Abroad Coffee Interview

An effervescent ode to new beginnings and positive motivators, driving Sydney duo Abroad return with a fresh and frothy new single, Coffee. An ongoing favourite for the indie-electronic team-up between Jack Dawson and Will Cruger, Coffee marks the first new music for Abroad since the pair's 2021 EP Sydney charmed airwaves and further established a grounded sonic amalgamation of the likes of Foals, Hayden James, Flight Facilities and beyond. Self-produced and mixed by Abroad's very own Will, with mastering courtesy of Dale Becker (Rüfüs Du Sol, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez), Coffee is a smooth addition to 2022 and will also be celebrated in style via some upcoming NSW shows, with Abroad taking over Park House at the Mona Vale Hotel on April 29, before heading to Beach Road Hotel in Bondi and La La La's in Wollongong in May.
 
Coffee simultaneously adheres to and breaks free of its caffeinated moniker, bubbling with hypnotic synths alongside dark and moody drum and bass, flitting between emphatic choruses and sparse instrumentation. Gifting a track that would equally fill a dancefloor or blissfully soundtrack a cosy afternoon chill, Coffee also sets creamy vocals over proceedings, detailing an analogy for motivation that sparks excitement in your day. Elaborating on the stimulating tune, Jack says, "'Coffee' is like having a fresh start and that exciting time when everything is new. Getting that burst of energy to get up and rip into what is in front of you." Echoing Jack's sentiments, Will says, "'Coffee' is really an analogy for the person that gets you out of bed in the morning. The person that gives you energy just being in your life. I've worked in the specialty coffee industry longer than Abroad has been around. It's always fuelled my creativity."
 
A fateful creative union between Jack and Will, the seeds for Abroad began after the pair met at university in Wollongong, with another chance encounter between the two quite literally abroad in London years later. With Jack on synth and vocal duties and Will syncing the backing tracks and also on vocals and guitars, Abroad have released multiple EPs and singles over the years while also amassing over a million streams on Spotify, with their releases fittingly named for the relevant city that they were written in.

 
And while the Abroad journey is already set to bloom even brighter in 2022, the pair are firmly fixed to offer a live show equally as captivating as their tunes, with three NSW shows on the cards, starting at Park House on Sydney's Northern Beaches on April 29. Ecstatic to be playing live, Abroad are set to showcase their passions and their technical chops, as Will explains, "This is why we create music. Jack and I both sing and play instruments, so we really try to do as much as we can live. The set we've been working on since the start of 2020 has continually evolved, we're playing a range of instruments and making the entire performance engaging to our audience."  And alongside the euphoric tunes, there's some visual and aural beautiful surprises lying in wait for NSW audiences, as Jack explains, "We want to create a show that blows people away. As well as sounding crisp, we want the full show of lights and atmospheric energy to keep the audience present and engaged."

ABROAD 'COFFEE' UPCOMING SHOWS
FRI 29 APRIL | PARK HOUSE, MONA VALE NSW | 18+ (free)
FRI 6 MAY | BEACH ROAD HOTEL, BONDI NSW | 18+ (free)
THUR 19^TH MAY | LA LA LA'S, WOLLONGONG NSW | 18+

Interview with Abroad

Question: How would you describe your music?

Abroad: I would describe Abroad as two voices, floating in on a summer breeze, met by hypnotic drums and bass with atmospheric synths and guitars.


Question: Can you tell us about your new song 'Coffee'?

Abroad: Coffee is really a song about love. It's a homage to the person that gets you out of bed, energized and ready to face anything.


Question: Is there a particular message you hope listeners take from your music?

Abroad: I hope that when people listen to Abroad, they're taken on a journey. I want Abroad to feel right at home on a road trip just as much as a dancefloor.


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?

Abroad: I love writing and recording, but for me, playing live music is an experience like no other. Being able to connect with an audience and dance the night away is the best thing that I can think of doing.


Question: What should we expect from your upcoming shows?

Abroad: We're always wanting to elevate our live show. We really want to emphasize a euphoric atmosphere, so we have written a light show to be in sync with the vibe of each track. We've teased a few things at our last couple of shows, but in this show, we're doing things we've never done before.

Question: What is the story behind the band name?

Abroad: Jack and I started the band when we were living in London. The first couple of demos we wrote had a feel that, to me, seemed to be able to take you on a journey. So came the name, Abroad.


Question: How did you guys come together?

Abroad: Jack and I both went to uni in Wollongong and hung out in the same circles. We were both playing in bands, and I ended up recording Jack's band at a mate's sharehouse. We had heaps of fun and a genuine musical connection. It was a couple of years later that we happened to both move to London. Initially, Jack hit me up to help him record some songs he'd been working on, but I think it was me that said we should just do something together.


Question: What motivates you most when writing music?

Abroad: I try to write most days, when I get home from work. Honestly, I can sit in my studio for hours just messing around without any real plan. I write from the heart, I'm always inspired by the people in my life. Making music, putting together new sounds and atmospheres is just fun!


Question: Which music/artists are you currently listening to?

Abroad: Tonnes! This week, I've really been digging Elderbrook and Golden Features, but I tend to change things up. There are some staples, like Flight Facilities and Foals, that never really leave my playlist.


Question: What or who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Abroad: My parents bought me a guitar when I started high school and the passion was born, I knew I wanted to make music my career. I never really learned to read sheet music, but I've tried to learn as many instruments as I can.


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Abroad: I've been digging the new album from Hayden James. He's got such a cool production style, I would love to collaborate with him some day. I've been a massive fan ever since I heard Permission to Love.


Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?

Abroad: I think my favourite part is yet to come. Jack and I love hitting the road and playing as many shows as we can, but we're hoping to get on a festival line up, or support some incredible band on tour. Those moments where we can just cut loose on stage are probably our favourite, and I think a big festival would be the pinnacle of that.


Question: What's a typical day like?

Abroad: No joke, I always start with coffee. Then, I walk my dog and I'm off to my day job - I'm an Account Manager for a specialty coffee company. As soon as I'm home, I'm back to working on music - writing new music, prepping for live shows, playing with lighting.


Question: What's next, for you?

Abroad: Well there's a small run of shows ahead of our album being released in the next couple of months, so for me, it will be doing the final touches on our live show. Then, we're all set to get the album out and get on stage!


Question: Can you share your socials? (links please)

Abroad: Spotify 
Instagram 
Facebook 
TikTok 
Twitter 


Interview by Gwen van Montfort