Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Alice Austin is known for her long career as a solo artist and a frontwoman for the internationally acclaimed Black Sabbitch.
Shaking the airwaves with her latest nostalgic release, "Break the Spell," has AliceAustin offering listeners a genuine glimpse into the sounds and themes of 1985. Knowing this era as one who lived and experienced it first-hand, Alice Austin's perspective sonic lens is riddled with authenticity as we peer inside.
Through each melody shed, you can hear her timeless musical influences like Cyndi Lauper and Robyn inspire this dreamy atmosphere we fluidly groove through.
The crafted upbeat atmosphere is reminiscent of 80s synth pop as the eclectic glimmers of synths, and moody counterbalance of ambient pads fortify a foundation of a signature 80s hit. Alice Austin lays her poignant croons overtop this colored framework in a way that fully entrances us.
The more we breathe in "Break the Spell," we feel the maturity that stems from an experienced life. It's as if Alice Austin has returned in time and shares her knowledge with the teenage version of herself, navigating this ever-changing world.
Latching onto her opulent timbres that cascade through reverberations and self-assurance, Alice Austin emanates a mystical ambiance that transports us back in time.
Listen to "Break the Spell" today on all major streaming platforms.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Alice Austin, and congratulations on the release of your latest single, "Break the Spell." We love the nostalgic concept that you've placed into this composition. Was there a moment or story that inspired you to approach this song as such?
Thanks so much. The feeling of nostalgia in “Break the Spell” came about after I sang backing vocals on a track called “One of Us Now” by Cold Engines. They captured the sense of time and place so well, and it brought me on a journey back in time to revisit some artists and sounds from the 80s that I hadn’t connected with because I was so wrapped up in hair metal and hard rock. I started thinking about the technology and sounds of the time and went deep into the archives.
Please share a glimpse into the creative process of bringing this song to life. Did anyone help you craft such an evocative production?
I wrote the lyrics on the plane and the music later that night. It felt almost too easy, as though it wrote itself. David Drouin, my producer and friend, loved it and knew how to get it where it wanted. We started with a Juno 60 synthesizer which was an unusual process since we are both primarily guitarists. The keyboard, as the first instrument, separates this album from all of my others, and this has been really exciting to watch develop.
If you could pick any musical influence to feature on this song, who would you want it to be and why?
Cyndi Lauper, because of her phrasing and melodies.
Do you feel that "Break the Spell" fits your mission statement as an artist?
Not at all. One of the things I love about being an artist is that I have never felt as though I’ve had to have a mission statement. I’m really whimsical and just follow the ideas.
What's next for you?
I’m torn between a really minimalist album and a hair metal record, but definitely one of the two, probably both.