Heart Beach - The promise of ocean-pop

The creators of one of last year's most promising records, Heart Beach hail from the far-flung, solitary shores of Tasmania. Here, amid post-punk echoes and a longing for "something beyond", they've chosen to cross instruments along the route of ocean-pop…

Okay, guys: tell us a bit about yourselves. Tell us how it all began…

Jonathan: I'm a lawyer. Claire is a PhD student and Chris is a public servant. We met at Chris's wedding. But we'd known each other for years.

Claire: That's right, I'm a PhD student at university. Jon bought me a bass for Christmas. It's still the best gift I've ever received, and it replaced the Falcon I was using at the time. Right after that, we started the band.

What convinced you to play together?

J.: We've always played in bands, so Heart Beach is really just a way of carrying on a certain path. No particular reason pushed us to play, in any case. I suppose we kept the band to three people, with no drummer, building everything around the simple interplay of guitar and bass because in Tasmania, to go play in the big cities, you basically have to "fly over the water"… It can be done, but with a bigger lineup it gets expensive.

You've described your music as "ocean-pop". Can you explain exactly what that means?

J.: Ocean Pop is about everyday songs, but with shimmering, feedback-drenched guitars.

What has influenced you the most?

J.: I'd say our biggest influence is the Hobart DIY scene…

So let's talk about this Hobart scene…

J.: I think the Hobart DIY scene is pretty well represented by the compilations released over the past few years by Rough Skies Records and Wrong Place (Right Time) Records. You can listen to them for free on Bandcamp.

C.: There are loads of bands playing in Hobart, and there's no shortage of shows at the Brisbane and the Grand Poobah. There's also a great independent record store, Tommy Gun, and, of course, MONA, the museum of old and new art that makes Hobart such an interesting place right now.

You live in Tasmania, a “solitary” place, far from the chaos of modern life. Has this situation had an impact on the development of your music?

J.: Environment influences all music, I suppose. However, it's hard to say whether Hobart has directly influenced our sound.

Reviewing your album, I wrote that it's an intriguing work blending minimalist pop and post-punk spirit, creating an imaginary landscape where the heart dreams of always being elsewhere (for instance, in “Holiday” you sing: “Wish I was in Bali/ Wish I was in Hawaii”). Do you recognize yourselves in these words?

J.: Definitely!

Where did you record the album?

J.: At Head Gap studio in Melbourne.

C.: We recorded it with Neil Thomason, because we wanted a crisp sound, not a diffuse and murky one.

How did things go during the recording sessions?

J.: The album's recording process went well. We used a traditional method, booking a bit of studio time and giving ourselves a maximum of 5 days to record and mix everything. Head Gap is a great studio, so the experience was more than positive.

C.: We had to record and mix in just a few days, because we had no other choice, but everything worked out fine even so, without problems or arguments between us. Every day, in the studio, Jon would cook us a great lunch, while Chris was the one who drove us to the studio in the car lent to us by an old flatmate of ours.

What are the main themes of your lyrics?

J.: We tend to sing about work, sex and depression. That said, Claire and I write our songs separately.

C.: I find our lyrics are quite simple, but perhaps their value lies precisely in that simplicity. I write about normality, or what's normal for me – working life, going out, travelling, and that feeling you get over the weekend, or when you think deeply about time passing.

What kind of reactions did you get after the album's release?

J.: I'd say the ratings and reviews from the media have been good; at our shows there are usually around 50 people, and it took a year to sell 150 records, so by our standards, all of this isn't bad at all.

C.: The feedback has been wonderful – quiet but steady. We've just sold out of physical copies of the vinyl, and the Australian edition of Rolling Stone picked us as one of ten bands to watch out for... well, that's not bad at all! Not to mention some interview requests that have come in from Europe! At this point, I can't wait to get to work on the next record!

What are your plans for the immediate future?

J.: We'll be putting out a 7" with Rough Skies Records in the coming months, and then we'll tour around Australia a bit. After that, we'll need to get back into the studio to record our second album, about half of which we've already written.

C.: As John said, we'll be touring Australia with this 7" in May, and we're aiming to record a new album right after. Wish us luck!

Let's talk a bit about your musical experiences before Heart Beach.

J.: I played in a band called Paint Your Golden Face, Claire was in Catsuit, and Chris was in All Fires.

C.: Chris is a master. His knowledge of drum machine programming is beyond that of any other musician I know. He also plays 12-string guitar. As for me, I taught myself to play bass before joining Catsuit, a band that started about a year before Heart Beach. That was probably the best thing I've ever done.

What will the new record sound like?

C.: The new record will have a more reflective first half and a rockier second half.

In your opinion, what are the best records to come out of the Tasmanian scene?

J.: The most important records for me are: Treehouse – "Interzone Lp" (2014); Sea Scouts – "Beacon Of Hope" (1998), and The Native Cats – "Dallas" (2013).

C.: My favorite bands from Tasmania are The Native Cats, Treehouse, Bad Luck Charms, All The Weathers, Quivers, and Tantric Sax. A record that's very important to me is "Rant & Drift" (2007) by The Bad Luck Charms.

Which records from 2015 did you like the most?

Kitchens Floor – “Battle Of Brisbane”

Blank Realm – "Illegals in Heaven"

Terrible Truths – "Terrible Truths Lp".

Ok, guys, good luck!

C.: Thanks so much for the interview, Francesco!

(31/01/2016)

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