Part Company (Upstairs)

Part Company is the name of a project by multi-instrumentalist Daniel Twomey, someone you have probably seen playing on stage in Melbourne in the last 20 years - you just may not have noticed him.

On drums for bands Lower Plenty and Deaf Wish, the mind behind the music of beloved duo Hot Tubs Time Machine, as a member of experimental groups Vision200 and iceclaw, or as a part-time guest with many including Nathan Roche, Talk Show, Summer Flake, Lily Morris, LOU, Brickhead and more.

In all of these acts, Daniel has played a supporting role. A quiet contributor.

While he wouldn’t describe this project as a step into the limelight, it does mark a step out on his own. This is his first solo album. An album recorded and mixed at home by Daniel, starting in Oct 2018 and finished in May this year.

The music on this album is beautiful and layered, subtle and quiet. Not a bold statement about individuality, rather an invitation to step into the artists’ quiet thoughts.

Thematically, the album explores the stepping off point between relationships ending - friendships, bands, family ties - and finding yourself alone. It is a fragile space that hovers between the pain of loss and the thrum of new opportunities.

Musically, the instrumentation reflects this fragile place. Tender loops made on nylon string guitar feature on most of the songs on the album. Over the top of this, Daniel layers woody and spacious clarinet, gentle percussion and subtle, almost shy, vocal harmonies.

Supports for the launch will be dreamy synth duo Time For Dreams and cornerstone of the Morning Music Movement, Blue Communications.