A couple of years ago, Perth musician Shaun Pickett dissolved Command Q, the dance project he shared with fellow DJ Louis Frere-Harvey that had copped co-signs from the likes of Diplo and Skrillex, eventually going on to sign with Mad Decent and OWSLA.
Now, Pickett has returned under the name of Monsoon Moon, shifting gears with debut single ‘Just Friends’, a darkly catchy slice of indie-electronica that put Pickett’s vocals and musicality front and centre. The song explores that tricky balance between head versus heart – the tension that comes in the aftermath of impulsive decisions.
“I was once wildly in love. And like every love drunk musician before me, I had the original idea of writing a song for my lover,” explains Pickett.
“But, like most good things, our love didn’t last and I was left with an unfinished song and a healthy plate of regret. The song was now a lie! And I started to think, wouldn’t it have been better if we never got together in the first place? Why couldn’t we have stayed Just Friends?”
The single was recorded in Melbourne with producer Joel Quartmain, and mixed and mastered by Pickett at Digital Bath Studios in Perth.
The video for ‘Just Friends’ was directed by longtime collaborator and artist Dean Gavin of Onyx Syndicate. It’s an eye-catching and colourful visual that suits the track perfectly.
“The relationship Shaun and I have is great because I respect the amount of time and work Shaun puts into the product alongside having faith in my own skills to assist in communicating his messages creatively,” says Gavin, hinting at more collaborations along the way. “We’re only just getting started here.”
The single is apparently just a taste of the body of work Pickett has in store for Monsoon Moon, promising more to come in the second half of the year.
Watch the video for ‘Just Friends’ below.
