Having released music with labels like TAU and System 108, Kate Stein and Lord Fascinator now join forces, this time releasing a collaborative EP on Eskimo Recordings.
We spoke to the pair about how their ‘Primary’ EP came together in the studio, what else they might be working on, and more.
How has 2025 been for you both so far?
Lord Fascinator: A whirlwind of Mexico, Melbourne, and dancing horse masks.
Kate Stein: I just wrapped a Mexico stint as well, plus did a two month intensive German course. I think that school time might have broken my brain a little!
We understand you first met while working on a music video together?
Lord Fascinator: Yeah! We met in the Dominican Republic where I was directing a video and Kate was creating dancing monsters made from huge palm fronds with painted eyes.
You recently collaborated for a new 4-track EP titled ‘Primary’ – talk us through the four tracks and how they came together?
Lord Fascinator: ‘Horse House’ began as a joke when we were mucking around in the studio but then turned into months of meticulous edits and tweaks.
‘Asteroid’ was a perfect piece of music Kate sent to me where I did what I often do when asked for toplines and just lay a bunch of different ideas down expecting one or two to be chosen. Kate kept them all as is and we realised they made a cohesive song and that’s how it stayed.
‘Chemistry’ I was borrowing my friend’s house in Tuxedo Park in the middle of winter doing some writing in the snow and Kate asked me for ideas. It was one of several I sent her at this time and i kinda forgot about it. She chopped it up into what appears on the EP. I believe it’s her fave.
‘Le Petit Martien’ is about a little guy living on Mars. His species are hundreds of times smaller than humans. He’s on his way to work one day and is annoyed because there is a giant object in his way and he has to walk around it carrying his little Martian briefcase and is late for work. It’s the foot of a Mars lander from Earth, but he doesn’t know that.
Kate Stein: The fact we were in a studio chanting “horse!” “house” “horse!” “house” at 11am speaks volumes to the amount of silly we channel. I really admire Johnny for having an amazing sense of humor and not taking anything too seriously. When I started to DJ that was also my mantra. This isn’t brain surgery after all.
Yes, this is the soundtrack to my epic airport chase for true love, that’s gonna happen for me someday, instead of me just running late to my gate.
You’ve previously worked with labels like TAU, System 108, Out Of Orbit, and Kate’s 99FVR – what do you both look for in a potential label partnership?
Lord Fascinator: I love working with anyone who is excited about the music which has been great on this Eskimo release.
Kate Stein: Agree! Eskimo and Nadiem have been so invested in the project from the very beginning, it was really refreshing to see that each step was taken with care and consideration every step of the way. I also had this experience when I released with TAU a few years ago, and it is the exact same energy I work to bring to my own label 99FVR.
Which other labels might we see added to that list in the coming months?
Lord Fascinator: I’ve been setting up my own called Midnight Rainbow, but it’s more for weird stuff i don’t think anyone else will be interested in. The first two songs I put out on it are ambient tracks – both 2 hours long. A friend said something like “that’s going to be really bad for streaming” which made me giggle.
Kate Stein: I have a vinyl release in collaboration with Concret coming out on Rollover Milano which I am excited about!
What’a one track you can’t seem to turn off recently?
Lord Fascinator: I’m currently scoring two films so there are some interesting screen composers I’ve come across recently. Caroline Shaw ‘Partita for 8 Singers’ and Andrew Hewitt ‘Jill Tate’ are two nice examples.
Kate Stein: Music that sounds good on my 1975 Nova’s very vintage soundsystem…..that means no heavy bass. There’s a strict indie rock / psych rock listening only policy at the moment, it has been fun to revisit (At The Drive In) Relationship of Command because I’m always slightly emo.
And something you’re really excited about for the rest of 2025?
Lord Fascinator: Well I’d love to be in the same city as Kate at some point and throw a party celebrating this EP. We keep missing each other but are both in NYC for a while now, fingers crossed.
Kate Stein: Yes! Hoping for some fun shared time together this May in NYC! We have a Lot Radio listening party lined up.
Anything else you want to add?
Lord Fascinator: Shout out to my friend Ryan who does the spoken word on Le Petit Martien, and to Chris Mulligan who did the art, we really lucked out there, and to all the horsies.
Kate Stein & Lord Fascinator – Primary EP is out April 25th on Eskimo Recordings.