Biography
Julia McFarlane, who once handled guitar duties for Twerps, pursues an entirely separate direction through her solo project J. McFarlane's Reality Guest by favoring experimental and loosely constructed art pop, a direction made clear on the 2019 release Ta Da.
She had spent close to ten years contributing guitar, songs, and vocals to the jangling Twerps, whose approach drew inspiration from Flying Nun, before the group ended amid difficulties in the mid-2010s.
During 2016 she launched Hot Topic alongside Rick Milovanovic and Violetta DelConte Race, issuing a three-song single built around sparse, arty pop textures.
She also joined forces with Steph Hughes of Dick Diver to create the jangle pop group Blank Statements, which delivered the mini-album Signs Are Rampant in 2017.
After shifting the endeavor toward a solo focus, she replaced the name Hot Topic with J. McFarlane's Reality Guest in 2018 and, early the next year, placed Ta Da with the Melbourne label Hobbies Galore.
The album maintained an intimate, restrained atmosphere that brought to mind the Marine Girls and Young Marble Giants through its blend of warm melodies and minimal instrumentation.
She performed every part on the synth-focused recording except for flute, supplied by experimental musician Ela Stiles, who later appeared in the live configuration together with Blank Statements member Tamsen Hopkinson.
Night School arranged the album’s worldwide release in June 2019.
She had spent close to ten years contributing guitar, songs, and vocals to the jangling Twerps, whose approach drew inspiration from Flying Nun, before the group ended amid difficulties in the mid-2010s.
During 2016 she launched Hot Topic alongside Rick Milovanovic and Violetta DelConte Race, issuing a three-song single built around sparse, arty pop textures.
She also joined forces with Steph Hughes of Dick Diver to create the jangle pop group Blank Statements, which delivered the mini-album Signs Are Rampant in 2017.
After shifting the endeavor toward a solo focus, she replaced the name Hot Topic with J. McFarlane's Reality Guest in 2018 and, early the next year, placed Ta Da with the Melbourne label Hobbies Galore.
The album maintained an intimate, restrained atmosphere that brought to mind the Marine Girls and Young Marble Giants through its blend of warm melodies and minimal instrumentation.
She performed every part on the synth-focused recording except for flute, supplied by experimental musician Ela Stiles, who later appeared in the live configuration together with Blank Statements member Tamsen Hopkinson.
Night School arranged the album’s worldwide release in June 2019.
Albums
Singles
