Before Adelaide plays host to some fabulous local and interstate acts at The Lost City Festival, The AU Review catches up with some of the artists. Here, Melbourne producer Galapagoose spares some time to chat.

How would you sum up 2011, for you?

Full of big ups and a few downs. I quit my job and haven’t looked back. I spent a few months in NYC and road tripping across the States. Wrote something like 100 pieces of music, and confirmed my first full-length release. The productivity is perhaps a reaction to an otherwise tumultuous year in personal affairs.

How did you first become interested in this style of music? There’s a great deal of experimentation with sound involved, am I right?

I’d been getting into using computers with making music from about age 16, where I was recording layered guitar pieces and using drum samples, because my parents wouldn’t let me have a kit. From there, it was just a matter of time and experimentation in the pursuit of a one-man band. I think when I first discovered the 'monome' in 2006, I started getting into the really deep programming side of things, and discovering a whole world of sound and expression that I never knew possible. It was around this time I first heard people like Lali Puna, RJD2, and Dntel, who opened my eyes to this aesthetic in sound.

Regarding experimentation, I agree that it’s perceived to be so, but perhaps this is a reflection of our broad categorisation. ‘Instrumental electronic music’? ‘Sample based music’? It’s all pretty much interchangeable, and I find it hard to define where I fit in. I see the notion of experimentalism as pretty central to what is going on, in the amazing cross-pollination of styles and genres. It’s not rare to see tags like psych, juke and hip-hop all being to describe one song — perhaps the point is as simple as re-contextualise the old into something new.

Who would you cite as main influences?

In great parts I’m driven and responding to my immediate contemporaries; other Melbourne artists, and friends I’ve met from abroad probably have the greatest influence. More generally though, I’m a big fan of early 20th Century French classical composers (Ravel, Poulenc), '70s fusion and late be-bop guitar, and '90s krautrock and experimental rock. More recently, I’ve been delving into some soft-psych and '70s synthesiser music (Mort Garson, Clara Mondshine, Morton Subotnick).

In terms of my technique and modern influences, there’s the obvious Dilla and Prefuse 73, but also Dimlite plays a big part. More on the UK side of things are the first few James Blake EPs in particular, experimentalists SND, and then further abroad into the techno-shuffle stylings of 2562.

You’ve already produced three EPs, all of which are available to the public for free online. It seems that artists are becoming more and more open to releasing music online and free for people to hear. Is it all a gambit to gather an audience, or is it simply another way for the artist to express themselves?

I’ve always wanted my music to be heard and get a broad exposure, so I think it started as an acknowledgement of the difficulty in self-promotion, but also a tacit agreement to the open-source mentality of the circles I generally operate in. I spend a lot of time writing software, and it’s all free and open to be hacked.

There’s a big argument that says music being free devalues it in the eyes of the audience, to which I’d cautiously agree. But even moreso, I think the value an artist puts on their own work is indicative of the value they think it represents. I feel the aforementioned EPs are pretty good material, but I don’t necessarily proscribe a great deal of monetary value to them. They’ve represented more of a growth for me as an artist, and I’m happy with that as my payment. I have a couple of future releases on the way, both free and for cost, and I hope that my audience can find value in these pieces too. It’s my strong belief that we shouldn’t get bogged down in any particular formula, but rather stay nimble and react to the changing climate as we see fit. If you’re too stuck in your ways, you end up out of touch like the big clunky music mega-corps.

Would you say it’s becoming easier for artists of your genre, especially local artists, to gain momentum and exposure on the live circuit? What’s the scene like in Melbourne?

There’s definitely an increasing level of interest in the broad category of music I play, and that’s making it easier to get gigs and build a name. It is a slow build though, and it’s taken a few years to really gain some traction in the scene here. I often think that my travels abroad have made it easier to garner support locally, which I find to be a little back-to-front. Melbourne, in particular, is growing in leaps and bounds. Probably the most dead-pan audiences in the country, but also the largest. There’s a lot of support behind the scenes, and if you can look past the in-fighting between different crews, there’s a lot of positivity to be found. I’ve been helping run a little artist collective called This Thing, which has been helping a lot in getting the music out. Together, we’ve been running a few parties, promoting an international tour, and releasing some really great local music.

