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Scared of Sharks Interview: From Chaotic Tales to Live-to-Tape High Octane Fidelity

Posted on 7 December 2024
Scared of Sharks

Scared of Sharks sit at the intersection of humour, raw energy, and unapologetically Australian references. Ahead of their debut EP, ‘Double Happiness’, the trio shared insights into their creative process, the chaos that inspired their latest single, ‘Last Train to Wyong’, and their live-to-tape recording approach. From their roots in Mogareeka to their presence on the East Coast, the band unpacks how geography, storytelling, and collaboration shape their sound, offering a fresh perspective on how authenticity and live performance energy translate into their recorded material.

Scared of Sharks, welcome to A&R Factory! Thanks for connecting with us ahead of your next release, Last Train to Wyong. The track stems from quite a chaotic and humorous personal experience. How did this specific event inspire the tone and narrative of the track, and do you think storytelling in this vein defines Scared of Sharks’ approach to songwriting?

Thanks For Having Us!

Yes and no. We’ve got a couple of songs that are a bit more narrative-based and then a few that are a bit more personal to Taylor. Wyong is the first song that all three of us wrote together. We kinda just jammed it out over a few days with everyone contributing their own bits.

The second verse of Last Train to Wyong references the ‘Democracy Manifest Bloke’, an iconic Australian cultural touchstone. How important is incorporating humour and local references in your music to connecting with your audience?

Very important. I think the whole world loves Australian bands when they sound Australian. Whilst not everyone is going to get every reference, as long as it’s not forced, people just enjoy it for what it is.

Your forthcoming EP, Double Happiness, promises a mix of genres, from post-hardcore to alternative folk. How did you navigate pouring such diverse influences while maintaining a cohesive identity across the EP?

Well, I guess we all listen to a lot of different bands and artists, and it sort of naturally came out like that. We originally just had the five heavier songs but thought the EP needed one moment of reprieve in there so added Cauliflower at the last minute.

What do you hope the decision to record the EP live-to-tape brings to the EP from a listener’s perspective? 

We’ve been playing these songs live for the past couple of years, so it just made sense to do them that way. Few little overdubs here and there. Hopefully the live feel comes through when people are listening at home.

You’ve gone from Mogareeka to the Illawarra, and now you’re making waves up and down the East Coast. How has your geographic journey influenced your music, and do you see it as integral to your band’s story?

I’m not too sure, there was no live music down around Mogareeka which is why Taylor moved up the coast to the Illawarra. There are definitely heaps of good bands and music up here plus we’re right next to Sydney so it just makes it so much easier to get gigs and meet other people in bands.

Your live shows have been described as high-energy and humorous. How do you channel that same dynamism and connection with fans into your recorded material?

Just not taking things too seriously and if someone has a silly idea for a skit or something try it out.

Tim Shady’s drumming, Louis Crouton’s basslines, and Taylor Schwifty’s lyrics are all highlighted as key components of your sound. How do you all collaborate to ensure each element shines while creating something greater as a whole?

We try not to step on each toes so to speak. Generally, Taylor will bring in the chords and lyrics, then Tim & Loui will come up with their own parts & have their say if they think anything can be tweaked to make the song better. We just try to make it so we’re all working towards making the song as good as possible.

Your journey from your first release in 2021 to this debut EP has been eventful, including independent tours and festival appearances. What pivotal moments stand out during this time?

Probably the first tour we did, didn’t exactly pack out every venue haha but it was just sick to be travelling with your mates around the place to go play shows.

Stream Scared of Sharks on Spotify and Bandcamp or connect with the artist on Facebook and Instagram.

Interview by Amelia Vandergast

Alt-Indie Raconteur Mickey Haimes Shines Light on Shadows in his Debut Single, ‘Sunlight’s Exposure’

Posted on 6 December 2024
Mickey Haimes

With his debut single ‘Sunlight’s Exposure’, Guernsey-based singer-songwriter Mickey Haimes signalled that supremacy in the alt-indie scene is his for the taking by blending jazz, blues, and indie rock with the swagger reminiscent of Nick Cave. Supported by BBC Music in the Channel Islands, Haimes offers a candid tale of questionable life choices via an unflinching descent into past experience.

