EP PREMIERE: Paperweight Graduate to the Next Level on 'Green Lotus Blooms'
With Stand Atlantic, Between You and Me and Yours Truly all absolutely smashing it in front of overseas audiences right now, it's time to hone in on the next uprising of Aussie pop punk back on the mother land. One band you've definitely seen throughout your time in lockdown the last two years is Melbourne quartet Paperweight.
After an onslaught of hit singles and some massive achievements the past year, including appearing on Knight & Day Festival alongside Parkway Drive, Trophy Eyes and Windwaker, Paperweight are showing zero signs of slowing down. While they're still in their early years, we do believe these guys will be an anticipative name to watch very closely in the scene this year. Especially after you check into their debut EP, Green Lotus Blooms, streaming below exclusively here at WoS.
A five-track collective effort with prominent Aussie producer Stevie Knight, Green Lotus Blooms embodies everything we assimilate with the genre and you can tell Paperweight wear their hearts on their sleeves here. We're utterly stoked to be giving you the exclusive first listen, and to celebrate we grabbed a one-on-one with vocalist Haris Dillinger, guitarists Luana Tosti-Guerra and Tom Ballinger and drummer Basil February about how much they've grown since their inception in 2020.
Guys! It’s been awhile since we’ve sat down for a one to one, and we couldn’t have chosen a better time than now to celebrate your first ever EP! How stoked are you all to get your newest baby out in the world?
We've missed you guys!!! Oh man, stoked is an understatement. We recorded these tracks in early 2021 and had planned to release them sporadically but the timing never lined up quite right (thanks covid!)
You’ve been pretty consistent both in your sound and making sure that Paperweight remains at the forefront of our minds when it comes to upcoming Australian pop punk! When it came to your first release, what was ultimately the vision you wanted to create for Green Lotus Blooms?
Haris: Thank you! The lotus flower is a symbol of resistance and rebirth, which relates to the main themes of the EP - finding the light in the dark, beginnings of new chapters, rising from the ashes, all that good stuff.
A track that’s brought plenty of hype in your live shows recently is a song called ‘Scapegoat’. Which just happens to be the new single! Tell us how that one came about?
Lu: This one was the lovechild of Haris and Stevie Knight (our producer).
Haris: Yeah, it came about totally organically in the studio. The song reflected us all wanting to escape reality of the world - in March 2021 the big C was running rampant, we even almost didn't get to Sydney to record!
Basil: You're right about the live hype, too - people love this one!
Haris – as the band’s main lyricist, where does your inspiration for these songs come from?
Haris: I love a good metaphor and I love being cryptic - I try not to be too specific because I want the listener to have their own interpretation of the lyrics. Often times I'll initially search for something that "sounds cool" and then spin it in a way that fits the subject matter, which is generally whatever's on my mind at the time.
I love asking bands this, and it’s synonymous in pop punk lately — collaborations. Who’d be one artist you’d love to bash out a collab with (studio or on stage)?
Great question! There are sooo many sick artists coming out of Aus right now so we'd have to say:
Haris: Bonnie Fraser from Stand Atlantic
Lu: I am a little bit in love with G-Flip, not gonna lie
Tom: Amy Shark is incredible, that would be so fun
Basil: I'd love to get some Emmy Mack (Redhook) screams on a song one day!
Haris, I can absolutely see that Bonnie feature happening, since she's mentioned that she also writes in a cryptic manner. That would be an epic songwriting sesh for you both! So as we all know, life in music can get super chaotic. How does Paperweight maintain some work/life balance?
Lu: I mean… 2 of us have a balance and 2 of us absolutely do not, haha. Haris and I live together - music is what we do all day every day but that’s exactly how we like it. Whether it’s writing, practicing, planning what’s coming next for Paperweight - the music cogs are always turning. Music has been my life since I was 14 so I do love spending every minute surrounding myself with it.
Tom: Finding a healthy balance between music life and outside life is very important to me. Outside of music I work, play soccer and love to keep active.
Basil: Balance in life is tricky but having different things to do so you break that mould in your life is key for me. If I’m not at work or making music, I’m at home gaming. But having music and the band to disconnect myself from the rat race is massively beneficial to my mental wellbeing.
What are you all looking forward to most about your first tour next month to celebrate Green Lotus Blooms?
Haris: I'm looking forward to playing our first interstate show ever!
Tom: Getting to perform again with a bunch of mates!
Lu: I'm pretty happy with the tour package we put together - stoked that we're going on tour with SO MANY FRIENDS!!! And, now that Megan has joined Catholic Guilt, every single band on the lineup has female representation - how good is that!!!
The EP represents the beginning and ends of new and old. So as we look forward to your glistening future, what can you share about Paperweight’s rest of 2022?
We were just in the studio with Stevie (and we'll be back later in the year). We have a bunch of shows lined up, we have more music to release… we can't share too much but hey - the paper-train never stops!!!
Listen exclusively first below!
Paperweight – Green Lotus Blooms EP tracklisting:
1. Pilot
2. Scapegoat
3. Asteroids! And Where to Find Them
4. Fairy Floss
5. Tracks
