SOURFLOUR | INTERVIEW + TRACK REVIEW

Somewhere between a beach and a desert, Sourflour is building a world of his own. The Saint Clyde Bay songwriter is gearing up to release Motel, a debut record that reads like a dusty postcard from a dream you almost forgot. Blending 70s power pop, 90s shoegaze, and sun-warped surf rock, Sourflour’s music feels both deeply nostalgic and unmistakably new. We caught up with him to chat small town myths, songwriting as a survival tool, and what kind of strange characters might be checked into the Motel.

TRACK REVIEW

From the first few seconds, this track kicks off with pure psychedelic goodness. The vocal effects are spot on — drenched in just enough haze to feel hypnotic without losing clarity. The production hits that elusive sweet spot where everything feels tight but still raw, polished but not overdone.

There’s a subtle angst woven through the track, especially in the vocal delivery. The push and pull of the drums through the verses and choruses keeps the momentum alive, like a wave constantly on the edge of breaking. It’s dynamic, moody, and full of movement.

It feels like a love letter to the late 90s and early 2000s, but with a fresh indie edge that keeps it current. Fans of acts like Dandy Warhols, early Tame Impala, or even The Vines will find a lot to love here — it’s nostalgic without being derivative, modern without trying too hard.

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What’s the story behind the name Sourflour, and does it have anything to do with baking or bitterness?

Yes and no in a sense. Back when I was 14, my mate released a song on Soundcloud that I had featured on. When asked how to credit me, I told him “Sourflour”. It had just been a name floatin’ around in my head and it had a nice ring to it. I also suppose it’s due to my music being born from the inspiration of some sour feelings, which is foundational to my songs in the same sense that flour is foundational to a cake. Or somethin’ like that.

Saint Clyde Bay seems to play a huge role in your sound and storytelling, what’s something about that place that people outside wouldn’t understand?

Folks on the outskirts of the town need to be at peace with the fact that you can’t find it on a map. A compass sometimes works, but will only get you as far as the desert that precedes the main strip. You just need to chuck some headphones on, be in the right headspace and just maybe, you’ll blow into town with the sun on your back. Then you’re free to find a motel vacancy and enjoy your stay.

Your upcoming debut Motel feels like it’s soaked in nostalgia, is there a particular moment or memory that sparked the concept for the record?

There wasn’t really one definitive moment. I just continuously wrote about my experiences over the last two years and eventually they all started linkin’ to each other as the concept developed over time. The nostalgia aspect comes from me lookin’ back at times that were easier. The sun, for some reason, always seems brighter in my memories, as If it was only ever rising or setting. I wanted to capture that.

You blend 70s power pop, 90s shoegaze, and surf rock revival into one sound, what artists or records were sacred in your parents’ collection growing up?

Ooh, Grand Prix by Teenage Fanclub was a huge inspiration. Big Star’s debut album and T. Rex’s Electric Warrior are also great. About five years ago I stumbled upon this band called Girls that had this album simply titled “Album” and it’s probably the biggest inspiration aesthetically on these upcoming tracks. I also dig the songwriting of Built to Spill, Modest Mouse and Hotline TNT. That last band I also stumbled across myself and have gotten all my mates into, probably my favourite band at the moment.

The SCB Times said your lyrics are “half-confessional, half-observational”, do you find songwriting to be more of a mirror or a lens?

Great question. I guess it’s circumstantial as to what you’re writing about and which writing style you lead with. Technically all my songs are through a lens because I’m writin’ about experiences that objectively happened, but through my perspective. I believe findin’ a mirror within the lyrics is entirely up to the listener, to find some relation or similarity in the artist’s words and carry it forward in their own life.

You’ve only been playing shows since late 2024, but people talk like you’ve been around forever, what do you think sparked that fast connection?

I’ve been releasin’ music as Sourflour since adolescence, so those who know me and are close to me are probably quite used to hearin’ the name. It’s also probably because SCB has a pretty tight-knit community, everyone knows each other there. It’s all milhouse and hunky dory. It’s all Starsky and Hutch with a couple of cold ones by the riverside.

What was the very first song you wrote that made you go, yeah, this is the Sourflour sound?

I wrote and released this song many suns ago called Sugar Down, I was 15. I recorded it on my phone and it had this laidback, bittersweet sort of chime to it. I didn’t realise it at the time but I had foreshadowed Motel, and in a way, started writin’ for it. I’ve been reworking it for the record and I’m keen for people to hear what a different era of Sourflour left behind for us in the present.

There’s a playful weirdness to your lyrics and aesthetic, how do you balance humour with the more tender, emotional side of your writing?

I believe that sadness and grief are best dealt with through humour and absurdism. There’s somethin’ weirdly beautiful about the two co-existing. So the best way to achieve that balance in my opinion is to spill your heart out but not take yourself too seriously. I also just have a genuine affinity for the surreal and absurd. So often times, regardless of how bleak the subject matter is, the weirdness will find its way in there somehow.

If Motel were an actual place, what would it look like, and who’d be checked in?

Motel would be in the main square of SCB, a few miles from the beach but also a few kilometres from the desert. There’d be towering palm trees and public pools that are seldom cleaned, with an orange glow in the late afternoon. I’d be checked in for sure. It’s a place to take a break and figure things out. I think the everyman would be checked in there. Anyone looking to kickback and escape. I think maybe that benson boone fella might be in there. And my two best friends Muscles and Champ.

What’s next for you once the new singles drop, more shows, an album, or just seeing where the road goes?

Once the singles drop, I’ll be releasin’ the record, playin’ some more shows I hope. Might get up to some rock n roll mischief…nah just kiddin’ slaps knee. I’ll behave myself. But after that, the road is long and open and my windows are down. Got a lotta things I wanna do with my life, Motel is just one of em.

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