With a distinctive, soulful voice, he could harmonise his shopping list and still leave listeners mesmerised. His rugged yet sweet harmonies infuse smooth grooves with a warmth that only a true conduit of soul can provide. While most artists have to resort to experimentalism for authenticity’s sake, with Haimes, there’s a rare sense that his distinction breeds from unfeigned expression as he exudes a rare originality born from sincere expression.

The intricate, organic layers of ‘Sunlight’s Exposure’ paint a vivid portrait of a soul guarding its own shadow, serving as the perfect introduction to an artist already making major waves before his first official release reaches the shores of the alt-indie arena.

Already recognised locally as Guernsey Street Festival Performer of the Year 2022 and having graced the BBC Introducing stage at the Guernsey Together Festival 2023, Haimes reflected on his songwriting with the observation that “A gritty insight is a useful one, but a playful slant is what brings it to life.”

Sunlight’s Exposure will be available to stream on all major platforms from December 6th; discover your preferred way to listen via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ulysse Zangs turned the pages of a grief chapter with his artful installation of ambient folk in ‘Gone in Lust’

Posted on 5 December 2024

The opening sequence to Ulysse Zangs’ single, Gone in Lust, rivals the chill-inducing talents of David Lynch; it’s a slice of sonic arthouse cinema in itself. After the haunting discordance of the synths, a gentle acoustic guitar melody rises within the ambient folk production against the singer-songwriter’s diaphanously sweet vocal lines, which are just as caressive as Elliott Smith’s, with a nuanced alt-country twang.

As the single progresses with ethereal semi-lucid candour, the jarring synths pick their moments to rush through the release, adding a palpable sense of unease to the reverie of the single.

With every release orchestrated in an intersection of sound, movement and nature, Ulysse Zangs’ is so much more than an aural architect chiselling their legacy into the airwaves one release at a time. By pulling inspiration from a myriad of phenomena, their sound is as cerebral as it is invitingly intimate.

Given the filmic qualities of Gone in Lust, it is no surprise that Ulysse Zangs also scores for performance pieces, art installations and film. Their recently released EP, Idle Hands Or, which features Gone in Lust, is an exploration of grief and recovery; after the passing of his grandmother, Zangs returned to their hometown, a small village in Normandy, and set up a studio in their grandmother’s former home.

Speaking on the EP, the artist reveals, “This album feels like an invitation to slow down and contemplate—both the external environment and the inner landscapes of emotion. It reflects my journey of letting go of the past and arriving fully in the present moment.”

Gone in Lust is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Candour cascades in John O’Brien’s acoustic folk-pop ballad, Can’t You See That It’s Me

Posted on 25 November 2024

With all the emotional intricacy of Buckley, the spacey etherealism of Bowie and ELO’s tender hits, and the all-encompassing soul of Tom Waits, John O’Brien’s latest single ‘Can’t You See That It’s Me’ pulls you into its evocative core.

The acoustic folk-pop ballad invites you to live vicariously within the lush layers of this stripped-back exposition of the heartache which ensues when romantic expectation forces us to feel as though we’ve fallen short despite giving our all to fulfil desire and sate our own.

if you don’t feel a cascade of emotion fall over you to the tune of John O’Brien wearing his heart on the acoustic guitar strings that drift into the euphonic atmosphere, you can probably consider your soul defunct.

As a performer, recording artist, and songwriter with over four decades of experience, O’Brien has graced stages worldwide—from the US to Madrid, Amsterdam, the Caribbean, Japan, Australia, and beyond. Equally as successful on the airwaves and radio waves, hits from his acclaimed LPs have amassed millions of Spotify streams, while his 2022 UK tour saw his hit ‘The Spider’s Love Web‘ climb to #2 on the UK radio charts.

