Melbourne experimental pop act Lost Animal will be supporting Weyes Blood over two nights at Melbourne’s Forum this June as part of the annual RISING festival. In the meantime, Lost Animal – the project of Jarrod Quarrell – will play a headline show at inner Melbourne venue the John Curtin Hotel.
Lost Animal has been working on the long-awaited follow-up to 2016’s You Yang with producer Dan Luscombe (Amyl & the Sniffers, Courtney Barnett). Quarrell will be performing songs from the project’s anticipated third album at the Curtin gig, which is happening on Thursday, 25th May. Fellow Melbourne/Naarm-based experimentalist YL Hooi is also on the bill.
Lost Animal – ‘Too Late to Die Young’
Quarrell released his debut demo as Lost Animal in 2010. The project’s first full-length, Ex Tropical, followed in 2011. The album featured contributions from bass player Shags Chamberlain and backing vocalist Sophia Brous. The album’s co-producer, John Lee, added guitars, synths and percussion.
Album two, You Yang, landed in October 2016 via Dot Dash/Remote Control Records. Chamberlain was again present for the recording of You Yang, but Lost Animal remained centred on Quarrell’s songwriting.
Lost Animal has received plenty of praise from his contemporaries over the years. Tropical Fuck Storm released a cover of Ex Tropical‘s ‘Lose the Baby’ in 2017, and the song remains a staple of the band’s live sets.
In a recent interview with Music Feeds, NO ZU’s Nicolaas Oogjes spoke fondly of being welcomed into Melbourne’s experimental music scene by Lost Animal. “Our second show was with Lost Animal in a DIY café space with this really experimental saxophonist, but more punk style,” Oogjes said. “And I remember being so scared and nervous about that whole world.”
YL Hooi recently supported her Efficient Space label mate, Karen Marks, at Melbourne Town Hall. Hooi’s 2019 debut album, Untitled, has become something of a collector’s item since being re-issued by Efficient Space in 2021. It’s currently out of print.
Lost Animal Live 2023
- Thursday, 25th May – John Curtin Hotel, Melbourne VIC (w/YL Hooi) – Tickets
- Wednesday, 7th June – Forum, Melbourne VIC (supporting Weyes Blood) – Tickets
- Thursday, 8th June – Forum, Melbourne VIC (supporting Weyes Blood) – Tickets
Further Reading
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Program Revealed For Melbourne’s RISING 2023: Thundercat, Weyes Blood, The Damned + more