You know what has empowered this generation with a profound sense of perspective? The internet. We can constantly compare, contrast then normalise anything we seek to understand – whether it be scientific, celebrity or an art form. While empowering us, it can also result in a pathological cynicism where as a society we refuse to acknowledge the magic in our own backyard.
With this in mind, here is a truth-bomb that you may not have been aware of – The Temper Trap are one of the biggest and most enduring bands of our lifetime. Since forming in Melbourne in 2005, they have released three incredible records, with the first – 2009’s Conditions – featuring the single Sweet Disposition. That track was one of the most prominent songs across both the alternative and mainstream music scenes for a good couple of years.
The following two albums, 2012’s self-titled effort and last year’s Thick As Thieves, both debuted at number one on the ARIA charts off the back of stellar singles Need Your Love, Trembling Hands, Thick As Thieves, and Fall Together respectively.
“I moved from London a year ago and I’m calling you from Berlin today; this is my home,” says Temper Trap frontman Dougy Mandagi. So what is an average day like for Dougy from Temper Trap in his new hometown? “I drink about three flat whites a day, some things just never change – thank God the coffee scene here is thriving which is good; plenty of Aussies to make me awesome flat whites.
“I just go about my day, maybe a little bit of writing, catch-up with my friends and…” Mandagi pauses with a playful excruciation of thought. “I haven’t really dived into the clubbing scene, but every now and then I take part and that’s really fun as well.”
The aforementioned routine sounds like the life of career musician, Mandagi grapples with this assumption giggling as he sardonically concedes, “Thanks mate, I feel so old.”
The tour also coincides with the deluxe vinyl re-release of Conditions. With this in mind, it seems appropriate to quiz Mandagi about his current relationship with those three minutes and 56 seconds of music that currently has over 151 million plays on Spotify. Mandagi discusses how he feels when he inadvertently hears the song during his day to day life. “I’ve been in a few cafes where I have heard [Sweet Disposition], and if it’s just me and no one else I know in the café it’s fine, but usually I’m with a mate or someone and they make a big deal out of it and then at that point I feel like turning around and walking out of the café,” he says.
Mandagi now turns his gaze to a single from last year’s LP Thick As Thieves, Fall Together, a song that marries the best aspects of both Temper Trap’s past and future with subtly tweaked melody that plays over the top of a bubbling baseline, giving way to a soaring chorus that sees Mandagi’s voice reaching melodic heights.
The film clip that accompanies songs was directed by Australian director Kris Moyes and features the band shown in bold landscapes across America, essentially declaring their togetherness via ‘blood brother’ rituals or jumping from a cliff – a visual paean, if you will, to Hunter S. Thompson’s hallucinogen-fuelled soul-searching in Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas.
Despite the profound artistic endeavour of the clip, Mandagi admits that there was no drug-taking during it’s making. “There was definitely no acid taking, a lot of feta cheese eating and homemade Greek wine drinking,” he says.
