Apart from his 3-track ‘Tape Beats’, Oscar Key Sung has an EP out on bandcamp – a ‘name your price’ affair which, apart from being as smooth as a teen panther, is tauntingly brief. Finally, this weekend he’s trekking it up from olde Melbourne town for his first-ever Sydney shows where he’ll be bestowing some shiny new tunes upon our deprived ears.

—————————-

Ash :: Mind if I ask – why ‘Key Sung’?

Oscar :: Because I make most of my beats on cassettes I have draws and draws full of loose cassettes. They are pretty hard to keep track of so I have a sticker system. Each cassette has a little code on it, to show what speed it’s at, and I have little symbols to represent different vibes. I also write random phrases or words that seem to me to be related to the beat; Fizz, morning, etc. These phrases are later what jolts my memory when I’m looking for the beat 6 months later. I also write vaguely what the 4 layers are; for example 1 sung, 2 key, 3 drum and 4 sung. Which means track 1 is voice, track 2 is keyboard and so on. I just find it interesting the way people can develop secret languages to accommodate whatever their practice may be, so the name is just referring to the way the music is made I guess… And it’s simple, which my mum always tells me to bear in mind.

A :: What’s your live setup like?

O :: My live set up for Key Sung sets at the moment is 2 delay pedals, a 4-track tape recorder (and tapes), a midi controller and vocals. Super simple! I used to play with a couple of keyboards too, but it got me being too ballady.

A :: What does cassette tape taste like?

O :: Cassette tape tastes a little bit metallic…

A :: You were in at FBi radio in July last year doing your first live performance of ‘It’s Gone’ for New Weird Australia. Such a gorgeous song, but it didn’t make it onto your Tape Voice EP – why? And similarly ‘WIMLTM’ is floating free at the moment – do I sense an album emerging?!

O :: Yes an, album is on the way! WIMLTM was actually going to be on the album but then I decided it didn’t quite work with the rest of the songs, so I just let it go… The song I performed at FBI is on the album I am working on, but I have rearranged and re-recorded it about 7 times now, so it’s quite different to that one-off performance for the New Weird Australia show.

A :: With the upcoming album, what can we anticipate?

O :: In all honesty I’m not entirely sure how it will come across to other people, it’s pretty hybrid I guess… But I have tried really hard so hopefully it sounds ok, ha.

:: SHOWS ::

WHAT :: Fitz Fest #2

WHEN :: Saturday, April 20 from 2pm – 12pm

WHERE :: The Old Fitz Hotel in Wooloomooloo

HOW MUCH :: $15

18+

WHO ELSE :: Mad Nanna, Cliques, Angel Eyes, Day Ravies, Oscar Key Sung, Horse Macgyver, Love Chants, Muura, Black Vanilla, Mob, Snotty Babies, Ghastly Spats, Destiny 3000, Your Intestines, Exotic Dog for a special Pokie Room Stage performance, Jon Wilton and Simon Barker.

—————————

WHAT :: Oscar Key Sung @ Exit Warehouse

WHEN :: Sunday, April 21, 5:30 – 9pm

WHERE :: 72a Shepherd St Marrickville

HOW MUCH ::$5

BYO

All Ages

WHO ELSE :: Cassius Select and Thomas William vs. Scissorlock

Top image by Elliot Lauren