Delivering the groove in this flavourful disco-funk-rock fusion, Meanjin-based TYDE has given the world a dish of optimistic nihilism in the form of 'Latte Partay' - a genre-bending dance-ready beat that is self-contradictory in the way only life can be.
The fem-lead 8-piece have a truly genre-fluid sound, brandishing an intricate soundscape that ebbs and flows between jazz, prog, pop, funk, and folk. Combining
percussive finger-style guitar riffs, funky bass and horn lines, and heavy prog moments for your head-banging pleasure, TYDE will get you both grooving and wondering what time signature you're dancing to.
'Latte Partay' stares down the realities of late-stage capitalism and laughs in its face, determined to have a good time despite it all. Frontwoman Ella Belfanti shares:
"It pokes fun at the generation wars, laughs through the helpless feeling many young people know all too well with our leaders’ inaction across a long list of world issues, and at the end of the day comes back to what’s truly important: caffeine and sharing the love with your mates."
With its modern lyrics, retro inspiration, and nihilistic playfulness, 'Latte Partay' isn't afraid to bet on both sides and enjoy the payoff– a versatile groove that'll serve just as well going dancing with your girls as it will walking to the bus stop.
Congratulations on your new track! ‘Latte Partay’ is such a fun tune - did you get a chance to celebrate its release?
"Thank you! A few of us got to catch up on release day in the studio working on our next release and hug it out, but we're yet to ALL be in the same room since the release - it's a really busy time right now but we're SO keen for our launch show on May 16th!"
Did you have any inspiration tracks that you were influenced by in the making of the song?
"Ella didn't write it with any particular inspiration tracks in mind, but the bass line drew a little inspiration from 'Morning Light' by Nubiyan Twist, and we gave Benee and Noga Erez songs as references for the production."
You’ve shared that ‘Latte Partay’ stares down the realities of late-stage capitalism and laughs in its face, determined to have a good time despite it all. Was there a catalyst moment that inspired you to write the lyrics of ‘Latte Partay’? How did the song first come together?
"The lyrics were really a brain dump in an overwhelmed existential crisis moment for Ella. Writing the song was an effort to externalise the challenges and frustrations faced by the younger generations in our system, and to be able to have a laugh about the absurdities of it all rather than dwell on feeling defeated."
The upcoming tour is set to take the 'Latte Partay' experience down the Australian East Coast. What can fans expect from your live performances on this tour?
"TYDE is a band built for the live experience - you can expect loads of energy, to get down for a boogie but be kept on your toes with some time signature madness, and some stanky solos, horn section battles, and improvisation. We're a big 8-piece band and we're all close mates, so the vibes are immaculate."
Starting as a 3-piece in 2020, TYDE has since grown into an 8-piece powerhouse. How did the current lineup form?
"It was really all by accident - when Ella met Lucas (TYDE's first elec guitarist) she started getting ideas for how electric guitar could fit into the tunes she'd already written and invited him to come jam, which went really well and added a great new dynamic and potential for heavier moments. Then when recording 'Headfirst' (which Lucas produced too), Ella had the idea to have the instrumental hook played by a trumpet and saxophone instead of guitar.
She reached out to Mika who she knew played sax from around the Bris music scene, and Mika recommended Sharon for trumpet. After vibing really well in the studio, Ella invited them to play the launch show and they stayed in the band! The next single was 'Give Me A Reason', and in the studio we recorded more like 4 or 5 horn harmonies rather than 2. So when the opportunity came up to do our live studio recording at Sound Out Studios with Casper Hall, Ella invited Liv and Alyssa to come and learn the tenor sax and second trumpet line.
Again, the vibes were fantastic and they ended up staying in the band! While we've had a few band members change over time, the horn section has become a core part of TYDE now, and the 8-piece setup feels like it was always meant to be there for these tunes."
Ella, how has your experience as a solo performer influenced your approach to songwriting and performing with the band?
"Being a solo performer gave me an appreciation for the importance of storytelling and dynamics through a song. When you're playing solo you're interacting more personally with the audience, with all eyes on you, and you can really feel how building layers/volume/tension or dropping back suddenly makes you and your audience feel. Because I use a loop pedal, stomp box and play percussively too, in a sense I was already practicing arranging more than one instrumental line in my songs. It felt like a natural progression to start arranging for other instruments too, and it has always felt like having a bigger toolkit for storytelling and connecting emotionally with the audience."
The music video is a perfect match for the track - encapsulating light-hearted fun and feel good energy. Do you have any music video shoot highlights?
"I think I have three highlights from the shoot - the process of directing it with Liv, our camera man Tony and my sibling Harley; putting together and executing the Latte Partay coffee cup dance, and the playthroughs of the song where we got to mime performing it live (that is, afterall, what we love doing the most!)"
It’s such a great idea to collaborate with Ground Control Coffee Roasters for a limited run of 'Latte Partay' beans. What started this collaboration?
"I (Ella) am just a huge coffee enthusiast, and I guess I just thought 'what kind of merch would I be excited to buy if I were a TYDE fan?' I wanted to do something special for our merch, and Ground Control make my favourite roast of beans. I was so stoked when I reached out and they were keen to collaborate!"
You’ve previously played YONDER Festival, made two Byron Bay Bluesfest appearances, and have supported the likes of Harry James Angus, and more. Looking ahead after this upcoming tour, what’s next for TYDE?
"We are finishing up our next single at the moment, we are heading back to the mountains in VIC over winter to play some more shows at the snow in Hotham, we are planning on a live EP, and we also have some exciting things coming later in the year that we can't talk about yet! Stay tuned!"
TYDE ON TOUR
Thur, May 16 - Stranded Bar, Brisbane | w/ Sixth Of The Sun and Moths To A Flame
Fri, May 31 - The Vault, Wollongong | w/ Moths To A Flame
Sat, June 1 - Lazybones Lounge, Sydney | w/ Moths To A Flame
Sun, June 2 - The Retreat, Melbourne | w/ Meraki Minds and Moths To A Flame
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