Q&A: Ready to Greet the World With Groove and Genre-Bending Sound, Greatest Hits Releases EP ‘Vol. Two’
WITH A WHIRL OF GLOWING FLOW AND SWEET FEELINGS — Greatest Hits releases their new single, “Nuclear Love.” The Gold Coast-based band is a blend of every warm and colorful element you can spot around you. Entering the world of Greatest Hits is like entering a comforting stream of sunshine pop, ’70s groove, and neo-psych.
Greatest Hits’ sound can’t be narrowed down to a single genre, however, and the band has no desire of being placed into one. They are a cluster of curated sonic elements that they feel is a perfect piece to carry in their sound. The band’s discography feels like an edge of the world to discover something new in every corner. Some songs feel a little more mellow, but still carry that groove and swift energy, while others completely take over your body and move you in every sense.
Their last EP, Vol. One, is the best example of the band’s sonic feel. The album starts off with a radiant explosion of captivating groove in the first two songs, “Growler, a Little Bit of Everyone” and “Phil, Slow It Down.” Highlighted in these tracks are the touch into the concept of identity and the notable trait that follows Greatest Hits in their music: lyrical sarcasm.
After getting you all spirited, you’re introduced to the rest of the 6-track EP, and the songs mellow out compared to the initial two. But nonetheless, you’ll still be feeling their active energy throughout the entire album.
The sonically full outfit announced their upcoming EP, Vol. Two, to be released Dec. 3. With the honored sneak peek listen, I saw how this EP is one everyone will find something to love about. If you’re into artists like Khruangbin, Altun Gun, MGMT, and Stereolab, you’ll find a sense of fondness for their sonic elements along with modern sensibilities that are unique to Greatest Hits. It’s an EP that follows Vol. One gracefully with new components that tie it all together.
Read down below to get to know more about Greatest Hits, “Nuclear Love,” and their upcoming EP, Vol. Two.
LUNA: With 2021 coming to an end soon, how has this year been treating you guys?
GREATEST HITS: It’s been a kinda crazy year for us — full of highs and lows. There’s definitely been some tough moments, but also so many amazing things happened, including tours with some of our favourite bands: Donny Benet, King Stingray, The Buoys, and The Grogans. Even with the year it’s been, we still managed to play more shows then we ever have, and have met so many unreal people!
LUNA: I want to mention that your sound is something I quickly fell in love with. It’s smooth and groovy, but there are notable elements in it that encapsulate vulnerability and delicate feelings. I know you guys have never steered to a certain genre so I’m wondering how you guys define your sound. If you could make your own genre for it, what would it be called?
GREATEST HITS: Part of the fun is not having to worry about fitting what we write into a certain genre. This band is all about what feels good for us, and it wouldn’t seem right to limit that because of “genre rules” or whatever. We just give ourselves permission to try stuff, stick to what excites us, and do what is best for each song.
LUNA: Your new single, “Nuclear Love,” feels sweet, but makes you move. The sonic elements create a good balance between an energetic sound and honest lyrics. How did this song come about, and how did that inspire the sound for it?
GREATEST HITS: “Nuclear Love” started years ago as a really percussion-heavy demo in Leeds. Henry put the current version together on the iPad while living on a dairy farm in North QLD just to show the band, and a lot of the sounds kind of stuck! We got some amazing friends to lay the backing vocals on it, and that really completed it.
LUNA: You guys have a new EP coming out soon! What inspired Vol. Two?
GREATEST HITS: We had to think of something to follow up Vol. One. It’s the natural progression, right?
LUNA: I’m very honored to get a peak of the EP — I really loved “Banana Moon.” I’d say it’s more mellow than the rest of the songs. What other sounds have you guys been wanting to explore? Is any of that in your new EP?
GREATEST HITS: Yeah, it’s definitely broader than Vol. One. We wanted to allow ourselves to take each song in its own direction and experiment with instrumentation and feel. It’s been fun to mix in things like drum machine and choir with the live band on this EP!
LUNA: Your songs are always something that invoke an uplifting feeling; I feel like making music like that is always a good experience. What does your creative process look like?
GREATEST HITS: Yeah, it feels good for us, too! I mean, that’s the great thing about making this kind of music. The song process nearly always begins individually, developing a hook or groove idea alone. Once it’s fleshed out a bit, we’ll start collaborating on things like arrangement, melodies, and lyrics (usually in that order!).
LUNA: Since your music has a lot of ’70s groove and modern elements — what has inspired or influenced that sound?
GREATEST HITS: When we were all living in Leeds, we played in a lot of different bands. It was really formative playing a variety of genres with different combinations of musicians, but it wasn’t always necessarily in line with our personal tastes. Greatest Hits is inspired by the music, production, and style we love — it’s kind of indulgent in that way.
LUNA: As we get back into live shows, what are you most excited about performing again?
GREATEST HITS: We have some headline shows in December that we’ve been working really hard on. Really just want to make sure they’re extra special. We’ve been touring so much with other artists that we haven’t had the chance to do our own shows for a while. So we’re excited to be able to put a bit of extra sizzle on some things.
LUNA: Fun little kinda hard question before we end: If you were stranded in the desert, what record would you have with you?
GREATEST HITS: Station to Station by David Bowie (Henry); Down in The Basement EP by the Mauskovic Dance Band (Chelsea); Graceland by Paul Simon (Ryan).
LUNA: Besides your new EP coming out in December, what are some things you are looking forward to in 2022?
GREATEST HITS: Got some exciting things cooking for next year for sure. We’re ready to say hi to the rest of the world.
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