Lunar Intruder on their latest album ‘Smokechasers’
The ultimate mix of indie, garage rock and dream rock with psychedelic tones, Christchurch four-piece band Lunar Intruder have released their new album with performances in Queenstown and Wellington this month.
Hey lads, thanks so much for taking the time to chat to us! First of all, we'd love to know a little bit about your musical journey from when you first started making music together?
Yo cheers for having us! Things began in a damp Upper Riccarton flat on Acacia Avenue in Christchurch while all of us were studying at UC. Matt and Cam meet through a chance Facebook post and after some dusty cover sessions and some punishing originals which annoyed our flat mates and neighbours, things eventually began to blossom.
A huge congrats on your incredible new album 'Smokechasers'! What were your artistic influences going into this album and what themes were important for you to write about in this project?
There wasn’t really a set goal or sound going into the project. Our stance has always been that we want to make every song stand out on its own, so we have countless influences in that regard, but we also want the songs to feel like it’s part of a collective (an album). What really ties them together becomes the tonal choices we make and the overall ‘energy’ of the project. Coming of age and growing up in modern society is the overarching theme of ‘Smokechasers’.
So good! One of our favourite tunes of yours is 'Inside Out' which sensationally showcases your signature euphoric dream-rock sound. What inspired you to write this track?
‘Inside Out’ was honestly a bit of a mess of a song to write. It went through so many different variations, different choruses and such, but what we ended up with was what we all sort of came to a mutual agreement on. This was our first single from the album and we thought it bridged quite nicely from our old stuff into the new stuff as well.
We also absolutely love your track 'House'! Can you tell us a little bit about the concept of this son’g?
‘House’ is a song about self judgment and insecurities about one’s personal image. The sub theme is sort of like self isolation, and feeling lonely, hence ‘House’ as somewhat of a metaphor. The song sounds happy, but also sad at the same time, and I think this perfectly captures the idea of fake happiness we draw from that we don’t personally possess, and the melancholy that follows when it feels those standards are out of reach.
Love that! What were some your favourite or most memorable moments working on the album?
Definitely working with one of our favourite Christchurch bands, “this dog”. Easily one of the most unique and captivating bands - Robbie the vocalist laid down the verses for our fourth song on the album titled ‘Crows Feet’. It’s easily one of the best tracks off the album and that’s largely due to the freestyle Robbie’s spitting haha. Definitely worth checking out. (No bias).
Plus, you've got some performances coming up in May in Queenstown and Wellington! What are you looking forward to most about playing these shows?
Yeah how good aye! Honestly I think a lot of our families are coming to see us perform for the first time (only been a band for five years lol). So it will be pretty special for all of us having the siblings boogying with the rents in the crowd!
Who are some of your favourite NZ artists right now and are there any songs in particular that you especially love?
‘Concubine’ by NO CIGAR, ‘Probably’ by Home Brew, ‘Leopard Print Coat’ by Double Parked, ‘Dive’ by Monk Seals, ‘Bug Eyed’ by this dog and ‘Parasite’ by Tealskie.
What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt so far and what advice do you have for other artists out there?
I’d say each of us have gone through our own journey with this band in different ways, but this album really reminded us why we do what we do. I think a really important lesson for other artists out there is to make sure you’re doing it for you. It’s super important to us that our fanbase enjoys what we play and put out, but if you can’t find value in your own work and appreciate it without worrying about what everyone else thinks of it, feeling satisfied is always going to be a common hurdle. Also, DON’T HAVE A LONG BAND NAME (makes it so much harder for doing merch!!!!)
Lastly, if you could say one thing to every person in the world, what would it be?
Tell your mum ya love her!!!
Thanks so much Lunar Intruder! Make sure to keep up with them on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify or Apple Music.
