In a world craving connection, Caspia bares all.
Born out of late-night piano writing sessions, swimming in analogue synthesisers and soaked in romantic lyrics, Caspia is the electronic, indie-pop solo project of multi-instrumentalist Ant Beard. Commonly known for his role within Australian surf-rockers Caravãna Sun, Ant is thriving with the creative freedom and learning journey that is Caspia.
With his earlier releases via Caravãna Sun, Ant has managed to soundtrack our arrival into a sun-soaked summer with the band’s energetic surf rock and soulful heart moments. Regularly drawing upon the personal connections within their lives; in love, perception and ultimately death, they provided a full-body experience release of dancing and self-reflection.
Now, Ant is taking those personal connections to another level, diving into the electronic indie-pop realm with Caspia, a concept that he’s been developing since his foray into songwriting. With nods to the likes of James Blake, Bob Moses and Rufus Du Sol, Caspia is creating intimate and vulnerable soundscapes that explore and envelop the listener into vivid cinematic introspect in ways he couldn’t have done before.
“For me, I wanted to create space for the music that allowed me to have complete freedom to do what I felt was right for the song,” he explains.
“My love for electronic music, coupled with raw songwriting, allowed me to combine synthesisers and eventually end up in indie-pop land! In saying that, the piano is at the heart of this project so I make all my decisions with that mystical vessel in mind.”
Alongside a real experimental flare nestled deep within the solo project, what stands out about Caspia is the undeniable beauty and intimacy forged out of authentic and cinematic songwriting that his singles bare us witness to.
His debut release, ‘Alone’, demonstrates our constant desire to feel closer and more connected to ourselves and a deeper purpose, both in the electronic vocal-tinged music and the lyrics, “I don’t want to be alone”. Interlacing acoustic felt piano with analogue electronic instruments, the single is powerful and bold throughout. It’s not until you get to the melancholic bridge section where Caspia delivers a breath-taking level of emotion to the forefront of the song, “light comes wake me when I’m home again, have I just lost everything?”
Further cementing his place into the electronic, singer-songwriter sphere, Caspia’s second single, ‘Trick of the Light’, stands out with its anthemic chorus, ear-catching drums, swirling guitars, twinkling synths and an overall electronica soundscape.
While the immersive instrumental is truly magnificent, there’s a strong sense of depth and honesty on display in the uplifting yet thought-provoking song that reaches deep into the soul and holds a mirror up to anyone listening. Co-written and produced by Eskimo Joe’s Joel Quartermain, ‘Trick of the Light’ showcases Caspia’s cinematic style of songwriting and unwaveringly honest lyricism. It’s here that we’re delicately handed an intimate window view into his personal life.
“Joel brought a lot to the writing process of Trick Of The Light,” he says.
“We had written that entire song in a day and were riding the ups and downs of chasing something you can’t actually see. It’s important to write with people that you can trust and know that they’re all about the magic. The little side comment that eludes and writes the rest of the song. The little things.
“My writing process always begins in the musical pursuit to combine interesting chords and textures with an idea floating, trying to come through in song,” he adds. “I’m consistently rambling gibberish over beautiful piano chords. Eventually, something sticks and I trust the process to keep unfolding.
“Life is continually throwing me both beautifully terrifying emotional moments and songwriting has allowed me to make sense of them and transcend my lived human experience.”
No stranger to vulnerability, this project sees him evolve and reshape even further than ever before, adopting another level of emotion and taking us on an almost spiritual journey.
“Vulnerability has always been at the core of my writing. Caspia is about trying to step closer, lift the veil a little higher and create a clearer conversation in song. The cinematic nature of the project leans hard into the vivid space around the sound.
“All of these new songs have that in common, there’s space in the music. I’m in love with the moments in-between.”
Through a kaleidoscope of stunning vocals, drifting piano and swirling electronic production, Caspia encloses the listener in a bubble of dreaminess, reminiscent of the feeling you’d get from listening to James Blake or City and Colour. It’s no surprise he has already gained global notoriety for his highly developed sense of control and restraint in his work, as well as a breath-taking level of emotion and personality in his performance.
Passion is at the heart of everything Capsia creates and ultimately, this symbolises his long game approach to creating his upcoming EP, which is set for release in November and from which features his two recent releases.
“It’s when you’re in the writing space, noodling around on some piano chords and for some reason, some feeling comes knocking,” he says, of what excites him most.
“Some clash of sound provides this little ray of hope of something bigger. To see how that ray then shines out into the world is truly something so special. I’ve always felt much more in being the vessel of these moments rather than taking full ownership over san idea. I’m most excited by where this vessel may be headed.”
In a world craving connection, Caspia bares all. It’s the type of music you could imagine listening to in almost complete silence, with the audience holding their collective breath at the gorgeous lushness of the sound.
Check out CASPIA on Spotify and keep up to date with the latest via his Instagram and Facebook.
