We get to know this unique Durban band and talk about the band’s new Album namely, Aurum
Intro
The debut album ‘Aurum’ from Durban-based fusion quartet Always Us will be released on Friday 24 February. As experienced Videographers and Multi-instrumentalists, Matthew Andre (Guitars), Wanine Zovitzkey (Vocals & Keys), Tanner Kelly-Stack (Vocals & Bass) and Daniel Philogene (Drums). have been hard at work the past year meticulously self-producing this 8-track album, as well as 3 music videos, that features a multi-genre mix of Funk, House, DnB and Rock influences. The dynamic 4-piece aims to bring their unique sound and high production value to all platforms, stating that the “fast pace, high energy, raw emotion, fat mix, and tight production equals Aurum!”
I chat with ‘Always Us’ to talk about the new album and get to know the band a little better, enjoy the read
Questions
Hello and welcome ‘Always Us’. It is great to have you featured in Fanbase Music Magazine, can you tell us first of who is in the band and what each band member does in the band?
We are a 4 piece band from Durban, South Africa. Band members include:
Matthew André on Electric Guitar.
Tanner Kelly-Stack on Bass and Vocals.
Wanine Zovitzkey on Key and Vocals.
Who are some of the band members’ influences on music while growing up and even who do you listen to today?
We all have a vast range of musical influences and taste in music ranging from Classical, Jazz, EDM, Metal, Indie and many more. If a song is well written and produced it can be good no matter the genre.
Can you explain your sound to our readers?
Our music would classify mainly as EDM with hints of Rock, House, and Funk. We aim to combine digital sounds with real instruments to provide an amazing live experience and sound.
Let’s talk about the new album ‘Aurum’, first of how did you come up with that album name?
We owe the band and album name to a previous band member, Simon, who unfortunately is no longer with us due to other commitments. The Name ‘Always Us’ when abbreviated is AU which is Gold on the periodic table. Aurum is the Latin word for Gold.
The album was recorded in the studio of Daniel Philogene.
Did you have a producer who worked on the album and if so who worked on it?
The album is self produced by the band members. The production and mixing of the album was done by Daniel Philogene and Matthew André.
Being an EDM band, can you tell us what the recording process was like?
With the album being written in lockdown, the process was quite interesting. Wanine wrote lyrics with some basic chords which was then sent through to Daniel who worked his magic and created something absolutely amazing. Once written, the songs were recorded in Daniel and Matthew’s studio.
Aurum is being released on the 24th of February. The music video for our single Going Under is premiering on Texx and the City on the 23rd of February.
The music video that is being released for our single Going Under was shot mainly underwater. The song is about drowning in the daily struggles of life and the music video fits the entire theme quite well.
Some of the band members of ‘Always Us’ are also part of other bands. Namely, Truth Decayed and South Port, what I find amazing is that each band is very different in the genre of sound, how important is it for people to be open to different styles of music instead of just being pigeonholed in only one genre?
We all love a vast variety of musical genres and it provides us with multiple creative outlets.
Do you think the influences of bands that you grew up on determine the kind of music you write or influence each band and style and do you try to incorporate your influences in the different bands?
Yes, it greatly influences each of us in many ways.
When you are writing songs for ‘Always Us, can you explain the process from lyrics to music and how a song is put together?
The writing process for Aurum wasn’t ideal as it was written during lockdown and Wanine had COVID during this time. The lyrics were written by Tanner and Wanine in their own time and matched up quite amazingly in the end. This was sent through to Daniel who then produced the songs, which were later mixed by Matthew and Daniel. We would ideally all come together and write the songs as a group.
Can you explain a live performance with ‘Always Us’?
We aim to create a live set with no silence in between songs, much like that of a DJ set, but with real instruments being played live which adds energy.
Can you give us your social media links?
We all put a lot of work into creating Aurum and we are sure that you will enjoy it as much as we did. Love to see you soon at one of our shows.
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