Experimental pop gets a little bit more insane thanks to Canberra craftsman Endrey, progenitor of provocative and personal pop, who is recently celebrating the release of his love-high and beautiful new track ‘Insane’.
Endrey is no stranger to performing under the big lights, having shared a stage with the likes of Cat Empire, Gotye, The Darkness and Client Liaison.
Fresh new track ‘Insane’ builds up like a brand new love, glittering and bursting with fantastical emotions at each and every turn. The dynamic banger is slushed with starry spells of affection, and follows on from previously released ‘Lusitania’, which came out earlier this year.
The lyrical content of the song leans itself into the subject matter of opening yourself up to vulnerability when you’re in love. How do you change yourself into someone who is emotionally open while still remaining the same person that you’ve built yourself up to be? Endrey asks the hard questions on this new track, and it’s simply delightful to delve into.
It even features a spoken word cameo from a Canadian psychologist and an exultant chorus from national wrestling champ Nick Delatovic.
We sat down with Endrey to get to know him just a little bit better, in hopes that you till will learn something about Australia’s brand new experimental pop prodigy.
Get To Know: Endrey
How did your artist name come about?
It’s my name! Simple but I didn’t come to it easy.
I’ve done a whole lot of hiding through performance. Sneaking deeply personal songs through the flashy stage show of sexpop band Fun Machine; expressing my strongly-held political and philosophical beliefs from a safe and palatable distance as a stand up comedian. But it’s not how I want to be.
Performing as Endrey is a deliberate choice and a constant reminder that I’m actively representing my work and ideas with authenticity and hopefully even pride.
How would you describe your music to your grandma?
I like to say ‘experimental pop’, but Nagymama’s English isn’t crash hot so I’d probably just play her some of the less dynamic numbers instead. She’s historically very supportive, even though I suspect she isn’t sure about me dressing so heavily from what others might conventionally refer to as ‘the women’s department’.
Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about?
What a nice question!
‘Insane’ is my latest single and it’s about the scary and exciting feeling of falling in love when you never expected to. That balance of leaning into the vulnerability and staying the same but changing everything, insane.
‘Lusitania’ is the other song I’ve put out from my upcoming album, which is the name of a civilian ship that was sunk in the First World War. I use it as a metaphor for how the things we’re so certain about can completely change and how holding onto inherited meaning over time is futile – this is our own time and we not only have to make it meaningful for ourselves, but it’s also exciting that we get to.
What do you love about your hometown?
So much!
Canberra is unpopular so nobody comes here to be cool. For my tastes, that’s a real big win.
Other than that, it’s an easy place to live with plenty of nature and people looking to connect with each other. It’s also secretly the most progressive society in Australia by far, with 100% renewables, pill testing at festivals and legalised weed. What will be next, people marrying their dogs? Hope so.
Career highlight so far?
Playing with The Darkness was pretty surreal.
I remember losing hours kicking the footy out the back of GTM with Architecture in Helsinki – lovely people.
I also ran these nude dance parties at Secret Garden which were exactly as fun as they sound – I’d mince about handing out fairy bread. Really wholesome stuff.
I recorded an album with Louis Montgomery (Slow Turismo) in an immersive live-in session in rural Hungary, running through the peach orchards by night and playing on the full grand piano by day, that was something.
But honestly, just being around the audiences, artists and the dear friends I get to share time with on and off the stage is an absolute dream. Over time, the simplest things become the richest, by far.
Fave non-music hobby?
Playing football badly! I’m lucky enough to captain the musicians in the Reclink Community Cup charity matches here. I also love cycling around and cooking, but I’m so busy lately.
What’s on your dream rider?
good dill pickles
Secret Hitler
a sherrin
1kg cashews
12 bottles of cold mineral/soda water
one carafe of homemade wine
a real piano
God damn iron supplements
a blender and a mix of fruits and nuts so everyone can make their own dream smoothie
paper and a nice middle of the range pen
Dream music collaboration?
I love working with emerging artists on their performance craft and could see myself doing that for a living if I had more time. I’d love to sing a chorus for Hot Chip. I’d love to write some staging for Camille and I would love to make some weird beats for Azealia Banks. If you’re reading this Azealia, all you have to do is ask.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Hopefully doing a similar mix of working with friends to make things that are compelling to me in the hope that others will enjoy them too. I definitely don’t want to have made the mistake of trading away all the good things I have right now. But I would also love to somehow be earning enough to not be panicked by the idea of a dentist.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Beyonce – Crazy in Love
Listen to Endrey’s brand new track ‘Insane’ below:
