Melbourne-based duo Underwurld Surfers stop by for a chat about how “our sound is ever changing.”
We’re not sure how you could’ve missed the release of Underwurld Surfers’ latest single LONELY, SOMETIMES last week.
The arrival of the Melbourne duo’s sophomore single was blissfully noisy; roaring onto the airwaves with blistering guitars and rapid-fire bars.
For all its clamour and grit, LONELY, SOMETIMES also proved to be eclectic, drawing upon an array of sounds from indie fuzz to pop rock.
The sonic mastery of LONELY, SOMETIMES comes courtesy of lead vocalists Sonny Phoenix and Bobby Bird, the duo behind Underwurld Surfers.
With just two singles to their name, and plans for an album release in early-2024, the stage has been set for what will undoubtedly be a breakout moment for the pair.
Now, Phoenix and Bird have swung by Happy Mag to dive deep into the genesis of their collaboration, the artistry behind LONELY, SOMETIMES, and their experiences of “tripping bollocks among the stars.”
Catch our full interview with Underwurld Surfers below, and scroll down to listen to their new single LONELY, SOMETIMES.
HAPPY: What are you up to today?
SURFERS: Started off by going to Billy Bones Clubhouse to pick up some free kit for our upcoming gig for The Terrys battle of the bands.
After that we headed North of VIC to a bush doof to celebrate our “Lonely, Sometimes” release, took a load of mushies, fucked the party off because the music was shit and had a fuck off adventure in the middle of the bush for the rest of the night. Spiritual shit.
HAPPY: Tell us about where you are from? What’s the scene like in your neck of the woods?
SURFERS: Our neck of the woods is a long way a way, the otherside of the world to be exact. We’re from a small town in Essex, England.. There aint a lot going on to be honest, a lot of lip filler and not a lot of tunes.
HAPPY: Describe an average day?
SURFERS: When we’re not out in the wilderness tripping bollocks among the stars, you can probably find us either making music, getting lost in the world or chilling the fuck out to Mac Demarco, somewhere..
HAPPY: Can you tell us about how the duo, Underwurld Surfers, initially formed and what inspired you to create music together?
SURFERS: To cut a very long story short, it started off searching abandoned buildings, getting high and talking a lot about our mutual love for all genres of music.
We started music during lockdown, everyone was indoors being a pussy and we would go set up a studio in a bird cabin at the local reservoir.
At first we was just making random shit, making songs and releasing them the same day. We then started connecting with local artists with proper homestudios to explore our unique sound further.
HAPPY: LONELY, SOMETIMES has elements of surf-punk, indie rock, and even touches of hip-hop. How do you find a balance between these different genres while maintaining a cohesive sound?
SURFERS: It started with huge inspo from Lil Peep, Slaves and Suicideboys. We just kept pumping out tunes until we found our own lane and decided that to be able to create the music authentically we had to create and become pioneers of our own genre.
HAPPY: The lyrics of the song delve into the use of substances and habits to cope with life’s stresses. Is there a personal connection or specific experiences that influenced these lyrics?
SURFERS: We kinda outgrew where we had come from and were looking for ways to escape our current reality until our new reality manifested.
HAPPY: What does your songwriting process look like? Do you have any particular rituals or routines that help you tap into your creative flow?
SURFERS: A lot of ideas come to us when we’re going on long walks through the city, by the lake, through the forest.
Doesn’t matter, we always find inspiration in the present moment and we have the same perspective, so it’s easy to blend our creative ideas together. As for the writing process, a few joints and a lot of experimental wordplay seems to do the trick.
HAPPY: The transition between different sounds in LONELY, SOMETIMES showcases a diverse range of musical abilities. How do you approach creating songs that have dynamic shifts in tone and style?
SURFERS: We’ve always had an ear for catchy melodies and punchy hooks, we just combine that with our unorthodox lyrical style and once a song is put together we think of ways to give it more character to fully express our true selves.
HAPPY: As a duo, how do you navigate the collaborative process when it comes to writing and performing music together?
SURFERS: We’ve always had a weird way of thinking the same things at the same time, could be the psychedelics, it could be the universe speaking through us at the same time, we don’t know but either way it seems to work.
HAPPY: LONELY, SOMETIMES follows your debut single, ROCKSTAR LOVELY. How do you feel your sound has evolved from your first release to this latest track?
SURFERS: Our sound is ever changing as we speak through a constantly growing perspective of the world around us.
HAPPY: Being based in Melbourne, how has the city’s vibrant music scene and cultural diversity influenced your music?
SURFERS: We somehow found ourselves being the first ever artists to record at Umbrella Sound Studios, we went in there with just a few demos and a fuck tonne of crazy ideas and they helped us bring them to life instantly. Love ya boys x
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HAPPY: Are there any particular artists or bands that have had a significant impact on your musical style and approach?
SURFERS: We mentioned a few earlier but other artists include Black Sabbath, Nirvana, The Beatles and since being in Australia we’ve had a lot of influence from the surf rock scene.
HAPPY: Lastly, what makes you happy?
SURFERS: Being true to ourselves and at one with the universe, manifesting our dreams one day at a time.
Cheers,
Surfers x
