Meatshell 'Since Subito' out 26 March

Since Subito is the second album by experimental-folk-jazz duo, Meatshell, winners of the 2020 Maastricht Jazz Award. Featuring two of Australia’s most distinctive emerging artists, double bassist/vocalist Helen Svoboda and tenor saxophonist Andrew Saragossi, Meatshell share a curiosity for the subtle beauty of things. Since Subito cultivates unconventional sound worlds, transcending traditional song forms by emphasising the power of story-telling through sound. The duo’s quirky and abstract songwriting style illustrates the full emotional spectrum of the human condition: beautiful melodies and euphoric grooves are juxtaposed against moments of mystery, desperation and screaming chaos, as the duo contemplate climate change, mental illness and new birth.

A musical manifestation of their interpretation of the concepts and principles underpinning the cubist art movement, the album has a particular focus on juxtaposition and simultaneous revealing of various, sometimes clashing perspectives of an idea, a stark departure from their largely homogenous debut release Afar (2019, Made Now Music). “The aesthetic of this album is largely credited to the amazing photographer Daniel Rafet Grima, who captured us in a film shoot inspired by cubist portraiture” explains Helen. “The photos have since served as a valuable stimulus for our compositional approach, and the way in which we musically interact and respond to each other.” (check out their film clip here).

Since Subito culminates their time in Europe from 2018-2020, studying in the Netherlands and Germany. “We felt as though we were joining a rich tradition of experimental music during our studies in Europe” says Andrew. “Helen and I both explored the physical and conceptual limitations of our instruments, challenging their traditional roles in the music.” The album was  recorded in March 2020 at Daltoon Studios, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, a week before the first Covid-19 lockdown. The duo have since relocated to Melbourne, Australia.

Helen Svoboda is a double bassist, vocalist, composer and nature-enthusiast. Born of Finnish/Australian heritage, she is the current recipient of the prestigious Freedman Jazz Fellowship (2020) & Pathfinder Associate Artist position with the Australian Art Orchestra. Her original projects include Vegetable Bass (Made Now Music 2019) and ambient environmentally-themed rock band The Biology of Plants (QLD Jazz Music Award Winners 2019).

Originally from Brisbane, Andrew Saragossi is a Melbourne-based saxophonist, improviser and composer with a knack for cultivating unique ensemble identities. He has released music across several of his own projects including avant-bogan, progressive-jazz trio Milton Man Gogh (Finalists of 2018 Young Australian Jazz Artist of the Year) and his recent debut solo audiovisual EP Overlay (2020).

 Meatshell won the 2020 Maastricht Jazz Awards (NL) and the 2019 Award for Innovation in Music (NL).  They are clearly destined for a bright future. As Charlotte Haesen, (Artistic Director, Jazz Maastricht) claims, “Meatshell doesn’t need more than one spotlight to take the biggest stage by storm...Their uniqueness oozes out of their energetic and intense stage presence, charisma and musicality.”

Artist: Meatshell, Helen Svoboda & Andrew Saragossi
Album: Since Subito
Release: March 26th 2021
Label: Earshift Music distributed by MGM
Format: CD, DL and streaming services
Catalogue Number: EAR047
Streaming/Download: https://ffm.to/sincesubito
Bandcamp:https://meatshell.bandcamp.com/album/since-subito
Personnel: double bassist/vocalist Helen Svoboda and tenor saxophonist Andrew Saragossi

SINCE SUBITO TOUR DATES

9 April @ The Sideshow (BRI) for MADE NOW MUSIC presents: INERTIA w/Merinda Dias Jayasinha (solo) & Joseph Rabjohns (solo)
13 April @ Lazybones (SYD) w/Ellen Kirkwood's "Underwards"
30 April @ The JazzLab (MEL) w/Niran Daskia (solo) & Maria Moles (solo)
24 May @ The Wheatsheaf Hotel (ADL) for COMA

About the Music

Face

On the surface, the lyrical content of this piece seems scattered and unrelated, as if Svoboda is following an unconscious stream of thought. However, hidden in plain sight lies a keyword (i.e. the track title), which has various and contrasting meanings within the English language. Saragossi’s angular yet grounding ostinato underscores this frantic verbal exploration, spanning cliff faces, clock faces, facebook, and last but not least, human faces. 

RJD

Saragossi composed ‘RJD’ as a sonic letter to his soon-to-be-born nephew. The lyrics ponder the shaping of identity, and the beauty and fear surrounding new birth. The opening features an intimate improvisation between vocals and saxophone, showcasing the extra-musical connection between the duo. One of the groovier tracks on the album, the rhythmic density and intensity build throughout in celebration of future life.

Growing (out of nothing)

Growing (out of nothing) was composed by Svoboda, and serves as an ode to all plants and vegetables. Adapted into a duo setting, this track is short and playful - an earworm ensured to leave a lasting impression on the listener.

Concerned Greta

This track serves as a visceral response to the inaction on climate change - a musical commentary on the turbulence of the current discourse. The opening nursery-rhyme-esque melody is harshly underpinned by a rhythmic pattern akin to a New Orleans funeral march, depicting the multiple perspectives of sceptics, activists, and everything in between. Screaming chaos ensues as Svoboda and Saragossi collectively buckle underneath the weight of building tension. 

Lost & Refuge

Lost and Refuge were composed for Meatshell’s immersive theatre production ‘Peaceful Co-Existence’, which won the 2019 Award for Innovation in Music (Maastricht NL). The performance painted a story of lost identity and finding purpose in new community, inspired by not-for-profit organisation and Maastricht social hub ‘The Treehouse’. 

In Lost, Saragossi’s use of eerie and dissonant sounding multiphonics contrasts with the purity and desperation of Svoboda’s vocals. Intensity builds as the protagonist begins to lose control of their reality, propelled by the driving double bass. 

In contrast, ‘Refuge’ continues the journey of the protagonist as they begin to reclaim their identity amidst a new environment. The piece begins with a refreshing sense of inquisition and curiosity, enhanced by the playful unison melody between vocals and saxophone. The optimistic saxophone solo offers a feeling of stability, mirroring the protagonist’s newfound confidence. 

Click here to view the full production, filmed at the Bonnefantenmuseum (Maastricht) in November 2019. 

Stones

Stones was written about the breakdown of communication between us as human beings, due to trauma, conflicting values and unchecked mental illness. The opening of the track sees Svoboda and Saragossi argue on their respective instruments, constantly trying to compete for the listener’s attention. As the song explodes into being, it is driven further by powerful bass percussion and saxophonic chaos akin to an ignited bomb.