Q&A: The Beauty and Depth of Lastlings’ World of Sound
JAPANESE COMPOSER RYUICHI SAKAMOTO ONCE SAID THAT — “The key concept is to open your ears. Music can be here and there, anywhere surrounding you.” Harboring this very notion in every facet of their craft, Amy and Josh Dowdle of Japanese Australian sibling duo Lastlings capture the intricacies of observation, the interplay between history and the future, as well as space and time, in their artistry.
To them, art is life itself. Since 2015, the electronic duo has meticulously carved room and given soul to an artistic world that is perpetually inspired and evolving, in which their listeners are able to access an experience that is transcendental and deeply nourishing.
Throughout their discography, Amy’s voice shimmers above Josh’s refined production, crisp and it is ethereal. It finds a way to grasp a heart longing to be understood, a mind searching for an escape. Her voice is an instrument that not only connects Amy to listeners, but listeners to themselves, opening a vault where emotion and thought meet with a firm handshake. Josh creates stories from sound, those of the everyday, of new and old places, of people and simple interactions. He does this with precision, with a joy for the art of listening and an expertise of reconstructing its simplicity.
Their avante-garde mirage of electronic, indie, and pop extends to their unique and captivating live act, with a three-piece setup: Josh on keys and guitar, a live drummer, and Amy on vocals. Having garnered notable commendation from names such as Rolling Stone, GRAMMY, and Triple J, it is a testament to the duo’s affinity for performance as its own artform.
Early on, Lastlings released two EPs leading up to their signing with Astralwerks and RÜFÜS DU SOL's Rose Avenue Records, where their body of work continues to expand both conceptually and sonically. In 2020, their first album, First Contact, was acclaimed internationally, a project that captures the intimacy, anxieties, awe, beauty, sombreness, and vastness of first encounters.
From there, Lastlings have graced global stages with Bob Moses, RÜFÜS DU SOL, and Glass Animals at venues such as Colorado's Red Rocks, LA’s State Historic Park, NY’s Forest Hills Stadium, Coachella, and 88 Rising’s Head in the Clouds festival, with an applause from the likes of Billboard, NME, Vogue, Paper, Mixmag, W Magazine, and more.
Inspired by their Japanese heritage, in which tradition and futurism coincide, tranquility and vibrancy meet, the duo draw not only from a simultaneous curiosity of and connection to place, but from its rich musical and artistic landscape. Sublime melodies are inspired by the greatest Japanese composers and the intricate poeticism in their lyrics is awakened by scenes from Studio Ghibli films. The glitz and funk of synth-dripping Japanese city pop, the escapist exuberance of jazz funk, and fantastic dystopias inspired by their love of cinema, art, and the act of imagination propel their music forward.
With the release of their latest album, Perfect World, Amy and Josh continue to further their practice as musicians, performers, and role models to a world of listeners. Throughout their journey and onward, they continue to nurture, reform, and develop their artistry, one that compels and will continue to for as long as sound itself.
Read on below as the sibling duo revisit their growth, journey, and passion.
LUNA: How are you? Where in the world are you now?
LASTLINGS: We are great — hope you are well too. We are both currently living in Melbourne. Australia now.
LUNA: For almost a decade, you’ve been working together as musicians. Could you walk me through your journey leading up to the very first release?
AMY: My mum got me into piano when I was super young, and I’m really grateful for that.
Dad and I used to sing karaoke in our garage after school sometimes and that definitely got me into singing. I started to attend choir, musical theater, and a few singing lessons. Then over time I started to do covers, which eventuated to me writing my own songs. I remember in grade six I did a cover of “Come Together” by The Beatles on GarageBand for my music project. My music teacher heard this cover and asked me to sing for our primary school graduation, so I wrote a song about the graduation and performed it with piano and a few friends as backing vocalists. It is very wholesome and pretty emotional for a grade six graduation.
LUNA: Growing up, how did your individual experiences with music intertwine? I can imagine the house would have been quite vivid with sound.
JOSH: Yes, exactly. Music was always present in the house. There was usually a guitar or piano in a room somewhere. Our dad played acoustic guitar and there’d even be some bongos or other random instruments lying around. I also learned piano when I was younger for a few years but quit. I’m only starting lessons again this year with a friend; I'm so rusty.
AMY: I remember when I was in high school, I used to check in on Josh and his band in the garage. One afternoon, Josh and I started doing covers together and we eventually made a song that we recorded with one of our friends and uploaded to SoundCloud.
LUNA: Who are some of the people or moments that form the foundation of your love for music? Has that evolved?
JOSH: When we first started our sound was quite different to what it is now, and we were listening to a lot of Beach House and folk acoustic artists. I loved and still do love Radiohead.
