INTERVIEW: Fluir discusses her debut EP 'Just Us'

Producer, singer, songwriter and DJ Fluir released her debut EP Just Us at the end of October. A delicious collection of four electropop tracks overflowing with addictive melodies and dreamy soundscapes, the theme of the EP is the complex and often dark side to the creative process.

Ever since her breakout hit ‘I’ve Gotta Have You’ in 2016, Fluir has blessed us with a steady stream of hypnotic, emotive music and this debut EP is further proof of her talent to create perfectly crafted electronic pop that is full of heart and soul while remaining completely carefree, uplifting and danceable. We recently caught up with Fluir to chat all about the creation of Just Us.

Hey Fluir! Great to chat to you. How has life been for you throughout the craziness that has been 2020?
Hey! Yeah it’s been a strange year that’s for sure. I’ve been taking the time to focus on writing new music and keeping a positive mindset.

Congratulations on the release of your debut EP Just Us at the end of October. How does it feel to have it out in the world?
Thank you! It feels great to finally share it with everyone. The release process is always a lengthy one, so it’s always a relief once new music finally comes out. 

Can you talk us through a little about the creative process for the EP?
I wrote the EP over the course of the past 12 months, with tracks ‘Same Flame’ and ‘Another World’ both written during the chaos of the initial lockdown period earlier this year. 

In terms of the creative process for the EP, I wrote and produced all tracks in my living room with a midi keyboard and laptop. Unfortunately, I don’t have my own dedicated studio space, maybe one day!

Inspiration for the EP came from listening to a lot of new music during lockdown which fuelled my creativity and inspired me to try different production techniques. 

There’s a very ‘90s, trancey vibe to the track ‘Another World’ whilst still remaining completely contemporary. What was the inspiration behind this one?
For a while I’d been wanting to write a heavier dance track. ‘Another World’ was born playing around on the bass guitar which eventually led to that main bass line.  It felt like the track just built itself on those foundations, that bass line especially set the mood for the track lyrically.

‘Another World’ is about those rare encounters you have when you meet someone who completely upends your world, challenging your preconceived ideas and leaving you seeing the world from a different perspective. 

You have said that you wanted the EP ‘to shine a light on the highs and lows of creativity’. What do you feel are the difficulties, or the lows, being a creative artist that most people don’t see or may not necessarily understand?
I think the main difficulty is that there is no formal training on how to navigate the music industry. The only way to learn is to throw yourself in the deep end and to trust that your team has your best interests at heart. 

Unfortunately, many ‘creative’ people don’t have the business acumen required to protect themselves and their work from those within the industry that don’t always have their best interests at heart. Sadly, it’s all too common to hear about artists, particularly those early on in their careers, finding themselves in legal difficulties because they put their trust in the wrong people. 

Having said that, there are also a lot of good people within our industry and it is always refreshing to come across those that are truly passionate about supporting and growing their artists/talent.

Coronavirus has obviously had a huge impact on the music industry, particular the live scene. How do you think it has also impacted - positively or negatively - the actual act of being creative? 
Whilst the lockdowns have undeniably had many negative impacts on the music industry, I feel a lot of positives can be found. 

Personally, the pandemic has allowed me to take five and look more closely at what it is that’s truly important to me. It has given me the chance also to focus on writing new music and find clarity in what it is I want to achieve with my music.  

Your role in the music industry isn’t only as a performer, you also run record label Rola Door Records with fellow artist Sparrows. What was the inspiration behind starting the label and do you have any specific goals with it?
I first met Sparrows at a gig at the Oxford Arts Factory in Sydney. We immediately hit it off by exchanging stories about frustrations we were both experiencing with our music. Following subsequent discussions, we decided to take the matter into our own hands and start our own record label! It gives us the freedom to take control of our respective projects while still having a supportive network to lean on. It is also a great platform for collaboration, and we are looking forward to it organically growing into the future. 

Women at the top of any record label is unfortunately a rarity around the world in an industry that has been run for so long by older, white, straight men. What are your thoughts on the issue of gender equality and sexism in the music industry?
I like to think we are heading in the right direction, but it is hard to deny that we haven’t got a long way to go. It is important that we band together, lead by example and provide a supportive environment within which we can collectively grow into these positions.  

What’s up next for FLUIR?
I have a remix package for the title track ‘Just Us’ off the EP coming out Friday 20th November 2020. 

Otherwise, I’m already busy working on new material for 2021 and hopefully playing some live shows sometime soon now that things are starting to return to some form of normality.

Just Us is out now via Rola Door Records in partnership with Ditto Music. You can download and stream here.

To keep up with all things Fluir you can follow her on Instagram and Facebook