Mini-Mix
TMN: Hey guys, thank you so much for taking some time to chat with us. There’s quite a bit to talk to you guys about! From Love Death Immortality coming out on February 11th to the Coachella announcement, you guys have had a busy winter!
Absolutely. Things are in a pressure cooker right now. Our happy place.
TMN: Let’s start off with talking about the Coachella announcement. Since starting in 2006, you’ve played at some of the most significant venues. How does it feel to come to Coachella this year?
Coachella is one of the most ridiculously awesome events on earth, and we’re grateful to get to play for a second time. Some of our very first shows to massive crowds were at Coachella, playing unofficial shows on the The Do Lab’s circus-freak misting side stage. So this will actually be our 5th Coachella. It’s way too much fun.
TMN: What is the set list looking like? Are you going to go heavy on the new album, or do a blend of some new and some old? Any surprise guests we should expect?
TMN: While Coachella is huge, you have to have some other large venues that are still on your bucket list. What’s “the one” venue or festival that’s you haven’t played at just yet?
We are excited to hopefully play Glastonbury at some point, we hear it’s massive!
TMN: This album (Love Death Immortality) seems to be a much more fast-paced, high energy affair as opposed to Drink The Sea. What was your thought process going into this album, and was there a particular sound you were trying to achieve?
We wanted to write an album that would be geared for a live environment and dancing, in addition to the headphone listening experience. We kept the headphone listen in mind and wrote the album with a consistent flow and storytelling sensibility, it’s best to hear at high volume on a giant soundsystem.
TMN: Right off the bat, we’re loving the drumstep style of “Mind of a Beast.” Talk to us about this track, and the progression of the album as whole.
This track is pure distilled attitude. We wanted to really focus in on the feeling of pure triumph and badassery with this one. The song that you put on when you need to run the final lap of a race. It’s very similar to Drink The Sea in that there are many ups and downs, different chapters to an overall story. With this album though, the peaks are higher and the valleys are lower. It’s a more distilled adventure, where are Drink The Sea is more ethereal.
TMN: On the flip side, “I Need My Memory Back” has a funky element to it. Any chance that the sound and name is a tip of the hat to Daft Punk’s RAM
TMN: You guys have been a mainstay in the electronic music scene for a long time. What would be your best advice on up and coming EDM artists?
TMN: Playing off that question, how do you guys feel you managed to rise to such a high level of respect from the community?
We stay deeply connected to our fans and community on a very real level. For us, music is a way to creatively connect with people. It’s about empathy, exploration and creating a narrative for people to get lost in. Respect and compassion are important. We’ve also unintentionally ended up being oddballs of the electronic music world. It was never our goal to be off in our own world, we just like to be in creatively uncharted waters.
TMN: Ok, before we get into some random questions, feel free to talk to our readers about what they can expect from you in 2014.
Constant touring. Coming to a subwoofer near you.
TMN: At the end of the interview we like to change things up and ask some random questions. We feel like our fans like to know you as individuals too. So, just fire off the first thing that comes to mind.
TMN: What’s your favorite Hall and Oates’ Song?
Can’t name a single Hall and Oates song. But Creedence – Bad Moon Rising is pretty frickin sweet.
TMN: If you were on Death Row, what would your last meal be?
The entire menu from Son Of A Gun in Los Angeles.
TMN: If you could listen to one song while you were eating your last meal, what would it be?
Pink Floyd – Breathe
TMN: Alright, enough of the macabre. What’s one song you will shamefully admit you listen to on a regular basis. Is it Britney Spears? Katy Perry?
Swedish House Mafia – Save the World
TMN: What’s the most bizarre item you’ve ever requested on your rider?
Hippie food like kale chips and free range goji berry trail mix
TMN: What three things are always in your fridge, no matter what?
Different kinds of hot sauce, Kombucha & a shit ton of fresh greens
TMN: Who’s your favorite Muppet character?
Animal
TMN: Alright, last one. If your music were an animal, what would it be and why?
Intergalactic dragon slaying motorcycle riding sea horse
