Jerome Blazé's New Documentary Invites You Into The ‘Living Room’

Over the years, rising Eora-based artist and producer Jerome Blazé has manifested into a seasoned veteran. While casting a label like this may seem a bit controversial given Blazé’s released discography only goes as far back as 2020, it’s the meticulous details, consistency and years of putting in the hard yards that has made Blazé incomparable, and his work – and everything that encompasses it – one of a kind.

In a newly-released documentary The Story Of Living Room, audiences are taken into what the inner workings of Blazé’s musical vision entail in the making of his forthcoming album Living Room. The documentary is directed by James Tarbotton, with Tarbotton and Blazé sharing editing duties, and depicts the raw, experimental and unparalleled process that has gone into telling the story of Living Room.

“The idea of having this sense of home was really important,” Blaze says, opening the documentary as he carefully steps over wires plugged into instruments on the floor.

"I wanted the music to feel lived in, with all the imperfections that come along with that. We made the whole album here, in this one, beautifully imperfect living room.”

So far, Living Room has existed in the form of four singles – each packed with their own identity but bound together by a sworn intimacy generated by Blazé, and his appreciation for the place he calls home. In singles, like Let Your Heart Fill Up, the instantly recognisable sound of Australia’s pedestrian crossing beep is sampled and put together with field recordings of a windy day in the city – a familiar experience for every Sydneysider.

“Sydney is such a big part of this album,” Blazé states at one point in the documentary, his speech set to the background of the city’s parks and skyline. 

“It’s where the music is set and almost serves as another character. I wanted to imbue the music with the feeling of what Sydney is to me.”

Living Room was recorded inside of Blazé’s own living room; a communal space once used for gathering, now the birthplace of Blazé’s most magnetic project yet. In the documentary, we see the living room in all of its splendour and imperfection – basked in the shadows of the outdoors during golden hour, the sound of cutlery clinking and streetcars singing immortalising the space as a home, a safe haven, and an integral part of the journey.

We meet artists Ned Olive, Sam Giddy, James Tarbotton, Niki Johnson and Sarah Levins inside the living room, each telling their story to the backdrop of visuals of them surrounded by instruments, analog music technology and two leather armchairs, as they each piece the puzzle of the album together.

“There’s something magical about the sound of this room, the reverb…so much of the energy and the inspiration comes from the sound of this room,” said Tarbotton, who plays strings on the album.

“When you sing or play an instrument in here, it bounces back at you in a way that’s really inspiring.”

“There were no set recording sessions,” said artist Sarah Levins.

“When we had an idea in the moment, you’re really capturing that inspiration – it’s a really free, open way of composing that has massively impacted how I make music now.”

While there’s only so much that can be articulated and understood about an album before it’s even been released, it’s undeniable that Blazé’s pure, unfettered love for storytelling and real-life experiences can be felt and heard through The Story Of Living Room. The sunny glow that pierces through Blazé’s living room blinds is more than just a symbol of Sydney’s imminent radiance, but a guiding light in the making of a project that is heartfelt, sincere, and full of warmth.

Jerome Blaze’s Living Room is out on October 11th and can be pre-saved here. Watch The Story of Living Room below.