[Friday Feature] Goodspace: Interview + New Single/Video 'Kicking Stones'

MusicInterviews

19 Nov

KATIE BROWN - 19 NOV 2021

Positively dripping with laid-back trip-hop goodness, new single “Kicking Stones” by Auckland four-piece outfit Goodspace explores false first impressions and upturned expectations with stylistic aplomb. Accompanied by a surreal music video by Italy-based animator Ehsan Mehrbakhsh, the track is a tantalising teaser for their upcoming album due for release in 2022.

Using an art form like animation to convey the message of a song is a clever choice: it puts a layer of remove between the track and the band in a sense, putting both the evolving sound and themes of the single centre front. Following the track’s motifs, the video for “Kicking Stones” mirrors the tension between truth and the pretensions to truth we sometimes make in order to avoid hurting those we love. In and of itself, its surreal abstraction embodies this theme, as everything throughout the video constantly morphs, changes and evolves - it’s a constantly shifting journey challenging reality and expectation.

Citing the likes of Damon Albarn, Radiohead, André 3000, Luke Temple, and Tyler, the Creator as influences, Goodspace’s approach to music is a unique one, centring around an ethos where hauora (wellbeing) and artistry inform each other and evolve together. In their music, this plays out in addressing varying issues with an element of honest audacity that makes each track incredibly relatable while also being just a ridiculously good listen!

Watch the video below, and stream the single on Spotify here.

Find Goodspace on Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube

KATIE: HOW DID THE FOUR OF YOU BEGIN MAKING MUSIC TOGETHER? WHAT’S YOUR BACKGROUND?

Goodspace: Lloyd and I (Jeff) first met in a creative writing paper at UoA well before Goodspace was officially formed. At that time, we played at each other’s gigs (Lloyd-Troubled Frank, Jeff- solo), shared new music and planted the seed for what would become Goodspace. In 2019, Nick magically appeared on the drums thanks to a small sacrifice we made to the gods and then in 2021, Callum (Rewind Fields) joined and completed the lineup. We’ve all come from very different musical backgrounds but I think it was initially a shared love for artists like Blur and Radiohead that brought us together as well as a pull towards playing in a band where egos aren’t important and the music comes from a good space.

I LOVE YOUR ETHOS AROUND MUSIC-MAKING COMING FROM A SPACE OF HAUORA (WELLBEING). HOW DOES THIS PLAY OUT IN YOUR SONGWRITING PROCESS?

Making music from a good space is our way of challenging the tortured artist narrative. We don’t wanna make music from a tortured space, y’know? To go a little deeper, it’s our approach to art where well-being and artistry have to evolve simultaneously. Our songs all have that underlying vibe and foundation but it doesn’t mean we’re just going to write about nice things and make easy-listening beats. Our songs will address anything, we just won’t be consumed in them.

HOW DID THIS FACTOR INTO ‘KICKING STONES’?

To carry on from my last point, Kicking Stones is a pretty good example of how music from a good space isn’t always gonna be pretty. In the music, lyrics and animation, we’re playing with narratives of guilt, self-worth & upturned expectations but we’re not playing into those narratives, we’re not consumed by them.

DO YOU THINK PART OF THIS APPROACH TO SONGWRITING IS JUST BEING HONEST WITH WHERE YOU’RE REALLY AT, RATHER THAN PRETENDING TO BE IN A DIFFERENT SPACE? WHAT IS WELLBEING TO YOU?

Yeah totally, we’re not gonna force anything unnatural in our songwriting. That’s no fun for anyone. It’s gotta be true to the moment. Practicing Vipassana meditation daily is an integral part of well-being for Lloyd and Jeff and that’s where the whole ethos for Goodspace stems from, really.

HOW HAVE YOU FOUND MUSIC-MAKING OVER THIS PAST COUPLE OF YEARS WITH ALL OF THE CHANGES AND STRESSES THAT COVID HAS INTRODUCED?

There’s been a lot more studio time and playing with production. Luckily we have 2 home studios between us and well, the internet. We miss the buzz of jamming together and the way it changes how we think about a song, especially if the song has been cooped up in the studio for weeks.

I THINK THE TRIP-HOP/ROCK FUSION STYLE OF YOUR MUSIC PAIRS REALLY WELL WITH THE SURREALISM OF THE VIDEO FOR ‘KICKING STONES’. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO TAKE THIS APPROACH RATHER THAN CENTRING THE VIDEO AROUND FOOTAGE OF YOURSELVES AS THE BAND?

Thanks! We feel the same way and actually like the song more now because of the video.

Kicking Stones is meant to show a different side to Goodspace. It’s an evolution of our sound and we thought the best way to convey that was through surreal animation which explored themes of false first impressions and upturned expectations.

WHAT WAS THE PROCESS FOR WORKING WITH ANIMATOR EHSAN MEHRBAKHSH?

We sent him the track early this year, he digged, we video called a few times and discussed ideas, the chemistry was real and easy, we decided to do a new version of the track, he waited, we sent him the new version, he finished the animation, we all loved it. The End.

AS A BAND, WHO WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST INFLUENCES TO BE?

Damon Albarn.

WHO ARE YOUR CURRENT FAVOURITE ACTS?

Jonwayne, Ichika Aoba, New Kids on the Block, BBC Earth

‘KICKING STONES’ IS AN ENTICING TEASER FOR YOUR UPCOMING ALBUM! WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS WITH THIS, AND WHEN ARE YOU HOPING TO RELEASE IT?

We’ll release the full album in 2022, hopefully! At this stage, we can’t be bothered with the headfuck of any other plans around it than just getting it out into the world.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR BIGGEST AND BRIGHTEST DREAMS WITH GOODSPACE? WHAT’S YOUR MISSION?

To make a lifetime of music from a good space -that’s the mission.

Dreams are free: it’d be dope to work with Damon Albarn and Rick Rubin. And open for Radiohead.

Thanks for the interview, Katie!

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