Can’t You See That It’s Me was officially released on November 15; stream the single on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sylvie’s Songs & Bryon Harris stir the soul with strings and sympathy in their affecting folk symphony, Heart Break Like Mine

Posted on 25 November 2024

‘Heart Break Like Mine’ by Sylvie’s Songs feat. Bryon Harris enmeshes animal activism with affecting artistry. Dedicated to the 1.7 billion animals confined in factory farms each year, the single urges listeners to become more ethical consumers, and to part with their dollars through empathy.

From the first pull of the classical strings and the opening lyric, “I want your heart to break like mine,” the track makes no bones about pulling all the evocative punches. In the same vein as The Smiths’ ‘Meat is Murder’, this classical folk ballad grounds you in the atrocities we often turn a blind eye to; it’s an aching reminder of the suffering we perpetuate.

Sylvie, a highly accomplished musician and songwriter with a deep passion for folk and Americana music, brings her wealth of experience and accolades—including Gold Medals for Best Lyrics and Best Songwriting from the Global Music Awards—to this powerful piece. Her classical guitar training from the prestigious Hartt School of Music and the New England Conservatory shines through her intricate playing. Having performed at esteemed venues and festivals throughout New England, Sylvie’s dedication to her craft is unmistakable.

Bryon Harris complements the track with his emotive depth, exemplifying his commitment to using music as a medium for awareness and change. With a background in classical music, Harris adds a rich authenticity to the song. Now based in Austin, Texas, he is at the forefront of a new wave of protest music addressing issues like factory farming and climate change.

Together, they have crafted a fervent call to action and catapulted a catalyst for change onto the airwaves which demands your conscience.

The official lyric video for Heart Break Like Mine is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Saint Senara are harbingers of chaos in their Southern Gothic Blues Folk vignette,  There’s a Storm Coming

Posted on 23 November 2024

Saint Senara invoked a tempest in their latest single, ‘There’s a Storm Coming’. Following a hauntingly hymnal opening, this slice of American Gothic Folk Blues allows a surge of melody to break through the sonic overcast.

Imagine a soundtrack to a gritty southern drama, where each note and lyric wrestles rhythmically with the heavy, discordance-spilling guitars that pour over bluesy percussion, and you’ll get an idea of what Saint Senara delivered here as a departure from their celebrated debut and the well-received ‘Under My Skin EP’,

Teaming up with the innovative producer Lex Raymond at White Noise Studios in Weston-super-Mare, the band ventured into darker, moodier territories with There’s a Storm Coming, which repurposes whips and chains as percussion and projects spectral vocal lines which oscillate through the mix, underpinned by Andrew Bate’s Gretschy guitar alchemy.

This neo-noir blues release is a declaration of the band’s readiness to take on higher echelons of the music industry. Be a part of their ascent by immersing yourself in the panorama of tempestuous yet melodious chaos.

There’s a Storm Coming was officially released on November 15; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Folk meets prog-punk in Whate’s orchestrally cinematic composition By Torchietto

Posted on 18 November 2024

Where fire meets finesse, whate’s composition ‘By Torchietto’ ignites a fervent blaze that’s set to endure. At its core, the UK-based progressive alt-punk outfit harnesses a storm of eclectic influences, melding the raw energy of punk with the intricate layers of orchestral folk and progressive music. From the stings of violins reminiscent of classical giants like Hans Zimmer and Ennio Morricone to riotous chords, the band’s standout single, ‘By Torchietto’, is an incendiary declaration.

Founded in Italy by Dave Dreamer—lead singer, guitarist, composer, and violinist—whate crafts sound-transcending spectacles. With each member’s diverse background, ranging from blues to prog rock, the band forges a style baptised as “progressive punk”. This sophisticated, new sound is a cocktail of revolutionary ideas, blending Dreamer’s love for classical with punk’s unapologetic rebellion.

