From Australia to North America, indie-electric trio, Crooked Colours, recently debuted a new album with Atlantic Records ahead of a two-month-long tour. We had the chance to sit down with and discuss the band’s trajectory up until this point, as well as where they’re headed in the future. Keep reading to find out more about this dynamic and passionate group.
BTS: Tell me a little bit about each of you – how did Crooked Colours come to be the trio that you are today?
Crooked Colours: We are Phil, Leon and Liam. Three guys from the quiet Southwest of Australia. Phil and Leon met while surfing the local area and kindled a friendship through a love of music. After penning a few tracks together, they needed a drummer to help them play it live and that’s where Liam came in through friends of friends. Weirdly, we stuck together from that first day and here we are.
BTS: What kind of impact do you think being from Australia has had on your music?
Crooked Colours: We had an absolutely bursting electronic scene here! Growing up, we had The Presets, Van She, Grafton Primary, Miami Horror, Cut Copy, Art vs Science, Hermitude, Bag Raiders, PNAU, Ou Est Le Swimming Pool. It was hard not to be steered in that direction. All these bands had such an influence on us growing up and we wanted to emulate that in our own way.
BTS: For someone who may be new to electronic music, why should they listen to Crooked Colours?
Crooked Colours: We have been described as easy-listening music but can also be put on to lift the mood. So we’re good for a road trip and also for a party! I guess that means we fit all occasions.
BTS: Your debut LP with Atlantic Records was just released on 9/23. What excites you most about Tomorrows?
Crooked Colours: Putting out another album in general! It’s the best feeling to release a full body of work. Obviously, the last few years have been a slog and we have worked so hard and for so long for this to come together, so to see it come to light will be incredible!
BTS: What sets Tomorrows apart from past albums you have put out?
Crooked Colours: The time we wrote it through made it a lot more difficult than previous albums. Having everything completely put on hold and having to try and be creative at the same time was a weird head space to be in. A lot of revisions and back and forth went into this album and we are so proud of how it turned out.
BTS: Take me through the process from start to finish that went into making Tomorrows happen. How long have you been working on it? Who helped with making this project come to life?
Crooked Colours: We never stop writing music, so we have a lot of tracks in the library that sometimes don’t have the right feel. There are tracks on Tomorrows that were already a few years old when we first started it, and some finished recently just before the deadline to hand it over. So, a long time!
BTS: You guys have just embarked on a tour across North America through the end of October. What song are you most excited to play live? Why?
Crooked Colours: Has to be “Holiday.” It feels fitting to finally be outside of Australia, on another tour, and hopefully to something that feels better than the last few years.
BTS: What stop on tour are you looking forward to most? Why?
Crooked Colours: God this is such a hard question, but we always have such a great turnout in Denver and San Francisco, so those are the ones! They really turn it on, but we’re open to seeing if anyone dethrones them.
BTS: Do you have a dream venue to play in someday?
Crooked Colours: I think this is a generic answer but headlining a Red Rocks show would be incredible. There is nothing like it. When it’s all lit up and the crowd just extends in front of you, that would be wild.
BTS: Does Crooked Colours have any consistent pre and post-show rituals? Any superstitions?
Crooked Colours: We like to quickly crunch out a minute plank and then we have a handshake that we have done before every single show we have ever done. Never not done the handshake.
BTS: Current favorite songs to sing in the shower?
Crooked Colours: That awesome little snippet of “Wait a Minute!” by WILLOW.
BTS: What can we expect from Crooked Colours for the rest of 2022?
Crooked Colours: We’ll have fun with this album coming out. Play some festivals in Australia for our summer and hopefully come back for festival season in the States in 2023!!
With their sights set high and ability to just make listeners want to dance, we have no doubt that Crooked Colours will become a household name very soon. Their sound is one of versatility that can be appreciated in a range of settings, something not every artist has the capacity to meet. We cannot wait to see what’s next for the Australian trio but for right now, wish them the best of luck on their tour across North America.
Listen to Tomorrows now!
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