AMY: Yeah. I think also going to music festivals growing up always inspired us. I always used to go to a festival in Australia called Splendour In The Grass with my friends from school. I remember saying to my friends we will play here one day, and now eight years later we are playing on the mainstage.
LUNA: Are there any particular records that have been pivotal?
JOSH: When I first started playing in a band with my friends and going to shows/festivals alt-J’s An Awesome Wave came out, and that sparked a lot of excitement in me because it was such a beautiful and quirky record and wasn’t like anything I’d heard up until then. I think my first bootleg remix I ever made was of “Breezeblocks” from that album.
AMY: Lately I’ve been loving Everything but the Girl’s new record, “Fuse”. I also really like the singles that Romy has been putting out. They are so fun and freeing.
LUNA: Having a journey that has been both very self-driven and specific to each of you while also sharing a very significant middle ground, do you have moments every once in a while in which you are reminded of why you do what you do? Does being able to share this love for music strengthen it in any way?
JOSH: Even though we make music together, we aren’t always in the room or studio together so music can be quite isolating, and there definitely are moments where you’re like, “Is what I’m doing actually matter?”
AMY: But certainly there are moments every now and then where I am reminded of why I do what I do. I do it because I couldn’t imagine my life without music or even a world without music.
JOSH: We have a really beautiful and supportive fanbase who reach out every now and then and tell us how the song has made them feel, how it’s helped them through a tough time, or even that they just love dancing to it — and I think that makes everything worth it.
LUNA: What does your process look like, from the conception of an idea to its release? Do you each tend to lean toward a certain role? As siblings, the natural rhythms of interaction would definitely be helpful and inspiring when writing, producing, sharing ideas — the whole process.
JOSH: It’s always different for me. Some days I’ll start with something on my guitar or on one of my synths. Other days I’ll sit on my laptop and start with some sounds I find in different software synth plugins. I rarely start with a beat, which I think every producer online says to do. I just feel a bit more inspired in that instant by something melodic or chords that evoke some kind of emotion from me. I do a lot of voice memoing too so I can remember ideas. A lot of my favorite ideas come from when I’m driving around. Lately, Amy has also been sending me demos and vocal ideas, which have been fun to build around and explore.
AMY: I would say our writing style is very spontaneous. I enjoy writing lyrics alone, as it is more of a personal thing for me. Lyrically, a lot of the music I write is drawn from personal experiences or movies that I watch. Someone could say one sentence or idea and it can sometimes spark inspiration. I do try to write a little bit every day. Whether it is creative writing, writing a few lyrics down, recording a voice memo, or even writing a full song. I think if I don’t write for a while I usually get writer's block, so it’s good to always be putting down something.
LUNA: What does writing look like for you? It’s a very powerful thing to create something that involves such an intricate process: taking something intangible and turning it into something that can be physically grasped.
AMY: My favorite thing about songwriting is creating the story and making a statement. I really do use songwriting as a diary, so some of the songs are usually quite personal. I want to put music out there that people can listen to and hopefully relate to. I will always try to be as honest as possible when it comes to writing.
JOSH: On the production side of songwriting, I think the most powerful thing is the infinite amount of possibilities electronic music production gives you. Any sound can make it into your song: a bang on the desk, snap of the fingers, people laughing and talking in a cafe, sounds of nature… the list goes on. It’s just so amazing observing and recording so much of what happens around you in your everyday life and giving it a second life by putting it in a song. I hope I don’t sound too corny but it does make you appreciate a lot of the small things in life that we might miss usually.
LUNA: It certainly does — thanks for that, Josh. I think it's such a gift to be observant. I can see how empowering it must be to take small moments and make it something that becomes more significant, not just to you but to whoever interacts with it as well. To turn a moment into a world of sound, that’s insanely interesting. Amy, more specific to lyricism, how do you overcome something like writer’s block? The process can become quite reliant on instinct, surges of energy, that kind of thing, which I can imagine feeling limiting at times.
AMY: It definitely can. Sometimes it can be really fun, sometimes it can be a great outlet. Other times it can be quite frustrating. Writer's block is quite frustrating. Usually when that happens I will take a break and go for a walk, go to the gym or go to my favorite remedy, which is the cinemas.
LUNA: Now that you’ve mentioned the cinemas, I would say your sound is very cinematic, evocative, and I want to say epic, but I feel like that doesn’t quite sound like what I am trying to convey (laughs). In terms of production and sound, how would you describe your own sonic world?
AMY: I think our music, yes, has always had a bit of a cinematic approach due to our love for cinema. Our new music is quite emotional, ethereal, and we’ve definitely been inspired by a lot [of] European artists.
