When your new single’s already received a blessing from The Blessed Madonna, you know you’re onto a winner. Joshua Amour today released ‘Do Ya Love’, a slick ode to the incessant energy of U.K. garage.
The Meanjin/Brisbane-based producer and DJ, whose partner just so happens to be acclaimed multi-hyphenate producer dameeeela, doesn’t miss on his new track. With icy pitch shifted vocal samples and chunky bites of irregular rhythm, it’s a reminder of just how thrilling U.K. garage’s peak was.
UKG’s explosive energy, it’s clear, will never stop being an influence on contemporary crops of producers. ‘Do Ya Love’ indeed.
“I love this track honestly,” Joshua says. “That bassline, the vocal chop, the drums, all of it is classic UKG I think. It sounds like something that Sunship or MJ Cole would make, it’s super bouncy! I’m pretty proud of this one.”
It’s been a busy period recently for Joshua: just two singles into his fledgling career – ‘Do Ya Love’ is the follow-up to the sonically diverse ‘Don’t Let Go’ – he’s already received support from BBC Radio 1Xtra and BBC 6 Music. And with his recent signing to Astral People Recordings, everything’s set for Joshua and dameeela to become the new power couple of Australian electronic music.
If you’d rather boogy to the producer’s tracks than listen at home, he’ll be playing at Someday Soon in Sydney on Saturday, October 15th, alongside the likes of Methyl Ethel, Ruby Fields, Middle Kids, and Winston Surfshirt (more information here).
To celebrate the release of his new single, we caught up with Joshua as part of our Get To Know series to find out more about his life and music.
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Joshua Amour’s ‘Do Ya Love’ is out now via Astral People Recordings/PIAS.
How did your artist name come about?
I went back and forth with a bunch of different names when starting out. I changed styles and felt I had to create a name that resonated with my music but could never find anything that stuck. Joshua Amour was the name I’d always return to after my deviations. Now I’m trying to build the music and let the name become special from it!
How would you describe your music to your grandma?
It’s dance music but electronic. Lots of beeps and boops hahaha. She’d still be thrilled for me though.
Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about?
I’m pretty bad at naming my tracks, they seem to just come together from vocals I hear in the songs. They’re pretty simple, I think I take more inspiration from XXYYXX than I realise.
What do you love about your hometown?
Definitely the people. I was always shown lots of love from the people around me! I’ve got to give mention to Meanjin/Brisbane though! I moved here at the start of 2020 but I’ve received such care and welcome from lots of people. Places like Quivr, Warehouse 25, FemFale, The End Bar, and the people all around me are so special.
Career highlight so far?
I recently got flown out to Tasmania for a show which was sick! Getting those flights, accomodation, and being driven into where I played was surreal, I was like ‘someone is really taking me seriously, that’s wild.’
Fave non-music hobby?
I’m super into climbing trees at the moment. Bit of a rogue answer but it gives you such a dopamine rush plus the benefits from it leak into your everyday life.
What’s on your dream rider?
I’m trying to be more appreciative of what I’ve got so I want to keep it simple: coconut water, 2x bananas, and an apple. Good hydration and healthy sugars for energy so I don’t feel like dogshit after I play haha.
Dream music collaboration?
Wayyyyy too many. I move from idea to idea so often so they’re always moving and changing. I love Jamie XX a lot at the moment though!
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Hopefully I’m still making music. By then I want to have my own space out of the city where my family and I can live a little slower and enjoy the present more! I want to be building stuff, cooking heaps, maybe working on a car, taking care of a garden, real adult shit.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
We can’t affect everything, we can only affect the things that are in our control. Once you know that you can let go of the mental space that takes up and focus on what you really want from your world.
What’s one obsession you have that no one would guess after listening to your music?
I’m a diehard Fall Out Boy fan, and Panic! at the Disco’s first record is untouchable!
