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Ned Collette and Wirewalker return with their second album '2', available now on Fire Records.

Ned Collette moved to Berlin from his native Melbourne two years ago. A well known and respected singer-songwriter in his own country and in underground circles worldwide, he has played shows in Europe with the likes of Joanna Newsom, Akron/Family, Bill Callahan and Nina Nastasia. His early musical output was based mostly in experimental music, before he gravitated towards more traditional song structures.

His new album "2" is a mix of experimental pop songwriting, musique concrete and dark folky soundscapes. His current solo shows are performed with voice, nylon string guitar and samples. While comparisons have been made to everything from Leonard Cohen to Ghostface Killah, Collette remains tricky to define but instantly identifiable.

Written mostly during Collette's first year in the German capital, '2' explores themes of distance and restarting, fantasies of death and decline, altering cities and forgotten homes as well as a song about taking up arms against the neighbours. The album also features an instrumental tribute to late Chilean writer Roberto Bolaño, named simply "For Roberto".

While this is the second Wirewalker record, the title 2 also refers to the fact that the album is essentially a collaboration between Collette and Joe Talia, with regular Wirewalker member Ben Bourke taking time off to be with his young family in Melbourne. Talia came over from Melbourne to spend six weeks in Berlin between May and June 2011 to work on their recordings. Collette then went to Melbourne in October 2011 to finalise the mixes of nine songs.

Collette plays mostly Spanish guitar on '2' and is joined by various guest vocalists including Gemma Ray (UK), Australians Laura Jean and Biddy Connor, Mirjam Smejkal (Germany) and Sascha Gersak (Germany). Both Smejkal and Gersak feature in the forthcoming film clip for album track 'Long You Lie', directed by Berlin-based filmmakers Lucy Dyson and Joseph Jensen.

Since relocating to Berlin, Collette has toured throughout Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and the UK and has shared stages with the likes of Kurt Vile (USA), Damien Jurado (USA), Camera Obscura (UK) and Tu Fawning (USA). Collette has also cultivated a large and enthusiastic audience for his fortnightly shows at Berlin club Valentin Stueberl.

-Fire Records