SLUMBERJACK: Sarawak
Perth boys Morgan and Fletcher fit together to make up the duo SLUMBERJACK. Since 2014, they have been delivering EP after EP, constantly giving listeners an innovative and nuanced touch to the heavily EDM saturated world.
Yet again, they use their adroitness and depth expertise as producers to sculpt the ground-breaking ‘Sarawak’ EP. The EP serves as a nod to Morgan’s hometown Sarawak, Borneo and the adventures they thrust themselves into during their lifechanging visit. The trip to Sarawak was indeed fruitful. With added respite and a fresh perspective, their most electric and dangerous EP was inspired.
We chat to Morgan over the phone about the healing properties of Sarawak and the tribulations along the road. We also discuss the EP beyond the journey. Morgan dishes on all things collaborators and the tight synergy that gives SLUMBERJACK the fuel to function.
Despite me having a lost voice, Morgan is enthused and ardent about the conversation that is about to unravel.
Morgan: Is it okay if it’s just me doing the interview today? Because we’re actually in a studio session and Fletcher is running the battle station. I can answer on our behalf.
A1on1: Yeah! Not a problem, that’s ok! You guys are still working in the studio even after having finished this EP? Getting back in there straight away?
Yeah. Just constantly writing new material. When inspiration strikes you just have to strike it or else it’s going to disappear.
Are you still trying to work with the sounds from ‘Sarawak’ and from Borneo and what you collected or was that just a one-chapter thing?
Yeah! No, no. Our approach is constantly evolving and it’s not like a phase and we cancel things out and do things a new way. We kinda just let it evolve in a way. It used to be… Fletcher and I used to work in the studio together, we started ideas together. But, over time we found out that ideas were better born solo. So, we started writing separately and only when we find that the track has potential we start to collaborate together again.
Now, after the whole ‘Sarawak’ experience, we’re kind of looking outside of the box in terms of how to write EDM. When you stop doing random samples and just kind of create it ourselves in the process and get creative with the creation of sound. With the technology being so good and accessible nowadays, you can literally get any sound off the Internet, but that then takes the fun out of it.
When we first started, it was very ‘ok, there’s a sound on the Internet for public access, we’ll just grab it’, but eventually as [you] get better, you start to get more crafty and take more pride in the sounds you select. The fans might not know that, but I personally think it makes the procedure and process feel more authentic.
And do you think it creates more of a sense of accomplishment because it’s sounds you’ve collated yourself?
Yeah! But, there is a limit to it though. People go ‘alright, I’m gonna make my own drum sound.’ Ok cool, but where do you stop though? People make their own drum sound and [decide] ‘I’m not gonna make it with a synthesiser, I’m gonna record it’. Are they going to record a real drum? Are you going to keep pushing it and make a drum to record the drum? I can make the snare skin, and eventually you end up forming a goat because you want the skin. You need to call it, there’s a limit to how original you want to be.
Was understanding your physical spaces and the way they shape sounds you make something you grasped as a duo or separately?
I would say Fletcher in the beginning was a technical person in terms of music production and very sciency and [looked at] the mathematical aspect of music production and that’s where I learned most of my [skills]. I came into the project as more of a big picture music kind of person because I can play multiple instruments. That was the synergy we had. It’s kind of a mix now. We’ve been together for so long that the skill I have now rubs off on Fletcher and vice versa.
Embarking on an intensely spiritual and heavily cultural immersion involves a heightened level of unity and harmony. It required the duo to embrace their similarities and champion their differences.
How did your individual differences help solidify the trust in your relationship? And strengthen the final product?
People who know us know that Fletcher and I are polar opposites. We are literally two very different people, except for the work ethic part. We work very well together, you know, we live together, we do everything together, we tour together. You’d be very surprised that we’re not on each other’s necks. That’s because we have a great work ethic and we understand each other.
I think it wasn’t about bringing people closer, but [about] accepting the differences that we have. Being able to unite with our differences instead of looking at our similarities and the trip highlights that very well. Fletcher can see where I’m coming from and most of the decisions I make in life, even if it’s something as simple as going down to the café or going for a run in the rain.
