The Presets

With their last Australian release 'Beams' having been brought out in 2005, The Presets have been quiet on a local scale in 2006. The duo, made up of Julian Hamilton (vocals, keyboards) and Kim Moyes (drums, keyboards), have been keeping very busy overseas, thriving in the United States and Europe and with Moyes also having released his own solo project in Japan. After accompanying The Rapture throughout their busy touring schedule late in '06, the duo formed a close bond with the successful New York-based group, but there is no doubt that Hamilton and Moyes are pleased to be back home and playing to a local crowd.

"It was good fun, really good fun. They're really lovely guys and we had a ball with them. We did the UK tour with them and also the US tour. And, yeah, they were really great guys and a good band who played good music. We just had a ball...It's nice to be playing in Australia because the crowds are a bit bigger and they know us a bit more here, but the US was awesome, really fun for us and we were really happy with the way we were received over there. I mean, we got some really good crowds in the larger cities like Los Angeles and New York and Vancouver and Chicago. Yeah, we were stoked how well it went and we're looking forward to getting back over there in March."

Playing at the Big Day Out and other large festivals has been no foreign experience for The Presets in the past and, having been booked for the Big Day Out this year, I question Hamilton on what separates a festival from gigs of a much smaller scale.

"They are always a lot bigger which means that the crowds are always going to be huge. You can't fit 10,000 people in a pub. There's always a lot more of a party...Oh, no, that's not true, I was going to say more of a festival vibe but, of course, it is. But it's just a good day and you get to check out other bands. I think you can have a little bit more control over your live shows, your own shows; they can be a bit more intimate and a bit more 'Presetty'. But we love them both."

With 2006 filled with touring, Australian supporters of the group have been waiting a while for the next release, after a warm response to 'Beams'. The group has been busy releasing and promoting albums in the UK and Japan but one might wonder if any material has been floating around which may be eligible for their next project in Australia.

"No, not a scrap. We've been on the road so much; we've just come off a four-month sort of overseas tour. We find it very difficult to write on the road, there's just not much out there to inspire you. It's just highways and airports and stuff, so we're looking forward to getting back into the studio now and getting stuck into it...The album came out in Australia quite a while ago. Just over a year ago now. It's just been released a few months ago in Europe and a little bit before that in the States. But it's been good. I couldn't tell you how many we've sold." Hamilton laughs. "But everyone's been saying the right thing on MySpace and at our shows and all the rest of it."

Through all of the experiences that the duo has faced over the past few years as musicians, it's only natural for their sound and way of thinking to change or evolve. With a second LP on the horizon, who knows what's next in store for The Presets. Even Hamilton doesn't seem too sure.

"We've only released two EPs and one album, so it hasn't had much of a chance to change that much but I guess when you compare our first songs and our demos to our latest album, it's similar but it's also quite different to the earlier stuff we did. I guess every day we write we're working out more and more what we sound like because sometimes it's hard for us to get a handle on it. We just turn our machines on and start playing and we don't really set out to sound like anything but every day we discover something new about our music."

The Presets play at the Big Day Out on Fri 2 February