Parcels Are Packaging Themselves In A New, European Way

The hip, on-trend upstarters from Byron Bay made the move to the very progressive Berlin, Germany; their new home, which has cradled their creative spirit. So, as they verge on the first outlet as Parcels, Louie Swain hints at why it works. "Berlin's amazing in that it can nurture almost anything. Anything has its place here and that's really what makes up the vibe of the city."

"Yes, I don't think our music is the only thing holding us in this city," adds Noah Hill regarding the musical hub of inspiration. "Even though we did move here for electronic music it was more just about the art centre of Europe. So we feel comfortable playing any kind of music here in Berlin."

"Even though we did move here for electronic music it was more just about the art centre of Europe. So we feel comfortable playing any kind of music here in Berlin."

Packaged together in 2014, Patrick Hetherington, Anatole Serret, Jules Crommelin, Louie Swain and Noah Hill make up the stringy-haired five-piece. Signed to the Parisian mega-hip Kitsune, two members Hill and Swain ponder their experience in the French capital that saw Parcels take a new approach.

"It was really interesting, actually," Swain details. "We had [Hideout] finished towards the start of last year and then we had a few amazing recording sessions in Paris. It really changed our perspective. We got back to Berlin and stripped all the songs back to their core and went into a studio and rerecorded it with lots more live elements, trying to keep as much un-sequenced logic stuff out of it as possible.

"Getting rid of that ridgy-ness will inform on our sound for the next album when we get around to making it," Swain concludes.

Their recent single, Gamesofluck, best throws back to Miami Vice with a pulsing electro-disco theme. "We've been working on that track for nearly a year and it went through many stages as the sound developed to where it's at now," says Swain on what they regard as a signature song.

"I think it's a pretty good representation of the band," responds Swain in comparison to their newie Older (released 27 Nov), which seems a sonic departure from the previous single (having been written in one night by Jules Crommelin). "It was so polished as it was," says Hill, leaving not much room for change. "Jules literally just popped out of his bedroom one morning and said, 'hey, check this out'. It sounded so finished it was like, 'That's amazing.'"

"Yeah, I think that one is definitely an anomaly," agrees Swain. Where Gamesofluck took a year and several alterations to complete, this "is a simple song that came out of nowhere. So, in a way it sounds quite different to the rest of the EP."

The boys are coming home for Christmas, and to play a few dates. A first time for the band on home soil. "This whole tour is just an excuse to get a hot cooked meal," Hill laughs.