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Q & A: Octavian

Octavian would have to be one of the best new artists of the year. Running is the group’s latest—incredibly polished and dripping in slick, bombastic guitar tones. Having launched it in their home suburb of Newtown to a roaring crowd, we got in touch with the band to find out about their studio habits, how their frantic rock translates live and what’s on the cards for the remainder of the year.

What’s the studio process like for you guys? Is it individual then come together in the studio, or all in, all the time?

We appreciate each other’s input so having us all together most of the time is pretty important to us. So most of the time we’re all together.

The increase in production quality from Chocolate Heart to Running is impressive. What steps were taken between the recording of these singles?

Recording Running, we had prepared a lot more prior to going into the studio so the pre-production was a major difference between the two tracks.

Second release is always the toughest. Was there any pressure upon release?

Our previous release was definitely a massive learning curve for us as a band so this release surprisingly felt a lot more comfortable. We were just really stoked to get more music out there.

Foals immediately came rushing to mind when listening to Running. What sounds, artists, etc inspire the Octavian sound?

That’s definitely a huge compliment! We are all pretty big fans of theirs. But all three of us have quite different influences that make Octavian the unique sound that it is.

It must be a tough balancing act when performing live. How do you translate the Octavian experience to the stage?

We are very much a ‘live’ band and we try our best more to translate the sound of us playing together onto a recording than the other way around.

Who of the group are perfectionists?

I think we all are in different ways which makes the mixing process a bit lengthy! {laughs}

What’s on the cards for the remainder of the year?

We have a few shows planned around Sydney, another release coming up really soon and just finalising plans to get back into the studio around July/ August.

Written by Jake Wilton