Brisbane reggae indie-rock freakatrons Lucid Safari have busted open a new era of aural delve with their debut EP DELIRIUM. The build up to this colossal release started with the lead singles 'Lady' & 'Liquid Dreams,' and we were eagerly awaiting the full release of the full EP. Now, with headphones glued in and volume set to MIND BLOW, we can rest easy knowing that the shredmeister-3000's have completed their task of releasing the crispiest EP known to mammals.
We were lucky enough to catch up with the sound lords and get the inside mail on DELIRIUM and beyond:
Tell us about the band and the members!! Where did you meet, how long have you been going at it? Which instruments do you shred on?
Lucid Safari is primarily my (Dan’s) project and I’ve been lucky enough to work with wonderful musicians who have contributed to the music and helped make the show happen. In rough order of appearance, Nathan Cornacchia must come first. Nathan originally worked on my song Walking Free back in late 2019. Since then he’s guided the direction and production of the project from the studio. I’m so happy to have worked with him on the Delirium EP as well.
Next, the band members came along. The original line-up of the band consisted of Jordan Pineda (Guitar/BV’s), Alex Cremin (Bass) and Damon "DJ" Joel (Drums). Jordan also co-wrote the EP’s first track Flickering Lights and DJ played the drums on the Delirium EP. Since then, the line up has changed for live performances and all musicians up to this point have been mentioned in the liner notes of the EP. Our current line-up consists of Shane Kumar (Bass), who has played on all Lucid Safari recordings so far, and Braedon Hall (Guitar/BV’s). Although we’ve got all our upcoming shows covered, we’re still chasing a drummer on a regular basis, so if you know anyone give us a yell haha.
So your debut EP DELIRIUM has just dropped! It sounds SICK. What can you tell us about it - how did the recording process go? How long had you been working on it? What sort of themes did you want to tackle with this monster release?
Thanks! We’re stoked you dig it! The recording was a fun process and for the most part, fairly chill. Most of the songs were actually written for one of our first public performances at the Sound Garden’s Battle of the Bands. We ended up winning and it gave us the push to go further with our music. Originally I didn’t intend to record the songs, thinking they were not up to the standard of recording. But after a while, the theme started to develop and I really enjoyed the songs, so I took them to Nathan and we went from there.
We started with recording the drums at Red Engine Studios in Wynnum. The studio is beautiful and sounds incredible for drums. DJ had a blast and absolutely nailed every take. In all honesty, the skill of this guy could see him doing a single take of each song and they would be good enough to put on the record, but we got some more for safety. We also recorded bass at the same time and laid down the foundation for the songs.
For a few months, Nathan and I found time between lockdowns and work to track guitars and vocals. A wonderful Brisbane musician also helped coach me vocally in the studio to help me deliver the tone I was chasing.
I hesitate to go into the full meaning of what the songs are about, as I think it’s a listener’s right to find their own meaning within the art, so without being too specific, here are some of the ideas I wanted to explore…
I tend to be quite interested in creativity as an entity and getting intouch with the subconscious to open a pathway of creation. I’m not a religious person, however when I go to a concert, that’s me going to church. Music speaks to my spirit, and I believe we are here to create and share art.
Some songs on the EP go into my experience with addiction in a few different ways. Some are about substance abuse and others recall addiction of the mind.
There was a big gap between your standalone 2020 single ‘Walking Free’ and the first single from the EP, ‘Lady.’ 2020 & 2021 were particularly hard for the music industry, and I was wondering how you guys were impacted by the pandemic and what your take on it was as musicians?
We’re a pretty new band and honestly, I decided to really start taking my original music seriously in the thick of the pandemic. We don’t really know anything different on that front, though we have had our fair share of cancellations. We were booked for a support tour this year which got postponed and is probably going to be cancelled. I think it’s been tough for Australian musicians. Many are bitter for the lack of support the industry has received from the government, and I can’t blame them. I’ve done quite a few performances for charities, and discounted shows because that’s what artists and performers do. We love our craft and the gift of the art is enough, short of a roof over our head and food on the table. When the government wants donated performances or shows to support a cause, musicians are among the first to offer their help, but when we really needed it, the government decided to make life so challenging for us. I believe we had it pretty good in QLD, I feel for our brothers and sisters down south.
The cover art for the DELIRIUM EP looks f*cking amazing. Who is behind it and how did it come about? Tell us about it, it’s so vibrant and explosive!
Haha it’s awesome right?! The wonderful artist behind the masterpiece is Isabelle Beartrix, from the Sunny Coast. I came across her work after seeing an incredible piece she did for one of my favourite bands, Mako Road. Isabelle bloody nailed it! To be honest I had a pretty hands off approach with the direction. I gave her the demos of the songs for inspiration and all I knew I wanted for our cover was to have a hectic scene. I referred Isabelle to the cover of Sticky Fingers’ Caress Your Soul and wouldn’t you know it, she shared my love for that album as well and was very inspired by the artwork so it was a perfect project!
What can we expect from Lucid Safari moving further into 2022? Do you have any upcoming shows or releases? Will you be going back into the studio?
We do have plans to go back into the studio around May for a sneaky single… or maybe more ;) and we’re planning to jump onto the east-coast festival circuit this year. Right now we’re gearing up for our first ever HEADLINE SHOW!!! We’re stoked to be bringing our brand new EP to the stage of The Black Bear Lodge in Brisbane. We’ll be joined by local legends, Allora and Sunny Coast boys Buttermello. We’ve been working hard and rehearsing even harder. It’s gonna be a hell of a party and we can’t wait!
If futuristic Frusciante funk tunes is up your alley, then you need to zap yourself with DELIRIUM today. Do yourself a favour and follow the Big Dogs on social media, so you can find out when they're doing a live set near you. They've supported the likes of Kate Miller-Heidke, Fat Picnic, Golden Age of Ballooning, Ian Moss, and have rocked the jocks off the Wynnum Fringe Festival & Rock the Bay. They've actually got a gig this Sunday to celebrate the release of DELIRIUM, so be sure to grab your granny and take her down the Black Bear Lodge this sabbath.
Lucid Safari 'DELIRIUM' EP LAUNCH
Tickets here
Sunday, 13th March
The Black Bear Lodge - Brisbane