With music that has been described as a mix of spectral dustbowl blues, vengeful hoedowns and pared back swoon songs the April Maze’s sound is for all-weather - to curl up with on rainy days or to dance to in a sun-soaked summer. The April Maze delicately fuse a haunting melancholy sound with dreamy tripped-out harmonies, lyrical cello, banjo, guitar and sultry vocals… think Mumford, Florence, and First Aid Kit with a cello
“Mayhew’s masterful guitar, Agam’s visceral, growling cello and her own dark twisted vocal…mean much of this is a series of inky-black fairy tales.” Mojo Magazine (4 Stars)
“Indie alt-folk, much influenced by the sound (and fashions) of 70s San Francisco, Agam’s voice a rich cocktail of dark molasses and sweet honey.”** Folking.com **
“Quirky, endearing and engaging, their songs are delicately sparse, with room to breathe and expand, an impression augmented by only sparing use of percussion…Finally, Australia has something to celebrate in 2013.” The Oxford Times
“An originality that is exciting and inspiring to experience live…with their rich, human vocals, the live show has an amazingly full and deep sound.” The AU Review
Extended Biography
The April Maze consists of the quirky and charming indie darlings Todd and Sivan. The husband and wife duo joined forces 7 years ago in a share house in Melbourne then embraced the wandering minstrel natures of their folk forebears, living out of their ’76 kombi whilst touring throughout Australia, New Zealand, UK and Canada and sharing their music.
Their musical roamings have seen them play over 35 festivals, 20 folk clubs and 850 shows in conjunction with the release of three EPs and two albums.
In November 2012, their album ‘TWO’ shot into Spotify’s Top 100 most popular new releases and saw the pair placed alongside artists such as Mumford & Sons, Lana Del Ray, Pink and Usher.
The April Maze are distinct from many existing alt folk bands due to the pure warmth and honesty in their song-writing coupled with distinctive 70s vintage imagery and lack of pretence. Their music touches upon a range of emotions from mellow to upbeat, to guide listeners through their unique take on music.
The skilfully balanced harmonies gently unfold the narratives, with the soulful richness of Sivan’s voice, reminiscent of Cass Elliot, perfectly complemented by Todd’s intense, warm tone. The accompanying stripped back acoustic sound of Todd’s guitar and banjo mingles with Sivan’s breathtakingly beautiful cello parts and leaves the incredible impression of a full orchestral sound.
They are unashamed story tellers, providing insight into the inspirations of their songs with humorous candour at their live gigs whilst lovingly jeering each other on. They speak about ‘Don’t Let the Bastards Bring You Down’ being influenced by Sivan’s personal experience of bullying and ‘Winter’ chronicling the struggles of Todd’s love-lorn brother.
The couple perform with smiles and pure sincerity but also “an originality that is exciting and inspiring to experience live…with their rich, human vocals, between two people the live show has an amazingly full and deep sound” as the AU Review observed. Australian review site Timber and Steel has given similar praise, believing that the group’s music “moves you and seeps deep in to your soul, staying with you for days and weeks to come”.