“The endless possibilities from an initial idea to a final product - the creation process is very satisfying to us,” explain Australian three-piece Snowfish. The group have made quite a name for themselves due to their energetic live show and they feature on station Triple M, as well as in Happy magazine, firmly establishing them on the Australian alt-rock scene. The band are eagerly awaiting the release of their upcoming debut album ‘The Monster Upstairs’, in late 2022.

Lead single ‘Maybe’ is a mellow love song with a grungy undercurrent running throughout. The subtle record leaves a bittersweet taste in the mouth, the band’s intention being to “maintain a dark presence lurking beneath the glossy finish”. The subject matter is a step away from the band’s usual discography themes, and the elaborate, explaining that they “find it very natural to write about topics such as the end of the world, and other similar crises, so it was a nice break to write some more relaxed lyrics in ‘Maybe’. The narrator fantasises about being in love, and putting another before themselves, even though there is no one there”. The stylistic choices are subtle and the bandmates retrace their steps on the difficulty of the recording process, with vocal tweaks being made up until the final release.

Their tendency to delve into dark and desperate subject matter suits the tone of their discography’s production style; the use of razorlike guitar distortion and droning vocal performances work in harmony with their lyrics. The clear cut consistency in their releases and ideas is perhaps spurred on by the dynamic chemistry the trio have – being made up of brothers Jordan, Solomon and Kalan Rodrigues. These siblings grew up listening to and experiencing the same music that now lends itself to their song making process.

Reminiscing on the subject, the brothers echo each other. “We used to, and still do, listen to a lot of alternative rock, bands such as Muse, Radiohead, Green Day, etc…” One band in particular they cite as the tipping point for their formation. “My Chemical Romance’s career was a big influence on us. Seeing the real difference they made in people’s lives with their music and their message really inspired us to follow a similar path when we were starting out”. 

Ahead of the new album they’re keen to add that it will feature modern pop infusions to amplify their point of view as a band – “We still love rock artists but since then have diversified into some pop influences, as well as alternative influences. Artists like Lana Del Rey, Mitski, and even Kanye West have been interesting to us lately”. The group divulge information on their creative process stating that they “take inspiration from our favourite songs, we like to take what we like most about another song and then use that as the starting point to make our own”. By innovating what they hear around them, they hope to be remembered for going against the grain of trends, choosing instead to go beyond what they’re inspired by and morph it into something progressive.

Forming and maintaining an independent band presents many challenges, with balance taking priority, the brothers have struck gold with their process which is imperative to a successful trajectory for an upcoming artist. They each have an important role to play within the band with “Sol being trained on drums, Kalan on guitar, and Jordan on vocals”. Candidly discussing that “it has taken us a while to get to a point where we all have a comfortable balance between our work and putting in the time required to keep the band going and operating at a high level. We all write and practice on our own, and have a dedicated time each week where we get together and rehearse or work”. These boundaries have allowed them to flourish with consistency.

The modern music scene now has endless variety and experimentation that eclipses the rigid boundaries that came before. Snowfish are taking the idea of genre merging and running with it – their brash fearlessness marking them as one to watch.

Jessica McCarrick

Listen to lead single Maybe now, and look out for ‘The Monster Upstairs’ in late 2022.