Willaris. K

For several years after finishing school, Jack McAllister – who makes music under the name Willaris. K – was responsible for monitoring the power conversion at substations along the New South Wales and Queensland border. It was on these daily solo expeditions through serene bush and swampy marshland that McAllister developed the unique sonic palette that we know as trade mark Willaris. K. Warping ambient field recordings into textured beats, the clarity of space and time to forge inventive melodies, the stimulation of the natural environment thrust into heaving electronica. The swamp, the serenity. Pine-scented, dirt-speckled. The legendary Pete Tong of BBC Radio 1 singled out Willaris. K as the next artist to watch from Australia, saying “he has already got something that is really hard to attain. If I listen to an hour of music that was kind of similar to his melodic techno, when his track came on, I would know it was his.” Similarly triple j radio in Australia have backed McAllister heralding him as one of their 10 Unearthed artists to watch in 2018. First came ‘Alchemy’, the debut single that saw Willaris. K break through with airplay on triple j and Sydney’s FBi. Before 2017 was through he delivered two more tracks — ‘River Song’ and ‘Dour Nights’, which BBC Radio 1’s Pete Tong named his Essential New Tune — as well as turning in a remix for Exhibitionist. In 12 months, the brand new artist graced festival audiences with over 25 live sets brimming with his trade mark punk-influenced stage presence. And all ahead of his international debut at Coachella this April. Now, Willaris. K is back with Alchemy, a full 7-track mini album that moves between thick industrial techno and sparse pensive melodic moments.