Despite the dark mood of the soundscape, there’s an overwhelming calmness to both the composition of 'Colour, Landscape and Light', and the accompanying live video. The piece is adorned with Sloane’s feedback heavy guitar that emanates visions of technological wastelands, while the acoustics of Waldron’s cello cut through the static with a sharpness that’s nightmarish, medieval and ocean-like all at once. It’s a strange and gripping kind of tranquil.

The live video is the first of a four-part series to be released throughout 2020, with each video to be shot in a new location across Victoria. It’s a great idea and one that allows the differing environments to shape the sound of Sloane and Waldron’s compositions and performances in a direct and visceral manner. It allows for a certain historicity of the environment to seep into the textures of the music, either willingly or through a surrealist, improvisational modality. Given the dystopian tone of ‘Colour, Landscape and Light’, this is something that’s crucial to consider in a compositional sense.

Channeling what feels like early Godspeed You! Black Emperor, not only in sound but in vision and scope, with a unique, intelligent Australian twist, Sloane and Waldron are creating contemporary, minimalist post rock - a genre of music that is criminally underrepresented in Melbourne and wider Australia. It’s awesome to see (from a die-hard post rock fan) and we’re eager for the rest of the series. To celebrate part one, we had Thomy indulge us with some of the key influences on the new endeavour.

Speaking about the project, he shared, "I've always wanted to do solo stuff for years now but have always been somewhat scared shitless at the idea. When I met Lucy she mentioned she played cello and we got along pretty well, so I thought it would be cool to jam my songs with her. It sounded pretty cool and also meant I didn't have to do shows all on my lonesome, so we decided to make it a duo. Here’s some things that inspired me to do something that is not Batpiss."


Arvo Pärt

Lucy introduced me to an Estonian composer by the name of Arvo Pärt, who I’ve been absolutely obsessed with ever since. He works in a minimalist style which intrigues me very much and is a technique I also love to work with. His piece ‘Fratres’ is something I will probably listen to for the rest of my life. 


Tom Lyncolgn

Tom’s guitar playing is like no other in my mind. It’s so unique. Chaotic yet beautiful. To me it sounds very Australian. In fact, it’s very southern Australian and he is from Tasmania so that’s probably why, but I find guitar styles do have certain sounds depending on where artists are actually from. The northern parts of Australia usually sound warm and kind to me, but down south it’s darker and cold. Tom’s guitar to me is cold as fuck and I really really like that.

This little video of him jamming alone (above) is a perfect example of this description, and both of his bands Harmony and The Nation Blue are brilliant. Huge players in my inspiration to be a musician. 



Bonnie Mercer

Bonnie is one of my favourite noise guitarists of all time. Every time I watch her play I’m in complete awe. The wall of sound she creates is mind boggling. A true artist. There’s no ego or self indulgence, just soundscape in its truest form.


Gareth Liddiard

Gaz is no household stranger. Known as the founding member and lead guitarist/vocalist of The Drones and just recently Tropical Fuck Storm. Gareth’s songwriting to me is genius. Artistic and poetic. His lyrics seem to go on for days, how he remembers them is stupid in itself. I had the pleasure of working with him in 2016/17 on the Batpiss album Rest In Piss. He’s always been and probably always will be one of my favourite artists of all time. A modern day Australian poet. Up there with Paul Kelly and Archie Roach if you ask me. Go Gaz.


Dirty Three

Dirty Three have always been inspiring to me. There’s nothing like getting in the car and listening to them and watching the vast Australian landscape go by. Mick Turner’s guitar is so subtle and gentle, whilst Warren Ellis and Jim White bring the unpredictability and refinement. Their classic albums Horse Stories and Ocean Songs will always linger in the soundtrack of my life.


My Disco

When I heard the album Environment from My Disco, it totally blew my mind. I've always been a fan of theirs but their latest record is probably my favourite and yet again it is very minimal. 5 stars.


Nick Cave

One more album I’ve been thrashing to bits is Nick Cave’s latest Ghosteen. It reeks of pain and hardship – two things I like very much when it comes to music. Not so much in real life but when an artist can use those emotions to create beauty, my hat goes off to them. Again. 5 stars.