Start Listening To: Eunuchs
The first band in decades to come out of Australia that isn’t Psychedelic Rock or Pub Punk.
In our latest Q&A we speak with Eunuchs, an Australian band that finally isn’t psychedelic rock or pub punk. Breaking away from the mould, Eunuchs are as if Black Midi and Panic at the Disco had an emo baby who loves theatrics. This distinctive fusion culminates in an auditory experience that not only challenges prevailing genre norms but also showcases an emotive and powerful resonance.
Adding to the intrigue is the imminent release of their sophomore album Harbour Century. This upcoming opus, envisioned as a sonic emblem of Sydney itself, unfolds as a melodic chronicle weaving tales of whispered lies, cunning ruses, elaborate scams, and maritime mishaps. Functioning as an anthology, the album reflects Eunuchs' impressions and interpretations of Sydney, a city celebrated as the most picturesque on earth. With its impending release, Eunuchs stand poised to make a significant impact, potentially marking them as the next noteworthy artistic force emerging from Australia.
For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?
Linus age 23 Sagittarius, Enzo age 24 Libra, Kristo age 23 Aquarius.
We are from Sydney, Australia. With our music we’re trying really really hard to bring crooning back.
"Harbour Century" is described as the symbol of Sydney, capturing the stories of lies, scams, and boat crashes. Can you delve into the creative process behind this album and how Sydney's unique character influenced the thematic elements of the record?
We wrote the record almost entirely in January of this year knowing we had to begin recording in Feb and didn’t deliberately go out looking for a cohesive theme. It turned out that the songs we wrote all related in a subconscious way, which was the influence of Sydney, its built and natural environment and people. The themes on record are probably universal to any urban center, yet Sydney has a lot of places with “Harbour” in the title, which always sounded very pleasing to us.
Your upcoming record, "Harbour Century," is known for its maximalism and 17-minute-long tracks. What motivated the decision to embrace such ambitious compositions, and how does this contribute to the overall storytelling of the album?
I think it was just a compulsion to write music we wanted to hear, which ranges from crooning to metal. We usually have to actively suppress some of our more “maximalist” urges. We hope the denseness of the record conveys both ambiguity and grandeur.
How was the album produced?
We wrote scores for the songs that considered traditional orchestration principles, after that most instruments were tracked separately. After all the written parts were tracked we messed around and improvised on the instruments we played until the songs sounded right.
For guitar we tried to find fairly broken strange sounds that wouldn’t take up too much space and crowd out the arrangements.
For drums it was kind of similar. We had a pretty bizarre set up that included roto toms, giant 24-26 inch cymbals and a fairly boxy kick… which all worked in the final mix.
We owe alot to our Engineer/Mixer/Masterer/Producer Nick Hatzakos who not only accommodated all our stupid excesses but found ways to make them work.
Could you share additional details about your latest single, 'Sirens,' and elaborate on its connection to the broader themes explored in 'Harbour Century'?
For ‘Siren’ we were inspired by the idea of kind pushing 1960s beach boys lyrics to their conclusions. A beautiful and simple mermaid love song that is also about sleaze and graft. The broader theme of desire and its consequences is touched on in every song on the record.
Live performances seem to be an integral part of the Eunuchs experience. Can you share some insights into the energy and atmosphere you aim to create during your live shows, and how does it differ from the studio recording process?
On a typical studio Eunuchs song there will be anywhere from 15 - 20 instruments. Unfortunately we have to cut that down to 8-10 for any given gig. Our best gigs include a full Sax Quartet. In return for cutting down the arrangements, Linus the singer promises to sing with the class and grace one can expect from a world class show man. We also sometimes cover Slipknot, Sum 41, Panic! At The Disco etc.
The term "underwater experiment" is used to describe Eunuchs' sound. How does this concept manifest in your music, and what emotions or atmospheres do you aim to evoke with this imagery?
Some of the vocals on songs were recorded underwater with a hydrophone. There are also hydrophone recordings of Sydney Harbour all throughout this record. Water is everywhere.
The lead single "Heroin King” is an epic 17-minute journey. Can you share the inspiration behind this track and how it sets the tone for the upcoming album?
Linus had the main piano line for ages and we always planned to make a song out of it. I (Kristo) eventually got round to messing with it and found it really easy to expand upon. It was unusual to the writing process to many of our other songs as many of the lyrics came in parallel with the music. I think this was because spoken word fits anywhere. It was a pretty intuitive process and made us realize in most other mediums 17 minutes isn’t that long, and can be entirely appropriate, even too short for a song length.
The lyrical content was heavily inspired by chanson, most of the lyrics are related to stories we’ve heard, funny things that have been said to us and our thoughts.
We think “Heroin King” lays out the breadth of the energy and lyrical themes of the record.
Being childhood friends from Sydney, can you share how your personal connections and shared experiences have shaped the dynamic of the band and the music you create together?
We played AC/DC covers in primary school together which was fun. For this album in particular I think a lot of the lyrical content was inspired by our shared observations and impressions of locations, institutions and people around us. I think we then enjoy stretching those impressions into stories and sometimes songs together.
What do you love right now?
Astrology, Numerology, Fortune Telling, Cupping.
What do you hate right now?
Science.
Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s still important to you?
We’ve all loved Ys by Joanna Newsom since our teens. It is intangibly perfect.
Can you provide any teasers or insights into what fans can expect from your upcoming album, and how do you plan to wrap up 2023 on a high note?
The album is exactly 55.55 minutes long, which if you know your numerology, you’d know 5555 is a very auspicious number, meaning anyone that listens to “Harbour Century” in full will most likely be granted very good luck.
As for ending 2023 on a high note we hope that making the record such an auspicious length will bring us luck so something big happens…
