Their Lonely Betters: Mythical Music

2 May 2012

by Cherise Lopes-Baker

When I first heard Snakadaktal (named after a creature formed of part snake, part pterodactyl), I thought they were decent erring on the side of amazing, though I didn’t want my enthusiasm to cloud my judgement. After all, there are quite a few indie/electro/pop bands out there. Why should my heels fall over my head for this one? Then I realized that these 5 Australian warblers were still at school, and I had to admit that I was impressed. My already good opinion of them only increased when I found out that their gorgeous video ‘Chimera’ was filmed over the course of just one and a half days with a crew of two and a budget of $500. I am in awe of their continuous and effortless glitter and mystique. Snakadaktal’s intricate, coiling, airy arrangements paired with their wild aesthetic push them into the indie-pop limelight.

Snakadaktal first found fame when they won 2011’s Triple J Unearthed High competition. They are currently in the midst of a national tour around Australia and have successfully released their first self-titled EP. Though they have won national acclaim in Australia, they are only recently gaining recognition in other countries. Whilst juggling an exponentially successful music career with a high school education must be rough, this Melbourne outfit seems to be enjoying every moment.

According to them, their live shows are filled with ‘glitter, smiles, colours, friends, instruments, dance moves and dreamy pop sounds.’ Poppy with a lo-fi edge, their carnival of indie-pop, in all of its contorted synth and drawling lyricisms, is reminiscent of Blouse; perfect for a tropical full moon dream party.

For a band whose members were too young to walk through the front door of their own gigs, their songs are surprisingly emotionally provocative. Chimera, for example, weaves a tale of personal loss with the freedom of Peter Pan. Band member Phoebe explained, “the whole mythology behind it is keeping clearness between having two different worlds in your mind; one which is magical and childlike- which is the reference to Peter Pan- and the other is a dangerous one.”

It is refreshing, to say the least, to see young bands not singing D-bag songs about being single (such as Honestly by Hot Chelle Rae) or songs about teenage insouciance and casual apathy. Snakadaktal manages to effortlessly transition between worlds and cadences, with the creative spontaneity of children. Their outlook is intoxicating, ”We really like the idea of taking a naive view of the world, because it can be quite beautiful,” McCarty-Smith says. ”Once you start reading newspapers you see how bad it can be.’

Listen to Snakadaktal on Youtube now.

Chore time: a playlist for menial tasks

Planning a visit home after (or even before) exams? With the joy of sleeping in your own bed, comes the not so happy gift of household chores. Parents assigning laundry/dishes/gardening chores is an inescapable fact of life for those of us not born into a golden cradle. But chores don’t always have to be complete drudgery. Here’s a playlist to make it go faster and give you something to dance to whilst you fold that gnarly pile of your brother’s questionable boxers: