Pond Trace Their Sonic Influences

From OutKast to Brian Eno...

Pond are this unstoppable creative force.

Still rooted in Perth, Western Australia, the band's lengthy catalogue moves from lysergic psychedelic to all-out rock via wonky pop moments and even flecks of hip-hop production.

New album 'Tasmania' concerns itself with the tangled history of Australia, pitting ideas of colonial legacy against a broader concern for the environment and fears of a coming apocalypse.

It's not all Imperial foreboding, however; 'Tasmania' contains some of Pond's most explicitly pop moments, shards of stark coherency set against sonic playfulness.

Clash catches up with Pond singer and creative force Nick Allbrook to discuss their aural influences...

- - -

OutKast - 'Pink And Blue'

One of the greatest albums of all time. This sort of floating space funk, that perfectly marries fantasy, pathos, humour, sadness and euphoria, is one of the great inspirations for me.

The way the bass begins alone - exhuming one emotion - but is elevated as the guitar joins, and then its all overwhelmed by the soaring strings at the end… it never changes, but it slowly morphs and reveals things that have always been there. Its funky, sexy, simple, funny as hell and beautifully uplifting.

- - -

Can - 'Future Days'

This has the soft, vaporous, motorik thing. It drives forward, but is totes chilling. Bongos too.

It’s very hard to quantify the influence of this record, because its so mysterious. It has the depth of a zen koan, and the complexity of clouds. It's profound in an elemental way, rather than an intellectual way. Thats something we want to move further into.

- - -

Bjork - 'Hyperballad'

The euphoria. The explosive, fireworks in yr mind, ecstasy. EXTASY! Sub bass that rattles the core. Our sound guy used this to check the room every day on tour, and I never got sick of it. I guess he was testing the bass. Then he played 'Pucifer', which was a precipitous drop in radness.

Bjork is very inspiring when it comes to singing, but in a way that I’ll never be able to imitate. Her lyrics are so obtuse, but people still sing along. That was very encouraging. She is so weird, so honest, so herself.

- - -

Midnight Oil - 'Forgotten Years'

I don’t know what to say about these guys. They did everything they could. They kicked viciously against the pricks for years and years and years. The energy is hair raising. I cried so hard to this song recently. I don’t think I’ve ever had such an emotional response to any song ever… it was like 30 years of tears suddenly burst the dam.

Only true love for ones country could inspire such furious, charged critique. They weren’t even on meth. They were tearing at the walls with our power and passion.

- - -

Brian Eno - 'Another Green World'

Always an inspiration towards minimalism and sonic experimentation. Reminds me to keep searching and enjoying music and that there is never an end to the myriad avenues and diversions of a life spent making art.

- - -

'Tasmania' is out on March 1st.

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