Retrofile

Dan Prince·
DMC WorldFeatures

By combining the melody driven hooks of 80s pop, the rhythmic pulse of disco and the guitar/synth interplay of 00’s rock, Retrofile burst onto the alternative music scene in 2017 with the release of their debut single ‘Two Words’. Recorded in twin brothers Luke and Noah Martino’s makeshift studio, the single became a surprise word of mouth sensation, garnering hundreds of thousands of streams within months of release and kickstarting their career. As of right now, the duo have accumulated 27 million streams in 2022 and are on pace to have over 70 million+ streams by the end of this year. DMCWORLD checks in for a new exclusive as the release of their new EP beckons…

Hi guys! Great to meet you. To kick things off, tell us how it’s going and where you’re chatting from?
Hello DMC World, great to meet you! We’re doing well thanks, speaking to you from Edmonton, Canada.
You’ve been making music since 2017, and your debut single ‘Two Words’ became a surprise sensation. How did that feel?
It was amazing, but also surprising. When we released it we didn’t have any expectations for it, despite really being proud of the finished track. We had a small Youtube audience at the time, mostly built off of a previous band we were in. They really got behind it and shared it around. It meant the world and still does. If it weren’t for Two Words I don’t think we would still be releasing music.
Your latest release, ‘Broke Generation’, is your second single of the year. What made you want to release this particular track?
It is! We wrote it fairly quickly and mostly just trusted our gut in putting it out. We like how it combines relatively clean modern production elements with lyrics that tell a story, which is fairly old school. After we wrote the chorus hook we both sort of knew it was going to be a single.
What were your main inspirations for the single?
It doesn’t make any sense but Cyndi Lauper and Rod Stewart were the primary influences for the lyrical direction. In terms of the sound I’d say The Killers.
Do you think being twin brothers has helped you in creating music?
Definitely. It’s basically a cheat code! We can say anything to each other and not offend each other. We’re both flexible with what we bring to the table creatively. We both have different ways of getting to the same destination. It keeps things interesting. We also have twin telepathy, so there’s that too.
Which musical artists do you mainly take inspiration from?
The Killers, Talking Heads, Tears for Fears, LCD Soundsystem, Franz Ferdinand … those are just a few off the top of my head.
What artists are you loving right now?
We were just in Toronto for Canadian Music Week and discovered a bunch of groups we really like. James Blond, FKB, 538 Street, Cody Lawless .. highly recommend checking them all out. All alternative, all unique in their own right.
As for future releases, can we expect more of the same from you in terms of genres? What do you see yourself exploring next?
Well we have loads of new songs finished with the vibe of In Stereo and Broke Generation and we will be releasing them over the next year in the form of EP’s and eventually an LP. Very dance rock/new wave. We do however have plans for a full blown synth pop album in the future. One thing at a time.
You guys are from Edmonton in Canada. How do you think your upbringing has shaped your musical journey?
Being from Edmonton forced us to be super creative in the early years of Retrofile. Because the music industry in Canada is focused on Vancouver and Toronto, we didn’t have some of the resources available in those cities. That forced us to learn how to do a bunch of stuff by ourselves. I think we are lucky this was the case. Funny enough it also made us feel like outsiders, in regards to our genre. It still does! Indie rock/pop is fairly niche here.
What does the future hold for you? Any upcoming releases you’d be able to share with us?
Lots more shows and lots of new music. We have an EP coming out September 2023 and a western canada tour planned to promote it. I won’t even get started with 2024 … going to be a busy year!