Exclusive Stream: Listen to Fait's brilliant new EP, Sonder

We've been enamoured with Fait for a couple of years now, dating back to when we came across the absolutely gorgeous single/video clip - Slow Glow, and most recently Chasing Youth. It's been a busy couple of years over that time, including touring with Laneway Festival, releasing her Atmosphere EP, signing with Inertia, and touring with Karnivool earlier this year. Tuesday sees the release of her new EP, Sonder, and we're fortunate enough to stream it for you in advance, and took the chance to ask the now Sydney-based (formerly Perth) Fait, real name: Elise Higgins, a few questions.

Hey Elise, thanks for answering a few questions! Let's start with your new EP, Sonder, can you tell us a bit about it, how long you've been working on it and how it differs from your debut EP, Atmosphere.

I've been working on Sonder over the last year. I'm a bit of a perfectionist so am prone to tweaking and changing things as I go. It didn't come together as quickly as Atmosphere... I had a lot more going on this time round, so the process was a bit disrupted.

Sonically it's in the same boat as Atmosphere - lots of lush layers and depth. Darren Lawson produced the EP again, alongside myself and Rob Stephens (who plays bass in my live band). I'd say Sonder is probably a bit more upbeat, I experimented a bit more with loops and samples, and was pretty happy with the outcome.

Since that first EP a lot has happened, some big shows and tours, signing to Inertia, a relocation to Sydney... What have the past couple of years been like and how has it impacted your music?

Had you told me all this was going to happen back when I was making Atmosphere, I wouldn't have believed you! It's been a pretty amazing and rewarding experience, and I've learnt a lot along the way.

It's definitely had an impact on making music. I'm self-managed so there is a lot more to juggle this time round. There are more people involved, there are expectations... it can be nerve-racking. But it's also given me a lot of confidence in what I do, knowing that there are people out there who support me.

How was the Karnivool tour earlier this year, it must have been a great learning experience touring with a bunch of dudes who've been kicking around a while?

Definitely! It was a big step up from anything we've done so far. Karnivool have such a fanatical following and I really wasn't sure how we would go down with their fans, it was a little intimidating at first. But their audiences were so warm and open-minded, we were really well-received.

Karnivool themselves are a wonderful band to tour with - professional and very supportive. I thought I was a perfectionist but these guys take it to the next level!

Do you ever feel pressure to add vocals to Fait as a project, or is it perhaps something you'd look at down the line like Seekae has in recent years?

No, I don't feel pressure to add vocals. I'm not against the idea, in fact Sonder has a couple of vocal samples - but they're more textural. It's something I'd like to explore further down the track.

Do people ask you about vocals all the time and is it really annoying?

Yeah it's a common question. It can get a little annoying at times, I guess. I often wonder if DJs/electronic music producers are continually asked the same thing? Ideally I'd prefer people to look at it for what it is, rather than what it isn't.

You'll be appearing at BIGSOUND next month, how has your live show developed over the past couple of years, and what can punters expect in Brisbane in a few weeks?

Our live show is an audio/visual experience. We play with projections, as the music really lends itself to beautiful imagery. I have an amazing live band who help me translate these really dense recordings into a live setting. There is a real quiet strength with this band, I think this shines through whenever we play together.

Following that, what does the rest of the year have in store for you?

We'll be back on the road in September, playing a handful of shows on the east coast, then I'll shift my focus to writing some new material.

Follow Fait: WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / SOUNDCLOUD