“To really feel comfortable in a space to be yourself,” shares Maxwell from the duo behind the new album “Making Friends With The Space Around Me”. Australian musicians Headaches (also known as E^ST) and Golden Vessel (also known as 1tbsp) have come together in a stunning collaboration that promises to be the soundtrack of the summer. Their new release is light and airy, with fluffy textures that dance around a touch of melancholy, perfectly capturing the bittersweetness of sunny days and fleeting moments.
Over the past few months, the pair have teased us with singles like ‘Make it Somehow‘, ‘Happy Days in Happy Weather‘, and ‘The Song Of You’. Each track is a glimpse into the album’s soul—effortlessly blending indie-pop with alternative dance elements to create something truly refreshing.
In our interview, they share their inspirations behind their music, the liberating process of their collaboration, and how they’ve woven their personal journeys of letting go and embracing life into their songs.
Photography by James Caswell
Congratulations on your new release! What inspired the album title “Making Friends with The Space Around Me”?
It came from our song ‘I Inhabit My Life’, I was DJing (as my other project 1tbsp) in Sydney and Mel came along and had a really wholesome night. It definitely applies to more than just that night, but it kind of encapsulated it nicely. To really feel comfortable in a space to be yourself. – Maxwell
The album combines indie-pop with alternative dance elements. Can you discuss the process of merging these styles?
I think it just came very naturally, we wanted the album to be a collection of a lot of things that we like sonically. And when we started working on the songs it wasn’t for any purpose, so I felt very free to experiment (in ways that I maybe wouldn’t if I knew I was writing a Golden Vessel album to begin with). – Maxwell
The album explores themes like letting go of control and embracing life. How do these themes play out not just in your music, but in your everyday lives?
It’s always a push and pull. I think last year we both found it a little easier to embrace life than this year. But i’m really glad we were able to capture that in these songs as kind of a signpost of where to head. – Maxwell
I think letting go of control and embracing the moment really comes down to knowing how to be present. Some days that’s easier than others, and I feel like you can feel those waves throughout the album. – Mel
“Letting go of control and embracing the moment really comes down to knowing how to be present.” Mel
You mentioned a focus on vulnerability and honesty in your lyricism. Can you share more about the stories or personal experiences that inspired some of the lyrics on this album?
A lot of lived experiences inspired this album, from feeling free on the dancefloor to navigating close relationships coming to an end. I was in a very uncertain and explorative place in my life at the time of writing, and I think those feelings crop up in different ways throughout the album.- Mel
How do you hope listeners will connect with “Songs”?
I really love the sentiment of this track. It’s about songs that you listen to a lot during a period of your life, and when you listen to that song years later you are instantly teleported back to that time. It’s a nice way to keep time and connect with previous versions of yourself (and see how far you’ve grown). – Maxwell
“Last year we both found it a little easier to embrace life… I’m really glad we were able to capture that in these songs.” Maxwell
Which track from the album is each of your favourites and why?
I think for me at the moment it’s “I Inabit My Life”, it just was one of those songs where every idea came so quickly and every sound found its place so easily. – Maxwell
My favourite changes all the time, I think at the moment it’s “Control”. The song feels to me like you’re underwater, and I feel like even though it’s an interlude track it captures the sentiments/feelings of the album very well. – Mel
Coffee or tea while working on music?
If I was by myself it would be coffee but working with Mel, she’s such a big tea person that we were drinking a lot of tea making this album and it was really nice. She would bring a collection of tea bags up to Brisbane for us to try through the week. – Maxwell
Thank you so much for your time!
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