Can you see yourself staying based in Melbourne to create and produce music, or would you like to branch out and explore other places?

I’m definitely a Melbournian at heart, but I’ve got a great thirst for knowledge and different cultures. I’ve spent a lot of time abroad when I was growing, and more recently travelling and studying. There’s something about being in a new setting that seems to foster self-reflection and critical thought — not necessarily creative output or inspiration, but it definitely helps you grow and develop your thoughts. I’d definitely love to travel a good deal more, but time will tell whether I feel the urge to resettle abroad.

Are you working on another EP at the moment, or are you just focused on doing some more live shows around the place?

I’ve got my first full-length album entitled Commitments coming out on March 13th, through Daedelus’ LA-based Magical Properties Label. It’ll be my first time releasing a solo work on vinyl, for which I’m super excited. Been slaving away in my studio building hundreds of handmade and screened LP jackets. There will be plenty of fanfare to surround it for certain.

I’ve also got a cassette split (with %) entitled "Nuance" out in the very immediate future through our /parallelogram/ imprint, and further to that I’m working on a 7” to be released by a small local label. Beyond these immediate futures, there is a collaborative album with Wooshie in the works, and constant development of the live set with new techniques and functionality. Always working on a million projects it seems - if only I had the time to finish half of them...

Being based in Melbourne, are there many other artists who are doing the same thing/music similar to what you’re doing? Anyone you’re particularly digging on at the moment?

This Thing has become a great source of inspiration and enjoyment for me, as well as a community to be involved in. I won’t name names because we’d be here all day, but I will say that the fabled Wooshie EP is indeed a reality... I can’t wait as much as the next person. Beyond these immediates there’s an amazing supergroup of Melbourne musicians, Pink Notes, who are definitely a name to look out for. I’ve been salivating over the rough rehearsal recordings so I’m sure there’s something great to come from them.

The Lost City Festival in Adelaide is taking place later on in February, and you’re one of the interstate artists to be featured on the bill. Do you have any expectations on what it will be like? Sounds all so mysterious...

To be honest, I don’t really know what to expect at all. I was contacted by a friend of a friend and I had the date free, so I thought I’d go with the flow. It’s an amazingly diverse lineup of pretty experimental acts, so I can’t wait to see whether it turns into a wild-bizarro party or a washy sit-down affair.

Have you done many shows in Adelaide previously?

I’ve spent a total of about 16 hours in Adelaide, and in that time played probably the best show of my short career. It was a little gig at Cuckoo Bar, supporting Matthew David, and the crowd was truly wonderful and inspiring. Highly anticipating the return, and turning it all back on again for a bit of a new crowd.

For those out there who haven’t seen a Galapagoose live show, how would you describe the experience?

I’d probably describe it just like that, an experience. I have a really strong element of improvisation to my performances, so there’s only so much one can explain or anticipate in advance. At the centre, I’ve built a computer program that lets me deconstruct and recompose my music on the fly using a couple of computer controllers. The end result though is very much outside of the computer music world. I’ve been focusing a lot recently on sampling my voice live and layering up harmonies, around which I perform rhythms and construct melodies. I’d like to think it gets people moving a whole lot, even if the rhythms are often quite irregular and loose.

What do you have planned for the rest of the year?

Right on the track to releasing this record very soon, so most of my efforts are centred around that right now. I’m planning a short US tour to support it around the middle of 2012, and then hopefully a short visit to old friends in Europe and perhaps a few shows if it can be arranged. Beyond that, I can’t wait to have some free time to work on new music and continue the development of my DIY studio and new computer software. Will definitely be making it right around the country as well and playing shows in all the places I’ve been meaning to get to, but for whatever reason never happened. Too much to do. Always too much...

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The Lost City Festival is taking place at Queen's Theatre on the 4th and 5th of February. Tickets are available from www.venuetix.com.au.