A blend of atmospheric alternative rock and melody-rich psych grooves, WA band South Summit's latest release is 'River Days' – a hypnotic indie odyssey that highlights a burgeoning band brimming with promise.
Produced by Dave Parkin (Spacey Jane, Tired Lion) and mixed by William Bowden (Ball Park Music, Carla Geneve), 'River Days' is both a catchy slice of indie rock that also tugs at the heartstrings. . . once that groove kicks in, you'll be doing you best Jack Dawson, arms outstretched impression."When we first wrote it, we knew it had potential and did not want to rush the writing process," the band says of 'River Days'.
"We didn't plan on recording 'River Days' this early as we didn't think it was ready, but we took a leap of faith.
"After weeks in the studio we came out with a song that was completely different to what we came in with, which retained the elements of the original demo, but truly captured the meaning behind the words."
Adds frontman Zaya: "'River Days' is a story about the abuse of alcohol and how it can change the people closest to you.
"It is drawn from many personal experiences and deep emotions. The song is an attempt to show the very personal journey I have taken.
"'Save me from the river', is a cry for help. Help to be spared from seeing those closest to me change for the worse, help to save them from alcohol and help to stop me from treading the same path."
School friends Zaya, Nathan, Fynn, Nemo and Josh are quickly building a solid local following, selling out their February headline gig at Rosemount Hotel. While their debut EP 'Merlin's' has been streamed more than 100k times.
Here, the lads share five artists that have inspired their own music.
The Police
Nathan Osborne (drummer): The Police personally are one of my biggest influences as a drummer.Stewart Copeland's whole philosophy definitely influenced me into how I see my role in the band, and just realising I'm not limited to anything when playing drums.
His beats are so unique and it's definitely inspired me to be more creative and experimental when behind the kit.
Bob Marley
Isaiah Reuben (vocals): Bob Marley is arguably the king of reggae whose message reached the whole world.Our music is heavily inspired by him and we want our message to be as important and as clear as our melodies. He deals with serious issues, but his music can be listened to anywhere at any time. His music is soul touching and universal.
We have a few reggae tunes we have been cooking up and can't wait to share.
Kings Of Leon
Nehemiah Rueben aka Nemo (vocals & rhythm guitar): The first time I heard about Kings Of Leon was through their album 'Only By The Night' produced in 2008.One thing that made me like these guys was the chord progressions they consistently come up with; the band is well-put together in terms of dynamics, and they know how to make hit songs.
They remind me of us; they like big endings (solos) and so do we. A lot of us boys love Kings of Leon and I think they play a huge part in how we create music.
I've never seen them play live and hopefully one day I will. I've seen many YouTube videos of their live gigs and it's like they create anthems where the song is for everyone to sing. I find that really motivating, and the amount of emotion the singer puts into his live gigs is truly awesome.
They know how to put on a show, and I'd love to watch them live one day, or even play in their line-up at future gigs.
Pink Floyd
Fynn Samorali (lead guitar): Pink Floyd is one of the more influential bands for us that I tend to take my inspiration from, especially when it comes to David Gilmore's lead lines. He has a way with the guitar like no other and is a big part of the makeup of my playing.Their music is always on wherever we go; we like to think we're taking it in and hopefully it makes us more experimental with our music writing.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Josh Trindall (bass): I grew up listening to the Chili Peppers as a young fella in the car. Their music has always been upbeat and catchy, which I think is a must when playing in a live band.The way they work together and play onstage is one of my favourite things. Seeing their energy onstage inspires me to play a lot. Flea has had a big impact on me as a bass player and I want to learn as much as I can from him.
South Summit support the following bands: Dear Friend at YMCA HQ (Perth) 12 November; King Blue at Rosemount Hotel (Perth) 13 November; Late 90s at Amplifier Bar (Perth) 19 November; Dulcie at Four5Nine (Perth) 28 November; Young Robin at Jack Rabbit Slim's (Perth) 3 December. South Summit headline Sunday Music at Fremantle Arts Centre 12 December.
