The Continuing Story of Vostok Lake: news, updates, blogging

We took delivery of the final mixes for Comics and Stories today. We'd like to take this opportunity for a special shoutout to our producer, Jess Haugh, without whom none of this would have been possible - it being her suggestion to take VL back into the studio in the first place, back in 2015, when we were honestly beginning to wonder whether it was worth it. She ran recording sessions smoothly and intelligently, and gave both Daphne and Tricia valuable feedback on vocals - and in turn, had to put up with all kind of finicky comments about the mix.

Turns out we're going back into the studio again, to do some "repair" vocals, and also to record an extra-special bonus track which we decided the album wasn't complete without.

Release scheduled for December. It's still happening.

In hindsight, we were probably overly eager to do our cover of Frank Zappa's "You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here", and not eager enough to make sure that a middle-of-the-road audience would get the joke.

Audience elimination experiment a complete success!

Nevertheless, we go forward.

Be there, do that. VL on circa 11 pm.

Recording of Comics and Stories finally concluded today, 5 years after it started. Tricia actually scared the producer with some of her unearthly calls. Vostok Lake will next play live in Auckland on Saturday 8th August (details to follow).

We have completed recording of the instrumental tracks for the last Comics & Stories numbers. We're planning on going back into the studio in July to do the vocals. It sounds pretty cool.

The Comics and Stories Kickstarter raised $1,077 in NZ currency - enough for us to achieve a couple of stretch goals. We hope to be putting up a "post-deadline" donations link soon so that others can get their hands on some of those sweet rewards, including the "Cut and Run"/"Don't Tell The Doctor" double-A side single.

Provisional complete setlist for the album, estimated date of completion September 2020:

Just in time for the upcoming Kickstarter campign... we have finished recording 7 out of a projected 13-14 tracks for Comics and Stories. Please enjoy these edited highlights, and give generously when we ask you to. Also, if you can possibly get to Auckland, don't miss the Kickstarter launch gig this Friday.

Jesus wept, it sure sounds like us! Zolo bands we love bolded below:

Vostok Lake, Auckland’s pre-eminent queer electronic-progressive musical duo, teams up with heavy friends for an avant-garde evening of satire, synthesizers and sheer sex, as part of Auckland Pride 2020. Described as “Flight of the Conchords meets Depeche Mode, except women” or the “illegitimate love child of Tori Amos and Gary Numan", Vostok Lake are promoting their upcoming album, their first in 10 years.