The way I’m raised, I’m on average more risk and accepting [whilst] Fletcher is a bit more risk averse That means we have a great balance when we work together because sometimes I’m the kind of guy that goes all out and I don’t care whether I die, but Fletcher is most of the time the voice of reason. It’s not saying that I don’t have a voice of reason too; there are times where being risk averse is detrimental. I’ll be like ‘I get why you’re afraid’, but I have experience in doing this.
Their first single and track off the EP ‘Daggers’ has an enormous jungle aesthetic to it and sets up the premise of the EP cohesively. It has heavy arrangements and outward tribal sounding vibe, giving it strong wilderness layers.
Can you talk about why it’s the first glimpse and how you made it so unified with the jungle all the way from from the cover art to the name and sonics?
Yeah! Saying that it was easy is definitely a lie. It took a lot of back and forth with Machine Age, between Fletcher and myself to kind of nail the sound. The original demo we got from Machine Age when he sent it to us was very ‘rocky’. He came from a ‘rock’, ‘electronica indie rock’ background. [We’re] obviously from the electronic background but over the years, we’ve been pretty known to use tribal sounds already. Now, having the concept of ‘Sarawak’, I think people pay more attention to that start.
At the start of ‘Daggers’ we were contemplating using the gongs and the hand drums that we recorded in Malaysia and then sort of tuning it to sound like an Indian tabla. I always felt like a track that has a very ominous feel to it, so I like to start a track serious. I feel like a lot of dance tracks now are fun and sprightly. [There’s] nothing wrong with that, but we wanted to venture into a slightly darker, more mature sonic.
Whilst SLUMBERJACK guide listeners towards a darker, grungier sound, the visit they undertook positioned itself as a more healing and tranquil exploration of the outside world.
Can you talk about that juxtaposition? Is the heaviness a symbol of the gravity of the journey?
I think it’s just over time Fletcher and I have always wanted to make heavier, grungier music, but it’s always a push and pull. When we first started, the reason why we first called ourselves ‘SLUMBERJACK’ was because of the word ‘Slumber’. We wanted to make more chilled music, but over time we gravitated to heavier sounds and we were fighting that for a long time. We were fighting that because there’s a lot of heavy music in the world already. Let’s bring some lightness, especially in the dance music world.
I think the trip and making this EP made us just realise and accept our true nature, and learning how to roll with the flow. It’s not that we’re not writing any more relaxing music. Our single Hide and Seek will be something on the lighter side of things. Over time we just realised ‘let’s just write whatever we feel is good and stop worrying about what people want from us.’ Eventually, as artists start to get traction and attention from the public and press and radio, we sometimes stop thinking about ourselves and why we got into this in the first place. We start to write based on other people’s expectations. I think that’s where musicians start to face writers block and dilemmas, which is not a good feeling.
Morgan and Fletcher recruited the eye of director Marc Ressang to document and capture the experience. From the highs and lows of the journey, the documentary episodes provide a holistic insight into the successes, learning curves and trials the duo experienced.
Is that why you documented the experience? Was it more for yourselves or for a fans perspective?
That was for ourselves really. We decided to do the trip and our managers said, ‘well maybe you should document it and see what comes of it’ and the product was the documentary. It was important that we got a very neutral videographer who isn’t going to make us look different than what we actually are. He was a very good videographer and director and he just captured the moments that made us look most human and most natural. I think that’s really important.
Shots like that sometimes require a lot of set up and some shots were definitely re-enacted, but a lot of the documentary stuff was captured on the spot. You’ll see in episode 4, that was a real one. That wasn’t a perfect shot. We went to a waterfall and failed. We never got to the waterfall; it was torrential raining, there was the danger of snakes and leeches. It’s not perfect but we decided to put it out anyway, it was not a success story. It was more of a failure story.