‘By Torchietto’ itself is a profound alchemy, balancing tender orchestration against striking, fiery energy, pulling listeners into a cinematic sweep of emotion and rhythm. Much like the rest of the artist’s discography, the single embodies the band’s unflinchingly urgent cry for societal transformation and personal awakening, all while demonstrating their ability to channel their inner tumult into a coherent call to action.

whate’s trajectory, from their debut ‘Can’t Breathe Anymore’ to their current partnership with Rexius Records, signifies a band soaring on their own terms. With ‘By Torchietto’, whate stands poised on a pedestal of their own crafting, unlikely to ever cascade from the pinnacle they’ve reached.

By Torchietto was officially released on November 8th and is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Emmett McGrath revisited 70s folk-pop with visual lyricism and achingly panoramic sonics in ‘Outlaw’

Posted on 18 November 2024

Cali singer-songwriter Emmett McGrath is a testament to the power of lyrical storytelling in his latest single, Outlaw. The orchestrally embellished 70s folk pop vignette is driven by Elton John-esque piano keys which let you feel the heart in every note and enlightened by McGrath’s intensely evocative harmonies that put him in the same league as Cat Stevens.

With lyrics as poignantly poetic as Paul Simon and Bob Dylan, it’s impossible not to feel like you’ve found a diamond in the rough with Outlaw; the way it sweeps you up in the tenderly orchestrated panorama as it traces the steps of a woman on the run towards refuge is a cinematic triumph.

Between his visual lyricism, ability to pay homage to the greats while staying true to his sonic blueprint and the lush reverberations of his sepia-tinged compositions, there’s no denying that Emmett McGrath has one of the most impactful voices in modern folk-pop.

Outlaw was officially released on November 2nd and is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Joshua Wales – Don’t Worry: Sublimely Seraphic Indie Folk

Posted on 13 November 2024

If The National veered into acoustic indie folk territory and took a few leaves from Cigarettes After Sex’s intimately expansive book, the result would echo the same affectingly tender alchemy which drifts through Joshua Wales’ latest single, Don’t Worry.

The indie folk singer-songwriter’s sombrely honeyed, low-timbered vocal register subdues you into the melodious sentimentality of the acoustic guitar-driven single, which sees quiescent swells of orchestral strings brush past the plaintively warm guitar notes.

With “Don’t worry, we’ve got all the time in the world” reprising throughout the sublimely seraphic release, listeners are reminded that pace is the trick as Joshua Wales issues a reminder to his frenetically minded younger self.

The reflectively sonorous score features in Joshua Wales’ discography as a standalone entity and as the opening title single to his debut EP which you will need little convincing to devour in full after bearing witness to the introspective magnetism in the opening salvo.

Stream Joshua Wales’ latest single, Don’t Worry, on all major platforms, including Spotify, now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tim Briggs – The Long Fall from Grace: A Folk-Rock Sanctuary for the Soul

Posted on 12 November 2024

After decades of carving out soul-stirring melodies across various genres and scenes, Tim Briggs converged all his experience into his latest triumph, The Long Fall from Grace LP.

The title single exhibits the raconteur’s evolution from an eager singer-songwriter in 70s Ohio to a revered figure on the folk rock and southern rock circuits. After years of touring the states and rubbing shoulders with the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Marshall Tucker Band, a southern rock grit was naturally embedded into his folk-rooted melodies as Briggs sharpened the emotive potency of his vocal harmonies and guitar licks.

The single ‘The Long Fall From Grace’ encapsulates Tim’s adeptness in suckering your soul into submission.  With every steady, sticky-sweet clash of the strings, you’re increasingly convinced your emotions are safe in the deft hands of the artist whose consolingly pure vocal lines enable him to become a confidant, someone to trust with your most visceral emotions.

While nostalgia may run deep in its veins, ‘The Long Fall From Grace’ stands leagues away from being a mere artifice of antiquity. With the natural breeze of 70s folk, the intimacy of college radio rock and the commercial appeal of Nada Surf, It is a modern classic, a testament to Tim Briggs’ enduring impact and artistic integrity.

Tim Briggs’ The Long Fall from Grace LP reached all major streaming platforms on October 27; stream it in full via Apple Music and Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast