Boy & Bear set to play Beer Deluxe Albury as part of extensive regional tour

The drummer and vocalist said although it was hard to escape the smoke and haze, he understood the need for reduction burns ahead of the bushfire season.

"The air conditioner was bringing the smoke into my room last night," he said.

"It has been terrible but I understand why we have to do it."

Starting at Castlemaine on Wednesday, September 13, Boy & Bear's regional tour runs through until November.

They return to Beer Deluxe Albury on Thursday, September 21, after last performing in Albury on their State of Flight tour last year.

Hart said they always enjoyed performing on the Border.

"We've played in Albury a bunch of times and in Wodonga too," Hart said.

"We've been coming to Albury since 2011 and people really love their live music there.

"We're very fortunate in Australia to have a knowledgeable audience in the regions."

A decade on from the release of their chart topping, ARIA-nominated album Harlequin Dream, Boy & Bear returns with a new EP Lost Dreams.

The material was comprised of found songs taken from the Harlequin Dream studio time.

A celebration and continuation of the band's most successful album to date, the Lost Dreams chapter launched in mid-August via the sun-soaked Abraham, ahead of the EP's release on Friday, September 15.

Hart said it was nostalgic to listen to the tunes, which were recorded during a high-pressure time for the group.

"At that time we were hoping to cement a career with some longevity," he said.

"I remember it being a good time; we'd drive into the studio but we'd come home at night.

"It was relaxed but still intense; we were five blokes all with strong opinions."

Lead vocalist and guitarist David Hosking said it was always interesting looking back and listening to old tunes.

"On one level the band has come such a long way but it's also exciting to be able to reflect on the way we were approaching songwriting back then," he said.

"I think we were definitely more traditional in that most songs had these big choruses and sing along moments and Abraham definitely sits in that world.

"Hopefully people can connect with that old approach."

Hart's brother Jon, a vocalist and instrumentalist in the band, said it was a bit of a time warp listening back to Abraham.

"I can remember where I was sitting in the studio when we recorded it and what life felt like back then," he said.

"We've always been classic overthinkers in the studio, but I think that Abraham sounds pretty free and just like we went in and played it without labouring over it too much."

With all three tracks on the EP - Abraham, Eye Of The Canyon and Mexico - written by the band themselves, co-produced by Wayne Conolly, mixed by Phil Ek and mastered by Greg Calbi, the road to Lost Dreams started with loss, with the EP's finished singles seemingly lost in the void before the mastered files were saved and pulled from the depths.

Guitarist Killian Gavin said they had known the songs existed.

"But just like the growing folder of songs we never finish, I don't think we ever thought they would see the light of day," he said.

"We couldn't find the files for the songs so we ended up speaking to Phil Ek (who mixed the album) to try and track down the mixes, then he put us in touch with the mastering team who were surprisingly able to track down the mastered files from 10 years ago!"

Since forming in 2009, Boy & Bear have consistently presented as a band focused on moving to the beat of their own drum.

Achieving early career support from triple j and triple j Unearthed, Boy & Bear swiftly catapulted into national contenders, releasing their double-platinum debut album Moonfire in 2011, which went on to snag five ARIA award wins.

Hart said the band had been in writing mode ahead of a new album expected next year.

He said they already had six songs in the bag.

"It feels like the best stuff we've written," he said.

"We're very much interested in the creative process."

Boy & Bear will hit Europe in January for a short tour.

With a brother in the band, Hart said they always travelled well together because they had similar interests and values.

"I want to do a culinary tour in Paris alongside the music tour," Hart said.

"Our mum is half Dutch so we love Holland and travelling there too."

Boy & Bear will perform at Beer Deluxe Albury on Thursday, September 21, at 8pm.

For tickets visit boyandbear.com

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