10 Questions With Telenova As They Release Debut Album ‘Time is a Flower’

Telenova is one of the special few: seemingly innate with profound storytelling capabilities, they craft parellel universes with their eclectic sound. Following the release of their highly-anticipated debut album, Time is a Flower, the Melbourne-based trio composed of frontwoman Angeline Armstrong and multi-talented instrumentalists Edward Quinn and Joshua Moriaty, are transporting us through their lyrical fable. Down the rabbit hole we go! 

Formed back in 2020 following a meeting at a particularly successful songwriting workshop hosted by APRA AMCOS (the Australasian Performing Right Association and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society) and former Death Cab for Cuties member Chris Walla, Telenova was thrown together in a case of happenstance, and thank goodness for it. It was a collaboration that led to the continuation of tunes featuring Amstrong’s smooth vocals over a groovy, hypnotic bassline all cultivated at Moriaty’s home studio. Now known for their unique take on enigmatic electronic pop, Telenova has continued to accumulate a discography brimming full of sleek disco sounds. 

The band began teasing their album release in April, with a slew of four singles ahead of their infectious 12-track groove alongside an otherworldly imagined music video, Power, directed by their lead renaissance woman Armstrong herself. 

As no strangers to a good performance – see their Queensland Music Festival performance in 2022 or collection of Melbourne’s notable social clubs as indication – Telenova is set to embark on a European Tour beginning this autumn. Hitting all the major capitals, the group will see the likes of Athens, Stockholm, Paris and London. Sounds a bit like our dream European holiday bucket list… 

Ahead of their album release we pulled up a chair with Telenova to ask about who their unique sound is for, their dream festival venue and question them on the ever-so dividing cat or dog preference! 

1. What were your biggest artistic influences growing up?

Angeline: Depends how young we’re talking. As a child it was mum and dad’s Deep Forest cassette tapes. In my teens it was alt-indie bands; Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire Weekend and Lana Del Rey, she will stay in my heart forever.

Joshua (Josh): For me it was Soundgarden, being a budding teenager in the 90s I was right in the thick of it. Down On The Upside is still one of my fave records.

Edward (Ed): Radiohead and The Mars Volta.

2. If you could describe the album Time Is A Flower in one word what would it be? 

Angeline: A portal

Josh: Polished.

Ed: Toight!

3. Which song from the album is the most personal to you?

Angeline: January to me is definitely the most personal. I wrote the lyrics to that one on my own, pulled over on the side of the road, crying into my journal. January is really a letter to someone I love very much, who I was very close to losing on that day. Had got a call from the hospital that morning and was so overwhelmed with how much I loved them and wanted to tell them but just didn’t know where to start. The song was my way of telling them how much I loved them and capturing some of the memories that made up our relationship.

Josh: I think Teardrop might be the most personal to me. Ange and I wrote those lyrics together and I feel very connected to the sentiment, I’m a morbid bastard at the best of times so a tear drop on the fire of sunshine speaks to me.

Ed: Preamble is a fun one for me because it came about messing with old vocal stems of Ange’s that we had lying around. Feels almost like a remix that works as an actual song.

4. What types of people do you feel the album would resonate with and why?

Angeline: I think of people who love movies, and getting lost in books and art galleries. Because to me there’s a real richness and storytelling in both the lyrics but also sonic textures that we weave throughout the album. But as Josh said, you never know. Something really beautiful is that we seem to have devoted fans who are 16-year-olds and then fans who are in their 60s. We have dads and their daughters come together to shows and stuff like that. I love how music brings people together.

Josh: Whoever really I mean, you can’t control who or where your music goes so just whoever enjoys it and feels something when listening to it. I think it has potential to span different generations, we get people of all ages at our shows which is really cool.

Ed: Sonic perverts.

5. If you could have a casual hang-out with one musician dead or alive who would it be?

Angeline: Karen O! She’s my hero.

Josh: Busta Rhymes baby, he may be my hip-hop GOAT.

 Ed: Jay Kay (Jamiroquai).

6. What are your go-to karaoke songs?

Angeline: Kelly Clarkson or The Veronicas. Tacky, belty and emotional. 

Josh: Love Is In The Air by John Paul Young written by Vanda & Young, always works a treat.

Ed: Never done it and never will.

7. Where are your favourite places to write music? 

Angeline: Josh’s home studio has heaps of natural light and this gorgeous rectangular window that looks out to a vacant lot across the road with really high gum trees that are always blowing in the wind. I love Josh’s place. We’re very lucky to have it.

Josh: At my home studio! We have everything we need. Head Gap studio in Preston is a sick place to record too.

Ed: Josh’s studio is perfect really.

8. If you could take your album to any bar or pub in Melbourne where would it be? 

Angeline: I love Old Palm Liquor on Lygon Street, it’s what I want my home to look like (and it kind of does) lots of vintage timber furniture and warm lamps and dark green plants with pretty glassware, a fireplace in winter, little trinkets and artworks on the wall. I feel right at home there.

Josh: I don’t have a favourite bar! Ange or Ed any ideas? Maybe the McKinnon?

Ed: Appreciate you palming this one off J-Man. Melbourne has so many. Caretaker’s Cottage or Prudence. Quality watering holes.

9. Dividing question. Are you cat people of dog people?

Angeline: Used to be a dog person. But since Covid I’ve been walking around the blocks of my neighbourhood at sunset a lot with my partner and there are so many cats lazing around in alleyways and front yards and windows – and there’s a mystical quality to them when they come slinking up to you to communicate in some way. So maybe I’ve changed. 

Josh: Very much a cat man.

Ed: Dog for sure. But cats are definitely on the up and up for me lately.

10. You were a part of the lineup at the Queensland Festival in 2022 If you could perform at any festival where would it be?

Angeline: Glastonbury! 

Josh: It’s gotta be Coachella or Glastonbury, real bucket list stuff.

Ed: Fyre Festival 2025.

11. What are you guys hoping to achieve in the next 10 years?

Angeline: I’d love to have an album film somewhere in there as well. I think it’ll happen when the time is right.

Josh: 4-5 albums that are all as good as each other but grow and develop our sound. I want the pop songs to get poppier and the weird songs to get weirder.