Oliver Sparks: Strangers
Oliver Sparks is the pseudonym for producer/singer Cameron Daniels. Growing up in Newcastle, Daniels would not be out of place backing on keyboards/synth for a swathe of local indie outfits. As a long-time-pop-listener this latest project scratches an itch that none of these previous projects had.
Back before COVID, I did some artwork for Oliver/Cameron’s new single Strangers and got a beer to talk about his creative process.
Do you have an end goal for this project?
It’s really an excuse for me to mess around with writing and producing. After playing for everyone else for so long I wanted to try something of my own. Have some fun, meet some new people, trying to get in more studio time, getting to know engineers. I've always wanted to see more of the studio/production side of making music, how some song ideas would sound if they were done properly, in a proper studio.
So you went into the studio to record? Who did you work with?
The two first tracks I recorded (Dance and Rodeo) were with Anthony Garvin at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney.
You just went in there by yourself?
Just me, yeah. It was the first time I've ever sung in a proper studio.
Are these songs a new sound compared to what you’ve worked on in the past?
For sure, I don't think people in my circle are expecting this pop stuff from me at all. I just fell in love making it and the process a pop artist uses to write produce a track.
Even that word.. Track. People in the pop circle talk about the music in a different way.
I know!
Songs seem to come a lot more freely in pop. Solo artists/producers, sampling beats and playing all the instruments on laptops.
I think they have a different angle on songwriting and performing in general. I wanted to make a project that solely focussed on and explored this stuff.
That seems like a very liberating thing. What sort of music were you listening to?
Everything pop, Bieber to Flume. Learning heaps. We sort of look down in it, but there is a real challenge to producing a three and a half minute song that can resonate with a lot of people. Especially those who might not listen to much stuff outside of pop.
What goes into a new track for you writing-wise?
One way I do it is just sitting at the keyboard and sketching a song in the standard structure, like intro, verse, chorus etc, letting the instrument/feeling lead the way. Kind of spewing it all out in one go. There usually is four minutes of shit, but there might be ten seconds of something good [laughs]. I take that ten seconds out and then work with that.
Is it normally the chords or the melody that comes first for you?
Chords are the main thing I start with. Then mix that with the vibe - is it more upbeat, or melancholy? Then melody. Nothing happens lyrically straight away for me though, it's always just random words at the start.
What was the process like when you were working with Anthony? How did he develop your ideas?
We took some parts from the demos that I had, re-tracked some other parts, added vocals. It was really good.
Who did you work with on Strangers?
I tracked and had everything mixed by Gareth Hudson at a Hazy Cosmic Jive in Newcastle. Mike Marsh from the UK mastered the song. It might sound corny.. but I really enjoyed working with these guys I've looked up to. It's not really for anyone except me, and maybe my mum.
What about playing live?
I don't think I would know how to! These songs have changed so much from my original demoes. I'm really happy working on them and uploading, seeing what happens on the internet. I can upload to a Spotify account with the possibility to reach everyone all at once, depending on the algorithm.
Do you have a new song in the works?
I have a few ideas.. I've been playing with the idea of a song that uses the same chord progression the whole way through. I found this choir setting in Logic the other day, like a Sunday Service vibe - it is getting very epic.
Listen to Oliver Sparks on Spotify and Triple J Unearthed.