Melbourne's Billy Davis knows how to polish soulful influence with modern technique. Recent stand out single "No Longer Lovers" feels like a kind of thesis for the band—the brainchild of band leader and multi-instrumentalist William Rimington, who developed his chops as a songwriter as a session musician in Melbourne's emerging neo-soul and hip-hop scene.
"No Longer Lovers" feels like a dressed up dance floor burner from a bygone era, Studio 54 soul fitted with the tasteful doses of deep house and sparkling live instrumentation. It has great depth and emotion where other similar songs just mimic and recycle the sounds of the past.
The video for "No Longer Lovers" mirrors Rimington's take on the classics, a reminder that much of this music is meant for pure fun and abandon. A group of colorfully attired roller skaters and bladers invades a supermarket after hours, running through the aisles and making the most of their abandoned, food-filled playground.
The filming of "No Longer Lovers" was unusually charmed. When director Abraham Fuentes spoke to store managers about using the space, he imagined he'd run into considerable resistance. The manager's response?
"How much do we have to pay you guys?"
Met with enthusiasm, Abraham and crew gleefully took to the halls of FoodWorks after hours and began, as he tells us "rolling around, tumbling, and praying that nothing got broken." They made it out unscathed and with joyful video to boot.
"No Longer Lovers" is out now on Good Manners Records. Buy it here.
