There’s no doubt SG Lewis is in for a shock when he tours Australia in July.
“I think in my head I thought it was gonna be well hot,” the British dance music maker says with a laugh. Sorry SG, we can’t do much better than old Blighty. But maybe the tunes he brings will warm things up a bit.
He’s only been on the scene for four years and already SG is touring the world appearing in major cities. “It’s really, really surreal,” he says.
“The crazy thing is that since I started, from quite early on, I remember having messages from people online and stuff saying ‘come to Australia’, and yeah I’d love to do it but it never seems realistic. So to actually be coming out there and travel all that way because of music is a real privilege.”
Not just any old music – this opportunity presents itself to SG off the back of only two EPs, 2015’s 'Shivers' and 2016’s 'Yours', and is an impressive achievement. “I think I definitely took my time releasing the music,” he says.
“I’m definitely an advocate for quality over quantity and as a musician, sometimes you might think you need to release as much as you can and be consistent with output, but I’m really humbled that off the back of two EPs I have this opportunity to come out and play for fans there.”
SG’s previous work has set him up for a brand new three-part album – 'Dusk, Dark, Dawn'. It encompasses the whole dance scene nightlife, from leaving the house to stumbling home. “I was setting out to make it an album though I make a lot of different music,” SG says.
“I felt when I started making the album, I was trying to find a purpose, a central theme, and once I had this idea it all made sense.
“Splitting the album into three parts created music for three different parts of a night out and I could take the listener on a journey. In that concept I would also be able to showcase the different styles of music I want to create as a producer, songwriter and musician.”
It’s a genius way to be able to address not only Lewis’ interests but also to get as much fun pumped into one release for the fans. “For me, it’s been incredibly rewarding because I get to cover three different moods completely. It’s been so interesting making the album because I really had to put myself into a particular headspace for each part.
“The funny thing is, for the second part, Dark, I’ve A) had to have been listening to a lot of club music, and B) I’ve also had to put myself in clubs a lot more, which I’ve tried to use as an excuse to [my] manager just to be going out more! I’ve been like, ‘I have to research!’
“I’ve been absorbing as much club music as possible and exploring the different kinds of music you hear at club nights, but also going back to a lot of the music that got me into music production initially.
“The main thing I’m trying to convey,” Lewis continues, “is not for it to be straight up club tunes, it’s more about translating the euphoria that some of that music, I feel, is expressed, those heights of energy, and then translate them through my eyes and how I perceive those moments to put them into the context of the album. It’s about me contextualising the euphoria I’ve experienced through club music.”
SG Lewis Tour Dates
Wed 23 Jul - The Zoo (Brisbane)Thu 26 Jul - Oxford Art Factory (Sydney)
Fri 27 Jul - Howler (Melbourne)
