Oisima Interview

If Dusk Til Dawn was ‘the sketchbook’, then Goddess is the ‘masterpiece’. Not satisfied with releasing two EPs within the same year, Adelaide beat-maker Oisima, aka Anth Wendt, reveals he is already in the planning stages of his next record with a set deadline for June 2013. And when it comes to this local lad, you can believe the hype.

“The [Goddess] album launch was absolutely ridiculous,” Wendt recalls. “It was just crazy, a full house. I remember catching a cab in and looking at the line-up on both sides of Cuckoo Bar with people waiting to get in before we even rocked up. The first [Dusk Til Dawn] launch did really well as well, that first one we had was sold out as well so I’d been hoping it might be a good turn out the second time. I never set out for this to happen with music – I just wanted to make music because I love it and to share it with my friends. It’s become pretty intense but it’s amazing because it gives you the chance to travel and meet people who are also doing amazing things themselves all around the country.”

Not just within the country either – Wendt’s Dusk Til Dawn EP came out on German imprint Herbede Records in May of this year, earning him valuable international connections as well as an impressive following outside of Australia. With plans for yet another release scheduled for mid-next year, Wendt adds that a European tour is also currently in the works. But despite the fact that his reputation continues to grow in other parts of the world, Wendt insists that he has no intention of leaving Adelaide any time soon. And his reason is simple…

“There is so much good shit in Adelaide at the moment. The thing is that a lot of it hasn’t seen the limelight of bars and clubs – yet. But there is a lot of good stuff brewing at the moment that people just don’t know about and all I can say is that I feel so fortunate to be involved in it. I’ve realised that we’re pretty fortunate to live where we do because we have the luxury of being able to do everything. I’ve been to Melbourne and Sydney so much lately that I can’t wait to come home! I have the luxury of being flown over there to play gigs a lot so I don’t really feel the need to be living there.”

Wendt is, however, looking forward to his European jaunt next year and claims his next release will be a full-length.

“The internet is such a crazy, amazing thing. The accessibility has allowed me to link up with a lot of people on the other side of the world directly from my lounge room. In terms of all the beats-y kind of stuff, my stuff really does have tinges of the more European side of things rather than the American. Some of my contacts came from just me having released music and doing tracks on compilations and remixes for people around Europe. It’s pretty amazing how it seems you can instantly connect with some people.”

Some of those people include international artists Ras G, Tokimonsta and Julien Dyne, just to name a few, all of whom Wendt has previously shared stages with.

“Especially guys like Ras G – I was like a school girl with him!” he laughs. “I guess you kind of have whatever perception that you create about that person and sometimes they are as nice and open and amazing. That’s been the great thing about making music, I’ve met my favourite producers from around the world.”
But Wendt is quick to add that he’s also had the opportunity to collaborate with some of his closest friends and respected local artists, too. On Goddess, he teams up with Adam Page and Slamagotchi.

“With Slamagotchi, we spend a lot of time hanging out and making music together, there was no way I was putting out a record without him on it. Adam I’ve known for a long time and we share the same passion and energy for creation. Goddess is quite a different album than Dusk Til Dawn. The first one was quite organic. Listening back to it, it sounds like a rough sketchbook, it just has that kind of vibe to it. We [Pilot Records] weren’t even sure what we wanted out of that – originally it was just going to be a single with a few extra songs on it. The EP just ended up writing itself. Literally, I wrote it in two months. This second one, I put a lot of time into the production and it’s very spacious and dubby. It’s a different chapter.”

WHO: Oisima
WHAT: Goddess through Pilot Records
WHERE: Rocket Bar with Hiatus Kaiyote & Baths
WHEN: Sat Nov 17 & Thu Nov 22