Perth’s Rabbit Island (a.k.a. Amber Fresh) is releasing her new album, Deep in The Big on 17 August. Ahead of that release, Rabbit Island will be appearing at five live shows in Melbourne over the next few weeks.
Rabbit Island intend to take listeners somewhere beautiful and new with Deep in The Big. It’s the culmination of the music Amber Fresh is known for in Perth. Amber’s approach is variously described as “experimental / bedroom pop / dream pop / psych-folk / ambient / alternative / lo-fi / indie”. Imagine psych-pop without the drums, or Arthur Russell without the cello (actually there is some cello). The album recalls Beach House, Cat Power, Julianna Barwick, Grouper, but Rabbit Island shoots for her own sound. Deep in The Big is lush, ambient and deep.
Aden Senycia recorded Deep in The Big and mixed it with Amber who played piano, organ, guitar and many effects. Her friend, band mate and collaborator Nicholas Allbrook played guitar and sang, and a few other friends dipped a sound, a conversation, and a cello (Tristan Parr, Benjamin Witt, Peter Bibby) in too.
The record was recorded in Melbourne and Ocean Beach (Wurundjeri and Whadjuk land) in 2015 at Soundpark Studio; and by the sea at producer Aden Senycia’s Soft Machine studio. The songs were written mainly on Nyoongar land. Mastering was done at Poons Head with Rob Grant (Tame Impala).
Deep in The Big will be released on 17 August 2018 via Bedroom Suck / Remote Control.
Rabbit Island’s upcoming Melbourne shows are:
Friday, 29 June
The Tote, Melbourne
w/ Jaala (album launch), Palm Springs, Cyanide
Saturday, 30 June
Brunswick Music Studio, Melbourne
w/ Maxine Funke (NZ), The Finks, Snake & Friends
Monday, 2 July
Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
w/ Mio, Lyndon Blue & Ostraaly
Tuesday, 3 July
Munsterhaus, Melbourne
w/ Stefan Blair (Good Morning)
Wednesday, 4 July
Bedroom Suck Changes Showcase, The Gasometer
w/ Good Morning, Jaala (solo) & Lehmann B. Smith
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David Edwards is the editor of The Blurb and a contributor on film and television