BODY PROMISE
Written for ACCLAIM, published in 2017
Artwork: Nellie XII
Words: MJB
Body Promise is a collaborative project run by Amelia Jenner and Doug Wright. Primarily operating as a radio show on the premier Sydney community station FBi Radio, the Tuesday Sunset show they host centres its programming on cutting edge electronic music. The label incarnation of the concept served as a response to the community that developed from the show. In the climate of streaming, Amelia and Doug recognised an opportunity to revive the compilation concept to serve the limited attention spans of modern listeners. The opportunity has allowed them to highlight obscure and emerging artists that are yet to be EP or LP equipped. A label built on taste making, it is unsurprising to learn that Amelia is the musical director for FBi Radio. With a unique twist on A&R and combined authority within the Sydney musical community, the second Body Promise compilation Fantastic Effects is evidence of Amelia and Doug’s pursuit to fearlessly redefine the Sydney underground.
What came first: the label or the radio show?
The radio show came first. We started on FBi Click which was FBi Radio’s sister station dedicated to dance music. FBi Radio then expanded and engulfed Click, which is when we started hosting Tuesday Sunset. Through the radio show we were hearing some amazing music both from home and abroad that maybe wasn’t getting the attention we thought it deserved so we decided to create a platform to help get it out to the world.
How does your listenership at FBi engage with the music you play? Is there a strong community base in support of what you are pushing?
I think there is a strong community around the types of music we play for sure. We’re really lucky to have a close-knit and very supportive extended group of friends which makes everything feel worthwhile. The thing we really enjoy about the radio show is being able to get all this amazing music out to the listening audience that maybe wouldn’t hear it otherwise. Our compilations strive to demonstrate there are so many amazingly talented people in our music community and it’s been a real honour to work with them all.
Tell me about the compilation. What inspired you to start curating these?
When we were toying with the idea of turning Body Promise into a record label, we were both quite attracted to the idea of compilations as opposed to singles or EP releases. It feels like a very deliberate and interesting way of finding a common thread through different sounding work. We’re mostly inspired by the amazingly talented people in our extended music community and it’s been a real honour and a privilege to work with them all. Most of the people involved on the compilation are friends we’ve made in the club or through the radio show, so it’s a great way to bring everyone together under the one Body Promise banner.
How do you decide what will feature on each compilation?
I guess we’re always inspired by a vibe, an attitude. That kinda DGAF/DIY attitude. We’ve always been drawn to dance music that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and I guess that’s the linking feature between each of the compilations.
How does this instalment differ from the initial compilation?
I think this compilation perfectly encapsulates how our tastes have morphed over the past year. This one is more dance floor focused, whereas the last one was a little more experimental.
Is it difficult to run a label in 2017? Do you have any advice for people wanting to start their own?
Yes and no—I mean the means of production are right there are your fingertips. But you gotta be organised as hell, dedicated, willing to have no spare time (if it’s your side hustle that is), and be willing to probably lose a bit of money. If you want to start something like this—get your talented crew around you and band together. That’s what we’ve done. It’s way more fun that way.
I’m really excited to be premiering this new fake track. I’m a big fan of fake and everything that Lavurn (fake, Cassius Select, BV) does. What drew you to this track? What do you like best about his production?
Oh man, what can’t Lavurn do? Everything he touches is gold. After seeing him perform live as fake a few times, and hearing his EP earlier in the year, we had to ask him to be involved. He sent us a couple different tracks to choose from, it was so hard to choose. Everything else we have on the comp is really rhythmic, and I think we were drawn to how sparse ‘lo-res’ is. It’s the perfect breather, but it’s also dank as hell. To be able to work with someone as talented and widely respected as Lavurn is a real privilege.
