Layering wooden electronic beats, resampled vocals, and warped instrumentation, Wishlist make songs that are intricate and expansive, tender and danceable. Influenced by artists like Caroline Polachek, Sorry and Imogen Heap, the duo is comprised of accomplished producers/session players Stella Farnan (Mallrat, Angie McMahon) and Soren Maryasin (Chitra, Darcie Haven).

Before they play BIGSOUND in Brisbane, we sat down and got to know them a little better.

Who is Wishlist...
We are Wishlist – best friends Stella Farnan and Soren Maryasin.

We sound like...
Sorry, Caroline Polachek, Imogen Heap, Björk – or at least we wish we do!

Our first gig was...
We just played our first show on August 25 at one of our favourite venues - Northcote Social Club.

Do you have any queer influences, musical or otherwise?
We subscribe to the 2charm lifestyle.

In the studio we usually...
The first Wishlist songs came about from an experiment at the studio. We were trying to find a way for both of us to be producing on the computer at the same time, so we decided to set up a dual production station. We sat facing each other, with a laptop, guitar, midi keyboard, microphone and small interface each. We then fed each setup into an old, third laptop which acted as a sort of digital tape machine. It allowed one of us to create a sound on our computer, record it into the ‘tape machine’ and then let the other person layer on top of it with a sound from their computer. It blew things wide open for us, as we could both be contributing to the production at the same time. We’ve been writing that way ever since.

If we could tour with anyone...
If we could wave a magic wand we go back in time and open for Caroline Polachek at her Forum show last year. It was one of the best pop shows we've seen in a long time.

My favourite app at the moment is (why?)...
We both use screen time blocker apps. Gotta stay off the phone :’) We actually have a small ‘phone cage’ that sits outside our studio so we can lock our phones outside of the room while we’re making stuff.

Life on the road can be...
We spend a lot of time browsing supermarket shelves for rice and vegetables. Stella eats lots of boiled eggs.

If you'll have us on your bill, all we ask is that our rider contains...
So much bubbly water.

What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band?…
Chris Flemming.

If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose?
Hate to be boring but it's gotta be New York.

Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party...
Ziwe, Björk and Olivia Coleman.

If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us?
Probably some really buttery pasta and a tiramisu for dessert.

No matter the expense, send me a case of...
Money $$$$$.

What's the one chore you dislike the most?
Vocal editing sometimes feels like a pretty painful chore, but it’s bliss when you get it right.

Do you have any phobias... please explain?
Ambiguphobia </3

Would you ever partake in a reality show? If so, what type?
Stella would be on 'Alone' and Soren would go on 'Too Hot To Handle'.

If you could prank any of your friends, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down?
It’s not exactly a prank, but sometimes we use secret talk mics on stage to give each other silly messages during the show that the crowd can’t hear.

Best local takeaway joint for a midnight feed that will leave you with a food coma?
Shawcross on Brunswick St.

Which fictional character best describes your personality?
We absolutely love the vibe of the Bear from 'The Big Blue House'.

Last show you binge-watched (and what kept you glued to the screen)?
We can't stop watching 'Kath & Kim'. We also went on a little side quest watching some of their older work – look up '1995 Gay Olympics'.

What sorts of messages do you want to send to your listeners through your music?
We generally try to avoid thinking about how our music will be heard while we're making it. We hope that, in a roundabout way, the escapism we get from that creative process is what comes across in the music.

Wishlist play Wonderland Downstairs 3 September and Black Bear Lodge 4 September as part of BIGSOUND in Brisbane.