Tmaki Makaurau composer and producer Joe Locke's recording project is P.H.F. The project began back in Locke's 2008 bedroom productions and has since collaborated with artists like Clairo, Rew, and ARTHUR, toured and recorded internationally, and had music published on pioneering US labels.

Locke's music is difficult to categorise in terms of genre after more than a decade, and with a prolific release, schedule comprising studio albums, remixes, acoustic sessions, and cryptic Soundcloud releases. A perceptible emotional directness connects the bratty punk of 'Mall-O-Caust' (2012), the intimate synth-pop of 'Soft' (2015), and the hefty eclecticism of the most recent album, 'New Metal' (2020). “With P.H.F. I want people that listen to it to feel like they’re being held,” says Locke, “or if you feel like shit, hopefully, this makes you feel a little better.” Locke's songwriting finds a delicate balance between the generically familiar and the profoundly personal by focusing on the anguish, boredom, and delight of everyday life.

P.H.F's highly awaited 2022 album "Purest Hell" is a loving tribute to Locke's close friend and vital colleague Reuben Samuel Winter, who died in September 2020. Expanding on New Metal's genre-bending ambition, Locke employs musical experimentation to grieve loss, integrating shredding guitar, careening breakbeat chops, and power electronics to pay respect to and feel closer to Winter.

While songs like 'Skincare' and 'A Letter From Purest Hell' take strength from a profound sense of loss, the album is more than simply an elegy; it is a celebration of the life of a cherished friend and musical pioneer. Locke rises to the challenge, crafting his greatest and a most moving suite of songs to date with the support of collaborators Fantasyluv, Rew, and fellow 909 Worldwide members 99jakes & Forcefeded.

Coeval Magazine speaks with P.H.F about the recent body of work, their journey to now and what we should keep our eyes out for in these upcoming years.

P.H.F stands for Perfect Hair Forever, how and why did you come up with this alias?

Perfect hair forever is an adult swim cartoon from the mid-2000s - When I first started making stuff I was watching a lot of adult swim shows and I just really liked the nome. I haven't watched the show in years, but for some reason, that name really stuck in my head. After releasing a few things I ended up just going with the initials because people would shorten it anyways.

Take us through your journey creating P.H.F and what it means to you now?

I first started playing in a band in high school and had never really written any of the music, so it kind of started as an experiment to see if I could make a song I guess. All the first things I mode were essentially just noise music because thots a lot of what I was listening to at the time, that and grindcore. It’s funny because originally I put stuff out under the name Navel Gazer which is a far more fitting title now that I think about it - "self-indulgent or excessive contemplation of oneself or a single issue, at the expense of a wider view." - Then I started listening to almost exclusively 50’s and 60’s pop music and it really taught me how to write a song, because of how simple and formulaic all that stuff is. It’s super ear-worm type shit and it slowly just evolved from there.

P.H.F. now is a totally different thing to me, it’s more of an exercise in production and genre, I get bored really easily so I think it’s mainly just what is inspiring me at the time I make an album. I really fuck with the idea of music being post-genre, and everyone just doing whatever they want with their ideas.

Take us through Purest Hell, your most recent body of work, the inspiration?

I started making Purest Hell right after one of my best friends Reuben took his life in September 2020. It was such an intense loss and turbulent time, I didn't really know how to process it. He was such a huge inspiration to me in music and life in general, so his fingerprints are all over this album. I had first started using breaks in songs because of him, and he was the live drummer for P.H.F. before I went fully electronic. Playing with a lot of genres that he had introduced me to and that reminded me of him, helped me feel close to him after he was gone.

Lyrically the album definitely deals with trying to process the loss and how I feel about it, but I think musically it’s a lot more obvious to me and I think a lot of his other friends. The big jungle and drum & bass influence on a few songs is completely new territory for me, so I honestly feel like a huge poser, but whatever it makes me think of him and makes me smile. Musically everything else is a huge mash-up of everything else I have been doing and what I have been listening to. After joining 909 Worldwide which was also a massive push in a new direction, I got very sick of a "band" sound in a way and I also like the freedom of being able to make music with just your laptop. All in all its easily the proudest I have been of a release, and I really hope Reuben would have liked it.

How do you want people to feel when listening to the album?

Whenever I make songs I usually want people to feel held by them if that makes sense. Like, music is such a comfort to me and I know it is for a lot of people, so I always want it to provide something that helps whoever is listening. I don’t think my music is ever inspired by a lot of

positivity, which I actually hate, but I always try to take something bad and turn it into something good. It’s like triumphing over the bad shit in your life and moving forward. This is easily the heaviest thing I have ever released, and I think it’s super dynamic in terms of the emotions it goes thru - from complete indifference to mania. I really don’t want people to feel anything though, that’s really up to them. I never make music with the intention of whoever listens to it, to feel anything specific, thots kind of why I love doing this shit.

Are you planning on performing it live, if so, can you let us know your live show dates and info?

Yeah, so I’m doing a US tour for the first half of June with Dream, Ivory. Playing mostly west coast and some midwest shows and a New York show.

Which out of the album tracks is your favourite & why?

I think Plague Dogs is my favourite - one because I can listen to it without cringing at hearing my voice, and two because it reminds me the most of Reuben. There is an unreleased Totems song (his solo electronic project), called Life Dealer which is honestly one of my favourite things he has ever made. I made it originally under my other project nome Autocell but thought it fit the album, so I switched it over. I think as soon as I added the kinda pseudo crabcore breakdown, it felt like a P.H.F. song instead.

Where do you see yourself and your music in 5 years' time?

I have NO idea honestly, I try not to plan ahead too much. I take things one day at a time because you never know what's going to happen. I know I should probably say something super ambitious and inspiring, but thot feels fake to me. I just hope I’m still making new stuff that I like, collaborating with people that inspire me and having a good time doing it. How I have it now is kind of what I always wanted when I was younger, so I feel extremely blessed with how my life is at the moment honestly.

What advice would you give to other musicians who look up to you?

I would say always follow your gut!!!! I think there is authenticity in doing whatever the fuck you want, no matter how cooked it might come across to people. If you’re not having fun doing what you're doing, then I don’t think anyone that listens to it will either. Plus I guess it’s important to always be trying new shit and growing, so I would say you should always expand on what you're doing.