Photo: Nick Robinson
In her 2009 short story collection, writer Lydia Davis creates worlds in tiny spaces, some totalling only two sentences. Steering away from the rigidity of what a piece of art is meant to look like, Christchurch, New Zealand-based artist Lukas Mayo took inspiration from Davis, and others, to find the magic in the mundane. Art is everywhere: in the shape we make out of a napkin while waiting for our coffee to arrive, in the text we send to a friend in need, in the beat we make on the steering wheel while stuck at a red light. As Pickle Darling, Mayo points past perfectionism, and leans into the art of the everyday, where these ever-evolving forms of creativity find their home in new album Laundromat, released today (June 16) via Father/Daughter Records.
Laundromat is Pickle Darling creating their own tiny worlds, but ones that are large enough to welcome anyone who might need them. It’s a reminder that we can escape into art at any given moment, and how those moments might help us onto the next. Whether it’s the swirling kaleidoscope of a washing machine on spin, or the melody of your friend’s voice, Laundromat places a frame around the beautiful nothing, sculpting these moments into something tangible and noteworthy.
We wanted to find out more about Lukas’ unique blend of DIY folk-infused bedroom pop, so we asked them to choose four records that have really influenced the making of Laundromat and their ambition to create songs that were “their own kind of normal”.
Iris Dement – My Life
Though my favourite record is still Infamous Angel, I listed this one here purely cause of the song ‘Sweet Is The Melody’. Almost every song on my new album was me trying to write that song, I sing that song to myself absentmindedly all the time. I love that the melody feels like it has always been there; I love those sorts of melodies that feel like everyone can use them; it can be passed around cause no one really owns it. That’s what that song feels like to me, and the opening track of my album was me trying to just tap into that.
Bedbug – I’ll Count To Heaven In Years Without Seasons
I love this album, this is one of those bedroom pop albums that feels like the absolute peak of what I’m trying to achieve creatively. It’s totally its own world, moves at its own pace, I love the sound of the recording gear and the hiss; the way the drum machine loops are recorded, it’s like they have a totally unique production style that sounds unlike anyone else ever. Also the spoken word bits I love. There’s a song on my album called ‘Kinds Of Love’ and it’s me trying to do a Bedbug song, so I asked Bedbug to feature on it.
Vashti Bunyan – Lookaftering
ConcernedApe – Stardew Valley OST
It’s embarrassing how many hours I’ve clocked up in this damn game. It’s well into the three-digits. I played with my partner during lockdown, though it did inspire us to start our own veggie garden. But I played it a bunch when I was making this album and I kinda wanted the album to be like something in that world. Like an album you’d make as a gift to someone, as opposed to like trying to have a big breakthrough or be an important musician or whatever.
Laundromat is released on June 16, 2023 via Father/Daughter Records and can be purchased and downloaded HERE.
