New Zealand indie-pop siblings BROODS, comprised of lead vocalist Georgia Nott and multi-instrumentalist Caleb Nott, are ready to give 2022 their all and then some. The Nelson duo are set to return with their highly-anticipated fourth album Space Island on Feb 18th, three long years after their last record Don’t Feed the Pop Monster.
Their latest offering and third single “Like A Woman” comes ahead of an Australian tour in April, followed by a 20-date North American tour in May and June. Dates are below.
We caught up with Georgia and Caleb over a Zoom call to chat about the new single, video and album.
“It feels pretty crazy,” Georgia laughs when asked about the feeling of finally releasing new music. “It feels like a really important time to be releasing really honest, personal and emotional music.”
“The fans’ reaction has been really nice and I feel like they grow with us as we get better as musicians,” Caleb adds. “They come on that journey with us and it feels really good.”
2021 saw the release of the widely successful singles “Piece of My Mind” and “Heartbreak”, but the latest offering is the most personal. “Like A Woman” came to Georgia while playing a Rhodes organ and within 15 minutes, she had written the original chords and lyrics for the song.
Much of the material for Space Island came together during a difficult time in her life as she struggled with a divorce. Fortunately, she was able to use the vessel of music as an outlet for her grief, which also enabled Caleb to explore new sonic territory.
“It’s definitely a whole new level of personal, but I’m really happy to take it there,” Georgia explains. “I’ve been trying to figure out how to share from a place of vulnerability without feeling like I have no boundaries, or that I’m going to piss anybody off. The meaning of ‘Like A Woman’ has evolved for me and it doesn’t have any anger or resentment anymore, it’s just kind of expelling all of my negative energy in that last chorus and then going back to acceptance.”
The album was chiefly curated by the two from their home studio during lockdowns. While occasionally working with producers Leroy Clampitt (Ashe, FLETCHER) and Stint (Santigold, Carly Rae Jepson), it was a much more personal process. Caleb even purchased a Farfisa organ specifically for the album, with a sound that he describes as a ‘60s Italian race car, and named Danger Mouse and Gorillaz as some of his biggest influences for its production. The songs are delicate yet powerful, poignant yet danceable, and showcase their trademark fearsome artistic expression.
“The main thing that we did differently, which was mainly due to the personal content of the album, was work with people that we felt really safe around and validated by,” Georgia explains. “Our friend Kyle, who we co-produced the entire record with, is one of our best friends who we’ve been touring with for a while.”
“We shared the studio with (Kyle) over that time,” Caleb adds. “The only new collaboration was Stint – the rest were all just old friends!”
On top of the music, the latest single is also the final instalment in the Space Island sci-fi-themed video trilogy, directed by Sam Kristofski. It was shot in their homeland and set in a desolate foreign landscape, which allows the viewer to reflect on that moment and exorcise any lingering unwanted thoughts or emotions. Accompanying the album with interwoven film clips adds to the visceral experience for a truly immersive body of work.
“After writing such a personal album, especially for Georgia, it was nice to put something a little more abstract alongside it that can be interpreted in many different ways,” Caleb explains. “We started talking to Sam, and we already had the album title, so he was very keen to execute a sci-fi, which he had been wanting to do for a while.”
The 10-track project explores grief and all its dimensions with an open mind and forgiving heart, while the non-linear narratives discuss clarity and transformation. It brings a funky exuberance to a ‘60s aesthetic and reflects the otherworldly sense of isolation in the lyrics, which is complemented by the artwork and visuals. Contemporary beats, swooning guitar tones and effervescent synth lines blend to make their latest effort the most experimental yet.
“As we get on in our careers and we learn more about music, things get easier, but we also push ourselves more,” Georgia says. “Every time we get more knowledge, our taste gets more complex.”
“It’d be boring if we just released the same album every time,” Caleb laughs.
In addition to the new single, BROODS also announced a 20-date North American tour for May and June this year, as well as an Australian and New Zealand run in March.
“It’s a little intimidating because of the break that we’ve had, but it’s also super exciting to do that again because of the connection you get from doing those shows,” Caleb says. “It’s hard when you release an album on the internet because we don’t really know how it’s being received until we actually meet people.”
“It feels like screaming into a void until you play live,” Georgia adds.
We asked if there is anywhere that they are particularly keen to get back to or visit for the first time, but for a band as accomplished as BROODS, there’s not a whole lot of places left to see. They have toured worldwide, supported Taylor Swift, Sam Smith, Ellie Goulding and CHVRCHES, and appeared at international festivals Coachella, Lollapalooza and our own Splendour in the Grass to name a few.
“We’ve never played a headline show in Nashville, so I’m interested to see what will happen and what that’s like,” Caleb says.
“I feel like everybody knows how to go to a show in Australia,” Georgia laughs. “They know how to enjoy it; they know what they’re meant to do; they know what’s expected of them.”
BROODS burst onto the international scene with their breakthrough single “Bridges” in 2014. The song featured on their debut record Evergreen and won Album of the Year at the 2015 New Zealand Music Awards. Their sophomore album Conscious claimed the same title the following year and third album Don’t Feed the Pop Monster led to performances on major US TV shows Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Late Late Show with James Corden.
After the significant setback of the past two years, BROODS are itching to get back into the live arena and bring their new album to a city near you.
Upcoming Tour Dates – ‘SPACE ISLAND TOUR’ – Tickets On Sale Now
AUSTRALIA – ‘RESCHEDULED DATES’
Tue April 26 – Sydney – Metro Theatre – (previously Fri Mar 25)
Wed April 27 – Brisbane – The Triffid – (previously Wed Mar 23)
Thu April 28 – Melbourne – 170 Russell – (previously Thu Mar 31)
NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
May 20 – Austin, TX @ Antone’s *
May 21 – Dallas, TX @ The Loft *
May 22 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live *
May 24 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement East *
May 25 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West *
May 27 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage *
May 28 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza *
May 29 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry *
May 31 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair *
June 1 – Montreal, QC, Canada @ L’Astral *
June 2 – Toronto, ON, Canada @ AXIS Club *
June 4 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line *
June 5 – Chicago, IL @ Park West *
June 7 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater *
June 8 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge *
June 10 – Vancouver, BC, Canada @ Hollywood Theatre **
June 11 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos **
June 12 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre **
June 14 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent **
June 15 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre **
* with Ella Vos
** with Tei Shi
Space Island is out now. You can keep up to date with BROODS on their Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Spotify
