Howlite is the reincarnation of Melbourne musician and
visual artist Alison Thom. The moniker alludes to a mineral, thought to
bear properties that calm the wearer and release old pains. In a way the
shift is also a catharsis for Thom, who unburdens herself of her name
and her folk roots to delve into pop music, a darker territory of
layered vocals and synthetic sounds; freed from the past to create anew.
The Reasons EP, underwent many incarnations
prior to its final release, including a session with Mark Lang (Skipping
Girl Vinegar) and Nick Huggins (Two Bright Lakes), at the latter’s
beachside studio, which set Thom down the path of using synthesiser
samples and creating loop tracks. Inspiration struck with Melbourne
artist and producer Michael Robinson, and the two set about creating a hybrid of sounds, taking elements from Scandinavian pop artists like The Knife and Aurora, the dreamy guitar fuzz and soft harmonies of Daughter and a homage to the grand scale drumming patterns of Florence and the Machine. The goal was to create something bittersweet – uplifting and emotional.
“The whole EP came about as a result of a huge breakdown I had in 2013,” Thom explains. “I
basically threw out all my old songs, had a huge crisis of conscience
and identity and slowly began to address all the elements of my
personality I was unhappy with – depression and anxieties, my behaviour
in relationships, my destructive tendencies. [The EP] was
born from that; the constant and seemingly inevitable choice to walk
into the worst situations for me, to volunteer myself as martyr or siren
– deliberately leading myself or others into danger. I wanted to make a
beautiful song about being a terrible person.”
For Fans Of: The Knife | Aurora | Daughter | Florence and the Machine
The 'Reasons' EP by HOWLITE is available now via digital stores.
Social Media
Facebook.com/i-am-howlite
Soundcloud.com/i-am-howlite
Instagram - @howlitemusic
Twitter - @i-am-howlite
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