Photo: Phillip Dixon
Already movers and shakers in Melbourne/Naarm’s musical underground, producer Kuya Neil and rapper Teether began collaborating in late 2020. Describing themselves as “raised by the Internet” and their sound as “future‑focused rap”, the duo draw on a combination of experimental sound art and various modern club styles, not to mention the influence of African electronic subgenre gqom. Out on May 2nd, new album YEARN IV pushes the envelope even further, also incorporating elements of thrash metal and lo‑fi.
At the moment I can’t stop listening to
Teether: I’ve been in the time‑chamber, making a lot of music. So I’ve predominantly been walking around South London with demos on loop as new ideas slowly come to mind. To balance that out, it’s been quite a varied soundtrack. To name a few: Susumu Yokota, Actress, Space Afrika and Erik Wøllo’s records have been on a lot... Timewave Zero by Blood Incantation has remained in my rotation since it came out. The new releases by Tony Bontana, Pretty V and Oklou, Penance by Sidney Phillip, REVELATOR by E L U C I D... 40 by Jawnino may have been my 2024 album of the year. We’ve been bumping Alice In Chains, Voivod and Metallica in the house heaps too.
Kuya Neil: Treasure by Cocteau Twins. I love the guitar tones, colour and production on this record. The ’80s seemed like an exciting time — solid‑state amps, early digital recording, chorus on everything! ‘Persephone’ is my favourite one on Treasure. The vocal melodies, the guitar tone and that snare sound! I am definitely taking cues aesthetically from this band with my guitar sound for Teether & Kuya Neil live shows. Other than that, I obsessively listen to music I’ve made before I release it, as I know once it drops I’ll never want to listen to it again.
The artist I’d most like to collaborate with
Teether: Sade! I’m not sure if it’s immediately apparent, but she’s inspired a lot of artistic choices I’ve made, whether it be melodically, tonally or visually. I think we could make a banger track.
Kuya Neil: Maybe Steve Vai, but I would only want to do it if it came about naturally and made sense. There are so many artists whose music I love, but whom I don’t have any interest in collaborating with. I am happy to remain a fan. I’m also very content collaborating with the people I know, who are some of my closest friends and favourite artists. (Cue the “awwww” sound effect!)
The first thing I look for in a studio
Teether: Whatever is in there, we will utilise. I’m a fan of working with limitations as we have for so many years. I think being forced to make a decision within certain parameters can really make you rack your brain and think outside the box. That being said, I love having gear at our disposal and being able to really indulge in exploring sounds. I always get real hype about a new synth or guitar or vocal effect that I’ve never used before.
Kuya Neil: The new digital modelling technology has come such a long way, but it’s become so good that it’s almost boring. I want it thin, digital and trashy.
Kuya Neil: The WiFi password. But in terms of gear, guitar multi‑effects pedals! I love those things so much, particularly the old ones. I want something I can pick up and dial in a sound on. The early digital stuff has so much character, and takes me back to my formative years making music as a teenager. I loved the Korg ToneWWorks AX1000G and I still use the Boss ME‑50 to this day! So many great sounds, and the ‘resonance’ effect on the pedal is so good. The new digital modelling technology has come such a long way, but it’s become so good that it’s almost boring. I want it thin, digital and trashy.
The person I would consider my mentor
Teether: I have to give credit to Mat Creedon here. This man really started this whole thing for me. I was always a self‑taught guitarist and bassist until the end of high school, when I was encouraged to take lessons for exams and that. My initial plan was to study jazz bass at university and become the next John Myung, but my attention span couldn’t handle music theory like that. I took lessons with Mat for a couple of years in his home studio and he recognised my interest in the studio side of things, so he helped me record my first band’s demo and taught me the basics of recording and mixing. He told me what I’d need to have a basic setup at home and it snowballed from there. He really opened up a significant door for me. I need to reach out and thank him.
Kuya Neil: I don’t have one at the moment. There are definitely artists I look up to, but I feel too shy to ask them to mentor me, and it hasn’t always worked out in the past when I have been in a dynamic like that. I am pretty sensitive to feedback so I think I would struggle with proper mentorship, to be honest!
My go‑to reference track or album
Teether: I’ll be real: I hate to reference. I get so stubborn on a new project sounding only like itself that I refuse to A/B compare my stuff while working on mixes. Obviously, some things have sounded wild as a result in the past but I trust my ears and fate enough at this point. Seems to work itself out, you know!
Kuya Neil: Not a specific album, but anything by Kush Jones or DJ SWISHA, especially when making club or footwork‑y stuff. I think they hit a sweet spot of their productions feeling raw, but never sacrificing clarity. They can make everything hit loudly and cleanly with colour, dynamics and plenty of groove. Damn, did I really just say groove unironically?
My secret weapon in the studio is
Teether: Waves GTR3, and Ableton saturator on everything! And obsessively applying subtractive EQ.
Kuya Neil: MAIM. It’s a free VST plug‑in that emulates old MP3 compression, and has some really interesting algorithms for sound design and bit‑rate reduction. Outside of gear, the secret is to take the time talking to people, making them feel comfortable and finding ways to relate to each other. Being curious and asking questions about their lives, sharing music they’re listening to or having a YouTube sharing session is standard for me before any session.
The studio session I wish I’d witnessed
Teether: Barter 6 era Young Thug would have been wild to see. Some of the things he does on that record blow my mind, still. Witnessing those ideas pop up organically would have been amazing. It’s such a cohesive record, even though you can tell so much of it is pure instinct and gut feelings.
Kuya Neil: The sessions for Dizzee Rascal’s Boy In Da Corner. I can’t believe how young he was when that classic record was made. I think in an interview he said he learnt how to make beats on the PS1 game 'Music 2000'! Seeing him sequence everything in that game would have been amazing to witness.
The producer I’d most like to work with
Teether: Actress! I’m such a fan for real. I actually first heard of Actress through my friend and producer Deanjames, when I sent him some instrumentals I was working on and he said it reminded him of Actress’ production. This guy is definitely operating on a wavelength I can understand.
Kuya Neil: DJ Love! I’m so inspired by Budots and the homegrown Filipino dance music coming from the Visayas. I think the roots of this music and the spirit behind it are important things to cultivate and carry over into how we make music here. I also need to learn how to use FL Studio properly. I think a lot of the sauce comes from that sequencer and its built‑in soft‑clipper.
The studio experience that taught me the most
Teether: We’ve been in all sorts of environments over the years, I couldn’t pin down one in particular. I think working in larger studios has shown me I prefer to work in a smaller, more intimate space. All the gear in the world is cool, but what we really need is some nice lamps and a rug and a little window you can blow smoke out of and/or ponder.
Kuya Neil: Recording [acclaimed Kiwi artist] Coco Solid in 2017 at an Airbnb home studio in Melbourne, for her mixtape Cokes. This was my first experience producing and recording a rapper. I was younger, super nervous and on the first day I was overthinking the technical aspects a lot. I remember Coco gave me some really good advice to focus on enjoying the process, and that in the end, the listener doesn’t care about many of these technical things that young engineers get hung up on. This was hugely important advice at the time and set the tone for how I work in the studio to this day.
The advice I’d give myself of 10 years ago
Teether: You may have many of the same problems in 10 years, but overall life is really worth it and your music will just get better and better, exponentially. Never stop creating, never stop being a fan of music, and never let your ego get in the way of making a good song. Trust your gut and your ears!
Kuya Neil: Trust yourself, and trust your own taste.