Hands Like Houses embrace experimentation, collaboration, and an ambitious concept with their imminent new album, 'A T M O S P H E R I C S'.

Words: Stephen Ackroyd.
Photos: Oliver Rudloff.

Somewhere between the stratosphere and mesosphere, Hands Like Houses found themselves again. The Australian outfit's ambitious new double album 'A T M O S P H E R I C S' marks more than just their first independent release - it represents a complete reinvention, both sonically and spiritually.

Fresh from touching down after life on the road, bassist Joel Tyrrell speaks with the kind of renewed energy that comes from starting over. "I am pretty zonked, but very well. I've just returned to the coast after flying home from our South East Asian tour," he shares, while vocalist Josh Raven chips in, "I'm existing, but I'm beyond excited to share what we've been creating. Today, I'm writing in my journal and looking for insights on how to improve creatively and mentally. We live in some crazy times, and inspiration is around every corner just as much as craziness is."

This newfound independence arrives after nearly two decades of evolution. "We're our own bosses now, no label, no controlling overarching entity, so if we've had to move projects around or change dates, we've been able to do it easily," they explain. "We face challenges, but our communication to overcome them is at the helm."