Artist bio
Matilda Dickson is a saxophone player, mostly known for her work as a part of Wollongong’s favourite jazz-fusion band Frog Soup. This niche Wollongong micro-celebrity focuses on making complex experimental instrumental music, both within the band and her individual practice. She draws upon her experience with a wide variety of musical influences to inform both her playing and songwriting.
Artist statement
My EP aims to musically capture what my brain sounds like throughout the day, with one track showing how I struggle through the morning getting ready and the other conveying the joy of finally being in motion after I finally get out of the house.
I combine jazz fusion with electronic elements to realise this concept, creating two very distinct instrumental tracks. The first track utilises sound effects, synths, odd time and polyrhythms, mumbled spoken word ad libs, and fretless bass with excessive chorus to convey the feeling of disorientation and disorganisation that I get in the morning. Aside from some saxophone and fretless bass recorded by Callum Spillane, the entire track was created electronically using midi instruments. The second track is more coherent and musical, with an upbeat feel, moving into a darker and more tense change. It highlights my internal emotional experience of going about my day after having overcome the challenge of actually leaving the house.
In contrast to the first track, this track was recorded mostly live with Melody Tough on the piano, Tom Wilcox-Symons on the guitar, Ethan Tudor on the drums and congas, and Callum Spillane on the bass. Special mention to Ben Chin the sound engineer who made the initial recording sound impeccable.