Sydney’s Jay Squire links up with legendary filmer Ross Myers for his ‘South Pacific’ visuals…

And the results are harmonious while feeling slightly surreal, kind of like the first time you watched Twin Peaks or read something by Marukami. What I’m saying, without the arty-wanker references, is the track is this darkly textured beast, while the visuals are all sunny days, mates and surfing – the two shouldn’t work, but in this case they sync perfectly.

According to Squire, who people around Sydney will know from his group Easy Street, the track was born out of experimentation and leaving himself open to tinker with instruments, layers and tones which is probably why it is really hard to put this track into a box. Is it pop? Is it psych? Is it rock? Does it matter? Not really. But somewhere in there I swear I’m hearing a Sade fan with a broken heart…

“‘South Pacific’ was a big change for my style and practice,” he says. “I decided to start writing to try and have a good time, to try and write and record for my own delight rather than feeling so dedicated to honesty. I took all the elements of my favourite songs that give me a lightness of heart and tried to blend them together. There’s also lots of elements which are just me experimenting with the tools I had – ‘what does piano sound like with delay?…okay…now how does that sound when I reverse it?…now lets run that through an amp on the other side of the room.’”

I say let that mind go wild. As long as we keep getting tracks like ‘South Pacific’, nothing should stand in this man’s way. As cliche as it sounds, it really is exciting to see where Squire will take us next on this sonic journey. Who knows? But we’ve definitely got a ticket to ride.

The footage featured in the clip is mostly stuff from the 70s and 80s around Cronulla with Ross Myers capturing the larrikin energy of that era and the coastal lifestyle at the time: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO7U2G7bM2M

The track is out on Evening Records, which is also host to a bunch of Inner West artists that we fucking love like Lady Lyon, Pan Pacific Grand Prix and more. Follow them here and follow Jay Squire here.