PREMIERE: Elmo Aoyama synthesises possibility & reality on ‘Spells’

June 25th 2020

As bewitching as its title suggests, Elmo Aoyama’s thematically rich synth pop track ‘Spells’ premiered on Mornings with Eddy Diamond.

Elmo Aoyama – aka. synth player, bassist & vocalist in beloved Sydney band Big White – has stepped out on her own. After riding out Big White’s ever-growing success which saw them release an EP, two highly acclaimed albums and tour the UK, US and Europe, she’s found a moment to pause and tell her own story.

Her latest single ‘Spells’ was written back in 2017 against the backdrop of the Blue Mountains bushland she calls home. No phone service, no Wifi and liberal musical inspiration from the likes of The Knife, Yann Tiersen and Miharu Koshi resulted in an EP. The project was initially released as a homemade run of CDs, briefly toured in Japan and eventually abandoned.

Aoyama is now returning to the project for a full release. Fittingly, the lead single ‘Spells’ perfectly captures the themes of loss, change and transition that are evident in her journey to the present day. Lofty lyrics, gentle vocal delivery, a punchy 80s synth and mesmerising accompanying visuals make for a kind of dream sequence-esque cinematic timelessness.

Of the accompanying music video, she says:  

“It was shot the morning I moved out of the house and right before I hopped on a plane to Mongolia. It entertains the notion of other paths and possibilities, the wonder of what would have happened or what could have happened if things had worked out differently. Strangely, not only was the video filmed at a pivotal point in my life, but also many of the objects in the video have been passed on or lost, tying in with the theme of loss within the song.”

Watch the video for ‘Spells’ by Elmo Aoyama below, ahead the release of her debut solo EP of the same name on August 26.

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