For southern hemisphere folk like myself, winter feels like it’s dragged on forever. So the arrival of Sydney local Love Deluxe‘s sophomore EP ‘Fata Morgana’, (Italian for super mirage) couldn’t have come sooner. Permeated by the serene surrounds of French island Corsica, where the emerging producer built a small DIY studio last year, the release oozes exotic European sunshine in sonic form, merging LD’s love for nostalgic nuance with jazz and electronica.
Between a homage to summer staple beverage, “Campari & Coke”, and a song dedicated to this one time LD met Keanu Reeves at a condo party in LA, “Cool Breeze Over The Mountains”, the project is as festive as the Sunday sessions you’ll be spinning it at. We chatted to Love Deluxe about the records that have spiked his eclectic tastes.
New Order — ‘Substance’ (1987)
New Order are a big influence on my music making. I really respect how they reinvented themselves from Joy Division to become this hugely successful and influential dance/pop group. I think was the first album of theirs that I heard, and I know it’s a compilation, but hey, it’s got heaps of songs that were released as singles. Classic!
Animal Collective — ‘Merriweather Post Pavilion’ (2009)
There’s a lot of nostalgia for me with this record as it came out when I was graduating high school. However, it’s an important one because it helped me get into electronic music. I appreciate the pop elements hidden within the weirdness and repetition.
Steely Dan — ‘Aja’ (1997)
Absolute classic record. Every track is a winner and my personal favourite changes every few months or so. Currently it’s “Deacon Blues”.
Tatsuro Yamashita — Space (1977)
Released the same year but coming from the other side of the world. To me, this is a classic. It’s got some absolute jams, especially “Dancer” and “Love Space”. The production is really warm and clear and has some great musicianship from Japanese session musicians those familiar with City Pop/J-Pop will recognise.
Felt — ‘Ballad of the Band’ (1986)
There’s something very wonderfully melancholic about this record. I love how it has two very different sides, indie rock on the A-side and instrumental slow piano tunes on the B-side. “Candles in a Church” is the winner for me, just beautiful.
Listen to Love Deluxe’s new EP ‘Fata Morgana’ here: