Majak Door's Frankie Opens Up About the Inspirations Behind 'Feel Good Man' – A Sun-Kissed Anthem for the Present Moment"
Majak Door, the five-piece band, is back with their latest single, "Feel Good Man," set to hit all platforms on Friday, November 24. Following the success of their September release, "Jasmine," this new track continues to showcase the band's experimental nature.
Crafted during the depths of the pandemic in 2021, "Feel Good Man" captures the universal desire to maintain a positive outlook each day. The song encapsulates the sensation of basking in the morning sun, featuring layered elements of rolling rhythms, spacey synths, and embracing lyrics.
Lead singer Frankie Vakalis reflects on the significance of the track, stating, "Its message contains the truth that we can be whoever we want to be, with limitless potential, intertwined with the importance and beauty of living in the present moment rather than dwelling on the past or future."
The band embraced experimentation during the production of "Feel Good Man," incorporating instruments like the Mellotron, renowned for its presence on albums such as The Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour." The track also features a whimsical whistle melody that emerged naturally during the demoing process, highlighting the playful experimentation integral to the song's creation.
Building on the momentum from the success of "Jasmine," Majak Door has already gained recognition on the airwaves, including spins on Triple J's TOPS and Home & Hosed in Australia. Their reach extended globally with love from The Doktor Know Radio Show in New York and placements on Spotify playlists like Local Noise, Fresh Finds AU & NZ, and Rock Out.
Closing out the year on a high note, Majak Door took the stage at Inward Goods Festival in Briagolong in October and is set to headline the inaugural Flock To The Fields Festival in Geelong in December.
Image Credit: Declann Shields | @declann_shields
We caught up with Frankie from Majak Door to chat about their new single ‘Feel Good Man’, The Mellotron, and upcoming festival appearances:
Can you take us through the creative process behind “Feel Good Man,” especially considering it was written during the depths of the pandemic in 2021?
A lot the early demoing of the track involved me (Frankie) putting it together from my little bedroom studio I had put together, but once we sat on this track (among many others) we began to work more on it together as a band, after a few of us moved in together.
Frankie mentioned experimenting with instruments like the Mellotron for “Feel Good Man.” How did incorporating this instrument influence the song’s sound, and why did the band choose to explore this particular instrument?
The Mellotron, with its vast library of instrument samples, added a nice organic and kind of moody element to the track, something that’s super effective especially in the choruses and outro.
The whistle melody in the track seems like a distinctive and playful element. Could you share more about how this melody naturally emerged during the demoing process and its significance to the overall vibe of the song?
The whistle part wasn’t pre planned or anything, I just had the headphones on listening to the playback of the demo and the melody came natural. Sometimes I’ll do a whistle or a hum when trying to work out a melody, but fortunately this time the whistle stayed in the final arrangement.
Lead singer Frankie Vakalis mentioned that the song’s message is about embracing limitless potential and enjoying the current moment. How does Majak Door hope this message resonates with listeners, especially given the challenging times many faced during the pandemic?
Most songs that I write are done with the mindset of ‘I want to create something that I’d wanna hear’, and this one is a really good example, it’s a snapshot of how I was feeling at the time, and If that translates to others’ experiences, than that’s a bonus.
“Jasmine” saw significant success with radio spins and playlist features. How has the positive reception of “Jasmine” influenced the band’s approach to creating and releasing “Feel Good Man”?
‘Jasmine’ seems to be doing quite well with the fans, along with our previous single ‘Borderline’, which we hope carries over to ‘Feel Good Man’. Basically, we want all the singles so far to show a bit of variety in our sound.
Majak Door performed at Inward Goods Festival and will be headlining Flock to the Fields Festival. How does the energy of live performances contribute to Majak Door’s musical expression, and what can fans expect from your upcoming performance at Pockets Moorabbin?
Playing live for us is a massive part of being in a band, we want the live show to convey the tracks with the same essence as the recorded versions, but with an extra energy to them.
“Jasmine” featured in various Spotify playlists. How does the band approach crafting music that resonates with different audiences, and do you have a specific audience in mind during the creative process?
Creating songs with an audience in mind isn’t an intention we’d have in mind when making something, I guess if it had to be narrowed, then it would be people we get along with and have similar values with, however the broader audience we’ve seemed to reach so far is also refreshing, as we often get to meet and chat to all kinds of people who like our music for different reasons.
With performances at Inward Goods Festival and the upcoming Flock to the Fields Festival, how does playing at festivals differ from others gigs, and what excites the band most about these festival experiences?
Festivals are always going to have a really diverse audience with many different music tastes, which to us is exciting, because we do believe that out influences and overall output is quite variable, and it always excites us that we get the opportunity to play to a very broad audience.
Are there any dream collaborations or specific artists that Majak Door would love to collaborate with in the future, considering the band’s experimental and diverse musical style?
I think if we’re going to be fantasising about a dream collab, then you can’t go any higher with Paul McCartney. Not only because I believe he’s probably the most creative and talented song writer of all time, but he also to this day collars with artists from all genres, and he clearly has a very playful and enthusiastic approach to creating.
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To celebrate the release of "Feel Good Man," Majak Door will be performing at Pockets Moorabbin on December 15, featuring support acts Goodbye Butterfly and Hey Spiro. Don't miss the opportunity to experience the captivating sounds of Majak Door as "Feel Good Man" becomes available on all platforms starting today
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