Q&A: Rooted in Artistic Evolution, Cub Sport Floats in Sonic Euphoria With Latest Single “Replay”

Q&AMusic

Nov 17

☆ By Steph Dunlop ☆

CAPTURING THE ESSENCE OF NEWFOUND FREEDOM — Cub Sport’s latest single “Replay” breaks free from the confines of a tainted perspective as the band dives headfirst into a lighter sonic era. Composed of silky vocals melting into a bed of sparkling synths, the track is an exciting detour from the dreamy, atmospheric sounds from previous Cub Sport projects.

Wrapped in euphoric bliss, “Replay” delves into the freeing feeling of outgrowing and letting go of something you once longed for. The track’s visualiser, however, hones in on the yearning and monotony that precedes moving on. The video’s muted color palette juxtaposes the vibrancy of the accompanying track as it depicts a particularly mundane and uneventful life. Entrapping Cub Sport’s lead vocalist Tim Nelson in a time loop, the passage of days is evident only in changes of outfits. Embedded throughout the visualiser are brief flashes of a lover on the beach, emphasizing that the focus of the longing is partnership and love.

“Replay” follows the band’s previous dive into dance-esque music with “Always Got The Love.” Coming out of a two-year hiatus from producing new music, Cub Sport is embracing a lighter, more celebratory approach to music.

Keep reading below for a glance into Cub Sport’s artistry as they talk us through their latest single, the creative process behind the track’s visualiser, and the band’s upcoming goals.

LUNA: Congrats on “Replay”! What inspired this dip into the house genre?

CUB SPORT: Thank you! I think working on new music throughout lockdowns, I was dreaming of what the shows on the other side of that would feel like and what sort of energy I wanted to bring. I always just aim to make music that I wanna listen to, and lately I’ve found myself leaning more into a dance/house/club world.

LUNA: How did you develop the lyrics for this track?

CUB SPORT: For me, lyrics usually come out gradually when I’m writing melodies and that’s what the process was for this song. I just kind of mumble whatever comes to me and that often evolves into actual words with the same sort of shapes and sounds. I think when I’m really “in the zone” the lyrics kind of just flow and reveal themselves.

LUNA: What does the track mean to you personally?

CUB SPORT: I’m still kind of working that out… but it’s about moving forward. Feelings can be complex and conflicting — you can long for something and not want it at the same time, you can love something but outgrow it. I think to me, it’s about shifting from longing for something to feeling free

LUNA: Can you talk us through the creative process behind the visualiser for “Replay”?

CUB SPORT: The video was inspired by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind, but a queer version. We wanted to create something that plays into the replay theme, where I’m stuck in a life on loop and I’m trying to break out of it. It was my first time directing a music video with this grand of a concept/vision and I actually really loved the process — made possible by working alongside incredible filmmaker and DOP Jack Birtles. We shot the video around our hometown Brisbane, as well as the Gold Coast for the beach scenes. I vividly remember catching the train from that same station in the video with my dad when I was six years old. It feels special to capture the unique beauty of our hometown. The video was shot entirely on 16mm film, which is so beautiful and feels super nostalgic.

LUNA: How do you get into the zone when creating a track? Are there any essentials in creating a Cub Sport song?

CUB SPORT: You know, I don’t think I can actively “get in the zone” — it sort of depends on lots of different things, and inspiration can be unpredictable. I think playing around with beautiful chords, ethereal/weird sounds, or a beat that’s exciting can pull me into the zone, or if I’m feeling some deeper inspiration for lyrics, that’ll bring the same sort of feeling. I think, for me, an essential for creating a Cub Sport song is being honest with myself about how the song is making me feel. There’s no better feeling than creating something you love and following the creative path that excites you and makes you feel the most.

LUNA: How would you describe the atmosphere your music creates?

CUB SPORT: I’ve had people say that our music is comforting and can help bring connection with what they’re feeling. I’m super drawn to beautiful, warm, emotive harmonics, which probably contributes to that. This new era has something more to it though — it’s still got that emotion and heart but it feels lighter: more uplifting, more euphoric.

LUNA: Considering that you’ve been creating music together for over a decade now, do you feel like there's still space for exploration and evolution in your artistry?

CUB SPORT: Oh my goodness, absolutely. I don’t think two Cub Sport albums will ever sound the same. That evolution and allowing ourselves the freedom to grow and explore new sonic territory is a huge part of what makes Cub Sport what it is.

LUNA: Do you have any goals you’re hoping to achieve before the year ends?

CUB SPORT: There’s one big goal I’ve been working towards all year and I’m so close to getting there, but I can’t say what it is yet…

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We couldn’t be more stoked to have Suriel Hess as our new headliner for our upcoming LA show 🤩 🫶 Not gonna lie, us & Notorious Noise kinda went OFF with this line up & you’re not gonna wanna miss it - ticket link in bio 🎫