DILLASTRATE just can’t sit still. Driven by a deep love for live performance, the New Zealand duo has toured extensively, completing over 10 headline New Zealand tours, and supporting Kiwi greats Katchafire and Sons of Zion on their national tours. The duo has also regularly tackled staple New Zealand music festival stages, including Northern Bass, Rhythm & Vines and Electric Avenue.
Dillastrate describe their signature sound as neosoul pop – a product of intense refinement and humanizing machines, combining modern digital sounds with analogue soul to provide the best of both worlds. A heavy hat tip to funk legends Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson mingles with current soul, hip-hop, jazz and electronic sounds that seems to leave audiences open-mouthed and itching for more.
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CHECK OUT OUR CATCH-UP WITH THE GUYS BELOW:
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1. Happy NZ Music Month! How did you initially get into creating music?
Tim: That depends on how far you want to go back! My first proper exposure to music was when I was about four years old and I received a toy keyboard for Christmas. Although admittedly, and much to my parents’ frustration, the only thing I really played on it was the Demo (‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’) on the highest volume and tempo settings while running around the house, so I’m not sure if that really counts… I basically fell in love with jazz at around age 15 and obsessively learned everything I could about it, and it all took off from there. Since then, I got heavily into soul music, hip-hop, electronica – everything really. I know H has done the same, so when it came to making music together we had a mass pool of influences to draw from, which makes making music with him absurdly easy and fun.
H: For me, I went to Jazz School to Christchurch where I found my passion for composition.
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2. Tell us about your inspirations and motivations?
H: My musical inspirations are Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Katchafire, Bruno Mars and J Dilla.
Tim: That is a MASSIVE question right there! Musically speaking I think we share a lot of musical inspirations – like H mentioned, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder etc are all big influences for both of us since we’re both big soul music fans. As previously mentioned, I’m also a jazz piano nerd, so I think that creeps into the music a bit too. We’ve also played a hell of a lot of different styles over the years, so I think exposure to a diversity of music helps to build the catalogue of colours for your musical palette…
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3. What have you been up to in this lockdown and how has it affected you?
Tim: We’ve both been lucky enough to have day jobs that we can do from home, so that’s taken up a bit of our time over the lockdown. Otherwise, it’s been a great opportunity to reflect, write songs and plan ahead. I’m a bit of an introvert, so I feel like I’ve been in training for this my whole life to this point… Definitely missing seeing friends and family though, that’s been pretty tough.
H: I have been writing music and talking to whanau and friends. It’s affecting me because I miss seeing everyone!
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4. What do you think of the NZ music scene?
Tim: I think we’re really lucky here in that there are so many creative people making great music, and there’s a real sense of community. If you are a jerk to one person, you’re a jerk to 50 people – it’s that tight-knit. So many amazing musicians here too.
H: I love it so much. It has taught me so much, and I love what it has done for me so far.
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5. Goal board time – where would you like to see yourself in a year’s time?
H: Still loving music and having a bigger fan base to share our music with.
Tim: Exactly that! Keep doing it and loving it. I would personally love to get back into the studio and record some of the ideas that have been percolating over the lockdown… It will be interesting to see what happens to the music industry and how people adapt over the coming months too. Looking forward to seeing the eventual resurgence of the NZ music scene!
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The group have recently released their debut self-titled album, released December 6th 2019, achieving critical acclaim. The album captures both the most energetic and most intimate aspects of Dillastrate, with turnt-up party funk mingling with vulnerable slow jams, wonky sideways grooves and bleeding-heart ballads. The album follows the band’s current releases, including ‘Black Diamond EP’ (Delicious Music) and one-off single ‘I Don’t Care’ (recorded at Neil Finn’s Roundhead Studios in Auckland). Catch them live while you can – they don’t stay in one place for long!
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