Armlock

Armlock is a Melbourne-based group led by Simon Lam, who sings and plays guitar, and Hamish Mitchell, who plays guitar and keyboards. The pair meet while studying jazz at Monash University in Melbourne and go on to work together in several musical projects, both separately and jointly.

Formation and background

Lam and Mitchell are friends for 14 years and build Armlock from a long working relationship that develops through earlier electronic and dance-oriented outlets, including I’lls, Couture and Kllo. Their shared interest in electronic music shapes the project, and Armlock marks the first time they bring guitar into the music they are making together.

Sound and working method

The group works across lo-fi, indie rock, bedroom pop, indie and indietronica. Lam and Mitchell record and engineer the project themselves, working from home studios and treating songs as open-ended pieces that develop through layering and experimentation rather than fixed studio sessions. Their approach centres on collaboration, with ideas pursued until a song finds its direction.