Meet The Thought-Provoking Storyteller… Seafarer Fables

Seafarer Fables writes observant and thought-provoking songs inspired by journeys, folklore and storytelling. Inspired by contemporaries such as Adrianne Lenker, Kevin Morby, Hand Habits, Lomelda and Andy Shauf His intimate style of songwriting channels themes of adventure, existentialism, and the intricacies of modern life, with dashes of his home culture imbued in his vocal delivery and minimal acoustic setup. Raised near the ocean in Aotearoa New Zealand, Seafarer Fables currently lives in Melbourne, Australia.

He released his debut album Cold Climate on NZ based label Home Alone, who have previously worked with some of New Zealand’s most exciting new artists. Now, after a hiatus away from the spotlight, Seafarer Fables is looking to share his inimitable brand of music to new audiences. ‘Stanislaw Lem’ is the beginning of a new chapter for Seafarer Fables. With more exciting music releases planned – including a brand new EP – 2024 is poised to be a prosperous year for the singer-songwriter. Read our Q&A with Seafarer Fables below:

Hi Kelvin, how’s 2024 been for you so far?

It’s been great thanks. I am currently on a sabbatical from my full-time job and I’ve been traveling and focusing on my music over that time. It’s a real treat to explore Europe at my own pace, after having spent some time in New Zealand and South-East Asia.

When did you first start making music?

I started playing the piano and then the guitar as a teenager. But I didn’t start writing my own songs until I was in my mid-20s.

Who are some of you biggest musical inspirations?

My early influences would include musicians like Joanna Newsom, Andrew Bird, Beach House, Dark Dark Dark, the Modern Lovers, etc. I’ve also been quite inspired by independent musicians out of places such as NZ, Iceland and Wales.

How would you describe your sound to listeners who are just discovering your music?

My music is quite introspective and each song generally explores a particular idea or story. It also draws a lot from the natural environment as well, in particular New Zealand when I am from.

Congratulations on your new single ‘Stanislaw Lem’! What are some of the themes surrounding the track?

Thank you. At its most basic level, the song explores the theme of a space exploration journey, and some of the novelties about living and being in orbit. It’s about how we experience the laws of physics and how we perceive the physical world around us and that this isn’t fixed or constant. The song touches on aspects such as time dilation and reflects on how highly subjective our perceptions are.

But the song is also a metaphor for our own journeys in life generally, particularly when living abroad and travelling to new and unexpected places. It’s a reflection of what home is and perhaps thinking of a particular place or period in life.

How did you approach writing the track? The press release mentions that different parts of the recording process spanned across the globe?

The song came about from a process I had with a friend where we would write a new song every two weeks, record it and send it to each other. An additional layer was added to the song during the recording process in Melbourne, in terms of arrangement and percussion. The track was mixed by a producer in Montreal who has worked with the band Timber Timbre. The band has been quite formative for me, and I wanted to bring some of their aesthetic to this song.

The music video was something I decided to do after I’d arranged to attend a songwriting retreat in Spain. I only get so much time off my main job, so I generally try to fit as much music activity into any free time I can get. I was planning to visit Portugal and the video developed organically with a director whose work I admire.

What was the creative direction behind the accompanying music video? Was it fun to create?

The video was so much fun to make. I had a great crew while shooting, and it went surprisingly smoothly. The week before, there was a really heavy storm that could have made the shooting difficult as the site was partially outdoors. But thankfully, the rain and wind completely passed the morning of shooting, and everything seemed to fall into place from there.

I have an interest in experimental and independent cinema, and I effectively wanted the music video to be a short-film with the song as the score. I like the aesthetic of silent expressionist films from the early 20th century and Dadaism, and wanted the video draw on these styles. I also wanted the video to bring a second complementary narrative that added to the song and give it a new level of meaning to provide another layer of depth for the listener.

What do you hope listeners take away from the single?

I hope for listeners to just enjoy the track. I don’t intend for a specific idea to be taken away from it, but I hope there are enough ideas for people to take something away that has meaning for them.

Any interests outside of music?

In addition to the above, I’m quite a nerd and really into economics, politics and public policy. I’m also fascinated by capital markets and how it impacts society. I’m also into photography, architecture and painting.

What does the rest of 2024 have in store for Seafarer Fables?

I am planning to finish recording my next EP in the next few months when I return to Melbourne. I am excited about releasing my next single which is quite mellow, introspective and has a beautiful and haunting clarinet. I also hope to produce a new music video for at least one of the tracks, and write new material for releases after this next EP.

Check out Seafarer Fables’ new track ‘Stanislaw Lem’ here or below.