Q&A Scene: Abroad

July 25, 2022 Mary Boukouvalas
What’s your favourite work at this point in time?  
I think it’s always changing. This album will probably be our favourite work. It’s a combination of where we have come from and the direction we are headed with sound.
How would you describe your sound in food form and why? 
I think we could go from a late night kebab through to a nice sunny afternoon bbq. You can pump our sound at a venue and always have it relaxing in the background.
Tell us a quick, on the road or studio, anecdote.
We have a few yarns but are hoping to make more great memories soon as we begin touring a lot more. Finally being in the same country we can gig, gig and gig!
What, or who, inspires you?
Our loved ones. They have helped us shape our songs. Writing from the heart really helps us to express ourselves and show our true colours. We also love to push ourselves musically and experiment as much as we can to get our sound.
Which song do you wish you wrote?
Great question. One that has made billions of dollars. But if we are looking in our electro realm of music, Innerbloom by Rufus has opened many doors electronically. Pushing the time limit of songs and having subtle changes throughout to make it such a big track. The highs and lows of this song keeps you there the whole time.
What’s next for you?
Play as many shows as possible and keep working. We love what we do and are ready to give it our all.
What’s your scene?
We love our gigs, our sport and our mates. I feel we can adapt and like most scenes. But music and drinks with mates is our scene.

ABROAD DEBUT ALBUM DEPARTURE OUT NOW

Photo: Oliver Minnett

Come breathe in a blast of lush electronic pop on the brand new track Air from Sydney duo Abroad. An upbeat and atmospheric adventure, Air marks another sharp and stunning 2022 release from Abroad, aka Jack Dawson and Will Cruger. And with previous single Coffee, an equally lush affair, already in their wake earlier this year, the release of Air today also accompanies official confirmation of Abroad’s debut full length album Departure, due out on Thursday 7 July. The guys will hit the road for a run of east coast shows in July and August, playing Mona Vale, Wollongong, Sydney, Gold Coast, Newcastle and Melbourne.

Air wholeheartedly lives up to its breezy namesake, wafting percolating synths, frothy percussion and driving basslines together in a sea of sumptuous melodics. Equally serene yet dancefloor ready, Air dazzles with its silken simplicity and clever crafsmanship, drawing to mind the effortless likes of Flight Facilities, Disclosure and Hayden James while also flexing Abroad’s burgeoning sonic trademark sound as the track builds to its buoyant conclusion. A song created collaboratively and focused on living life in the present, Air marks a proud and positive outing from Abroad HQ, as Jack explains, “Air was a team effort. I came up with the chord progressions on an old piano for the verse and then a few lyrics at the start. Will then took it away and created the ever-so-catchy chorus. It all fell into place quite organically and together they create a song that can play in your mind all day, everyday. Which we hope is a good thing. Air is about a relationship and the early stages of something special, feeling like you need to be around someone like you need oxygen. That feeling is like nothing else in the world.”

Air triumphantly continues the ever-evolving Abroad journey, following Jack and Will fortuitously meeting (literally) abroad in London years after they both attended university in Wollongong. And while the pair already have multiple EPs and singles in their wake, alongside over a million streams on Spotify alone, it’s in 2022 that the group will finally tick off their debut album release, with their brand new, and aptly-titled, full-length Departure confirmed to release in just over a month on Thursday 7 July. While Departure is packed full of moments to savour and simmer in, amongst some delicious electronic stylings and pop hues, the duo’s latest release actually appeared late in the game during the album’s creation, as Will elaborates, “We wrote Air towards the end of this album. It fell into place quite organically and became a song that we’re both really proud of.”

Writing the entire impending album together, with Will on production and mixing, and Dale Becker (Becker Mastering) on mastering duties, Abroad are primed to showcase their passion and aural diversity imminently while also weaving personal experiences and more universal thematics through their energetic and opulent soundscapes. From upbeat dance-ready anthems to more ambient fare, Departure will undoubtedly blast off an incredible new chapter for Abroad, while also allowing an intimate and universal connection between the band and fans alike, with the pair sharing, “The album is really centred around discovering the person in your life that changes everything. We’ve always been motivated by our lives and the relationships in them, but this album really hones in on the way your world changes when you find the person that you’re meant to be with.”

Fresh from some recent live shows earlier this year in New South Wales, the sky is the limit for Abroad as they venture closer to their long-awaited debut full-length album, and the pair couldn’t be happier to not only share their new material with the world, but also to continue connecting their art with self-expression and their fans, summed up best by Abroad themselves, “Releasing music always feels amazing! We spent so much time crafting Air, so sharing the final product is a proud moment. We’re deep down music nerds and love that we can express ourselves through this outlet and people appreciate that.”

Abroad’s debut album Departure is due out now!

AIR SHOW DATES

Thur 4 Aug | Mo’s Desert Club House, Gold Coast| 18+

Fri 5 Aug | Newcastle Hotel, Newcastle | 18+

Wed 10 Aug | Retreat Bar, Melbourne | 18+ Free entry

   

About Mary Boukouvalas 1645 Articles
Mary is a photographer and a writer, specialising in music. She runs Rocklust.com where she endeavours to capture the passion of music in her photos whether it's live music photography, promotional band photos or portraits. She has photographed The Rolling Stones, KISS, Iggy Pop, AC/DC, Patti Smith, Joe Strummer, PULP, The Cult, The Damned, The Cure, Ian Brown, Interpol, MUDHONEY, The MELVINS, The Living End, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Rage Against The Machine, The Stone Roses –just to name a few - in Australia, USA, Europe and the Middle East. Her work has been published in Beat magazine, Rolling Stone magazine, Triple J magazine, The Age Newspaper, The Herald Sun, The Australian, Neos Kosmos, blistering.com, theaureview.com, noise11.com, music-news.com. She has a permanent photographic exhibition at The Corner Hotel in Richmond, Victoria Australia.
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