Space Invadas
With vocals reminiscent of Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield and arrangements fusing soul, electronic and hip-hop elements, Space Invadas have crafted a unique sound which is at once a nod to the past and a step into the future. With Steve Spacek (of Spacek) on vocals, and Aussie producer Katalyst producing, it's not surprising how things turned out. They'd worked together before, on Katalyst's most recent album, and it was this collaboration that prompted the Space Invadas project. "We'd been planning it for some time," explains a softly spoken Steve Spacek. "It all went smoothly for a few reasons. Obviously we'd worked together before, so we knew we were compatible in that sense. Also we're both musicians with established careers, so it's not like we're messing around in the studio trying to work out what to do." Katalyst (real name Ashley Anderson) agrees. "One of the best things about this project was the jammed-out nature of it. We were always in the studio together, and I really think that contributed to the way the album feels. That and the guests. There wasn't a single performance either of us were disappointed with." Spacek continues this thread, mentioning that "we didn't even plan to have any guests originally. It was just going to be us. As the songs started to come together, though, we started to think about the possibility of features. It just kind of happened, but the songs with guests are definitely some of the strongest on the record. Some of them became singles." Both Anderson and Spacek have worked as songwriters before, as well as simply playing their instruments. This brings up a few interesting questions about how they went about writing songs. On the face of it, it very much seems that Spacek took control of all the vocals and Anderson the music, with little crossover. "We did mostly stick to the separate elements of the songs," Spacek agrees. "But there was also crossover. We weren't afraid to share ideas about each other's parts of the songs, you know - I might suggest a synth riff here or there or Ashley might have an idea for a vocal line. Because we both wanted the sound the same way, we had a certain amount of freedom to do our own thing within the project, if that makes sense." The album, 'Soul:Fi', is suitably named for its fusion of soul melodies and arrangements with futuristic, spacey synths and unashamedly electronic drum programming. While there is a definite electronic side to the music, however, it's a far cry from dance music, which was why it was somewhat surprising to see the duo listed on the Future Music Festival line-up. Traditionally made up of house, techno and electro DJs, this year's line-up is more varied, but there aren't really any other soul-orientated acts on the list. "Yeah, that was a bit weird," Anderson agrees. "I don't think it will matter though. We have a pretty dynamic live show, and it's definitely danceable music, if anything I think it's for the best. Playing a festival like this is great exposure to listeners who might not think they're interested in this kind of music," he continues. "And we actually play with a live band. It's something that helps us stand out amongst all the DJs." One of the best things about the duo is that even though they've already achieved some acclaim for the new project (despite the fact that the album hasn't even dropped yet), they're not resting on their laurels. Both artists are pursuing further solo ventures, and their tour schedule is pretty hectic, too. They've already played a slew of solo shows in other states, and after the Future Music tour they're launching their own national headline tour. Spacek's working on a project called Africa Hi-Tec, which he describes as a "dancehall/ bassline" project, and seems confident that 'Soul: Fi' isn't a one-off from Space Invadas. "I really want to make this a more on-going thing," he claims. Anderson agrees; "yeah, we're definitely thinking about working on some more tracks, and the truth is that there's a ton of B-sides and tracks that didn't make the album which might see the light of day through another means.' Space Invadas are performing at Future Music Festival, taking place in Rundle & Rymill Parks on Monday 8 March. They then return for the Adelaide University O'Ball on Saturday 20 March.  |
Issue 488
Features
