Slowmango are a six piece band from SA that are having their debut Womadelaide appearance this weekend. We sat down to learn a little more about the band.
How would you describe your music? Is it something that can be categorised?
Slowmango’s music is a melting pot of global influences, incorporating rhythms and melodies from the deep pockets of the world (much like the WOMADelaide lineup!). We combine these worldly influences to create a sound which is eclectic and dynamic, embracing lush arrangements and infectious grooves that keep a dance floor moving. We do a fair bit of improvising and like to keep an element of playfulness in everything we do. If I was to put a genre label to it, I’d say its Global Psychedelic Progressive Funk Jazz Rock, but try putting that in a record store category haha
What sort of influences have shaped the sights and sounds of the band?
WOMADelaide has been a major influence on Slowmango. Most of our members have grown up going to Womad every year since we can remember and the diversity of acts which have come through Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla have had a major impact on our sound. Some notable examples would be West-African Afrobeat and Highlife, North-African Disco Funk and Desert Blues, Thai Shadow Music, Latin American Cumbias, Spanish Flamenco, 60’s British Progressive and Psychedelic Rock, and so much more!
We also have strong visual art ties, both because our frontman Kaspar is a visual-artist by trade and because of our strong ties with the arts collective The Bait Fridge. We often wear elaborate costumes on stage and have projections accompanying our set.
Where have you travelled to with your music and what are your favorite memories?
We’ve been quite fortunate with interstate shows and festival appearances over the years and have managed to travel to some far flung corners of Australia with the band. Some highlights would include two shows at Dark MOFO in 2021, which led to us being invited back to Hobart to play at David Walsh’s private birthday party, the owner of Dark MOFO and MONA Museum. Our sold-out show at Darwin Festival was also a highlight and our recent trip to Strawberry Fields Festival in the NSW Murray River region was incredible.
In addition to playing festivals and shows, Slowmango also does a lot of work in remote communities running music and art workshops and creating socially-engaged works with community members. Our recent trip to Yirrkala in Northeast Arnhem Land in August 2023 was a major highlight and our trip to Gunabalnya in West Arnhem in 2021 got on ABC National news! The band are going back to Yirrkala in June this year which we are really looking forward to. And international shows are currently on our radar.
Winning awards at the SA Music Awards – how does that validate what you are doing?
Winning the awards for Best Release and Best Cover Art at the SA Music Awards was very special because it validated all the work we’d been doing over the past few years, and the effort that we put into our debut album release. It’s particularly special when you’re a band that makes somewhat offbeat and non-commercial music which doesn’t necessarily fit into the more pop-oriented playlists of the national tastemakers like Triple J and commercial radio. We also took out 2nd place in Three D Radio’s Hottest 93+7 this year which holds a special place in our heart because we love Three D Radio and it really showed us that our local SA community is supportive of what we do.
How does creating an album differ from creating a live show? What are the difficulties and rewards?
In our live shows we embrace a bit of chaos and unpredictability. Improvising and trying out new things is pretty much a guarantee. One of our mottos for Slowmango shows is to be ‘perfectly underprepared’ – using that little bit of uncertainty to keep us on our feet and stop us from just simply going through the motions. And when you pull it off the crowd knows and responds in a way which makes you play all the better.
Recording on the other hand requires us to be more intentional and less chaotic in our approach, all while maintaining the energy that you get in live shows. It’s a delicate balance. In recordings every little mistake shines through, and with such a big band creating space for each other is always a key consideration. Because we record our songs live together in a room, as opposed to separately one at a time, getting the take which has the right energy and the right balance is our ultimate goal. When you do manage to get that take it’s an incredible feeling and a real moment of collective euphoria where everyone gets goosebumps.
The artwork and visual feel of the band are similar. Is that a collaborative effort or one particular individual?
At its core Slowmango aims to be a collaborative project and the visual side of things is no exception to that. We started off as the sort of ‘house band’ for the multidisciplinary arts collective The Bait Fridge who we still collaborate closely with and who we owe much of our visual feel to, particularly the costumes and video works. Many of our friends and family work in visual artists, photography, graphic design, etc and we always try to embrace our community to develop our visuals with. It also really helps to have a visual artist as a frontman, Kaspar did an incredible job on the album cover.
What does it mean to play Womadelaide? Are you excited for any other acts?
In the early days of Slowmango, playing W0madelaide was pretty much the ultimate goal of the band. It was the pinnacle we were aiming to reach and to be playing it feels unreal. Most of Slowmango’s members have been going to Womad every year since they can remember, so it’s a really important moment in our lives. We’ve all been saying that this year’s lineup is absolutely incredible and the Womad team have done really well to curate a diverse lineup of artists which exemplify the core of what womad is about (to us anyway). Some highlights for me include The Budos Band, Arooj Aftab, Cymande, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Yussef Dayes, and Mauskovic Dance Band.
For those that haven’t seen your performance before, what is the best way to prepare for a Slowmango live show?
Slowmango live shows come in many different shapes and colours. Expect to have all your senses stimulated and to see things which you might not see at other gigs. We try to push the boundaries of what a gig is and incorporate playful improvised elements into our shows, often with crowd interaction. Don’t be afraid to get involved and absolutely don’t be afraid to dance.
What’s next for the band after Womad?
The overall direction for the band at the moment is to work on new material and explore new ideas, which will make up our next album and we will incorporate into live shows. Our debut album Hypercolour Miscellaneous felt like the culmination of the last 2-3 years and it’s now time to start writing the next chapter of Slowmango. In the immediate future we have some exciting projects ahead of us, including a series of community workshops and performances in Northeast Arnhem Land in June; releasing a new song which we just recorded this week; and more time in the recording studio.
Slowmango play WOMAD on Monday 11th March at 8pm on Stage 7
Womadelaide features over 60 groups including Moorcheeba presented across four days and seven stages in Adelaide’s Botanic Park / Tainmuntilla, 8 – 11 March
WOMADelaide is also a food lover’s dream in a musical paradise, offering an incredibly diverse selection of international cuisines prepared by some of Australia’s finest food vendors.
With Planet Talks, Kidzone, Taste the World, Sanctuary Restaurant and workshops there’s something for everyone.
