Crazy /
Brutal

Life for everyone is crazy and it's brutal. The wonderful, the joyful, the horrifying, and the harrowing all travel together in parallel.

About the album

Since 2020, I have been working on the production of Crazy / Brutal.

I've written 14 songs for this epic recording and it has been a huge process and probably a little self-indulgent. I'm hoping to have the production, mixing and mastering completed for a release in 2027.

I started recording the album during the Melbourne COVID lockdowns. My previous band, Dark Fair had ended and during the lockdowns I was no longer able to perform music live or rehearse. So, on my own I started the project.

In previous bands (such as Dark Fair) I had always written from guitar or in a studio with band mates. An accident in 2019 left me with sustained injuries to both my wrists so I've not really been able to play or write with guitar as I once did. Instead, I started experimenting with my synths and writing through my DAW and computer setup at home.

The first song I wrote that will feature on Crazy/Brutal is Broken Wing. I was so upset and disturbed by the images of people trying to flee Kabul (Afghanistan) when the Taliban reclaimed the country in 2021. I felt terrified for all the people there, especially for women and children. I remember watching footage of people clutching to the wings of an aircraft and that is what influenced Broken Wing. A sample of the un-mixed track is below.

I have been working on Crazy / Brutal for several years now and so much of my own life experiences, feelings, dreams and learnings have influenced the writing - the Taliban's return to Kabul, the October 7 butchery of innocent Israeli civilians in Israel (2023) and the ongoing genocide of Palestinians by the Israeli government and defence force. There are also more joyful and upbeat tracks about the friendships I've made, meeting the love of my life, my experiences on the Surf Coast, and just being in nature.

I'll post one or two other unmixed songs here but I don't want to share too much too soon.

Last year my project changed direction in a very uplifting way. A friend, collaborator, songwriter and producer, Marieca Page (Oiseau) offered to mix songs for me. Marieca worked on Dark Fair's album as well. I was absolutely stoked and overjoyed by her offer. She is in a co-producer seat and it's great because I've got someone working with me who is so very gifted and is helping me to realise my vision. She's taking the songs to a whole new level but I'm not posting those mixed versions of the songs here until mastering is done.