After two albums without a single word uttered, Sydney trio Seekae have opened both their minds and their mouths forThe Worry, a record that – for many – will be seen as a notable sonic risk. The group’s third LP sees it not only adding vocals to the fold, but delving into wider, more atmospheric beats. Although it may come as a surprise, Alex Cameron feels as though it’s a logical progression – especially when it relates back to the band personally.

“People often feel surprised by a band changing direction,” he says. “The time between records isn’t necessarily translated – when you’re talking about three years between records, that’s a long time in a person’s life in any instance. People can shift politically, religiously, creatively. For a band like us, that wants to be making things from our own perspective, it’s not surprising to me that the sound is new, in a way.”

The Worry is the group’s long-awaited follow-up to 2011’s +Dome record. The changes in the band members’ personal lives in that time are reflected in what they’ve created. “We’ve all been through various shifts in the way we live – we’ve changed cities a few times and shifted relationships,” Cameron says. “The paths have changed slightly for us and we’re all maturing at this stage. For now, anyway, we’re becoming a little more secure in the way that we view the world. That’s kind of led to the desire to want to say more with the songs lyrically. We still have a great love for instrumental music, but it was just something that happened naturally. Going through changes and becoming different people has led to creating different music.”

Seekae first began incorporating vocals into their performances a couple of years ago – at first sporadically, then with a more regular flow of consistency. Although the trio is quite comfortable with the idea now, there was a period when singing was quite the daunting task. “It was pretty nerve-wracking – it was kind of like playing a first gig,” recalls Cameron of the first time the band used vocals in its set. “You get used to a certain comfort, a certain muscle memory and past performances to know that you can do it. When you’re singing for the first time – even if you’ve been singing for years and you’re singing something for the first time – there’s something unnerving about it, almost childlike.

“I think what we constantly chase as creative people is being looked at as an amateur rather than a professional in our creative endeavours,” he continues. “I like the idea of doing something new and forcing myself to inject emotion and passion into it rather than professional skill. This isn’t to say that we’re not skilled musicians, but we like to find elements to work on where we have a little prior experience and then work on it for a few years. That way, it stays new to us and to the people that listen to the music.”

A sabbatical between +Dome and The Worry saw Seekae – Cameron, George Nicholas and John Hassell – each working individually on various projects and compositions. Most notably, Cameron released a solo album, Jumping The Shark, for free online. The trio’s time apart did not hinder the collective creative process of the band itself – rather, it restored their confidence in their own abilities.

“It’s never been a negative thing,” Cameron says. “Any conflict has been resolved by pointing out that it’s a positive thing that we’re still creating. I think it also helps to know that what we all do individually is so vastly different. It does breed a certain confidence knowing that I can give an idea or a passage of music to George and he can set it on its own path. That works in all different directions – John could give me something, too, or vice-versa. Some parts were challenging – this did take 18 months of work to get done. Each track had its own breakthrough moment, so I feel strongly about each of the tracks on there.”

The album is weeks away from release, and both nerves and anticipation are high in the Seekae camp. Even as The Worry approaches, Cameron stresses that it’s important to stay honest with yourself. Overnight success isn’t coming – after all, it never has for Seekae.

“We get behind all of our records and work them, and we believe in them,” says Cameron. “That’s what makes them travel. Our first record could have easily disappeared, but we put work into it. That’s what pushes us – if it takes two or three tours or even two years to sink in, we’re going to be right behind it. My hope is that people give this record time, like people did with the last record. That was a slow burn – we ended up touring four times on the back of it. It wasn’t as though we toured it once and the record died – it lived because people came to support it. As humble as that success was, it meant a lot to us. We hope the same for this one.”

The Worry out Friday September 12 through Future Classic. Catch Seekae supported byJonti and That Feel at theMetro Theatre onSaturday August 23, tickets online.

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