‘Hide and Seek’ being the next single is a bold choice for the duo; a less EDM oriented track aided by soft vocals provided by Claire Ridgely. The song references love as its central theme, but more of a heartbreak, whereas the pair experienced more of an internal, individual love on this journey.
Can you talk about that premise and the theme of love?
The original demo was sent to us by a very successful writer, Styalz Fuego. His name is Kaelyn Behr. He’s worked with Peking Duk, 360, very successful. He sent us the original demo and we heard it and instantly fell in love. The documentaries didn’t capture that part of the song being made, but since receiving the demo I’ve been back in Sarawak a couple of times and working on the song there. Eventually we got pitched the idea that Claire wanted to do the outline over the instrumental. It was meant to be a dance instrumental. Fletcher and I aren’t very involved in the lyrical aspect of our music. We let the singer and songwriter interpret the song and write the way he or she wants to and then we only come in later on.
With ‘Hide and Seek’ it kind of matched the ‘Sarawak’ EP because, first of all the lyrics make sense. It’s a run of the mill love song, but people can see it differently for themselves. For me, ‘Hide and Seek’ sort of means how ever since I was younger I wanted to escape and run away and hide from the truth of being from Sarawak. Truthfully, no-one will ever understand but being raise there, it’s not necessarily a place conducive for creatives and musicians and I always had a slight resentment.
I was always running away and hiding from the fact that I was there and eventually I moved to Australia and I realised being born and raised there made me the man I am today. It gave me the perseverance that I have. In a way it’s like now I’m going back to reconcile with being ok. I’ve always told myself it was annoying and was like ‘why me? why am I not born in Los Angeles or Paris or somewhere cooler? Why in a village?’
It comes really full circle. The song meaning can be different for everyone, yet your touch is still there!
Yeah! I know! That’s always something I’m fighting with.
Speaking of collaborators and letting them do their thing lyrically, how were collaborations with other producers like in Troyboi on ‘Solid’ and Ekali on ‘Closure’?
With Ekali, he’s a producer’s producer. He knows a lot of tricks and technicalities to make a song sound a certain way. We learnt a lot in that. We started that song ‘Closure’ in Skrillex’s studio. These producers are fast. Troyboi is really fast. We never sent back the project with Troy. Troy worked on the demo, he sent it to us and we completed it. When we sent it back, he was like ‘it’s done.’ We don’t need to do anything to it anymore.’ Troy is also a very fast producer. What we learnt is, that sometimes it’s nice not to overthink a certain thing. Fletcher and I are great overthinkers and we overthink everything. We get swamped by paralysis and through over analysis.
Did they teach you how music can be more raw when you work quickly?
Yeah! We’re trying our best now more to sort of just go with the flow.
Morgan and Fletcher have been heavily involved in planning and constructing their upcoming Australia wide tour.
What layers do you want to add this time around and what can people expect from the atmosphere? How will it enrich them?
The atmosphere is definitely very hands on, that’s all I can say. Fletcher and I are doing everything ourselves. Fletcher is making the visuals and I’m working on the music. We try our best not to rely on the third parties to curate the best experience possible. All I can say is, if you’ve been to the ‘Fracture’ shows, this one is just bigger, bolder, better and more exciting. We’re very excited to have Blanke and Supercruel and those guys who are incredible musicians. It’s just going to be a good night for everybody.
Will it be used as an opportunity to teach people about Sarawak?
Yes! The visuals will represent a lot of the stories we are trying to tell.
‘Sarawak’ sets a new benchmark for the capabilities of SLUMBERJACK. They take DIY production to another realm and their ability to successfully weave in culture, collaborations and fiercely intense beats highlights the true scope of their versatility.
Support SLUMBERJACK on tour near you:
THE SARAWAK TOUR
Friday 8 March – The Gov, Adelaide
Saturday 9 March – Metro City, Perth
Friday 15 March – 170 Russell, Melbourne
Saturday 16 March – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Friday 22 March – The Studio, Auckland
Saturday 23 March – The Tivoli, Brisbane
Tickets: https://www.slumberjackmusic.com/sarawaktour
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