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Music

Multicultural Sydney and the freedom to explore himself through a solo project with Food Court frontman Cristian Campano

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Recently starting his own solo project away from Sydney garage rock band Food Court, Cristian Campano is introducing Sydney to a range of blissful sounds, from British 60s pop to Australian folk and Spanish soundscapes, unlike anything else going around at the moment. After winning ‘The Seed Fund’ songwriting competition It’s All About The Song in 2014, Campano headed to Alberts Studios in Sydney with acclaimed producer Tony Buchen (Andy Bull, Bluejuice, Montaigne, The Preatures) to fine-tune his competition winning track and launch a solo career.

Cristian Campos What You're Doing To Me

With a voice better than sex on toast, Food Court frontman Cristian Campano delivers vintage Spanish sounds with a tragic storyline on his new single What You’re Doing To Me.

Speaking about the impetus behind his work, Campano notes, “Growing up with a Spanish father and Aussie mum it’s been great to have a Spanish/Aussie influence on my solo work. The soundtrack of our childhood was a mix of 60s British pop, Spanish Flamenco guitar virtuosos like Paco De Lucia and Aussie legends like Farnesy, James Reyne and Mental As Anything.”

His newest track What You’re Doing To Me is a collaborative family affair, including his Granada-born father Jorge Campano on Flamenco guitar, brother Adam Campano (Pretend Eye) on bass, and Food Court’s Nic Puertos on drums. Buchen added an extra bridge part and local string quartet to the emotive blend of hypnotic Flamenco guitar and British balladry. The song itself feels like a love song but “it’s actually about the anxiety and depression I feel at times in my life,” says Campano.

On working with Buchen, Campano told us, “Sometimes it really helps to have someone take over the production of a musical project and look at your songwriting from an outsider’s point of view. You can really do your own head in trying to do everything yourself.” The chance to record at Alberts Studio and work with Buchen doesn’t come lightly with the current state of Aussie music and the treacherous cost of just living in Sydney. Campano agrees, “I don’t really know anyone who supports themselves just through music. So having ‘The Seed Fund’ there to assist musicians to fulfil their ambitions is an amazing thing.”

Teaming the track with a fresh music clip featuring a 70s RSL and Flamenco dancing, Campano was really keen to have a multicultural Sydney vibe going on. “Growing up in Sydney in the 90s was rad, we had so many mates of mixed ethnicity. Kids’ lunch boxes at school were filled with anything from Vegemite to Paella. My mum Lisa used to dance Flamenco while my dad played guitar so I thought it would be great to incorporate that vibe into the clip.”

Campano is currently in the process of writing more for the next Food Court release and mellow stuff for a solo EP in the new year to follow up his single. You can download What You’re Doing To Me via Campano’s Bandcamp for zero dollars.

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