My name’s Narayana and I’m one half of Electronic Duo Willow Beats. We try create mystical electronic music for you to get lost in.

We have just announced a national tour! It is in support of our new EP ‘Alchemy’. The lead up to its release has been going really well! We have cropped two singles off the EP, ‘Alchemy’ and ‘Elemental’, and the reception has been overwhelming. We’e had heaps of blog love and radio play especially from triple j. We feel it’s a definite step up in our production and song writing and its great to see people digging that.

After our national tour we’re going on tour with Gold Fields to support their new album, which should be a blast. If you catch us playing make sure you come say hi! We’re ultra friendly peeps.

Tell us about the concept of Willow Beats?

Willow Beats is the combination of myself (Narayana) and my niece Kalyani. I’ve known Kalyani her whole life and most of mine! I was originally studying guitar at Uni. Halfway through my second year I broke my wrist, which forced me to find another creative outlet. I came home with some studio monitors and a mic one day and got Kalyani to lay some vocals over a beat I was working on. We really liked the end result and kept making songs. Eventually we decided to put out an EP which was received really well to our delight!

Thus Willow Beats was born.

Where and when did Willow Beats have their live debut and was it a successful show?

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Our first live show (apart from a couple of house parties) was at Strange Wolf. It’s a tiny underground basement bar in Melbourne CBD. Super small show but to us it was a huge success! We we’re just happy to see a few strange faces and a bunch of familiar ones showing support!

‘Fess up. What records have you stolen from your parent’s record collection and why?

Influences from the parents? My mum is a huge Dylan fan. I dig his stuff. I’m probably more influenced by my Brother in Law’s (Kalyani’s dad’s) collection. He had a lot of Kraftwerk which was my introduction into electronic music. He was also rocking Devo, The Beatles, Daft Punk, The Prodigy… Just all the good stuff really.

My Dad wrote that song “give me a home amongst the gum trees, with lots of plum trees”. He passed away when I was really young but he’s definitely had major musical influence on me.

Where is Willow Beats favourite place to make music from?

All happens in my room! I’ve got a pretty simple set up. Lappy, Studio monitors and a microphone but it’s all we need.
I plan to slowly upgrade my roomio (room studio??) slowly but surely. Add a piece of new gear hear and there.

Willow Beats were discovered on Triple J Unearthed, were you surprised when it started getting played on Triple J’s main station?

Yeah we were over the moon! A friend called me up and said “dude you’re being played on triple J right now”. I was in the city but couldn’t contain my excitement. I started doing cartwheels and running around. I’d wanted to get spun on the J’s for a really long time. When it finally happened I was the happiest kid on earth.

Do you have any particular ritual before you go on stage?

We start our set with this eyrie string section and epic voice over “a thousand years ago this land was green and good…..”. It’s a sample from The Dark Crystal. The track always amps us up more than anything because we’re so used to associating it with shows and good times. Playing that song is kind of like our ritual.

If you could curate your own festival, where would it be, who would be on the bill, how many people would you let in and what features would it have?

I’ve always imagined watching Bonobo play in a bamboo forest… I think a smallish camping festival (a couple of thousand) would be ideal. Kinda hippy vibes with a chill electronic lineup. Bonobo, Mount Kimbie, Manu Chao!!!!!, DEEP FOREST!!!! OMG I’m getting excited!! You get the kind of feel though. I recon a one stage set up is best. That way you don’t miss anything.

It would have to go for at least 7 days. I’d deck the place out like a little village. Straw huts, Heaps of different places to eat and mad places to chill. And why stick to just music? There could be a stage for Drama, Workshops, Comedy… I could probably write an essay on this question. I’d absolutely love to run a festival.

What is your band’s music the best soundtrack for?  

Skating around on a cruiser board thinking about the world and your place in it.

You seem to really like Wizards, if you could become one what would your Wizard name be?

I am a wizard and my name is Narayana. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What should we expect from your upcoming shows on your ‘Alchemy’ EP tour? 

Yeah we’re actually getting visuals made up at this very moment to be projected behind us while we play. They’re a mashups of nature documentaries and fantasy films. I can’t wait to start using them!! I think it suits our music perfectly.

We’re also planning on dressing up the stage whenever possible. We want to have foresty vibes going on so tree branches, etc etc.

What’s in store for Willow Beats for the rest of 2013 after the ‘Alchemy;’ EP tour?

Well we’re releasing a music video for Elemental soon. We’re really excited about that. It’s very ethereal and fantasy based. I can’t give away too much but I play this Alchemist/ Wizard type dude and Kalyani plays a forest god.

Straight after our Alchemy Tour we’ll be heading on tour with Gold Fields! It’s gonna be a busy few months but I cant wait!

After that we’ll probably knuckle down on getting some more tracks finished. Maybe another EP? Or possibly an album.

CATCH WILLOW BEATS ON THEIR ‘ALCHEMY EP’ NATIONAL TOUR

Thursday 30th May w/ Indian Summer, Alta & Airwolf  @ Workers Club, Melbourne, VIC

Friday 31st May w/ Charles Murdoch & Renz  @ Bowler Bar, Brisbane, QLD

Saturday 1st June @ Family, Perth, WA

Friday 7th June w/ Branchez (NYC) & Glamour Lakes @ Cats @ Rocket Bar, Adelaide, SA

Saturday 8th June w/ Stoney Roads DJs & Ocean @ Spectrum, Sydney, NSW

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