We are overjoyed here at the wintry antipodean outpost of Backseat Mafia to exclusively bring you another slice of Antarctic shoegaze in the form of the new single ‘Apraxia’ from the rising shoegaze/dream pop exponents Dvrkworld. Hot on the heels of ‘Bonnie’ (reviewed by me here), ‘Apraxia’ snuggles up to you like a Tasmanian tuxedo with its warm layers of slightly warped guitars, enveloping and immersive. It’s like a sonic version of the Danish concept of hygge but transported by the distant glacial vocals to another dimension.

Indeed the vocals are hypnotic – coasting every so slightly under the mix, an epic melody that creates an endless horizon above the shimmering guitars and driving insistent beats. Dvrkworld are proving to be something quite special wielding their surgeon-precise scalpel to cut out momentous riffs and mountainous sounds: there are no doubt genetic traces of giants like My Bloody Valentine, Lush and Slowdive in the entrails, but the reconstructed body and soul is purely of their own making.

And the lyrics add a poetic and ethereal grace. Apraxia is a neurological disorder that can manifest itself in an inability to speak – a fitting palimpsest for internal struggle:

Apraxia
Moving too far from how it’s meant to be
If I could have my own words
A mouth that’s wholly moulded by belief
Would you follow me?

The band says of the track:

The song ‘Apraxia’ delves into the complexities of self-expression and the emotional aftermath of trauma. Through evocative lyrics, it explores the struggle to communicate authentically in the face of inner turmoil and neurological barriers. Themes of acute resentment and the haunting effects of past experiences are highlighted, depicting a journey of detachment and longing for inner peace. Ultimately, ‘Apraxia’ is a narrative of resilience and the quest for healing, inviting listeners to embrace their vulnerabilities and find solace in stillness and self-acceptance.

The end result is quite magnificent and enigmatic – lyrics, vocals and instrumentation combining powerfully to create something statuesque and powerful.

The track comes with a psych-infused video, filmed and edited by Jeremy Urbaniak, following a mysterious hood character through urban landscapes, expansive star-studded skies and wild greenery:

‘Apraxia’ is out tomorrow (14 August 2024) and will available though all the usual download and streaming sites – check out this link. The single was recorded in the idyllic setting of Lilydale, Tasmania, by band members Mary, Drew, and Shawn, with mixing by Hobart’s Spiro Noutsatos of Silver Fleet Ships. Renowned Mikey Young, known for his involvement with Eddy Current Suppression Ring and Total Control, mastered the track.

Fronted by Mary Shannon of Meres (a band we have enthusiastically covered before), Dvrkworld deliver an icy, glacial form of shoegaze that seems intrinsically linked to the wild terrain and the weather in the southern isle at the very edge of the world. Current members are in South America at the moment but the band will be back for live performances and a much anticipated new EP in 2025. The band consists of Mary Shannon (Meres) on vocals, Drew Farrant-Jayet on guitar, Shawn Arnold (Teens) on drums, and Ryan Unger (Murray Darling) on guitar. What sonic treasures there are to be found in the southern edges of Australia.

Feature Photograph: Alex Pugh

Related

We are honoured to premiere today the new single ‘Irene and I’ from Peabody alumni Tristan Courtney-Prior. The single comes off Courtney-Pror’s forthcoming solo album ‘Replication’ due out on 13 September 2024.

‘Irene and I’ is a fast paced ride that goes for the jugular with a hint of wild feedback in the ether and slamming, driving percussion which drives the flow like a pulse. It has the raw urgency of fellow antipodeans The Triffids with a dash of Hoodoo Gurus and The Scientists – a paisley-tinged grunge with indelible melodies and a thousand-yard stare. Courtney-Prior describes the track as:

…what would happen if the characters from Bob Dylan’s ‘Tangled Up In Blue’ grew up in the Blue Mountains.

It’s visceral and vibrant, a runaway billy-cart on a downhill slope without brakes:

‘Irene and I’ is out tomorrow on 13 August and available to download and stream via the link above and through all the usual sites.

The single comes off Courtney-Prior’s forthcoming album ‘Replication’,  of which some songs written in a batch a number of years ago, others were written while briefly living in Athens, Greece, with some new compositions also on the album. We premiered the video for the first single ‘Elevator’ off the album back in December 2022.

Courtney-Prior says:

Like many creative pursuits, the songs are trawling the endless question, “what am I/we doing here?”. Some songs zoom in on one or two people, and others are more macro-level interrogations. The common theme across these songs is a sense of repetitive behaviours and decision-making, whether collectively or individually. I guess you could say it’s a structuralist record.

The birth of the album came from exigent circumstances and experimentation:

The idea behind doing something solo was to try something more experimental – I was going for ‘experimental post-punk’ or ‘yobbo art-rock’. After losing my job during lockdown, I found myself with a little more time on my hands so I decided to embrace the unknown and explored recording a project in my home studio, experimenting with recording techniques, effects, instruments I never touch in bands, etc. I’ve always recorded demos both solo and for bands during pre-production, but this was the first time I deliberately set out to record a release. As a result, I’ve largely recorded and played most things on the album.

It’s great to see another fine example of the Marrickville Sound at play.

Courtney-Prior played guitar for the last three Peabody albums – a seminal nineties indie outfit from Sydney that had as members Buddy Glass and connections with Bluebottle Kiss.

Related