Harder, darker, stronger – the boys are back in town
Interview : Dan Prince
Guys welcome back to DMCWORLD as you return to the underground with your third album coming out on Bedrock next month. Give us a few words on each of the stunning tracks on Disconnect/Reconnect…
“Thank you, it’s great to be back…
1.Disconnect/Reconnect
This is the title track of the album but also actually the last track to be written. Up until the very last minute of the album hand in date this track didn’t exist, we had something else in its place that we were kind of unsure of but happily this came together quite quickly. Its a deep stabbing track with a twisted vocal hook and big breakdown. It sets the tone for whats to come.”
2. Matter Of Time feat Green Velvet
“Each year the Ibiza Music Summit asks an artists to write an Anthem for the event. Last year they asked us and this was the result. It was mostly written in a hotel room in Ibiza while emailing ideas back and forth with Green Velvet while he was in Chicago. This is the only track that we released last year, but we knew that this is the sound that we wanted to follow.”
3. No Music
“I different type of track for us, written very quickly and mostly done with a drum machine and a sampler, its a big club track, I guess the album has moments of techno, house and electro, this is the electro.”
4. Pump Power
“When we started to think about writing this album we wanted it to be different from ‘Controlling Your Allegiance’ in that we wanted to be able to perform the whole album at a club, and each track would work. I think this is a track that really came out of this mindset. Its 6 minutes of vocal hooks and twistiness, its worked great everything we have played it
5. Out Of No Where
“I guess this track is slightly schizophrenic, both the lightest and darkest parts of the album are probably on this. I think its kind of a break and a turning point of the album. Things definitely get a little more techno after this.”
6. Nightshift
“This is a track for a large dark tent at 2am somewhere in the european country side. Well thats what was in our heads when we wrote it anyways.”
7. Vision
“This is one of my favourites of the album, probably one of the most straight up techno tracks that we have ever done but a real moment track. Really looking forward to playing this out.”
8. The Dealer
“This is the slowest track on the album but maybe the most energetic. 4 mins of big stabs, pounding basslines and pitching vocals, heavy.”
9. Heavy Hitter
This has been our secret weapon in our live show for maybe the last 8 months. Its dark, intense, uplifting, and crazy.
10. Release
This is the journey track of the album, I think its always nice to end on a high and this is it. Again one for our live show
The album has a real back to basics feel, perfect for dark rooms and nocturnal festival shows, Disconnect/Reconnect seems like you are once again making the music you love?
“Yeah exactly, thats kind of the ethos behind it. Things got a little over complicated in the past few years working with EMI and for various other reason, it definitely put a strain on us. Gary and I wanted to do something simple but effective, back to basics, overall to make things fun.”
How long did the album take to make, we haven’t heard from you since last year’s IMS anthem ‘Matter Of Time’…?
“Most of last year we were caught up in legal problems that meant we couldn’t release any music. It put a horrible strain on everyone. When that was finally sorted out around October/ November Gary and I went into the studio day and night and the majority of the album was recorded in less that 3 months, we wanted this album to sound spontaneous and not over produced.”
Last year of course saw ex-band member Decky leave to form Sirkus Sirkuz – can you tell us about the split?
“Yeah it was regrettable but things hadn’t been working as they should have for a while. I don’t want to dwell on it to much but I think everyone is in a better place because of what happened.”
You admit that the last album was an amazing experience and it gave you the opportunity to travel the world. What were some of the highlights on the road back then?
“There’s so many…Electric Picnic in Ireland was amazing for us, doing the MTV show in Belfast with Kasabian was great, playing the Space Opening in Ibiza last year, I could go on and on – we were very lucky.”
It also gave you the opportunity to work with one of your heroes Robert Smith from The Cure – what was that experience like?
It’s one of those experiences that doesn’t seem real at the time, but when you look back you go ‘whoa’. It’s hard not to be humbled by that, he is a true legend and gentleman.”
The dance world’s ears pricked up after IMS last year – Laurent Garnier, Francois K, Carl Cox and ultimately Bedrock boss John Digweed all giving you props. What was it about Diggers and his Bedrock label that attracted you?
“It’s funny, when I started to get into dance music, it was Digweed that I was most into. I lived in rural Northern Ireland but I used to get copies of his Kiss FM show sent over for me. It was just always the best underground music, it wasn about a scene, or being cool, just the music. So when we heard that John had been playing Matter of Time a lot we were very happy. We reached out to him to thank him and he came back with the idea of doing a collab track together with him and Nick Muir, which will be out later in the year. Then the whole idea of putting the album out on Bedrock came from that. We couldn’t be happier, the label is legendary and its output is respected around the world.”
Who are some of the producers from around the world you are giving high fives to right now?
“Both Green Velvet and Felix seem to be back in a big way. Phil Kieran is realising some great music, Locked Groove also.”
Who are some of the artists you are listening to on your iPods at the moment?
“Just checking who the last albums I have bought are…Random Access Memories which I must say that I love, Sasha’s new Involver album and the Kindness album are all great.”.
And finally, what are the plans studio wise once the summer is over?
“This summer is gong to be spend rebuilding our live show and having it ready to roll again for the Autumn.”
THE JAPANESE POPSTARS
‘DISCONNECT/RECONNECT’
BEDROCK
RELEASED 15 JULY
