1tbsp & Ninajirachi dance capitalism away on “Somebody Pay Nina”

29 August 2024, 16:13 | Written by Cailean Coffey

(Tracks)

(1tbsp)

Australian house producer 1tbsp has returned with his latest album megacity1000, which includes the Afro-infused single “Somebody Pay Nina” with fellow Australian producer Ninajirachi.

The song opens with an uptempo, Afro-inspired drum beat before being joined by a 15-second Ninajirachi vocal line, looped and spliced across the track’s two and a half minute runtime. The track builds throughout, with harmonica-like synth and flourishes added with each passing verse.

"Nina[jirachi] sent me a little pack of some production ideas & half songs” 1tbsp explains of “Somebody Pay Nina.” “I really liked this pairing of the Afro-beat sample and the Ninajirachi vocal because it’s something I think we never would have come up with organically. Only by collaging and seeing what works.”

1tbsp is the alternative house/dance project from Maxwell Byrne, who in the past has been recognised with a Grammy Award nomination for his contributions under the alias Golden Vessel. The project began in 2019, as Bryne began curating for his monthly ‘Sumoclic Nights’ club endeavour in Brisbane. Debut EP Kanashi came in 2021, followed up two years later with It’s Very Loud. Byrne dropped his debut album, Mosquito Love, under the 1tbsp moniker last August.

megacity1000, his sophomore effort, combines elements of Afro-pop, indie-house and UK garage, creating a concept dance record documenting the process of building a fictional city. In it, he tries to attract investors to the project, brings people together to move into the city, before watching it all fall to pieces before the listeners' very ears.

“My girlfriend and I spent two months over summer building a cardboard city from scratch and we shot the visuals for the album in this miniature city,” he notes. “We were heavily influenced by Playtime by Jacques Tati (1967) and Metropolis by Fritz Lang (1928), as well as following along with what’s happening with The Line getting built in Saudi Arabia,” referencing the 106-mile-long city currently under construction in the Middle East. “It feels like DJing & dance music can exist as an escape from reality which I really value,” he continues, “but it was also interesting to find a way to bring these concepts into my music as well.”