HOOVERPHONIC: new single “Mysterious”
“I dig the bizarre mix between aesthetics and realism”
The new Hooverphonic single ‘Mysterious’ sets the pace for a new streaming series!
Proximus Pickx is promoting the release of the Australian series ‘Love Me’ with an exclusive Belgian trailer, and who better than Hooverphonic to grace said tantalizing teaser with fitting music? The fact that it’s not just an off-the-shelf classic from the band’s rich back catalogue makes it extra attractive for fans. ‘Mysterious’ – a brand-new ditty that sounds comfortingly familiar yet refreshing – has quite some trippy 90s dance influences and even video game nods with the lyric ‘Are you ready for the next level?’. Uncharted and exciting territory for Hooverphonic – a band one does not immediately associate with games or the trance genre.
“A trailer is a promo tool for a series or a film, but a good song can just as well be a promo tool for a trailer”, explains frontman and songwriter Alex Callier. “We needed a track that could be released as a single, that was my one condition. It all needed to fall into place, because we couldn’t lose the atmosphere of the series. You need a bit of luck, admittedly. We had first settled on another song, one that was even in the final mixing stages, but my gut instinct told me ‘Mysterious’ was the best song to use.”
The series ‘Love Me’ deals with a family in shambles: when the mother dies, her husband, son and daughter cope with this loss and sadness in wildly different ways. The daughter takes a head-in-the-sand approach, whereas her father goes off the rails. Ready for the next level, indeed. Callier nods most amused. “Every once in a while, the stars collide to create the exact thing you were chasing. For the trailer, the song has been rearranged: just the intro with strings and the ‘Are you ready for the next level?’ piece remain. Naturally, an instrumental intermezzo was needed to fit in some series dialogue. ‘Mysterious’ will be an independent release, which is something ordinary nowadays. We have always had a very clear idea of what we want. Our new album is shaping up to be very 90s influenced, including lots of different dance flavours, a pinch of oldskool hip-hop and even some big beat. It promises to be ‘Blue Wonder Power Milk’ revisited. Said record is now more than twenty years old, which makes looking back and referencing yourself perfectly acceptable (laughs). Then again, the new record is only in the planning stages. First and foremost, we’re planning to release some more singles. Back to the sixties: single after single after single, and then a compilation down the road. The quicker, the better in today’s musical climate. Songs barely have a shelf life.”
Does one need to feel a connection to the material when working for hire? Callier has binged the series and loved it: “It’s decidedly un-Hollywood. You immediately can tell it’s introspective and Australian-made. Life and how we know it. Very realistic – without descending into Brothers Dardenne hyper-realism territory. I dig the bizarre mix between aesthetics and realism. It’s a very recognizable series in my eyes. I lost my father three years ago, and we all cope in different ways. In the end, we all live our our own lives.”
Is Alex Callier a fan of Australian cinema? ”A great movie is a great movie, regardless of its country of origin. Australia does sometimes offer quite the offbeat cinema experience. Just think back and remember ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’, ‘Muriel’s Wedding’ or ‘Mad Max’. Hardly run-of-the-mill flicks, but motion pictures that left a deep impression on one’s retinas. ‘Love Me’ has Melbourne as its central location, which automatically renders it a tad more special. The city feels like a combo of European and Asian influences, it has a very distinct flair.”
The series ‘Love Me’ will be released on Sep 15th , the single ‘Mysterious’ on Sep 16th 2022.
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