The AU Review’s Editor-in-Chief, Larry Heath, recently caught up with one of Australia’s most prolific electronic acts, Dubmarine, to ask them about their debut festival experience at Bluesfest, the upcoming record to be released later this year and plenty more!
The show was great today. I actually got to see you. I like the early sets ‘cause I’m not doing interviews, pretty much. How do you think it went? How are you feeling?
Oh, man! Well the sound was great, you know, it was good to be in a festival where the technology and the organisation is A-class, so it was really good.
It’s good when everything works.
Yeah [laughs]. I guess, as a daytime show, we’re pretty used to night-time shows, so we gotta win over the crowd, a period of that, but it seems to be working by the end of it. Everyone was bouncing and happy.
Started getting their drinks in. So what is that like now? You’re done for the day. Are you done for the day?
Oh, I have to fit in watching Maceo Parker…
That’s very important.
But yeah, we play again tomorrow night at 7:30.
But you’re done for the day. It must be kind of odd – the sun is still out, you’ve got a whole day ahead of you.
Yeah, well it’s happened before, you know, so…
[Laughs] Sun’s come out…
Yeah, but it’s cool. I guess, in all honesty I think that was our… what do you call it, an introduction show to the Bluesfest, you know? Because we haven’t played here before, because it’s our first time…
It is your first time! It took them long enough to invite you!
Well I’m glad they did! I’m not at all angry to tell you the truth [laughs].
So let’s talk about what’s coming next for you guys. At the end of last year you released a new single, Unconditional. What’s next? What’s 2012 bringing from you guys?
Well we’re going to the Reunion Islands in the South Coast of Africa, in the end of May, to play at a festival (Sakifo), so that’s going to be pretty cool. We’re all flying over there. I’ve never been… I don’t think any of us have been over there, so that’s like a 12-hour flight for a festival, but that festival is like Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings – huge fan, Finley Quaye and Earth, Wind & Fire, of course, played here.
In good company.
Yeah, well tropical paradise sounds alright [laughs].
Who needs it? Look what we’ve got here.
Well, this is pretty good too. This is Byron [Bay], though.
[Both laugh]
Admit it, Lee. We’ve played here a few times already so it’s a nice little view of something else.
That sounds phenomenal!
Yeah, we’re in the studio currently as well, recording another album.
How’s that all going?
Good… it’s going great! Actually, Paulie Bromley (or PaulieB)… he is really capturing us, because we’ve recorded before, but it’s quite hard to capture what we’re like live in the studio. There’s a lot of things happening and plus we’re pretty energetic, so to capture that and put it in the studio is pretty hard but Paulie seems to be doing a really good job of that.
So, has that changed? How have those processes changed between records in that respect – in terms of trying to capture that live sense?
Well, from what I remember… like last time we sort of went back to front to what we’re doing this time. We went for the big sounds and the beats and the musical side of it was where they were going at it. This time it’s like reverse – we’re following the vocals and what’s happening there and just getting the basic layers and chucking in all the vocals and just getting the best out of that and then adding everything on top of that. Brilliant!
Well, congratulations on making it to Bluesfest. I can’t believe it’s your first time but I’m sure we’ll see you here again, and best of luck with the album!
Thank you!
When do you think we’ll hear it?
Probably, the end of the year. These things always blow out.
Christmas release?
Yeah, stocking stuffer [laughs].
Thanks guys for your time.
Thanks, Larry!
