Imprint & Illuminate is out now!
Image: Dom Gould.
Meanjin-based electro / indie-pop artist, Trace Decay, recently shared his sophomore EP, Imprint & Illuminate. To celebrate the release, the musician has shared with MILKY his five favourite 80's trends!
“This body of work serves to illuminate certain imprints on myself, which have been accumulating over the previous two years in particular,” the musician shares. “Shining a light and focusing on specific moments in my life that whether I knew or not at the time, would become significant in one way or another. I have observed myself to shy away from certain elements in my life to my own detriment in the past, so when creating this EP and the curation of songs, I needed to acknowledge what had previously lay dormant in the shadows of the self.”
To celebrate the release, Trace Decay will return to the stage next month! The musicia will host a free EP Launch party at VENTSPACE in Brisbane on September 17.
THAT OVERALL 80S, NEON SOAKED AESTHETIC
It's super prevalent in so much of our media from the retro vhs style filters, Karate Kid remakes & Stephen king inspired shows like Stranger Things. I’ve definitely noticed myself leaning into 80s inspiration when i'm creating a mood board for my creative stuff. I have a bunch of lifx bulbs at home and in my studio and I always have a miami vice colour scheme going.
MULLETS
This one I wasn't expecting as growing up I despised the mullet. Until one day I woke up (last year), and realised I had a mullet and I fucking loved it. There is a fine line though between glorious 80s mullet and the rugby league mudflap.
SYNTHESIZERS
Specifically the classic synths like Roland Jupitor, Juno, Moog, DX7 etc. I leant really hard into the juno sounds for my most recent EP, to the point where I had to stop and remind myself it was 2022 not 1986.
THE LOFI GOTH-POP-INDIE RESURGENCE
I’m a huge fan of bands like The Cure, Joy Division, The Smiths, New Order etc. and I’m noticing there are elements of all of those artists being reborn or reimagined through current day artists like Daywave, Nation of Language, Grazer. It's so cool hearing a washed out Roland drum loop on repeat, with a twangy reverb-laden guitar plucking along next to some deep baritone vocal delivery. Hits me everytime.
FASHION
Although we aren't necessarily wearing bully shoulder pads or spandex’s, there is an undeniable connection to 80s fashion into fashion zeitgeist. I see more and more people getting around in bomber jackets (guilty as charged), ripped jeans, flares & animal print clothes then I have in the past. I feel like we’ve taken elements of the 80s and given them a touch of our 21st century sensibilities, albeit in the process taking away what made 8os fashion special in the first place. Either way, I'm in the market for some flats if anyones got any?
Imprint & Illuminate is out now!