How A Jake Gyllenhaal Netflix Film Inspired Hermitude's Most Vocal Album Yet

The first show of Hermitude's world tour at the humble Blackheath Community Centre was a night to remember. Near the end of the intimate show, dozens of local kids invaded the stage, much to the surprise of everyone in the room. Their enthusiasm and excitement at watching two locals, once children of the mountains themselves, was a joy to behold. And while Angus Stuart and Luke Dubber may now be internationally regarded producers, the show held a special place in their heart.

“We wanted to give back to the community that helped us come up and support us when we were still honing our craft," Stuart shares. "It was such a special night. It exceeded all expectations. It really felt like coming home.”

The gig, with tickets only available via a local record store, allowed for the first showing of the duo’s sixth and most ambitious album, Pollyanarchy. The story of the album’s unique title is intricate, but one that sits perfectly with the duo’s aesthetic. During the making of the album, Hermitude found themselves watching Velvet Buzzsaw after a busy day writing in Dunedin. A quote in the film made them pause and rewind; credited to Polly Anna, it piqued their interest and led them to discover the Pollyanna Principle.

“Pollyanna always sees the positive in every situation and we were like, ‘That’s a really cool thing,’” Stuart explains. The character resonated strongly as the album came to a creative crescendo and the term ‘Pollyanarchy’ was coined: "We knew we were coming to end of the record and we had this deadline [but] we could see the positive coming.” 

An innate positivity flows through Hermitude's music. From the explorative Alleys To Valleys to their more recent bangers, the duo always aim to raise the mood. “We try and push ourselves each time we do a record into a different territory so that it sounds inspired and keeps us excited when we’re working together as opposed to repeating old formulas,” Dubber says. 

"At first, we were like, ‘Maybe we should have more instrumentals?’"

This new territory involved jetting to Los Angeles to take part in songwriting camps. “We were just bouncing in between rooms going through different ideas with people. It was a really hectic experience,” he says. This method of finding new and inspired toplines formed the basis of a number of tracks on the new album, but it was a return visit that saw them collaborate specifically with Vic Mensa, BJ The Chicago Kid and Bibi Bourelly for tracks that have forged their most vocal record to date. Along with the international names that appear on the album, the duo hand-picked local artists from the rich pool of Australian talent, with very different features coming from Haiku Hands, Hoodlem and Electric Fields. 

“With this record, we set out to make a more vocal record," Stuart explains. "That was the aim from the get-go. There was a point when we got near the end that we realised we only had two instrumentals. At first, we were like, ‘Maybe we should have more instrumentals?’ And then were like, ‘No, this is what we set out to do! Don’t doublethink yourself!’” 

The irony of Hermitude resides in their musical progression. While old-school fans, the ones who vibe on the intricate and unique production from the duo, may prefer to keep the music pure, it’s the upbeat vocal tracks and collaborations that have helped to launch Hermitude worldwide. Even if, as proven by their return home, they have not and seemingly never will forget their roots. 

Read our review of 'Pollyanarchy'