“Catchy hooks and delicate synth lines that soar... Stunning, deep, beautiful” ~ Auxiliary Magazine
"Fantastic... driving, propulsive, and unfiltered, examining the experience of “signing up to a life of suburbia at an early age, only to realise many years later that the suburban dream is all a fabrication"" ~ Post-Punk.com
“Catchy melodies and a subtle touch of old Xymox and New Order … Recommended” ~ Sonic Seducer
"Shimmering, smoothly frantic... freewheeling but taut... elusive but striking... one of our favorite records of the year” ~ Stereo Embers Magazine
Melbourne-based synthwave artist Suburban Spell has released his new 'Falling Down' EP, named in reference to the long-term outcomes of bad choices and giving into guilty pleasures, along with the official video for his latest single 'Natural Science'.
Suburban Spell is the solo project of Peter Endall, who combines the austere beauty of Kraftwerk, 80's melodic sensibilities, driving rhythms and some noisy grind thrown in for good measure. Influenced by the heyday of new wave and 70's-80's electronica, this music carries the beautiful imprints of such artists as Ultravox, OMD, Visage, Jean-Michel Jarre, The Cars, Gary Numan and New Order.
Endall's previous band Schizo Scherzo was active in the heady days of Melbourne's 80's music scene, playing alongside the likes of The Eurythmics, Pseudo Echo, Real Life and Fergal Sharky. Having re-emerged on the music scene as Suburban Spell, he has found his niche in modern Australian electronica.
'Natural Science' is a statement on the weight of scientific evidence and the powerful push by doubters to challenge such knowledge based on baseless contradictory viewpoints. The video for this and the lead track 'Bright Gold Cross' were created by Dingo Cross Films in Melbourne, with production and direction by Paul Puccio and Cassie Dart.
Suburban Spell's music is a commentary on the fragility of suburban lifestyle, never-ending efforts to keep up appearances, and an exploration of society's dark and fragile underbelly. This music is also a commentary about Endall's own vulnerabilities in the urban landscape and the wider societal norms that interlace with politics, religion and pop culture.
"Falling Down is a direct reference to the longer term consequences of bad choices and giving into that guilty pleasure. The entire EP's lyric content touches on these themes. 'Bright Gold Cross' is about seeking redemption and how the church is a vehicle that allows you to hide your sins and hand out forgiveness at will and '12 Causes of Pain' is about loving for the wrong reasons. These themes are present across the EP and reinforce the Suburban Spell that we are all apart of. Musically, the songs are deceptively simpler than my previous work, a constant challenge for me is to adopt the less is more philosophy and I hope this release is one step closer to that goal," says Peter Endall.
"I have heard others describe Electronic Music as being cold and distant, but I've always found something warm and inviting there. Suburban Spell's music has a cold and distant overtone but, underneath, I try bring layers of beauty and warmth that weave in and out, creating a musical foundation of tension and release. This dramatic approach is nothing new in music; however, it is an element that I really enjoy exploring. The odd circumstances of my childhood upbringing and the religious cult that i was in during those years have had a somewhat quixotic impact on me and Suburban Spell, having been exposed to a belief system that was ultimately flawed with a very inconsistent set of values throughout my formative years. These challenges are constant references when working on the Suburban Spell project."
The new EP follows the 'Split Levels - Remixes' EP (February 2023), a series of reworkings of his acclaimed 'Split Levels' album, involving goth-rock / post-punk legend William Faith (Christian Death, Mephisto Walz, Shadow Project, Faith & The Muse, The Bellwether Syndicate), along with New Zealand's Robots In Love, Australia's Ontic, Pittsburgh's Tragic Impulse and Italian artist Kurs.
The 'Falling Down' EP is out now and available from fine digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where it can also be obtained on CD.
CREDITS
Written, produced and recorded by Suburban Spell
Mixed by Adam Calatzis at Toyland Studios
except 'Salvation Army' - mixed by Alex Quayle of Salt Studios
Mastering by Joe Carra at Crystal Mastering
Videos created by Dingo Cross Films
Videos produced and directed by Paul Puccio and Cassie Dart
Video stills by Paul Puccio (DCF Studios)
Other artists photos by Kristen Solury
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