Deep eklypsis

The Longest Day is a two-piece band from Australia, which formed in Sydney in 1997. The band could be described as somewhere between postrock and spacerock, if that means anything to you. The band draws its inspiration from groups such as Flying Saucer Attack, Mogwai and Sigur Ros, and attempts to produce songs and soundscapes that captivate, move, soothe and inspire.

The players are Brad and Jay, who have been writing and playing music together under various guises since they were 16. When Jay moved to Canberra in 2002, the longest day seemed to have died a quiet, natural death. However neither Brad nor Jay were satisfied with the tiny musical footprint they had left on the world, and decided to get together in August 2005 to finish what they had begun years earlier.

The result was their first recording – “Slumber” – recorded in a week, and utilising old 4-track-recorded drums and sampled loops. While the core of the album was comprised of songs from years past, the opening and closing tracks were new. Copies were distributed free of charge to anyone who expressed an interest in hearing this document of times past.

Wanting to pursue their artistic collaboration further, and spurred by the feedback given to “Slumber”, Brad and Jay decided to get together again to musically document very different but equally inspiring times. “Sounds of Jupiter” was written, recorded and mixed in a week in the winter of 2006. The disc reflects the band’s contemporary musical headspace, and continues the reverbed, ethereal sensibilities of their first recording.

The band’s aim is to continue to explore the musical realms of the universe, and to take as many other like-minded souls along as possible. thelongestday.com.au