Posts Tagged ‘true august’

True August offers Breathing Room

The album cover features a photo by Stian Andersen

True August Waaktaar Savoy released his first album Breathing Room last Friday, June 9th, four years after his self-titled debut EP from 2019, and it’s now available on all streaming platforms through the family label Eleventeen Records.

Leading up to the release, there have been a string of singles and music videos, the latest being “Felt It In Stereo”.

“With this album and its accompanying music videos, I’ve created a piece of work that I’m very proud of. I have worked hard through every step of the process to produce something that feels personal to me, both musically and visually, and my greatest ambition now is to get the album out there – and make it heard”, True August told Norwegian news agency NTB in an interview last week.

The album has been mixed by Matias Tellez, who also mixed Paul’s songs on True North, while the mastering was done by Joe Lambert, who has worked on several Savoy projects. Paul has also been involved and apparently plays drums on the album, like he did on the 2019 EP.

“When it comes to music, I’ve had the privilege of growing up watching my parents making music and solving problems together. Music is something we’ve always done together as a family, and it feels very natural. My father has constantly been working on music in the studio since I was little, and I’ve learnt a lot of tips and tricks over the years”, True August says in the NTB interview.

VG‘s reviewer Tor Martin Bøe gives the album 5/6, saying it has “its heart set in the synths of the eighties, but its brain set in the pop qualities of our time“. He goes on to say that Breathing Room features “some of the finest songs this year, regardless of genre.”

For more info about True August’s music, visit his official website at trueaugust.net

Waaktaar-Savoy update: Paul working on new album, Augie doing radio interviews

Picture by JS

Paul has been working in studios in Oslo this summer, on what seems to be a new album.

On 10 July he posted a video from his home studio featuring some new sounds.

Together with former a-ha drummer Per Hillestad he’s also done a few sessions at Studio Paradiso, one in late June and one in late July.

And on 15 August he did a string recording session at Studio Paradiso, featuring the a-ha string trio. The string score was done by Joe Mardin, and the Instagram post was tagged with #waaktaar and #newalbum.

Meanwhile, Augie did a couple of radio interviews last week, to promote his True August debut EP and the current radio single I “Can See You Clearly”. He appeared on NRK P2’s Kulturstripa on 28 August and NRK P13’s Selskapssjuk on 30 August.

Picture by Stian Andersen

On the True August EP, which has been getting great reviews, Paul plays the drums and bass (except for the programmed bass), while all guitar and synth parts were done by Augie. In the P13 interview he was asked what it’s like to work together with his father:

“It’s really cool. He’s a gear freak and really into strange drum machines, weird effects and stuff like that. He knows everything about music gear. So it’s great to get his input.

We listen to totally different music. So taking that gear and using it in a different way, that’s been really fun. There are some music genres that he usually stays away from. He’s not that keen on electronica, rap and stuff like that. So it’s cool to incorporate those influences in the music.

He’s very melodic, but in an indie-music style. Sometimes you want to abandon that and just create a certain atmosphere. That’s something he’s not that used to, so it’s cool to introduce that element.

But I have always assisted with his music as well. In the studio I would sometimes play on a song or come up with some ideas. It’s been a natural thing.”

Augie was also asked to pick one of his favorite tracks written by his father and he chose “Early Morning”.

True August releases debut EP

Cover photo by Stian Andersen

Augie Waaktaar-Savoy released his self-titled debut EP last Friday, 26 April, using his birth name True August. Links to stream and purchase the EP can be found here.

According to a press release quoted by Gaffa, the five songs on the EP have been written during the last year and a half, after he started university in California.

“While working on these songs I have been inspired by bands like Justice, Blonde Redhead, DIIV, Aphex Twin and Slowdive. I was drawn to these bands because I wanted to create a specific mood, which was the ambition with this album, based on how they build their soundscapes and write their songs”, Augie says.

John O’Mahony (“Cast in Steel”, “Summer Solstice”) has mixed the EP, and Paul has naturally also been involved in the process.

“My father has been of great help, with both the recording and the production”, Augie says.

The EP was recorded in the Waaktaar-Savoys’ studios in Brooklyn and Oslo, as well as Augie’s student room in LA. Last summer, Paul posted several updates on Instagram of him and Augie working together.

Tracklist: 1. Mount Joy / 2. I Can See You Clearly / 3. Krones / 4. Rubber / 5. Leipzig

Paul and Lauren have been spending quite some time in California since Augie started university there, and on 21 March Los Angeles Times reported that they have bought a new $5.125 million home in Venice.

Back in November last year they sold their old loft apartment in SoHo for $9 million, which they had continued to rent out in the years since they moved to their current Brooklyn home in 2012. Now it seems they will divide their time between Venice, Brooklyn and Oslo.

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