Returning to Lost Decay / Faction to follow up on his debut release, More Than I Need, Irish multi-instrumentalist Abbacaxi presents, The Pageant, a colourful nod to Soul, Disco, and House anthems of the ’90s.
As the title suggests, The Pageant is a celebration, “It’s about the feeling of being in sync with the people around you. Sometimes it’s one person, sometimes it’s hundreds of people moving together in exact rhythm. I put myself at the scene of a parade with hundreds of proud individuals in happy tandem.”
Hailing inspiration from the wonky feel of old-school disco, Abbcaxi add’s simplistic liquid bass lines with a nod to artists of the 90s like St Germain and Laurent Garnier.
Abbacaxi is an intentional misspelling of the Portuguese word for pineapple. With that fruit’s sweet a A and juicy associations, and the extra ‘b’ a subtle nod to Abba’s sing- song disco sounds, you have a big hint at what to expect from Abbacaxi’s music. Though his fun, effervescent character is reflected in his music, he is just as able to break your heart with his melancholic acoustic guitar and neo-soul vocals.
Musicians as versatile as Abbacaxi don’t come along too often, so strap in and enjoy the ride. With his debut EP set to release in early 2022, expect to hear more of the ever-expanding Abbacaxi sound.
What’s your story as an artist?
I’ve been obsessed with different genres of music over the years. I eventually found that I had the most fun writing music that was lyrically quite simple, with a mixture of played and sampled instruments, usually quite upbeat.
What inspired this last release?
I put myself at the scene of a street party or a pride march. I saw a throng of people who believe in the same thing and know how to have fun!
Do you get inspired by other art forms?
Perhaps indirectly. I really enjoy colourful, abstract and comical forms of visual art. They are not things that I think about when I’m writing, but perhaps it trickles through. I’ve always loved reading fantasy novels, and when I started writing music I found a lot of lyrical gems in them. These days my lyrical style is extremely simple, so I think the trickle is even smaller.
Any funny anecdotes from the time you were recording or writing this?
When hearing me sing the line ‘on the mainstreet, strut in my heels’ my girlfriend at the time was completely convinced that I was gay, despite some obvious evidence to the contrary.
What’s your favorite place or environment to write?
Writing music at home is great. I can drink as much tea and smoke as many cigarettes as I like! Housemates and neighbours might not agree that it’s such a good idea.
What’s a record that shaped your creativity?
It’s hard to choose one! Chega de Saudade by Joao Gilberto has a lovely mixture of sweet and dissonant guitar chords, a soft voice and groovy percussion. It was also one of the first multi-track recordings of it’s time. Gulag Orkestar by Beirut is a really unique album that blends styles and orchestration in a way that I’ve never heard before. Daft Punk’s discovery is really fun and memorable. Darius’ first two records, Romance and Velour are records I can’t seem to stop listening to every now and then.
Who is an artist or band you look up to today?
I really love Kiefer. His music brings the sunshine on a wintry day, it’s lofi and it’s musically much more finessed than you might imagine.
What excites you the most about what you do?
When I’m making music from scratch and it finally starts to make sense, it’s a really good feeling. I get quite the rush from performing my music as well, even if I’m at home alone.
What is your view on genres and music styles since you mix a lot of them in your music?
Mixing genres can go really wrong, but it can also sound great.
What does music and art mean to you?
Music and art are great ways to bring people together and add meaning to life.
