Australian indie-pop quintet Gold Fields are making waves across the globe with their synth-steeped indie-pop sounds and have just released their latest enchanting EP, ‘Glow,’ last month via Haven Sounds. The EP comes in anticipation of the group’s next full-length album, ‘Dalawa,’ which is currently in production and expected sometime in 2019.
The five members of Gold Fields, Mark Robert Fuller, Vinci Andanar, Luke Peldys, Rob Clifton and Ryan D’Sylva formed the band in Ballarat, Victoria and are now based in Melbourne. The band’s latest EP, ‘Glow,’ has already been met with exceptionally high acclaim, with tastemaker publication Magnetic Mag saying, when it comes to ‘Glow,’ “every moment is worth experiencing.”
Listen to Gold Fields’ brand new EP, ‘Glow,’ below.
We caught up with Gold Fields vocalist Mark and chatted about trusting one’s creative instincts, stopping boredom in its tracks and and exciting releases lined up for the future.
Set the tone for us. Why the arts?
Hmm yes well why not the arts? It wasn’t really a choice to be doing this, it’s just what has happened. It’s been the one thing that’s always been there without any effort. And now as I say that, I’ve just realised there’s been mammoth amounts of effort put into it over the years… But never effort to keep it around, it’s always just stayed around.
Which comes first when you’re producing – the sound or the idea?
So for me it can be either. I’ve heard plenty of songwriters say this but sometimes I’ll be driving and a melody or vocal line will just appear in my brain out of nowhere, as if it already exists and was sitting there in the middle of the road and I’ve just driven into it. It’s surreal and it’s amazing to see them then become songs. I’ll record them on my phone so I don’t forget them, sometimes go home and make a shitty demo of a song around the idea and wait for the right ideas to come from Vin and Ry and I layer it onto the music they’ve made and start forming it into a song.
Other times Vin or Ry will send something across to me and when I hear it, the vibes start up and words and melodies will come about from the sounds and from the music.
Usually the songs that feel the best are the ones that are instantaneous and come out as if they already existed elsewhere, and we’ve just channeled them into our world. It really is an amazing feeling even though it might sounds super corny and self-indulgent. But these are generally the songs that other people will like the best, over the songs we’ve laboured over and worked on, it’s the ones that seem like they already existed that translate with people.
Does your material feature any collaborations?
Not on the EP or album. We’ve done lots of remixing and starting to do more co-writes with other artists etc. which is fun. We’ve got an amazing list of artists we love remixing some of the tracks off the EP. Pretty excited by that.
What’s on your current playlist?
Four Tet, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Pond, Against All Logic.
Tell us about the chemistry you have with your fans on stage.
Oh it’s just fun seeing people enjoying themselves. Most of the time we’re the ones in the crowd at a show dancing and enjoying ourselves, watching some band we like or dancing at a festival. So when we do our show, it’s about trying to provide the best experience for the people in the room. Our live show has changed a lot over the years and this new one is hopefully just going to get alllll the chemistry going in the room.
What techniques do you experiment with to get your original sound?
One of the best things about being in Gold Fields is just seeing how far Vin and Ry have come with their production work over the years we’ve been doing this. It’s been pretty great to be a part of it. I don’t do a thing when it comes to sounds apart from give my uneducated opinion and usually have ideas for the vocal production. But the guys own and have worked with stacks of old analogue synths and have a studio full of sounds. I just sit back and enjoy it haha.
Take us through a day in the recording studio.
Coffee, set up in Ry’s lounge room with a vibe-setting record playing, start playing around with ideas, get stuck on some bad ones, find some good ones, high fives, laughs, dancing, beers, early to bed!
Was there a specific moment in your life where you thought, “this is what I want to do”?
Yeah that’s never happened. Like I said it’s kind of just always been what I’ve done.
What do you keep close by while you’re playing a set?
A drink.
What gets your creative juices flowing?
Usually pop music makes me feel like writing, I think it’s probably the catchy melodies that get my brain in that mood. It also usually starts flowing if I don’t have much to do or it feels like I could get bored, which is handy as it stops boredom in its tracks. And usually either coffee or meditation or both.
Take us through your collection of gear, tech or software that accompanies your creative expression.
Moog sub37, Strymon pedals, Roland re20 space echo, arturia, Native Instruments, Dave Smith Instruments, Roland Juno 6, Roland sh 101, Ableton.
Any side projects you’re working on?
Looking at doing some co-writing now that the Gold Fields stuff is being released but nothing much just yet.
How have you refined your craft since you entered the industry?
I guess just learning to trust your creative instincts. And I think you can probably only do that after you learn it’s really the only thing that works in the end… And I guess feeling like we know how to do a live show and like I said before, how sick it’s been to watch Vin and Ry develop as producers.
Breakdown the news for us: what can we expect from you this year?
Our EP’s just out – we have some amazing remixes coming out from some really great artists from around the world. And then out comes the album, which is super exciting and some touring and festival shows etc! Good times ahead!
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