Sydney’s experimental indie band Dappled Cities have been turning heads for a while now. With a swag full of catchy melodies and a thirst for turning arbitrary song structures into complex post rock gems, Dappled Cities are easily one of Australia’s brightest lights. Their solidarity can be found on their two albums, Smile and Granddance, which underscores the band’s success as an international band gaining fans upon fans with each and every release. Dave Rennick may be modest, but he can confirm that his band is seasoned in what they do and what they do is clearly a big gesture for Aussie expat artists.

Australia is a big country but may not necessarily be big enough for heights of Dappled Cities. The band spent the last seven months of 2007 in New York, eagerly working on new material and letting the creative juices flow for what will eventually be transformed into a third long-player. The experience proved beneficial for the five-piece, and confirmed their presence outside Australia is growing momentum. “It was just fantastic. We had seven months there and it was definitely an intense seven months – poverty and over-exertion. But you know, it was very, very rewarding. And that’s what counts I suppose. The discovery that there’s a large quantity of fans outside Australia – that really came to fruition.”

The chance to create in a massive city such as New York has proven invaluable to the successful five-piece. The band was greeted with the opportunity to expand their name while being acquainted with acts including LCD Soundsystem. This thus proved to be a win for Dappled Cities as the band supported LCD on their jaunt to Australia for the Big Day Out tour. ”[The shows] were great; especially Big Day Out – being on the grown up stage was very fun. And likewise with LCD Soundsystem. We met them over in New York and we were very fascinated with their vastness. So it was very nice to meet up with them on this side of the world. They are a bit older than us so and they’re a bit wiser. It was nice.” So, did LCD have any pearls of wisdom for Dappled Cities? Just reassurance really and in not so many words either.”

Never a band to sit on their laurels, Dappled Cities converted a huge chunk of their time in New York into brand spanking new material. Traversing across America and Australia has obviously been the catalyst for the endless flow of new tunes and it’s without a doubt that the band is itching to get a third album out for their fanbase. It seems that Dappled Cities won’t be challenged by the daunting task to release a follow-up to their nationally acclaimed Granddance. “Yeah we’ve got about four albums worth of material, we’ve been chipping away at it. We certainly don’t want to release the same album again and we’re gonna make some developments that’s for sure. As to what exactly we’re not entirely sure. Now that we regard ourselves as seasoned albums makers, we’re starting to work on that third album so we want to open up a very mature [direction] and not get too carried away with ourselves with every single melody or instrument that we can think of. Rather, we want to apply the art of restraint and I think it’ll be an even bigger, grander and broader sound. That’s what we’re hoping for – very conceptual.”

Dappled Cities are instigating a prominent direction for their future release, whereby allowing themselves the chance to create a truly individual album. Fans will thus be treated to the new sounds when the band embarks on their February tour here in their home country with Bluejuice and Seabellies. To be at an early point where a band can call itself an official international band must surely be rewarding. “It’s a really great feeling. [It was] the feeling at the end of 2006 – not that we had overachieved here but we there’s a full balance of culture with music here so it’s great to be an international band. We’re just gonna have as much fun as possible.”

Check out Dappled Cities throughout February with Bluejuice and Seabellies

Wednesday February 13 – Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney
With Des Miller. Tickets on sale through Moshtix.

Thursday February 14 – Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney
Tickets on sale through Moshtix.

Friday February 15 – East Brunswick Club, Melbourne
Tickets on sale through East Brunswick Club (03) 9388 9794.

Saturday February 16 – The Zoo, Brisbane
Tickets on sale through The Zoo 1300 762 545, Rockinghorse, Skinnys, Butterbeats, (City & Valley), Moshpit, Music Mania and Sunflower Records.

Friday February 22 – Adelaide Fringe Festival, SA
Dappled Cities only