We connected with the Yugambeh & Kombumerri country / Gold Coast band to sneak behind the creative struggle behind their new sound, music videos, and history-making recording inside Abbey Road Studio.
There is a clear contrast driving their recent single, "Desire."It’s a track that features duelling synths and guitars, sounding like two instruments fighting for attention in a crowded room. It turns out that wasn't exactly the plan laughs proud Jabirr Jabirr man and lead singer Loki Liddle.
"No, Desire had a mind of its own, it really fell out of us quite spontaneously like a wild fire horse speeding off into the distance. But maybe a guitarist (Reece) and Keyboardist (Liam) were fighting for attention…who knows."
This shift into heavier territory is clear across tracks like lead single "Creature of the Night," where Selve leans into a heavier sound that marks a change from their earlier work. But according to the band, this darker direction wasn't sudden or unexpected.
"Well, the songs from the EP were written at the same time as the songs from our album ‘Breaking Into Heaven.’ With the songs on the new EP, it's more like we were always aware they were telling a different story, or had a different feeling, and so deserved their own release rather than being squeezed onto the album. There is certainly I think a darker mood to some of these tracks, but I think thats just because they are driving home a message."
There is a connection between these two records. Where Breaking Into Heaven Album felt optimistic and ambitious, the newly released Breaking Outta Heaven EP is the realisation of what life can be.
"They are entirely connected," the band explains. "Breaking Outta Heaven is like an expansion pack or epilogue to Breaking Into Heaven. To anyone who has listened to the album, the connections to the EP in terms of the lyrics + themes will be clear as day. But I guess this EP forms a kind of cautionary tale about what happens after you get what you want. You might strive your whole life to reach the house on the hill only to release it’s a prison you need to break out of kinda thing."
Recording at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, Selve made their mark as the first Aboriginal band to record in one of the world's most legendary studios.
"For me the most poignant memory is filming and live recording our song ‘Forever’ right there in Studio 3," they share. "Forever was the song I wrote while in Broome spending time on Jabirr Jabirr Country and with my Elders and community, searching for the ember that would be at the heart of the album. To me it is the most important song of the record. It carries so much of my story, so much of what motivates me to make music, and by taking this song all the way from Broome to Abbey Road and recording it there, with the Aboriginal Flag hung up in the vocal booth…I dunno it was a goosebumps thing. In that moment I knew my ancestors were with me and that I was there because I was supposed to be there. It was really special."
Selve hasn't lost the DIY determination that got them to where they are today. The music video for "Desire" features a continuous one-take shot that looks incredibly complex and expensive.
"Well, what made us go for a one shot in Desire is the fact that we had literally zero dollars. It was a stroke of genius from our director Josh Tate who had the vision of shooting the band on a roundabout and using an actual car like a circular dolly. It was in a public soccer field, so we literally got only ONE take before the lights shut off on us at 10pm."
A major ingredient in balancing Selve's raw energy and indie pop sound is the band's bassist and producer Scott French.
"Scotty has had a huge impact on how we write and record as a band," they say of the collaboration. "We now tend to record while we are writing, rather than writing to a polished point and then recording. He has a genius for making the writing/recording process really indistinguishable from each other. Which just helps make us all comfortable, get out of our heads and create seamlessly. It’s also so awesome to have a band member as your producer. Because it means they know and understand the songs so intimately and have the deepest insight into how to bring out their potential."
The band's chemistry has prepared them well for touring. The band has been on the road non-stop, playing festivals and performing on international stages.
"Well, we’ve just returned from our 17-show tour across the EU/UK. It was truly a whirlwind! Our biggest tour yet. But it was so so so fun and so rewarding. We saw new places, made new friends, new fans and were so surprised to find full rooms in towns we’d never even heard of before. The surprises are too many to mention!"
Selve isn't slowing down yet. For the rest of the year, the band is back home and looking forward to reconnecting with local fans across Australia.
"We are hitting the road for our Australian tour over July/August up and down the East Coast! You can follow us and check out our instagram to stay across the dates. We also have a whole run of festival slots coming up that you can find there as well!"
Stream the the brand new EP "Breaking Outta Heaven" now.
Keep an ear out for tracks from the EP on Local Sounds Radio.
SoundVerge Editorial
Independent music journalism
