Gold Coast band Lunar Syrup sat down with Happy following their latest release to spill all the secrets on Dream State War
Lunar Syrup, the eclectic four-piece from QLD’s coastline, have a multitude of stories to tell from their time writing and producing Dream State War, which truly give you insight into the talent and dedication of the band.
Frontman Jake Fox chatted to Happy about the real-life inspiration behind the album, as well as the unique processes they undertook to record and produce it.
Through themes of grief, heartbreak, gratitude and the natural ebb and flow of life, Lunar Syrup have created an album that is equally as soft and vulnerable as it is heavy and moody.
While fans will have to wait for Lunar Syrup’s upcoming live shows, chucking on their catalogue and having a read of what Fox has to say is the perfect antidote to those itching for some more Lunar Syrup.
HAPPY: What are you up to today?
LUNAR SYRUP: It’s a rainy day on the Gold Coast and super moody. I had a coffee and a bit of downtime in the morning.
At the moment I’m organizing Lunar stuff, trying different ways to get the new tunes out, working on some design things with our designer Gus and messaging a few venues and bands for an upcoming album launch. Fighting the urge to lax out but doing the things you gotta do as an independent artist.
HAPPY: Tell us a bit about where you’re living and what you love about it.
LUNAR SYRUP: Our band is based on the Gold Coast and I’m in the south in Coolangatta. I like the south as it’s a bit quieter and has more of a chill surf culture. I have a need of living close to the ocean. It is always helpful in times of doubt or times I’ve needed patience.
The ocean is a place where you can leave your thoughts, breathe and reset. As a creator I think it’s very important to be close to nature and have something that gives you this recharge, as we need to stay hopeful and inspired to continue our work.
HAPPY: What inspired the sound and direction of your latest album?
LUNAR SYRUP: Our latest album has been inspired by real events, dark places and a lot of experimentation with sound.
The album is a mix of genres and that came from not trying to write like anyone else but just recording songs however they authentically came out and songs that I believed had a deep and meaningful message within.
HAPPY: How would you describe the creative process behind this record?
LUNAR SYRUP: The creative process was very experimental, as we wanted to treat the project as a piece of art rather than just recorded sounds. The latest Rick Rubin book “The Creative ACT: A Way of Being” helped us in a way that it was nearly a guide to how we made the album.
In the songwriting process, I tried different rules and practiced letting go of songs and ideas if they didn’t convey a high standard of emotional output. In the recording process we had the mission statement that “we would use the tools at our disposal to create the best possible songs we could.”
We tried all types of microphones and rooms for recording. We also prepared rooms before we recorded, leaving notes on walls, photos, props, and putting anything else around that could extract the feeling of what the song was about.
The vocals and acoustic guitar to “Your Sway” is a live track. This is because we wanted the most genuine vibe we could get. We messed up the room, put items in places that triggered old memories and put the microphone in the middle of the room for a roomy live sound.
It was a song of push and pull and I truly believe you can hear it in the way that the energy changes with tempos and the dynamics through the performance. “Flora” was a song we did the vocals to in a massive room.
We turned the lights off and called on spirits to enter the room, after some wine and chats I put all of my energy into the vocals, and again, I believe you can hear that energy in the room.
HAPPY: How do you feel this album shows your evolution as a band compared to your previous work?
LUNAR SYRUP: Our first album Distant Echoes was a very abstract and creative concept. We put a lot into it and it was very fun and a good learning phase.
I’m still happy with the project today but after going through a few experiences I got to a point where I wanted to create something to the best of my ability and my producer Chameleonide was on the same page. We were more interested in capturing moments and energy and these songs come from a much deeper and more vulnerable place.
This is our most emotive project to date and I feel like we put everything we could into it. I’m proud of what we have created and there are a lot of genuine moments through this album that I think people can relate to.
HAPPY: What are some of the key themes or messages you wanted to convey with this album?
LUNAR SYRUP: There’s a few hidden messages in the songs, like the negative effects of social media and the unnecessary battles we have with each other in society, but most of the songs are based around the emotions of losing people in your life, the acceptance of the positive and negative duality of life and eventually the gratitude of taking in the moment for all it is.
We all experience the ups and downs of love and heartbreak and I think being vulnerable with it creates connection. I hope people take something nice from this album and get the feeling that we are all experiencing our own battles and need to look out for each other.
HAPPY: Were there any particular artists, albums, or experiences that influenced this record?
LUNAR SYRUP: This album was based on a few different creative avenues and a lot of experiences. I took inspiration from my favorite movie “Waking Life”. It’s a movie about philosophy and dreaming and I put samples from the movie in some of the songs that relate.
Carl Jung’s philosophy of the shadow self was another inspiration to some of the songwriting in reference to lyrics that accept the darkness. You must connect with your whole self to heal and truly experience life.
I also read a book about the Hermetic principles and this also was a major help with the production, as some of the moody songs have dark contemplative lyrics and the darker songs have inspirational lyrics. Dark and light are one of the same.
Through the year, myself and the guys from the band experienced loss and heartbreak in different areas of our lives. The songs were written at times where emotion was high and this was the main influence of the record.
As strange as it sounds and if people may believe it or not, I believe that we connected with different energies and supernatural activity in the creation of this album. From creating energy and moments in rooms while recording, there were times we were in touch with the vibes around us.
In the recording of “Your Sway”, lights were flickering, and we saw shadows swimming around the ceiling. “Flora” was also written from the embrace of a spirit and a woman’s voice whispering in my ear. These strange times definitely contributed to the inspiration and making of this record.
HAPPY: What was the most challenging part of creating this album, and how did you overcome it?
LUNAR SYRUP: I think having the mantra that we would create something to the best of our ability made this project difficult with keeping patience and knowing how far we could push it. There were times where we said the songs were done then asked the question if we could better them and even if it was slightly, we would keep going.
It was also hard in the way that the songs were based on quite dark experiences to create the album. We needed to move through these memories and experience the feelings on a deeper level to get the most emotion in the songs.
However, I think the partnership I had with Chameleonide, going through the same life experiences and both connecting to the songs, made it a lot easier and the process was very fun.
HAPPY: With this album released, what’s next for the band in terms of performances or future projects?
LUNAR SYRUP: The projects over the years took a lot of time and energy to create and I wanted to have this catalog of music for people to listen to. For now though, myself and the band are gearing up to put all our focus into live gigs and showcase all of our songs. I can’t sit still, so there will be more projects in the future but we are very keen for the performances to come.
HAPPY: What makes you happy?
LUNAR SYRUP: It’s always a difficult question for me and I think about it a lot. I’m a very focused person and take something good from progression and achievement. Creativity is huge for me, not just in music but all aspects, as well as training martial arts.
I also get something good from dropping everything and feeling peace and gratitude in a moment. New experiences and traveling is where I truly find happiness, as it’s the perfect balance of self growth, inspiration and the chance to be present.
I also chase a lot of thrills. I’m not the usual thrill-chaser doing it for the thrill, but I constantly need to step out of my comfort zone and get that thrilling feeling to feel alive.
Overcoming fears and having the chance to experience the daunting things and see them through gives a sense of power and liveliness that is what I also feel as happiness.