LUNA: Atop this ease that comes with being siblings, I think the naturalness of it is amplified even more by the simple fact that you are doing what you love and you get to share that. Has working together in music shaped your bond?
JOSH: I think we’ve always naturally gotten along since we were kids, way before we even thought about doing music together. We have similar interests in music, fashion, film, and art. But our personalities are definitely quite different, and we’ve definitely had to practice a lot of patience and forgiveness over the years. I think what I love about working together is that we get to share our passion for being creative together, bring our ideas to life, and on the way inspire other people to do so as well.
AMY: My favorite thing about working with Josh is getting to know more about him each day, his ability to socialize and make connections, and our mutual love for music. We are very opposite people and we do fight sometimes, but I think it’s pretty special that we are able to work together, make music, and tour. Not a lot of other siblings could do this. I think we have become very patient people, which is an important quality to have in this industry, and despite the age difference there is always so much that we can learn from each other in this ever-changing world.
LUNA: Do you find that much of the beauty in creating music is the act of collaboration and sharing such moments?
AMY: Yes, definitely. Beyond the two of us, I think the beauty in creating music is also the stories you tell, not only through the lyrics but the instrumentals too, [as well as in] the people that hear these stories and relate to them in their own way.
LUNA: What about when you are the listener? What role does music have for you?
AMY: For me personally, music heals. I always feel better after putting on some tunes, dancing to my favorite songs, or hearing a new banger for the first time. It constantly inspires me to be creative and gives me a purpose in life.
LUNA: You guys grew up and are currently in Australia. So did I, actually. In terms of “home,” are there any values and memories you hold dear to yourself as you travel the world and continue your career?
JOSH: G’day to you! Definitely. Australia is such a beautiful country and we’re so lucky to have grown up here. We grew up on the Gold Coast, so being near the beach and surfing was a formative time as a kid. Traveling to different places around the world really makes you appreciate the nature, openness, and freedom we have here. It also makes you appreciate a lot of the things we don’t have in Australia when you’re touring. Like Bitchin’ sauce.
AMY: I agree. And when I think of home, it always reminds me to stay grounded, humble, and to remember where I came from.
LUNA: Bitchin’ sauce is legendary. Home is always a comforting thought, particularly as the world expands and moves so quickly. In terms of music, what have you taken from the Australian music scene that plays a big role in your musicianship?
JOSH: Especially in the electronic music scene, I feel like there is a willingness to share ideas and new techniques with each other, which I find really beautiful. There is a really nice comradery in our scene, and it feels great handing off what you’ve learned to people who are just starting out [who] are in the same position you were in years ago.
AMY: Also I think Australian musicians work really hard. I would say our music industry is a lot smaller and is still growing. We have to work hard to not only break through in Australia but in other countries such as the US and Europe, where there is a larger population, a richer history in music, and a wider variety of opportunities for all genres of music.
LUNA: You’ve mentioned being sparked by everything around you, the little things. I asked you before who and what inspired you growing up. Who and what inspires you now?
JOSH: At the moment I do like going to my local record store and listening to random artists I haven’t heard of before. I think I’m mostly inspired by overloading my brain with loads of different music, sounds, movies, art, visuals, textures, and mediums rather than listening to a specific genre or specific artist.
AMY: It is hard to pinpoint only a few artists and records, as we draw inspiration from everything and everyone around us now. I would say musically I draw inspiration from all genres of music. As for stage presence, artists like Jessie Ware, Banks, Childish Gambino, and Sade ooze confidence and have been very inspiring for me over the last few years.
LUNA: Are there any unexpected worlds of sound that audiences would be surprised to know inspire you?
JOSH: I love Japanese city pop like Anzen Chitai and Mariya Takeuchi. It feels so nostalgic when I listen to it and I wasn’t even there in that era. I love jazz music and jazz fusion. Nils Frahm is my most listened to on Spotify. It helps me relax — I’m not a very good sleeper so it helps me calm down before bed.
AMY: Yeah, I love music from the ’80s, classical, disco, and breakbeat music. Even Freddie Mercury's stage presence is super inspiring, that might be surprising.
LUNA: Chitai and Takeuchi are incredible, and I love that you mentioned Freddie as a performance inspiration. Each of these artists and genres have very distinct worlds of sound. My experience with your music is similar. I am able to enter a world that is introspective, nostalgic, and absorbing. Congratulations on releasing so much music in the last few months. How has that been for you?
AMY: It’s been so great. It feels really nice to have new music put out into the world again. It is definitely a new chapter for us so we are super excited.
JOSH: Liberating. Very. We’ve been waiting to release music for so long, and these days there’s so much that comes with releasing a song with music videos, press shots, hoping it gets put on radio, social content, PR, so it’s nice just letting go of the music and letting it be free in the world.
