A deep dive into the self-made universe of an artist who does it all.
In an era of digital perfection and algorithmic predictability, the one-man creative fortress known as Laguna is a vital bastion of DIY spirit.
Laguna breaks out of the “flower-fuzz, psych-pop” mould; their music is a holistic artistic philosophy shaped by the absence of home with a deep reverence for the songwriters and artists who pave the way and the process of recording real music that sounds like the lives of real people.
Laguna is a modern-day auteur, single-handedly navigating the entire process from recording and production to designing the physical artifacts of his music through his own label, Mountain Girl Records.
Their journey is the epitome of self-reliance. Growing up feeling ostracised, he adopted a “do-it-yourself” mentality that now defines his craft.
Inspired by fellow one-person powerhouses like Kevin Parker and Todd Rundgren, he eschews expensive studios for his Drysdale home setup, favouring vintage gear like his TASCAM 688 eight-track recorder to achieve a specific, degraded sound that feels like a lost relic.
This isn’t a lack of technical skill, but a deliberate aesthetic choice, a rebellion against the crystal-clear sheen of modern media and the machined manufactured identities it celebrates as authentic.
His visual world, heavily inspired by 90s skate videos and VHS recorders, is produced entirely in-house, creating a cohesive, analogue universe for his music to inhabit.
It’s all part of his mission to empower others, proving that “you have the beauty in you to do something lovely” without needing permission or a big budget.
Laguna’s latest single, ‘Zebra,’ is a perfect encapsulation of this ethos. Premiering right here at Happy Mag, the track is a fuzzy, psych-pop gem that digs deep into Laguna’s signature themes.
It marries a relentless, grooving bassline with warped guitar tones, creating a hypnotic and slightly menacing atmosphere.
The production, awash in warm tape saturation, feels both immediate and unearthed from a forgotten time, perfectly complementing the song’s rebellious, isolated heart.
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True to form, the release is supplemented with a ‘behind the recording’ short film, pulling back the curtain on the life of a self-producing artist.
With ‘Zebra’ out in the world today, Laguna plans to shift focus from mammoth solo releases to assembling a new live lineup, aiming to tour next year.
It’s the next evolution of their DIY dream: building a community from the solid, self-made foundation he has tirelessly constructed on his own.
