Perth, Australian musician Ben McDonald, a current member of POND‘s side-project Shiny Joe Ryan, has started a new lo-fi psych rock solo project with the moniker Human Buoy.
His debut album, Animation Station, will drop sometime in the next couple of months. And he proves just why he belongs in the Tame Impala extended family on his new release.
On Human Buoy’s first dazzling single, “Oxygen,” the West Coast psych pop artist creates a transfixing blend of driving beats and hazy waves of sizzling synths that complement his remarkable vocal work.
“I thought of [“Oxygen”] walking up my street to buy avocados on a really hot day, so I tried to make it sound like a polaroid of suburban palm trees in a heat-mirage,” McDonald says.
“I recorded it…and then forgot about it for a while. When I decided I was going to actually finish it, I went to a studio and got a friend to re-record drums…I’d also ask various characters who’d pop around to lay down some of their musical juju because I find it freakin’ fascinating to see what happens. It’s a silly song but it was fun to make.”
McDonald gets some major indie artists to help him out: Ariel Rosenberg, aka Ariel Pink, plays ‘mouth drums,’ Shiny Joe Ryan (POND) lends backing vocals while Malcolm Clark from The Sleepy Jackson plays the drums. Throughout the entire Tame Impala extended family of musicians (kind of like Broken Social Scene – it’s hard to keep track), there is a lot of collaboration and loyalty.
McDonald has been in a number of bands, primarily as a bassist, that include POND, Peter Bibby, Grace Woodroofe (R.W. Grace), and Sonpsilo Circus, opening for artists like Unknown Mortal Orchestra, San Cisco, Wavves, and Matt Corby. His major influences include David Bowie (RIP), The Beatles, MGMT, Ariel Pink, and Pink Floyd.
Although he played and recorded almost every instrument himself for the album, including vocals, bass, guitar and keys, McDonald got some help from guitarist and keyboardist Ben Smith and drummer Malcolm Clark. Multi-instrumentalist Steve Macchiaverna and Ali Flintoff are also contributors for live shows and some sessions.
Oxygen
Tomás Doncker‘s “The Mess We Made” music video, with its stunning imagery and achingly painful theme, is antidote to hate, and an ode to love and forgiveness. The video tells an epic tale about the doubly-tragic circumstance of The Charleston Massacre, where gun violence and hatred intersected at the crossroads of evil bigotry-charged, and senseless murder of church goers.
Stream the album below via Soundcloud, and view the album trailer, edited by Dan Truitt.
Dogs in the Fight from We Want Peace…But Are Ready for War
Boise punk band Dogs in the Fight might be a new name but these are some old Dogs of the punk underground scene.
The band’s new album, We Want Peace…But Are Ready for War, set to drop on Jan. 31st, is a raucous, energetic, guitar ravaging marathon of indie punk madness, with songs like “No Apologies” and “Hold Fast,” standing out among the lot.
Started in 2015 by lead vocalist and bassist Jimmy Turner (formerly of Aces & Eights; Ripchain; Rum Rebellion), Dogs in the Fight also features drummer Josh Hakenholtz, veteran guitarist Clark Chaos (The Braindead) and Coby Hughes, and Wayne Williams on vocals – all former members of The Bloody Nampons, a Boise street punk band.
The band has opened for bands like Potbelly, Millhous, Delta Bombers,Toxic Holocaust, Lord Dying, and count among their biggest influences bands like Noi!se, The Bruisers, Street Dogs, Agnostic Front, Main Street Saints, and Oxymoron.
No Apologies – Dogs in the Fight from We Want Peace…But Are Ready for War
Hold Fast – Dogs in the Fight from We Want Peace…But Are Ready for War
Watch “Home To War” on YouTube