LUNA: I find that such a beautiful aspect of sharing music is that you are able to contribute to an ongoing timeline of your own heritage. Whether or not you intentionally draw from it, it is just a part of you. You create, write, or sing with it largely a part of you. In relation to this, how do you find your artistry has been shaped by your culture and heritage?
JOSH: Like I said, in the music production process there’s a lot of small recordings or sounds from everyday life that make it into our songs. I think a lot of the intricate detail and care we take in making our songs is inherently pertaining to our Japanese heritage. I’m not saying other cultures don’t do this, but I do think what Japanese culture does really well is appreciate the beauty in life, nature, the seasons.
I think I’m also about to contradict what I just said but there is a beautiful Japanese philosophy called wabi-sabi that I think has been a bit rinsed in Western culture, but the philosophy itself I find quite inspiring … finding the beauty in imperfection as well as perfection. A lot of our recordings aren’t perfect but there’s a beauty in capturing that initial moment.
AMY: I think in some ways our music has been shaped by our culture and heritage in subtle ways. A few of our songs have been inspired by our favorite films from Studio Ghibli and films like Your Name. We also are huge fans of Joe Hisashi, and Ryuichi Sakamoto, who sadly passed away this year.
LUNA: Thank you for that answer. The unique experience of growing up with music, film, and art embedded in your own heritage is very shaping, in ways quite deeply entrenched and subtle. In the same way experiences shape music, I’m going to flip the question around and ask, has making music influenced your experience of culture and life?
AMY: It certainly has. I listen to all genres of music, especially music from other cultures, and I think that you can learn a lot about a culture by what music is popular in their country. I also find that touring has allowed us to meet and work with so many different people from different parts of the world, and I think it’s the most rewarding thing about being in this industry. You get to learn about all kinds of people and their mannerisms, food, lifestyle, music culture, and history. I am a massive foodie and love to try new things so I feel very lucky to be able to visit different countries and experience new food.
LUNA: In terms of the music industry — and more precisely, electronic music — have you seen the space grow for Asian artists? How do you hope to contribute to these spaces?
AMY: Growing up in Australia, I never really knew of many artists of Asian descent, other than the few artists my mum listened to from Japan. There wasn’t enough representation here. I think over the last few years I have definitely seen a lot more Asian artists becoming more popular, especially in Australia. Because we never really had a role model in this industry growing up, I hope that we can be role models for the younger generation.
LUNA: I know I’ve said thank you a few times, but it certainly is special and aligning to see Asian representation in Australian music, so thank you.
AMY: Of course. I hope that our music does the same for our listeners as both making and listening to music does for us: lifts them up, or helps them feel less alone.
LUNA: You’ve collaborated and performed with some huge names, including Glass Animals, Bob Moses, with brands such as YSL, Chanel, Tiffan, and played on so many great stages across the world. What memories have stuck with you?
AMY: I seem to always find new tracks while shopping or browsing a store in a different state or country. I first listened to Massive Attack’s “Unfinished Sympathy” when I was in a department store in New York and it is now one of my favorite songs. So, thank you Bloomingdale’s.
LUNA: Are there any other places or stages you hope to play one day?
AMY: I would love to play in Europe and Asia one day. Or even on the James Corden show (laughs).
LUNA: You have a special presence on stage. I recently came across your live set for the Untitled Group Virtual Day Party — incredible. What is particularly noteworthy or special about performing live?
AMY: Seeing our fans in the crowd singing the lyrics back to us is the best feeling in the world. It’s so special. Sometimes we have people drive a few hours or fly a few hours to see us perform songs that have helped them through big life changes, and we’re so glad that our music is having an impact on people's lives in a positive way.
LUNA: It must be surreal to have grown and perform on these grand stages. Do you look back on your journey and feel taken aback?
AMY: Always. When you’re on tour and playing on these stages, all you’re really thinking about is the show and the parts you have to play, so sometimes you don’t really think about how grand the location or stage is or how lucky you are until after the show, which is when it all hits you. I always look back on those moments and think about how proud my younger self would be.
LUNA: Looking forward, what’s coming up next?
LASTLINGS: Our new album, Perfect World, has just been released, and we’ll be on our Perfect World album tour around Australia, Canada, and the US.
LUNA: Are there any additional words you’d like to say to your listeners?
LASTLINGS: We hope that our younger Asian community can feel inspired to be whoever they want to be and do whatever they want to do, especially in the creative industry. Whether it is music, acting, fashion design, or dancing, there will always be a place for you where you can inspire others too. Always be proud of yourself, and know that others are too, even if they don’t say it as often as you’d like. Do what you love, trust your gut, and follow your dreams.
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