Harvey Sutherland is going deep on Debt. The Australian artist has just released the new album, which explores the cost of doing business in the current state of the music industry. Collaborating with fellow artists like the Tampa rap duo They Hate Change, Vicky Farewell, Julian Hamilton of The Presets and more, Sutherland has crafted 10 microhoused funk essentials that we've had on repeat. We spoke to the artist about making the project and which artists he's excited about right now:

We love the concept behind the album. When and why did this idea come to you? Do you remember the moment it clicked?

Like all good abstractions, it came up in therapy. I’ve been grappling with this relationship to debt, the feeling of owing someone / being owed / the ledgers of modern relationships and transactional friendships, especially in the music business. Similarly, it was about figuring out how to continue making art in an independent way, as the waves of sludge content keep rolling and smothering everything in their path. The answer was to create this little universe for myself, small-footprint dance music that I loved and could be a bulwark against that feeling of overwhelm. I was buoyed by hope.

Where did you create the album? Is your environment important to your creativity? Do you travel to make music or are you happiest at home?‍

I made a lot of it in headphones while I was looking after my then-newborn daughter, then finished it in a studio around the corner from my house. It was refreshing, because I didn’t really work with anyone else besides some mix engineers and the feature songwriters, and I tried not to overthink the production too much and just be very process-oriented. I can’t really make music at home anymore, I like going to work in my studio and just locking in for a few hours.

We love how the album starts! Why did you want to begin on this track? Is the track listing important to you?‍

“Chop Chop, Movie Boy” is kinda the blueprint for the themes around content sludge. It’s named for a commonly-found comment underneath TikTok accounts that just clip popular movies in 90 second fragments. I loved the idea of people watching entire movies like this, and getting impatient that the next clip hadn’t been uploaded yet. That demand is really funny to me.

You’ve collaborated with some great people on the record. Tell us about working with these people and what you’ve learnt from them?‍

I loved working remotely actually — I just sent beats to They Hate Change and Vicky Farewell and they both totally nailed the assignment. It made sense for a record about the internet to be made via the internet, even though I have IRL connections and friendships with those artists. I like giving people time and space to get their head around something, instead of sitting in a room waiting for lyrics to get written.

How do you think you’ve evolved sonically on this album since Boy?‍

I think I’ve just tried to bring the musical worlds of my “production” and my “DJing style” closer together.

And how do you think you’ve grown personally through the making of this project?‍

Less overthinking, more finishing the track.

Which one are you most proud of finishing and releasing?

I love Theme For Z.

Which other artists are you excited about?‍

Jorg Kuning. Sam Wilkes. Oneotrix Point Never. Klon Dump. Drifting Clouds.

What is something inspiring you right now aside from music? Something you’re passionate about?‍

I’ve been making all of my visuals for my new show, and figuring out how to program lights too. I think that’s going to take up a lot of my time.

What’s next?

Friday 7 November - Beach Hotel, Byron Bay NSW

Saturday 8 November - La La Land, Brisbane QLD

Friday 14 November - The Night Cat, Melbourne VIC

New Years Day — Sidney Myer Music Bowl VIC

Listen to Debt HERE.

@harveysutherland