Normally, when discussing the key influences and inspiration behind a new album, artists will rattle off a list of fellow artists or major life events or even some other form of media.
Not quite so for New York-based multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Adrian Galvin, who makes music under the moniker of Yoke Lore. "Have you ever heard of the I-Ching?" he queries over Zoom."It's basically like this Taoist oracle – kind of like tarot cards or rune-stones or tea leaves or something like that.
"It maps out 64 different transitions, and you're always going through one of them because life is this constant state of flux. You ask the oracle questions, roll these coins and divide a hexagram that corresponds to a specific transition."
Galvin turned to the I-Ching, also known as The Book of Change, when he got back together with an ex after what he described as "a particularly bad break-up".
He asked if he was making the right decision, and the book did not respond kindly. "It was literally like, 'you have offended nature'," he laughs incredulously.
"'Whatever you're doing, it's against the gods. Stop what you're doing and turn around!'"
The book's unique teachings, along with how it certainly wasn't shy of mincing its words, came to serve as a key muse for Yoke's debut album 'Toward A Never Ending New Beginning'.
A blend of richly-textured pop and heartstring-tugging indie folk, Galvin runs a considerable gamut when it comes to the overall sonics of this ambitious LP.
He views the album as his "own little choose-your-own-adventure novel," with hopes that his own stories will find correspondence with his listeners' own lives.
"I want this music to be of practical use to people," Galvin muses. "I don't want to make music just because it sounds pretty. I want to make something that people can use to their advantage, if that makes sense.
"It was a real challenge for me to find ways to say something of note, in a way that people can really understand and really connect to.
"If I've made an album that allows people to work towards finding their own way, and makes their own lives easier in the process with newfound insight, then I'll feel like all the work that I've put in was worth it. I want people to remember themselves when they hear it."
Reflecting on methods of songwriting, Galvin observes that songs have come to him one of two ways: There are songs you "dig out of the ground," and have to really work in order to uncover, and songs that just "arrive on your doorstep" in a fully-formed manner.
He notes that while a lot of his previous music had come in the latter, the lion's share of 'Toward A Never Ending New Beginning' was a result of the former.
"This is definitely an album with a lot more grit on it than anything I've done previously," he says.
"So much of creativity is about commitment, and about the elbow grease that comes with that. A lot of people think it's just someone sitting around and thinking up sh.t, but to me? Creativity is getting into the weeds and really challenging yourself.
"You have to be really persistent, especially when you're delving into yourself on a daily basis through songwriting. I've really had to work for that, and I feel like this album says something pretty real and has helped me a lot with trying to be more honest with myself."
Following the release of 'Toward A Never Ending New Beginning' in late September, Galvin will bring Yoke Lore to Australia a matter of weeks later in early October.
It's his first time in Australia, but not his first time crossing paths with Australians. "When the tour was booked, I was like, 'I don't know any Australians', but I do actually know one," he says.
"Do you know Darren Hayes?" Oh, the guy responsible for some of our biggest pop hits ever? Rings a bell. "I covered [Savage Garden's] 'Truly Madly Deeply' a few years ago, and he was so lovely about it! He comes to my shows whenever he's in town, so I'm really appreciative of that."
'Toward A Never Ending New Beginning' is released 22 September, 2023.
Yoke Lore 2023 Tour Dates
Wed 4 Oct - The Brightside (Brisbane)Thu 5 Oct - The Great Club (Sydney)
Fri 6 Oct - The Lansdowne (Sydney)
Sat 7 Oct - Gasometer Hotel (Melbourne)
Sun 8 Oct - Shotkickers (Melbourne)
