‘Flux’ EP, conceived originally in a Coburg studio, was moved due to a government enforced 112 day lockdown in Victoria. Studio space was traded in for online streamed sessions with

Allysha Joy (30/70) Paul Bender (Hiatus Kaiyote) and JAYDEAN. A host of friends along the way also joined in various forms across the 5 tracker and the sense of community with their peers helped them overcome the challenging time, that has seen Close Counters create their most well rounded piece of artistry, that further showcases their diverse soundscape at the crossroads of house, neo-soul, hip-hop and disco.

Their new wave of live dance music has been featured multiple times on Indie Shuffle and their original works have been widely supported by tastemakers Giles Peterson, NME, Pilerats, EARMILK, The Sound You Need, Stoney Roads and radio crews at BBC Radio 6, triple j, Worldwide FM, KEXP Seattle, NTS and Balamii.

Flux

Something In My Drink (ft. Jaydean)

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Aroop Roy
https://soundcloud.com/aroop-roy

Kaoz Theory
https://soundcloud.com/kaoztheory

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Premiere: Aroop Roy ft. Finn Rees - Club Transmissions [Kaoz Theory]

JAZZ

This one was an unexpected treat. Two of our favourite contemporary musicians, Finn Rees & Sholto coming together and collaborating on a double dose of celestial, cinematic alchemy.

At Mr Bongo we are massive admirers of drummer, musician, and producer Sholto (Oscar Robertson). His two albums on Funk Night Records and DeepMatter Records, had both been highlights of their respective years. We’d gotten to know Oscar and sent him a few records. Included in the package was Australian pianist-composer Finn Rees’ debut album, Dawn Is A Melody, which was one of our favourite releases on Mr Bongo in 2024.

In Oscar's words 'For me it was a standout modern jazz record - encapsulating a spiritual / hazy dreamy soundscape which hugely resonated with me. Glissando keys and harp with lush melodies, I was instantly intrigued.”  

The pair started following each other online and as luck would have it, Finn was staying in London for the summer season, so they arranged to meet. The pair instantly clicked and said it felt like they'd known each other for years. After 40 minutes of chatting, they started to jam. 

'Love In Memory' and 'Bluebell' were recorded over two days - a track a day in Oscar's SFJ studios. Laid down on mostly analogue equipment, the pair utilised Wurlitzer’s, mellotrons, and ribbon mics through Oscar’s ‘70s Studer desk. Composed and crafted without any real intentions, other than a shared appreciation for the same style of music and approach, the tracks started to take shape. The results were as lush, nostalgic and textured as you’d expect from these two brilliant musicians, with a classical feel inspired by artists such as Piero Piccioni, Piero Umiliani, and Henry Mancini. 

For the beautiful string arrangements, the pair recruited the talents of Sholto's long-time friend and collaborator Clementine Brown (Penguin Cafe Orchestra) and Matthew Hayes of 30/70, Allysha Joy, Xpress Point, Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange fame, was brought in to play bass on 'Bluebell'.

So here we have it, a chance collaborative project built on two musicians' mutual respect for each other's outputs. The result is truly breathtaking.


Finn Rees & Sholto - Bluebell

Finn Rees & Sholto - Love In Memory

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Wax Museum Records is a record store and label based in Melbourne.

New tracks tagged #finn rees