Moon Rituals Feature
Aura in the world, playing with exemplary human beings, and the Poison City Records connection
Noah chats with Sarah Hardiman all about Moon Rituals latest album, Aura and the inspiration for it.
Firstly, congratulations on the release of Aura, your second full length for Moon Rituals. How does it feel to have it out in the world and how is the response so far?
Thanks Noah. There is a great feeling of closure to have ‘Aura’ out in the world, singing its song. The response has been very loving and warm; people are expressing enthusiasm and positivity, which the world needs more of right now.
It’s been nearly seven years since your last album and around four since you released two songs that appear on Aura for, I Heard a Whisper’s ‘Club Seven’ series. Is the process quite a slow one due to all the other musical projects you and your collaborator Mikey Young are involved in?
I thought Moon Rituals was over in 2018. After experiencing a loss in 2019, I started writing songs for a new band. As they developed, I realised they were Moon Rituals songs. I asked Mikey if he’d be keen to work on them and to my surprise he said yes!
The project is more about the process of creating and collaborating rather than making a ‘product’ to tour and sell. In that sense, there’s no deadline or timeframe anyone is working to.
I wrote songs at my own pace and Mikey worked on the production and instrumentation whenever he was in the mood, fitting it in around other projects he does. They were completed over the period 2019-2023.
I am really enjoying the lush instrumentation on Aura and I feel it’s a real contrast and expansion of sound to the more minimal sounds from the self-titled debut. I can hear all sorts of genre references, even some doo-wop on the track ‘Grapefruit’. Can you tell us the inspiration and methodology behind it this new found sound?
I wanted to write songs with more space and groove. I remember listening to a lot of dub, rocksteady and soul and attempting to write with the bass and beat first (the self-titled album was keyboard-driven).
I was inspired by Little Ann, Alton Ellis, Cate le Bon and Lady Wray at the time, which you can hear. Then Mikey replayed a lot of parts and added some more accomplished bass lines and a lot of the lush instrumentation you refer to.
He doesn’t like the word ‘producer’, but he basically did that! He had the great idea to get Shaun Gionis in to play drums on the record. It’s more upbeat and energetic as a result.
Poison City has released the album and I get a sense that you have a pretty deep connection with the label and the people behind it. Can you talk about the connection you have with them and the importance of having them back what you are doing?
Yes, I’ve known Andy (Hayden) for a long time. We played in the original line-up of A Death in the Family in the early 2000s before I moved to London for five years. I played on the first record. We moved in different circles when I returned, but we’d see each other out at gigs over the years. We haven’t worked together again until this album. I have been to loads of Poison City gigs and the old Moon Rituals line-up supported Thomo’s band, Camp Cope, back in the day.
Poison City Records platforms a lot of female and gender diverse musicians, which is important to a balanced and equitable music scene.
It is a real privilege to have a record out with PCR. They are the perfect home for this record.
Your album launch is coming up this Sat May 17th at The John Curtain. I have read on the event description that you resurfacing for one night only and it’s also your first gig since 2018! Will you have a full band with you and will it include Shaun Gionis on drums and Raven Mahon on Sax who played on the album?
I’m the most excited about our live band! Mikey is on bass, Shauny on drums, Raven on sax and synth, Tom Lyngcoln on guitar, Alice Gaynor on synth, Erica Dunn and Amanda Roff on backing vocals. They are all good friends, fantastic musicians and exemplary human beings. It’s a mash-up of Harmony, LOU and The Green Child!
Can you tell us about the supports - Jess Rebeiro, Sleeper & Snake and Late night DJ Annaliese Redlich (RRR) and your connection to them?
It is important to me to play gigs with people that are kind and easy-going, and like-minded politically; so I want to play with friends. I love the music Jess and Sleeper & Snake make. I’m a fan of Annaliese’s Neon Sunset and she has been a champion of my (and many others) work for a long time. Community radio broadcasters have basically informed my whole record collection! She really knows how to get a dance floor going and if the show goes well, I will want to dance.
Finally, who are your favourite Melbourne bands at the moment and who would you like to see interviewed for Tempo?
Thanks for asking! I love Blue Communications, Gut Health, Ripple Effect Band, two classical guitarists: Sophie Marcheff and Rose Gonzalez, Keanu Nelson, Wilson Tanner and The Green Child. Loads more. I think you should interview Gut Health and Ripple Effect Band.
MOON RITUALS - ‘AURA’ LP LAUNCH
Saturday, 17 May - John Curtin Hotel
with Jess Ribeiro + Sleeper & Snake + DJ Annaliese Redlich (RRR)
Tickets here