More and more in this transformative internet age, regional Australia is producing exciting and talented artists for the world’s listening pleasure. North Queensland alt-folk duo Glider Pilots have added to the already rich tapestry that is Australian alternative music with their new single Expose to Weather.
This brother-sister collaboration made up of Benjamin and Samantha Hope first caught our attention with their debut EP Somewhere Out There, a release immersed in super chill vibes and dreamy synth laden sounds, containing a certain innocence well suited to a first release.
Transformative and effervescent, Glider Pilots have dived to deeper emotional depths than ever on Expose To Weather.
Equally, Expose To Weather demonstrates an encouraging process of musical maturation on the part of the Cairns duo, delving into a more introspective place than any of the songs on the EP.
“The inspirations for the song shifted and changed to dig a lot deeper into our emotions, and we explored and experimented with our instruments,” say Ben and Sam, explaining this apparent progression from the comparative simplicity of songs like Sleeping Vision to the emotional resonance of Expose To Weather.
The pair also shared the origins of the name of the new single with us.
“Expose to Weather means to be true to yourself; to expose and not to hide, because people can get caught up with all the defeats and forget about all the good things.”
This sentiment is certainly reflected in the lyrics of the track, and while it’s easy to sit back and melt into the soft breathy vocals, dreamy synths, and atmospheric guitar melodies, there is much to be gained from paying attention to what is actually being said.
The truth that the duo reveal in the lines “Look back to see progression/stop for a moment” is that they have come a long way musically and emotionally since the release of their debut.
We asked about the challenges their brother-sister relationship presents when working on such intimate and emotional material.
“When it comes to writing deeply emotional songs like this one we both have our own personal drawing points that we express, and working with someone so close to you just makes it easier as you understand and know where you are both coming from, without having to explain what you’re thinking.”
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The advantages of having this deep connection are clear through the coherence and depth achieved in the finished product, helped by the fact that this multi-talented pair personally handle almost every element of the musical creation process.
“We still do the majority of the elements ourselves: the writing, composing, playing, recording, music video and artwork; but we have passed mastering onto Dick Beetham from Studio 360.”
The exciting musical progress that Ben and Sam have made in Expose to Weather will surely have fans eager for a follow up. We don’t have names or dates, but the duo has assured us that more is on the way:
“We have our debut album in the works, so you can expect to hear more about that in the coming months.”
Dreamy alt-folk enthusiasts Australia-wide will surely be waiting with baited breath to see where Glider Pilots’ musical journey will take them next.
