Meet Josh Cashman, who readies his debut album with new single, Twenty-Five

In the often-overlooked Australian indie-folk world, Josh Cashman is someone doing something remarkably special. He's been an artist worth watching amongst the folk-rock world ever since his entrance back in 2016 or so, but in the last few years particularly - or ever since his 2017-released Instinct Acoustic EP - he's really stepped it up; the singles littering his discography since seeing him evolve and further himself into somewhat of a newfound heavyweight in Australian indie, capturing the attention of many along the way.

Take the work he's put out over the last few months, for example. 2020 really encapsulates Josh Cashman's brilliance, with single after single - Law of Attraction, Scar and most recently, Twenty-Five released a few weeks back - seeing him gain a larger audience; teasing a forthcoming debut album out this September with snapshots of his craft, each one showing how the musician has consistently looked forward with every release, and pushed his folk-tinged sound into new directions, all to show constant versatility and range.

Twenty-Five is becoming a quick favourite of those singles, and it one that really carries the core themes of the forthcoming debut album. It's rooted in reflection and nostalgia, thinking back to who you once were and what they'd think of yourself now - whether they'd be proud, disappointed, amazed or so on. "All of my time I’ve wasted getting high on who I thought I’d be at twenty-five," he sings, in a line that really centres the message and places it into the forefront.

Musically, these themes move around an instrumental that sits in the funkier side of folk music; his vocal navigating blossoming guitar work and smooth-strung percussion that give the track this part-funk, part-reggae sense of experimentalism. In saying that, it's a far shot from the other artists centring their sound on this kind-of guitar-funk-reggae fusion - a testament to Josh Cashman's drive to do something different, and stand out from the crowd with everything he releases.

The single arrives with a video clip from Melbourne cinematography group TheseWildEyes, who really amplify that nostalgia and distant reflection within the single's lyricism by bringing it to life through Super 8 and VHS footage, moving between time periods as Cashman does the same with his vocals.

Now I'm Twenty-Five, Josh Cashman's debut album, is out on September 18th. However, before that all goes down, you can take a dive into the single below, and better introduce yourself to the musician while you're at it:

Tell us about yourself?

I’m a 25-year-old dude residing in Melbourne who makes music. Born in rural Victoria (Sale, Gippsland), I moved up to Melbourne in 2014, originally for football. I played music as a hobby, playing open mic nights and started to release music in 2015. Since then, there has been a bit of a domino effect – I’m considering myself a full-time artist!

What’s the ‘vibe’ music-wise?

I would fall into the indie/roots/folk world for sure. Sublime guitars, swimming behind some washed soulful vocals and atmospheric grooves. I like to refer to the current vibe of my creations as ‘a summertime daydream’.

A lot of my old songs are about my ex-lover(s) while my new music is a bit of coming of age, newfound love, and the journey from being a young boy in a small country town to a 25-year-old living in the big city - along with all of the ups, downs & in-betweens of being a person in the world we’re currently in.

What are your production and writing processes usually like?

I have a small studio space at home with everything I need to write, record and produce a decent demo. It all starts there for me. The writing process usually comes from a guitar riff or chord progression, but lately, it’s started with grooves and percussion, then working in some chord progressions over the top - adding layers of bass, synths and of course more guitars. Melody and words are the most difficult part, and something I tend to leave until last, which is a habit I’m trying to break out of, but so far it’s worked quite well.

I then take those demos into a session in a proper studio with my producer and great friend/bandmate Sam Swain. We deconstruct the main elements of the demo, find our favourite moments and start layering all of the foundations into a song. We then send them or get my drummer and long time friend Nate Woodward to lay some drums in there. Most of the time, a lot of the layers I recorded in my home studio for the demo are introduced and remain in the final version too, which is cool.

Can you tell us about your new single, Twenty-Five?

For me, it’s an honest reflection of coming of age. So much time has passed by, so quickly and it’s almost like an all of a sudden, “holy shit I’m kind of supposed to be an adult right?”. Seeing new phases of life through friends graduating and moving on to the real world, both of my siblings having kids now, and observing an evolution of the people around me made me channel more thoughts into my own development as a person, I guess. The person I grew up thinking I would be at this time is completely contrasting, and not in a bad way. I think that reflection is where the song stemmed from.

I recorded it in Canada when I was touring over there earlier this year.

What does 2020 have in store for you?

MY DEBUT ALBUM, NOW IM TWENTY-FIVE BEING RELEASED! And probably sitting inside, playing Wii golf because of the pandemic. Hopefully, I’ll be touring the album later in the year, who knows though.

What do you want people to take away from the project?

I want people to feel something. My favourite songs/art all make me feel something, something real – some positive, some negative, some nostalgic. Whatever the feeling might be, when a song or album can make you feel something, you know it’s worth your time, and it will always stick with you. Also - goosebumps never lie.

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