art for him to see was super cool, but I think on the bus ride back to the hotel it dawned on me that I was probably taking someone’s place who deserved to be there more or would have enjoyed the social trip a lot more. And I think about that a lot.

And lastly, is there any chance we’ll see you in Australia around the album or next year?

Yes, I’m hoping to do a smol bean Aus tour next year! My manager and I have talked about it a lot. I was there a few times last year for some shows and I love playing there. It’s crazy, you put on a show and you could be in Fitzroy, Melbourne and people show up in large crowds to hear some chill vibe beats. You just don’t get that in Auckland as much. So, I will be heading to Australia as much as I can for shows! Doing an album show would be incredible. Stay posted everyone.