Joji Malani has announced the debut album for his nascent solo project, Pei. Pei’s Pageant is set to arrive on 10th October, and the Sydney-based multi-instrumentalist has unveiled the album’s latest single, ‘Themesong’.
Taking the name Pei from the Fijian word for “baby”, the project is described as a homecoming for the artist. Having moved back to Sydney from London, where he had been based since moving there as a member of Gang Of Youths in 2016, Malani hunkered down in the home studio of close friend and collaborator, Tim Fitz (Middle Kids), and got to work on his new project.
Pei – ‘Themesong’
Malani released the project’s debut single, ‘Honest’, in May. The new single, ‘Themesong’, is a kaleidoscopic piece of work that showcases his myriad skills as a composer, songwriter, and performer. The track utilises trumpets, tubas, glockenspiels, and a banjo bought from Fleetwood Mac.
“I literally woke up one day with the melody. I wouldn’t say I dreamt about it, but I woke up and was like, ‘Fuck, I can’t get this melody out of my head,'” Malani explained. “It sounded like the M*A*S*H theme song.”
In fact, ‘Themesong’ was originally intended to be used as the theme song for an unrealised podcast, Malani explained. “At the time, a friend I had made, who was best friends with the Mumford & Sons guys, wanted to start a football podcast with me. He’d been talking to me about it and I just thought, ‘Why don’t I write a theme song for this podcast?’
“Obviously, that podcast never happened, I moved back here and I still never told him that I tried to write a theme song for it.”
Pei’s Pageant is set for release on 10th October.
Further Reading
Meet Coconut Cream, The First Band Signed To Ex-Gang Of Youths Member Joji Malani’s Label
Gang Of Youths: 10 Essential Tracks
The Wombats’ Murph On 10 Things You Didn’t Know About His Debut Love Fame Tragedy Record
