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Photo by Drew Wheeler

Celebrated vibe generators, melodic craftsmen, and a jaw-dropping live band, Parcels have been on a journey to stardom since their first self-titled record, and we’ve been lucky to meet them on the dance floor at every step. On their latest record, this Berlin-via-Aussie band is doing what all great creative collectives do: pushing their sound forward, taking some vulnerable pivots, chasing new melodic layers, and in short, building a soundscape of being LOVED. With so much to discern from this wondrous album, we – after a missed connection – caught the band via pen to paper, and here is the wonderful results:

OnesToWatch: Who is Parcels now on the eve of their third album, versus before their first album?  

Parcels: In many ways not a lot has changed. We are the same 5 boys, working with many of the same people, still feeling like we are just getting started somehow. I think there’s more confidence now for how we can work in a studio and capture the spirit. I guess the larger world feels very different though. 

Do you feel Loved? What makes you feel loved? 

Sure, loved and loved in both tenses of the word! The endless love which flows through us all changes shape and meaning but it’s always there. I feel loved when someone cooks me a meal. Toto cooked me a lot of great meals recently. 

What's "Loved" about contextually, how’d the album come together?  

We wanted to make a very Parcels sounding album for this one, without playing too much into a genre in particular. We tried to work on songs which sounded uplifting but at their core were melancholy. This is sort of the duality of the band that we are always wrestling with. It’s a nostalgic album but sounds fresh to us! The themes of love in all its forms came naturally and we didn’t notice the thread until it was finished and we needed to name it. 

Any collaborations? Who produced the album? 

We kept it all in house on the music side except for the Leaveyourlove EP where we got to play with some amazing artists. But for the album we recorded it all together then Pat and Jules did a monster few weeks at the end crunching the editing and arranging it into the finished product. 

What's something you did differently on this album you wished you’d done before? 

We recorded the synths last on this album which was a super nice way of fleshing out the world of each song and flowing them together after they were finished. And also recording in shorter bursts then giving time to sit on each session before continuing felt like a good practice in focussing the direction a bit more. 

Does your work anticipate the next album, does this speak to the next evolution or is standalone by nature? 

I think this album speaks to everything we’ve done so far, leaving room for the next music to explore some uncharted landscapes. 

Besides this excellent album what else should we be on the lookout for? 

We’re doing a great big arena tour of the US, Europe and Australia! Pinching ourselves and freaking out a bit but can’t wait.

What's inspiring you right now outside of music? 

Been getting really into pretzels, 10 years into living in Germany. And fantasy novels, just finished the Mistborn series it was crazy. 

Everything kicks off as it should, where do you go to celebrate? Who do you bring? 

We love an afterparty, hiring a club nearby and releasing all that built up tension on the dance floor. Bring anyone who’s around. We had a legendary one in Bonobo last year in Tokyo with a bunch of friends new and old. It's actually so important to do that sometimes. 

Musically who is new but making all the right moves? Who are your current OnesToWatch? 

I’m loving this duo called After. The first true throwback I’ve seen to early 2000s pop that feels so legit, I don’t know how they’re channeling it. The songs are great and the sound has this fresh feeling like it came from exactly 20 years ago but then couldn’t have possibly existed then either. 

Then also this guy Anatole Muster, a friend showed me the other day. He’s an insane accordion player who channels hyper pop and midwest emo vibes on his tracks.