It’s been six to seven years since Melbourne soulster Harts starting putting together songs for his debut EP Offtime in his tiny bedroom.
Now in his early 20s, about to drop second record Smoke Fire Hope Desire and embark on a huge national tour next month, the songwriter is “excited for people to hear the album because I think it’s got a lot of new elements, and it’s something that’s really a step-up in the game for me in terms of the production, songwriting and musicianship.”
“I’m a little bit nervous as well, but it’s going to be cool to bring it to people. It’s always the best indication when you get to see their reaction to your music in front of your face.”
While Harts mentions that listeners are going to get something unexpected from the release, what surprised him the most during the recording process was “the flow of the album.”
“I was writing material and didn’t really know what to do with it. I hadn’t planned to put out an album so quickly. But as I started writing, the context and flow of it came together really naturally and started to sound more like a record. I tried some things for the first time, like learning songs next to each other, to try and make it more of a concept. I also really tried to go above and beyond in the sounds. You don’t really know if you can until you try.”
The songwriter’s unique contrast between blistering guitar riffs and his more melodic side, resounding on fresh track ‘Peculiar’, is a style that he describes as “something that I didn’t really make a conscious decision of balancing.”
“I’ve been writing for such a long time that I’ve developed and become more comfortable with my own style. So it’s natural for that blend to work itself out (laughs). I just look at the songs like, ‘add what needs to be added’. Because of all the DNA that makes up my songwriting and musicianship, particularly with Prince, there’s always that pop element at the bottom. So I know how to write a catchy hook. I guess I’m just blessed in that it sounds natural when I blend it together and don’t think about it.”
Not having “a huge amount of tools” at his disposal when creating music means that Harts is a big believer in innovating on the spot to get around the limitations of home recording, and he explains that this comes out of necessity.
“It’s literally me in like a tiny bedroom trying to use a lot of computers and other stuff to recreate things, particularly with all the horn sections on the album. I can’t play trumpet or anything, so I had to figure out ways of getting a realistic sound on there. With the drums as well, I can’t record with a real, pristine drumkit because you need a proper studio.
“You can see some of that stuff on the new album because I recorded the whole making of it on a GoPro for a documentary. There’s literally so many hours of footage that I’m sorting through at the moment, and you can see where I straight up invented a new way to do something. I’m hoping that inspires people to not be limited by what they have, but use it to do the best work they can.”
Fuelling that fire in young kids and teenagers alike is “one of the most satisfying feelings, particularly now in 2016 when guitar’s not really cool. Electronic music and DJing have way taken over that.”
“So when I hear about kids that bought a guitar, or the same one as me which is like the cheapest on the market… That’s one of the reasons why I play it, because you don’t need an awesome guitar to be able to play good. I do see a lot of kids, particularly at all-ages festivals, who come up to me to get stuff signed and tell me ‘I started playing guitar because of you’. Or maybe they’re a bit shy and their parents tell me that (laughs). I see a lot on social media, people tag me in videos of them playing my songs. So it’s really cool that I’m inspiring people to discover something that isn’t really popular anymore.”
One particular memory that sticks in the man’s mind is playing in front of a stellar Splendour crowd last month, and chuckling he reveals “that was the first time I’d ever been on a stage that big before”, despite playing the festival just last year.
“So I tried to make use of the opportunity, because I don’t know if I’m ever going to have that chance in the future again. I know it was early in the day, but it was good to see people come out, and a few wearing Harts t-shirts… All that was a memorable experience for me.
“I really like the audience and it’s a fun environment. I went out and explored a bit this year. I didn’t get to do it last year because there was a little too much mud (laughs). I remember walking past a music shop called ‘Byron Bay Music’, and I just popped in and started playing guitar. Then all of a sudden I turn around, and there’s a huge audience behind me. So I just started jamming with these guys in the shop, and everyone was loving it. That was another memorable experience.”
After looking back on a sun-soaked weekend that for once lived up to its name, Harts turns very reflective as he divulges that after all those years since Offtime, “I think I’ve found who I am as an artist and what my sound is.”
“I was looking for it for a very long time, and for ways to stand out… But in terms of six or seven years, it’s weird to say because it’s gone really slowly (chuckles). There’s a lot of frustration, behind the scenes, that people don’t see that I’ve gone through. So everything that I achieve today I don’t take for granted. Even the smallest thing for other bands is a huge deal for me, because there’s so much work and pain that went into getting where I’m at today. People within the music industry can vouch for how much I’ve fought it, and for a long time.
“So to get to this point where I’m accepted for what I do is amazing, and I appreciate people who want to cover this album, and the ones that covered the first EP, believed in me back then and are still on for the ride today. It’s a good feeling.”
Get your dose of classic funk, face-melting guitar and soul when Harts embarks on a huge national tour in support of his hotly anticipated new album, available for pre-order here.
HARTS AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES
The Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
Friday September 16 – 18+
Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
Saturday September 17 – 18+
The Workers Club, Geelong
Friday September 23 – 18+
Solbar, Sunshine Coast
Thursday September 29 – 18+
The Zoo, Brisbane
Friday September 30 – 18+
The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Sunday October 2 – 18+
Uni Bar, Adelaide
Friday October 7 – 18+
Karova Lounge, Ballarat
Saturday October 8 – 18+
