Should you follow your passion or chase commercial success? The pressure to hit certain streaming numbers can be challenging for an artist. Do they create the music they really love, or do they change lanes? Irrespective of your chosen career, this question of satisfaction versus commercial reward is so often faced. Eora/Sydney-based artist and producer Big Vacation explores this theme in his dreamy new track, “Store Clerk,” and we are delighted to premiere it today, ahead of its release on Friday.
“Store Clerk” is infused with a cascading flow of velvety vocals and sweet acoustic guitars and layered with warm samples. A pulsating beat works in conjunction with the groovy bassline, keeping the flow. The lyrics’ narrative lends it an enchanting and immersive quality, artfully stitched together from elements of alt-pop, lo-fi, and indie music.
Big Vacation talks about the inspiration behind the track: “I was given a piece of advice from an old neighbour once – ‘Always make room for the things you love in your life because they’ll make you happy and influence the happiness of those around you’. I was much younger then, but I always come back to this idea as an anchor point. It makes sense in different ways at different stages of life – that’s really what this song is about. I wanted it to flow almost like that conversation which is why the form doesn’t include a chorus.”
Big Vacation is one of those multi-hyphenates who can seemingly do it all. It’s DIY at its finest – the songwriting, production, mixing, photography and filming have all been undertaken by the artist for “Store Clerk”. The video was shot on location across Eora/Sydney’s Newtown, Sydney trains and train stations, as well as the Northern Beaches. Big Vacation explains, “I’ve grown up in Sydney, around Newtown and used Sydney’s trains all my life which is where I shot the music video. I wanted this clip to be shot with some dynamics between fast-paced shots/ editing and more passive, slower, almost still shots. This was to complement the almost ‘conversation’ like nature of the song between the older and younger person. You might notice some iconic Sydney places if you look hard enough- maybe places you’ve grown up with too.”
Big Vacation is the moniker for Chris Baker. You might have come across him via his previous project, Billy Fox. “Store Clerk” is the third single to be released under the Big Vacation project, following on from “Jump Rock” and “Anchor Point”.
“Store Clerk” from Big Vacation will be released on Friday. We’re loving this one – the introspective musings are irresistible, blending multiple genres with silky-smooth vocals. Be sure to pre-save it HERE, and in the meantime, enjoy our exclusive premiere.
You can give Big Vacation a follow on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok and YouTube
