Every Day Is Some Day with Simon D

Northern NSW producer Simon D has been quietly shaping a body of work that reflects both his love of experimentation and the freedom that comes with making music in a regional part of Australia. His new EP Every Day Is Some Day pulls together those threads into an eclectic collection of tracks that, showing his growth and range as a self-producing artist. Ky Mi caught up with Simon D to talk about the new EP, the local scene and his musical roots.

How would you introduce yourself and your music to someone who’s never heard you before?

I’m Simon D, based in Northern New South Wales, and I’ve never been one to stick to a single genre! I perform and produce a wide range of genres, from house, to synthpop to dub techno to whatever sound captures me in the moment.

New sounds from Simon D. Every Day Is Some Day is out now. Image: Supplied

How did you first get into electronic music?

I kind of stumbled into electronic music by chance. Back when I was living in Brisbane, I was writing and performing in all sorts of genres including experimental punk, which I still love. A mate of mine wanted to start an electronic project, so we gave it a crack. I had a sequencer and a synth tucked away under the house, he had a drumming background and I came from guitar. That was enough to get us started and it set me on the path to where I am now.

What has been your career highlight so far?

For me the whole journey has been a highlight. Playing live feels the same whether it is 5 people or 5,000, because even one person connecting with the music means everything. Creating music videos and hearing my tracks on the radio has also been really rewarding. Lately a new highlight has been working with other musicians and helping them create and achieve their own goals, which has given me a fresh sense of motivation

What’s the music scene like in Northern New South Wales?

The scene here is small, which is natural for a regional area, and it has its own lean towards certain sounds. That environment has definitely shaped me. The free thinking and creative freedom you find here has played a big part in the kind of musician I’ve become. Opportunities are influenced by that bias too, but I don’t see it as good or bad, just the reality of making music in a regional community

Can you tell us about your new EP Every Day Is Some Day?

Every Day Is Some Day came about through evolution over time. The project had been going for a while, mostly part-time with the odd single or compilation track, but as I kept writing more songs it just made sense to pull them together into a proper release. The tracks span a couple of years of writing and producing in my home studio with Ableton and a mix of other bits of software.

It’s a mixed bag in terms of sound, which is just how my tastes are. There’s synthpop and synthwave, some experimental electronica, a bit of psychedelic groove, even some dub techno. The title track came from me simply wanting to try my hand at a synthwave tune, so I just went for it.

It's really just a snapshot of where I’m at musically, and the different sounds that keep me excited.

Simon D is keeping busy with a run of live shows both internationally and around Australia to support the release, while already working on new material, running his own independent record label Home Hearing Records, and working with his band Bri and Si. With another EP planned for next year, Simon D embodies a true artist dedicated to his craft.

Every Day Is Some Day is out now, please show your support by grabbing a digital copy of the album on Bandcamp, and by connecting with Simon D on Facebook. You can also hear the entire EP as it features on this week's episode of Electronic Music Australia.

Catch Simon D live during his Spring tour. Image: Supplied