Get To Know: Beryl

Beryl. Photo credit: Drita Ajredin

Eora/Sydney-based duo Beryl released their sophomore LP Body Break last month. Self described as “a blunt snapshot of personal experiences from the year before the album was recorded - health issues, relationship breakdown, and conflict - surrounded by immersive instrumentation,” Body Break captures both vulnerability and depth. Drawing on influences from Mitski and Fenne Lily to ambient composers like Nyokabi Kariũki and KMRU, Beryl weave intimate storytelling with richly textured soundscapes.

We caught up with Gabriela and Alex to chat about the making of Body Break, the music that shaped them, local acts they’re loving and what inspires them outside of music.

For fans of Big Thief, Aldous Harding and Julia Jacklin

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How would you sum up your new album Body Break in one sentence?

A blunt snapshot of personal experiences from the year before the album was recorded - health issues, relationship breakdown and conflict - surrounded by immersive instrumentation.

What were you listening to when writing the album?

G - Mitski, Waxahatchee, Daneshevskaya, Goodwill, Juice Webster

A - Fenne Lily, Mitski, Ada Lea, Nyokabi Kariũki, Hannah Cameron, Coby Sey, KMRU, Lankum, Laurel Halo

If your album could be the soundtrack to any film, what film would it be?

G - Sing Street by John Carney

A - A Good Doctor by Tristan Séguéla

What album would you call a perfect album from start to finish?

G - The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We - Mitski

A - Big Picture - Fenne Lily

What music did you grow up listening to?

G - Queen, Meatloaf, ABBA, Billy Joel, Kenny and Dolly, So fresh playlists, mostly just what my parents or friends listened to, but I guess it was all vocal/lyric music which surely had an impact on me.

A - As a young kid I grew up with my parents playing the music of Moby, Dido, Enya, Talking Heads and Nick Drake around the house. Then by the time I was a teenager I was listening to a lot of Jazz and Hip Hop - artists like Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Erykah Badu and A Tribe Called Quest. It was only later on that I started properly getting into music in the singer-songwriter, folk and indie-rock world.

What’s the best live show you’ve been to lately?

G -  Lilium at SXSW Sydney was a highlight for me

A - Zion Garcia at Mothership Studios. Zion is by far one of the best musicians and live performers in the local scene imo!

Outside of music, what else inspires you creatively?

G - I read a lot, mostly fiction and I think that’s really helps with understanding how many ways you can say one thing. Also running influences the way I approach music because it puts me out of my head and into my body, which helps me sort my thoughts and workshop song ideas.

A - Spending time outdoors and listening to the sounds around me day to day influences the way I approach music quite a bit. I like to think about the way that music can reflect the soundscapes that we live in. I also like to read a fair bit of non-fiction, particularly local authors, and I like watching indie cinema.

Who are some up-and-coming acts from Eora/Sydney that you're excited about right now?

G - Bridge Dog, Georgia Mulligan, Zion Garcia

A - All of the above! + No Ceremony, Yasmina Sadiki, JWPaton, Safford, xiao xiao, Alexandra Spence

Where would you take a friend visiting Eora/Sydney for the first time? Any hidden gem spots-food, parks, shops etc. that you think more people should know about?

Would definitely take them to the beach - Mahon Pool is a fave as well as the beaches down at the Royal National Park. There’s so much good food all over Sydney, some favourites include Corinthian Rotisserie and Khoi Eatery in Marrickville, Xi’an Eatery and Xi Bay in Burwood, Ayam Bakar 7 Saudara in Penshurst, ToyaTento in Waterloo, Chatkazz in Harris Park and Jasmin1 in Bankstown. We’d of course take them to see some music - Lazy Thinking in Dulwich Hill is our favourite local venue!

Is there anything else you want the world to know about Beryl?

We’re currently in the midst of a tour to celebrate Body Break! You can catch us at our album launch in Sydney on November 8 alongside Amber Rose and Gena Stone, or up in Brisbane on November 22 as part of ‘Spring Rain’ curated by Omiya and Brisbane City Council.

Listen to Body Break below.