Surf Coast musicians release new pandemic-inspired album

ALMOST two years of production between some of the Surf Coast’s best up and coming musicians culminated in an album release and a gig on Elephant’s Walk.

Seven talented artists from the Surf Coast underwent zoom meetings, workshops, studio sessions and collaborations since April last year to produce the album aptly named The Soundtrack to our Isolation.

Mink Mila, Emily Suckling, Finnigan August, Star Mailee, Mary-Lou Hylands, Django Ry and Jasmin Adira partnered with fellow local artist Rach Brennan to produce their own original songs, which featured on the joint album.

“We were all really super excited to release the album because this is something we have been working towards for almost two years,” musician Jasmin Adira said.

“Being able to perform the album presenting all the hard work we have been doing was fantastic.

“It has been super exciting for us to be able to play the songs on this album and try some new stuff out.”

The album’s construction originated from innovative youth development program FReeZA and its Surf Coast committee.

FReeZA provides opportunities for young Victorians aged 12-25 across metropolitan, regional, and rural Victoria to enjoy live band gigs, dance parties and other cultural, recreational, and artistic events that are drug, alcohol and smoke-free in supervised and safe venues.

COVID-19 has had a dramatic effect on musicians and artists of all forms since the pandemic began, but for Ms Adira this joint album has provided an abundance of relief for a budding songwriter like herself.

“A lot of the stuff that we have gone through over the last two years, we’ve needed to be flexible with performing and organising things,” Ms Adira said.

“This album has taught us how to be more flexible and adaptive, but we’ve also been lucky in being exposed to new processes like recording and preparation.

“This experience has been something that we will carry into the next chapter of our careers.”

Ms Brennan mentioned that exposing these young musicians to new processes and different experiences was always going to be the primary benefit of this album, especially as each artist navigates their way out of the pandemic.

“The musicians are already gigging and were already quite established within the region prior to the pandemic, but I think emerging out of this album with a couple new original songs and a bunch of new skills will give them massive amounts of confidence going forward,” Ms Brennan said.

“In addition, the mentors that they have met whether it be myself, Tom Stevenson and Damian O’Brian (lead organisers) or the other musicians, we all now provide another pillar to bounce ideas off.”

If you would like to enquire about the new album, head to www.pipersson.co for more information.