Founded in 2017, Heavy Chest is a musical project by Aotearoa’s own Andre Smith.
Heavy Chest is a sonic journey.
A project aerodynamically designed to transport the listener to spatial otherness. A voyage of sounds venturing into new territory with every release.
The project’s self-produced styling allows any listener to step between auditory dimensions. To bop to Indie bedroom pop, soften to stripped-back singer-songwriter ballads, and, in the case of the newly released E.P. ‘Lake Echo’ embrace the formerly forgone feeling of authentic folk.
Yet, with such expressional variance, not a single instalment since inception has veered from the bonafide HEAVY CHEST sound. Seven short years have seen the swift and true maturation of an explorative discography. A willingness to change but never wander.
In 2022, HEAVY CHEST collaborated with international artist BENEE on the single ‘SUNDAY926’. Produced by Andre and mastered in the USA by Randy Merrill, this ethereal pop ballad showcases the depth of writing and heavyweight recognition now synonymous with the project.
This first international feature, along with a second through Kip Nelson (USA) and three classic releases through NiceGuysRecords, means HEAVY CHEST soundwaves have long since left South Pacific shores. A forgotten nostalgia now fills the chests of easy listeners from LA to Amsterdam.
As the project expands, so does Andre’s appetite for reflection and experimentation. Now in full bloom, it is the listener's duty to stop and smell the flowers.