A project that first began to push away the boredom associated with lockdowns when the pandemic first arrived, long-time session musicians, cellist Anita Quayle (Eddie Perfect, Melbourne Amplified Strings, Women Of Soul Collective) and bassist-guitarist Nick Delaney (Twelve Tone Diamonds, ToeHider, LABJACD) are Beyond The Lake.
With a focus on neo classical and ambient styles, the pair aim to 'create ethereal, dreamlike soundscapes to soothe the soul'.After releasing their debut album 'Coming Home' last year, Beyond The Lake received funding from Creative Victoria to pursue their sophomore record.
Anita and Nick have expanded their creative partnerships, collaborating with nine musicians to bring to life the six-track record 'Transience' – an album they say is 'a reminder to cherish the beauty and impermanence of life'.
"We've done things rather differently this time around and have teamed up with nine of Australia's most creatively diverse and musical minds," shares Beyond The Lake, "including globally renowned drummer/ percussionist David Jones, Punjabi vocalist Parvyn Kaur Singh, and members of Hiatus Kaiyote.
"Supported by Creative Victoria, this album is a testament to the power of collaboration and improvisation and the beauty that resides there.
"Our aim for this album was to create something that would not only transport our listeners to a place of peace and tranquility, it was also a chance for us to collaborate this time around with others, and do so differently.
"When nine musicians from vastly different backgrounds choose to surrender to the transitory powers of improvisation, the pure joy that can be found there in any given moment, is the stuff of magic."
Who is Beyond the Lake... Beyond the Lake are cellist Anita Quayle and guitarist/ bass player Nick Delaney. We've led a very productive life as session musicians here in Melbourne for at least the last 15 years. . . until that time the entire world went through a pandemic.
So what happens when you're locked in a house together for months upon months on end? You start a band!
During what was a time of great unrest, we started live-streaming these little music events from our home studio a couple of times a week, where people could drop in and tune out with us in an effort to keep the anxiety levels at a minimum.
We performed over 50 of these events, and have since released 3 albums, with our fourth album being released today, 7 July.
We sound like... Imagine if music was a living person, and the soundtrack to the 1982 version of 'Blade Runner' had a one-night stand with Max Richter, then we might be getting close to what we sound like.
Our first gig was... Streamed online from our home studio during the numerous lockdowns in Melbourne in 2020. But our first gig in front of a real live audience was at Jazz Lab in Brunswick last year, to celebrate the release of the single 'Towards Hope' from our debut studio produced album, called 'Coming Home'.
When did you settle on the group's name, and was it a unanimous decision... In our courting days (do people still say that?), Anita and I would walk around Edwardes Lake in Reservoir most mornings.
It was an incredibly tranquil way to begin our day, and so when that dreaded time came to decide on a band name, it was actually a no brainer decision.
What's the elevator pitch to describe your new album 'Transience'? What happens when nine of Australia's most creatively diverse musicians get together without a plan, and instead choose to surrender to the transitory powers of improvisation? The joy to be found there in any given moment, is the stuff of magic!
How did the nine collaborators shape the overall tone, ambience of the record? Not only are each of the nine collaborators on this album incredibly prolific improvisers, they also come from such creatively diverse backgrounds.
And having spent the majority of their professional working lives crafting a unique pocket for themselves in this musical landscape, assured us that each track on the album would be a unique sonic world unto itself.
The support of Creative Victoria to assist this project; how vital was that to realising the potential of what you wanted to record/ achieve? Having support from Creative Victoria was a game changer!
The ability to be able to shut off that constant, high pitched, incessant, nagging little voice that's always lecturing you about paying the rent first over pursuing your creative dreams (arghhh I hate that voice!), meant that our minds were completely clear to just focus on the artistic and creative intentions for this album, while most importantly, affording all of us the ability to take a huge creative leap of faith.
In the studio we usually... Create ambient, neo classical crossover music together. We usually begin with either a chord progression or a melody that resonates and then the fun starts. . . fleshing it all out with layers, harmonies and textural goodness.
If we could tour with anyone... It would be Brian Eno, the father of ambient music.
Social media is... A blessing and a curse.
Our favourite app at the moment is... We've both been using the Elevate app every morning. It's a great brain training app that improves reading, writing, maths and memory, and are essential things that need exercising the older we get.
To date our most embarrassing moment was the time... Ha! Well Anita's had a few. . . 'this one time' she was asked to feature as the opening act for the Women In Music And Television Awards, hosted here in Melbourne.
The brief was for her to play 'starkers'. It was mostly dark though, and images were being projected onto her back, so nobody knew it was her. But when the lights came on, and her robe got caught on the chair leg, then everyone definitely knew it was her!
Nick's embarrassing story is he got caught up the back of the room taking photos of her 'unique performance'.
If you'll have us on your bill, all we ask is that our rider contains... We're anything but snobs. I mean look, a jumbo packet of Doritos and a cheeky bottle of red wine will ensure that at least Anita turns up on time for the show.
The most scary scenario we've found ourselves in, was... Playing in front of a live audience again, post lockdown, and being reminded to wear pants.
What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band... Tilda Swinton. That voice of hers would sell ice to the Inuits.
If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose and why? Kyoto in Japan. For its astonishing history, scenery and food – the ultimate combination for 'inspiration on tap' and for all future albums to then write themselves.
Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party... Sam Harris, because I want to see if he can really continue to meditate while I tap him on the back of the head with a wooden spoon.
Ricky Gervais, because I've got this great idea for a script I want to pitch. Jane Goodall, because people in their senior years don't eat very much and are home in bed by 7pm, but also because they are deadset legends and our favourite kind of humans.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? If Anita's cooking, a spectacular bolognaise. If Nick's cooking, some kind of super fancy-pants omelette.
When it comes to pets are you a lover or hater of our furry friends? We're both huge lovers of dogs. We have a gorgeous groodle named Sophie.
No matter the expense, send me a case of... A case of your finest groodle puppies please!
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... We go for long, early morning walks with Sophie, followed by yoga and exercise at home every day. So I guess, this morning?!
What's the one chore you dislike the most? If we had kids, I can only assume it would be changing dirty nappies. . . yuck! But pulling Anita's long strands of dead hair out of the sink hole in the shower is right up there.
Do you have any phobias... Anita is terrified of snakes, does that really need an explanation? Nick has a fear of other peoples' phobias.
Would you ever partake in a reality show? Nope, definitely not, not a chance. Although. . . if you could turn the Jim Carrey movie 'Liar Liar' into a reality show, that would be pretty hilarious. We would definitely get involved in that.
If you could prank any of your friends, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down? We're too busy pranking each other to find the energy to prank others. If one new grey hair appears on the other person's head as a result of shocking the living daylights out of one another at least once a day, then we've fulfilled our jobs as partners/ spouses.
Best local takeaway joint for a midnight feed that will leave you with a food coma? Our favourite place for a well deserved food coma is Bam Bams fried chicken and burger joint in Reservoir. Vegetarians and vegans need not despair, there's plenty of good stuff on the menu for you too.
Which fictional character best describes your personality? We're definitely like Roald Dahl's 'The Twits', but only for the fact that we're always playing practical (and sometimes inappropriate) jokes on one another; and not for the fact that they (The Twits) own and mistreat a family of circus monkeys.
Last show you binge-watched? The Australian comedy 'Utopia', a Working Dog Production starring Rob Sitch, Celia Pacquola and Kitty Flanagan. It's brilliant! You know that all encompassing feeling of the sound of nails down a blackboard, and then you realise you're actually watching art imitating life?!
