If you have been wondering what some of Melbourne’s artists have been up to as of late, then CWR Compilation One is a great start. Curated by Cousin Will himself (label-head/manager/man-about-town Will Stoekel), this new release features eight tracks from a cross-section of emerging local talent. Both established and up-and-coming, it’s a real thrill to hear the self-assurance of acts like Polly and the Pockets and Auntie Leo and the Backstabbers stack up alongside more exploratory moments from Outtatime and Quin Grunden, the compilation giving these newcomers an opportunity to test the waters of their developing sounds.

The record features almost as many genres as it does artists - from the The Gurdies’ turbulent garage-punk, to some upbeat jangle-pop bangers from The Fillmores, through to more soulful moments from Velvet Bloom and Outtatime. However, the broad range of genres does not by any means make the record feel incohesive. Instead, it takes the listener a journey through the songwriting of a selection of Melbourne musicians who are definitely worth looking out for. In other words, this compilation is like the sonic equivalent to sinking beers at the Ev and bopping around to a lineup of great bands.

A true showcasing of their musical community, the compilation was recorded by The Grogans’ Quin Grunden in his home studio, with each act invited in to develop the track with him. It’s fitting that the compilation also features Quin’s first release under his own name, a strong debut that defies the swagger of The Grogans’ garage-surf offering with a blissed-out slow jam.

It’s important to note that while the compilation makes for a ride through style and mood, we also believe it highlights a conversation to be had about diversity and representation in compilations such as these. So to dig into the creation of CWR Compilation One, we had a chat with two of the women involved, Maddy and Cat, and engineer Quin, about collaboration and community.

TJ: The new comp is such a nice way to encapsulate this emerging music community in time - tell us about how you got to know Will and your experiences as part of this community.

Q: Will and I met each other through Jordy from The Grogans. It's his third cousin or something which is pretty funny because that's how Will was given his nickname ‘Cousin Will’, which eventuated into the name for the record label CWR. We have worked together on about three records now and I continually learn from the drive and passion he has for the local music scene. 

C: I met Will almost a year ago at the Spotted Mallard which was the first gig I did with fellow compilation compadre’s The Fillmores (as I play keyboard and sing with them too!). Soon after that The Fillmores trekked up to Mildura for a Regional Warp gig Will had organised, where I feel I got to know him better and became more a part of that musical community!

M: Will has always been such a great friend to the Velvet Bloom crew! We met him through various performances with The Grogans and he has always gone above and beyond for us! It’s so lovely to be a part of this Cousin Will community and to be featured as a part of this incredible project! 

What’s the story behind your track - how did you choose that particular one?

M: We were a nightmare to deal with at the beginning of this project because I was being so indecisive (SORRY WILL + QUIN)! Will had heard us play ‘7Hundred25’, and at that point in time we had only just written it so we were unsure if it was ready to go BUT we are so happy that we decided to go with it! ‘7Hundred25’ is about choosing yourself and feeling at peace with the person that you are - it’s about realisation and acceptance.

Q: I was lucky enough to be on two tracks for the compilation - one being my first ever release as a solo artist and another with my good friends The Grogans. The Grogans don't really have a whole lot of structure in terms of writing and I feel that this song just popped up at the right time with the compilation.

C: The song came into fruition on the floor of Will’s bedroom one afternoon where we sat around listening to records and playing music together. Before the song was ‘Moments’ it was actually called ‘Giraffe’ for no reason other than that Will and I couldn’t think of a name for it! As the mumbled verses, potential chorus and psychedelic guitar transitioned from scattered ideas into a whole song, Will mentioned it could be well suited for this compilation he had an idea of creating - and with that, ‘Moments’ became the one!

What was the process of contributing to the compilation like? Any favourite memories?

C: Before the impending lockdown proceeded, we managed to spend a day in the company of Quin Grunden at The Grogans’ very homely and well-equipped bungalow-come-studio laying down the song! The prospect of being included in such an exciting project alongside several other incredibly talented musical groups was flattering and daunting all at the same time! The thought of actually being in a studio recording with other musos feels so foreign with the way of the world right now, so it’s a nice memory to reflect back on!

M: The whole recording process was super special! Being in the studio with Quin and having the recording engineer as a good friend who knows our sound made the process so enjoyable! A body of work being created by an assortment of talented individuals who have a common goal to produce something AMAZING, is such an exciting concept to me! Also watching how much work Will puts into his projects is very inspiring! 

Q: When Cousin Will approached me to record the compilation I was really excited to take it on as every single artist on the record I do really love. I loved everyone coming into my studio to record and working more with the community of creatives around us, as opposed to just on my projects. Experiencing the whole process of making an album with more than one artist as well as working with the label and people outside was also really fun.

Do you have a favourite track? (not yours though!)

Q: I can’t actually choose a favourite track I don’t think... The process of Velvet Bloom’s track was one that I really enjoyed, it was hard and really pushed me. Maddy is super talented and it was a really different process to what I normally do. Her song is almost orchestral, but all guitars. We recorded it in two different studios, and the mixes were so tedious - I think we ended up going through 30 roughly. But it was great to be pushed and to work with an artist that has such a different process to recording than what I have previously done.

M: All of the artists releases are incredible in their own unique way, however, Quin Grunden’s solo project is phenomenal! We are so keen for him to release more!

C: Being only slightly biased I do favour The Fillmores’ ‘Amused, Abused, Confused’ as it has been on a long journey since playing it together at 14 in school, to what it is now in all its newly reformed glory! Fond childhood memories aside; I completely adore ‘7Hundred25’ from Velvet Bloom! The soothing sonic palette seducing the ears; bound to soak listeners in this amber-tinted daydream that Maddy and her band have so beautifully crafted.

Celebrating music communities with a compilation like this is a great way to showcase a diverse range of artists - what would you like to see in future compilations?

M: I’d love to see more females being involved in things like this! Even (under different circumstances) a collaborative song with everyone on the album would be so wholesome!

C: The celebration and support of musical communities is needed now more than ever, and I think Cousin Will’s compilation is going to be a super pivotal moment for me as someone who is just starting out. The possibility of being a part of, or helping curate future compilations alongside Will and the other amazing bands on this album paints the horizon of ‘what’s next?’ with hope and countless creative opportunities. Maybe even a Cousin Will festival someday? (if we’re ever allowed to have one again that is!)

Q: Definitely to keep on working with more bands and a broader range of bands, building a platform to release people’s music on vinyl, that’s the big thing for me. Through CWR we’re trying to get people on wax so that they have this physical thing with their music on it. With future releases, I want to keep providing recording and giving bands the opportunity who might not even of thought about being ever having the opportunity to have a track(s) on vinyl and helping them meet more artists and bands to help them form relationships.

A compilation like this is such a timely reminder that no band can really exist without a network of friends or like-minded musicians around them. As things slowly seem to be going back to normal in the world, what are you most excited for? What’s next on the cards?

C: The network of inspiring musicians and artists I’ve been welcomed into as an emerging artist has already opened so many interesting doors for me! And as the world begins to regain a sense of normality, I would envisage regular collaborations with a whole range of musos, spending days in the studio with mates and diving head first into live gigs as soon as the doors of all the beloved venues swing open! This compilation feels like it might just be my gateway drug to being addicted to the music business for life!


Q: Work real closely with Cousin Will records, through having my own studio, working on more and more records together keep on building those opportunities. I also can’t wait to launch this record once we can! 

M: We cannot wait to play shows again - it’s been a big change of pace being unable to perform. We are most excited to record our debut EP though, that’s going to be something extremely special and we can’t wait to share it with all of you!