Excerpts from the Library – Edition #01
Title: Dune Castle Origins
Author: Dune Castle Chief Librarian
Dated: Tuesday 2nd April 2024
On the establishment of Dune Castle as a special auditory administrative region (SAAR), trials and tribulations of an independent music label and embracing curiosity as a mode of operation.
“When I first came here, this was all swamp. Everyone said I was daft to build a castle on a swamp, but I built in all the same, just to show them. It sank into the swamp. So I built a second one. That sank into the swamp. So I built a third. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But the fourth one stayed up.” – Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Dune Castle was officially sanctioned at the beginning of the dreaded COVID-19 outbreak, early 2020, in a garage in Thornbury, Melbourne. Two weeks out from lockdowns that would prove to be the longest on the globe, planks of wood, drywall and insulation were purchased and construction of a semi-soundproof space began. Frantic days of construction followed with little-to-no actual experience beyond YouTube instructional videos and fistful of good intentions. The result - a mostly-serviceable music production and creation space that, while at the behest of the elements for most of the year, would serve as the foundation for a creative endeavour that continues to grow in magnificence and contribution each year.
The space was built, but what next?
Soon began the procuring of audio gear that would facilitate hours of creative exploration, play and learning. A crusty mixing desk from the 1980s in Australia that has no record of it existing online beyond a single blog post asking if anyone has any information of the desk ever existing. A 2-track tape machine and some reels of tape. 4 ribbon microphones, all modelled of vintage classics (made in Melbourne - support local). A growing fascination with vintage synthesis, how sounds can be sculpted and changed. This helps to inform decisions on tone, mixing and even composition. More to come on that later. And of course, the most important skill of all. Learning to trust your ear. The age-old cliche that you hear from every pro in the industry that only becomes glaringly apparent once you begin that journey for yourself. How can you expect anyone else to trust in your vision if you don’t yourself?
What then followed was a disciplined schedule of music exploration and creation. 8am til 12pm. Every day. Multitudes of terrible compositions, sloppily played drums and heinous mic recording techniques followed. Every one a victory within itself - now I know what not to do. Multiple calls to friends who knew far better than I. “Try moving the microphone a little closer, and playing a bit softer”. What became readily apparent is there is no correct way to do this, only lessons from community and personal exploration manifesting in what feels most true in that moment.
And that is where Dune Castle currently stands. A collection of creative individuals with a fascination for excellence in creative pursuits. There is wonder in the vast world of music; a means to express that which cannot necessarily be expressed through words alone. We value virtuosity not for virtuosity sake, but because of the reflection upon the hours of dedication and consideration towards a craft.
Once the lease on that house was up (and, metaphorically speaking, the Castle then sunk into the swamp), I built the next one, just to show them. Dune Castle 2.0 still remains in Thornbury, this time with a control room and a live room, some new recording equipment to supplement the old and a penchant for microphone-captured grooves still echoing throughout these hallowed halls. The future of Dune Castle is an exciting one indeed, and I can’t wait to share with you all.
