Twin brother production duo Cosmo and Patrick Liney have hit the road to debut their latest EP, Surge. X-Press hijacked the pair on their ride home from uni to find out how they’re feeling about moving from the garage to a headline national tour. Hayley Davis has more.
Having forgotten we had an interview scheduled, my conversation with the brothers of Cosmo’s Midnight is as chilled and ethereal as the music they produce. Cosmo and Pat take me on their car ride home from uni, where we are greeted by their excitable puppy, “He gets excited when we get home,” Cosmo says, with Pat asking to put his two cents worth in from the background.
The two have been working away on Surge over the last three years and have recently been getting some exposure after winning the Flume remix competition with their interpretation of Sleepless. But this is their first time on a headline tour, as well as their first time on a plane. “We’re really excited that the first time we’re getting on a plane is because of music,” Cosmo says. “We first started making music in year 11. Just cheesy electro, stuff like Justice, French house, bangers – that kind of stuff. We were just doing it for ourselves and didn’t think of it as a career.”
They decided to follow in their big brother’s footsteps and get a little more serious about producing music. Ever since they were approached by a manager, Cosmo and Pat say they have been able to develop their identity. “Our manager really guided us in the right direction,” Cosmo says. “It’s really reassuring to know that people think you have a sound and that you’ve got a bit of a unique quality…It’s really validating as an artist.”
They’ve been busy preparing for crowds who will be coming specifically to see them perform. “We still get pretty nervous,” the boys say. “We’re not just background music anymore, but our managers told us just to have a bit of fun beforehand and just enjoy it. It’s mainly just practicing the set over and over again so we’re not nervous about making mistakes on the night.”
As producers, their weapons of choice are mixers and keyboard controllers, but they don’t see these as barriers to entertaining live shows or music that isn’t just forgettable party songs. “We definitely want to get to the level where we are jamming live, almost like a band would,” they say. “We want to make music that’s…oh what that word is?”… “Enduring,” Pat shouts from somewhere in the background. “Yeah that’s it enduring. Like not in an existential way, like that we’ll be remembered after we die,” Cosmo explains. “But just memorable.”
As for future plans, Cosmo’s Midnight have plans to release another EP, hopefully before the end of the year. “We’re collaborating with Polographia, remixing some good local acts and some exciting international acts,” Cosmo says. “The end goal is to be able to travel and earn a living doing this.”
