What I’ve Been Listening To: Big Vacation

Big Vacation is a fan of Sampa the Great, Golden Vessel, and FRIDAY*, and he would really like to feature on just one of The Beatles’ songs!

Have a listen to his debut before getting to know more about Big Vacation.

Who is Big Vacation and how did the namesake come about?

Big Vacation is an alt-pop project of mine, based in Eora/Sydney Australia, naming Nirvana, NOFX, Weezer, Powfu & Beastie Boys as some of the vast range of influences.

This project comes out of pure love for creating, finding a departure from what an artist, and hopefully an audience, might experience or expect when connecting with an artist & music. So this project almost named itself because I wanted it to feel like a holiday from the norm.

What artists or bands are on your must-listen to list lately and why?

First up is Sampa the Great – Sampa is a world class songwriter and has deservedly had global success with her music. In my view one of the best hip hop artists at the moment, production is almighty and the world she has built with her message through the video productions and live performances is so powerful.

Maxwell Byrne is a two-for-one here- his two key projects, Golden Vessel and 1tbsp are extraordinary. I love Maxwell’s approach of completely releasing his vision for each project, as they both sit in completely different lanes. Independent, global, and a really good person too

FRIDAY* is my next recommendation. He has a beautiful approach to his thread of alt pop, with great production and live shows. His visuals are fantastic, oh, and he represents western Sydney which is where I’m from. Big love.

Powfu is my final mention. He does that lo-fi hip hop thing so well and carries that aesthetic across to his visuals and candid videos he puts out of how he lives as a human behind the music. Go and check out his catalogue if you haven’t- ‘Sleeping on the Floor’ is one I keep going back to.

When you go into the recording studio to work on new material, what are your must-haves?

My must-haves are:

– Starting points: I’ll do quick videos on my phone of even voice notes sometimes of songs mostly written, or it might be a particular style, tempo, rhythm, drum sound I can hone straight in on. I like to have that starting point to keep everything flowing instantly from there.

– Time: I don’t like being constrained by a hard deadline, however what I do like doing is putting a timer on my phone (usually an hour each time) and I will work uninterrupted until the bell rings. I’ll have a quick break, then set it again and keep going.

– Selection of guitars: usually nylon string, tele or my other electrics depending on sounds I’m after and bass will have everything I need.

– Trail mix and water: a jar of mixed fruits and nuts is so good to keep the energy without getting weighed down with heaps of food. Obvs water goes hand in hand with that too.

– Sleep: Ideally being well rested helps.

Which song, or songs, of yours would you recommend to a first-time listener and why?

‘Anchor Point’ is my debut single so it’s almost a no-brainer that I would recommend this to a first-time listener. If you like alt-pop with a tinge of lo-fi hip-hop then you’ll like this.

Which song of someone’s else’s (artist or band) would you have liked to feature on and why?

A feature on just one of The Beatles songs would be handy. For a range of reasons, but mostly to hopefully ask George Martin a bunch of nerdy questions.

What led you into becoming a musician and why do you keep making music?

Music has always been around me in different ways. My dad was a jazz drummer and remember falling asleep to records playing through the house when I was a kid, so I think that just seeped into me. I love it in ways that are hard to describe fully, so I’ll simply say that if you do things and they make you and others happy, you should probably keep doing those things.