ARIA Nominated Damien ‘Diz’ Cassidy (Faker) , Timothy Powles (The Church, Multiple Arias and Hall of Fame), and Simon Starling (Cult45 and Etherland) have joined forces to for a new supergroup The Argon Room and their first single, ‘Empty Star’ is a thrilling portent of what is to come. Powles takes on duties as producer to the duo.
There are undeniably hints of Bowie in the vocal delivery with its deep timbre as the song starts with an enigmatic sparkle and a wall of synths/strings in the ether. The melody is sweet, melancholic and indelible – a chorus that soars like an albatross across the skies. The guitars are crystalline, a hint of horns echoing in the distance as the song ebbs and flows, segueing into a hypnotic break at one point before an anthemic return.
According to the band:
This was the last song written for the record. Tim said we needed something up tempo. Luckily I had those chords and rhythm kicking around. It’s up tempo… but it couldn’t get much darker.
It’s a multi-layered track that is ethereal and haunting:
This is sterling stuff. ‘Empty Star’ is out now and available to download and stream here.
It comes off the band’s forthcoming debut album ‘Algorithms For Happiness’ due out 6 November.
The Argon Room are a classic example of what I have called The Marrickville Sound – bands formed from seasoned veterans that continue to show a creative spark.
Simon Starling began his musical career in 1996 with Sydney punk band Cult 45, known for their energetic live performances. The band released the debut single Now We Are Sick on Chatterbox Records, followed by a five-song EP, before evolving into Spectators. In 2000, Spectators self-released the mini-album Mood Music For Action Flicks.
After moving to Melbourne in 2002, Starling formed Etherland, which became a regular fixture on the Melbourne live circuit and released a self-titled EP in 2006. Their single Same Old Trap received significant community radio airplay on FBI, RRR and PBS, with the accompanying video also appearing on Rage. Starling returned to Sydney in 2008 and began a prolific period of songwriting.
This led to the formation of the band ‘Starling’ and the 2012 album Semaphore, produced by Steve Kilbey of The Church. The album featured contributions from Kilbey, fellow Church member Timothy Powles, pianist David Lane and pedal steel player Jason Walker. The single Lovebirds received airplay on FBI and Double J.
Damien Cassidy, originally from Canberra, began performing as Dizzi DeCazz with cult dirty-lounge-noir group CooCoo Fondoo before moving to Sydney. He joined The Pip Branson Corporation and later Faker, touring extensively and performing at major festivals and alongside P!nk on the Australian leg of her 2009 Funhouse Tour.
The 2012 touring lineup of Starling eventually evolved into The Argon Room, featuring Wes Gregorace, Cassidy and Shaun Gaida. With Timothy Powles producing, the band began work on a new album, joined by notable guests Jeffrey Cain and Mark Axiak.
