Random Spirit Lover, Sunset Rubdown‘s 2007 release was probably my favourite of the year. It’s fantastic in just about every way. Now two years later Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade (I promise to stop posting Wolf Parade related material soon, really) has struck again in the form of Dragonslayer.
Much like Random Spirit Lover, Dragonslayer tends to work best as an entire album. While it’s probably a little more accessible than RSL and the tracks on their own are still great to listen to, you don’t get the full experience that a Sunset Rubdown album can provide.
I still maintain that if Tim Burton ever directed a Broadway musical Sunset Rubdown could provide the music. This is theatrical, grandiose, dense music that is really just a lot of fun to listen to and I’m not sure if I can say that about any other band that’s around right now.
Krug and his Wolf Parade compatriot Dan Boeckner have grabbed 2009 by the balls and have created two very interesting and vastly different albums. It’ll be interesting to see how they channel this into the next Wolf Parade album, whenever that may be.
Last night I had the pleasure of chatting to Yuksek. The phone rang just after 7pm by the relay service who then connected the two of us together. We had a good chat about all kinds of things like who he has worked with, his new record and of course Splendor in the Grass. Here is the interview, I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed conducting it.
Where abouts are you now? Has anything exciting been happening with you lately?
I’m home in France having a bit of a break chilling with friends, good times taking it easy. Nothing really. Looking forward to the Australian tour, and then off to Japan, so going to get busy but just not yet.
What have been some of your major influences?
Not a lot. I’m not listening to too much electro but listening to more of a mix like Metromony and bands like that but a bit of pop hip hop rock and stuff like that, so I’m gaining a wider kind of influence, old music new music and stuff like that.
What is the biggest act that you believe has helped you along your way?
I don’t know about one act I’m not like too much a fan of one act but a lot of people that I think changed music like Bowie and thinking electro people like Aphex Twin or people like that. It’s really interesting in ways of thinking the music. More recently Daft Punk because they bring a lot of new stuff, its cool, and it’s not only the music its also about the show and the whole idea its really interesting.
So you’ve been working with Brodinski, how is that?
For three years now I have been producing all his tracks and remixes and now on top of it we are starting a project together called The Krays and we did a remix of Peaches and Ebony Bones. We are actually planning to make an EP soon. Brodinski is like my little brother we are from the same hometown and we know each other very well.
Who would you like to collaborate with in the future?
I really don’t know. It’s like all the people I’ve worked with before are amazing people and I like having a good time with people I work with so I don’t really have a list of people I would like to work with I just want to meet some new and interesting people who I would love to make music and magic with and share ideas and our good times.
You’ve just released your new record ‘From the Sea’ how is that going?
It’s doing very well. It was released in France a few months ago and we have had a good response back. Just released in UK now and doing good and we got Japan – I actually just came back from Japan, which was cool. And we have some things coming in Australia of course. In a few days actually. Very happy with the album.
What were some of the challenges you faced with making the album?
I didn’t want to make it all the same or boring. I wanted to make it so you were able to listen to it from the beginning to the end and not get bored or something like that you know just wanting more complex arrangements and some stranger tracks, I wanted to make an album as in a journey which it takes you on from beginning to end.
You’re playing Splendour In The Grass in July, how does playing a major festival compare to playing a more intimate gig like in a club?
Well actually I’m only doing a live show at festivals or concert halls and for clubs I do a dj set. So I really enjoy playing at festivals, usually the people are looking to hear some good bands they haven’t had a chance to hear on a big stage with good sound I really enjoy festivals.
Do you find there is a whole different atmosphere playing a festival than a club?
Yes. Because I think club nights some people come to listen to the artist while they are playing and some people come to just hang out and others are just looking for girls or whatever. I think that sometimes music is not the most important thing for people in clubs. That’s my opinion. In festivals and concerts people pay more attention to artists playing in particular cause they are there to see you.
What’s an unforgettable moment while playing a show?
Well actually I look back to Parklife in Australia and that was a really good line up and festival. It had, what I believe a really good line up like Soulwax, Diplo, Peaches. We all had a really fun time and the atmosphere was really cool, I love the place and really enjoy it.
What do you think about the music scene in Australia?
There are a lot of bands I really love from Australia like Midnight Juggernauts and Cut Copy and those kind of electro bands. Kind of Pop Electro bands, I’m really into it. I’m friends with a lot of electro bands from Australia and we have good times.
Some people believe that France is the epicentre of the electronic music scene. What are your thoughts on this?
I think that there are a lot of interesting acts from France like Daft Punk, Air, Justice, Busy P and all those guys so there are good things coming from France offcourse. But I think there are a lot of influential acts from the UK there’s a lot of stuff in the US. We have Diplo, and A-Trak and Chromeo I think there’s good bands everywhere. I find there’s a bit of a highlight on the French sound, which is a bit new and interesting.
Do you find you keep running into the same artists while touring around the world?
We have played a few shows with Midnight Juggernauts and we have fun times with them and yeah theres a lot actually, we find we keep running into and having good times with Soulwax - very fun people, and Surkin and Brodinski offcourse.
So that was it. Cool guy. What would a post be without a couple of tracks. Here are a couple from The Krays (Brodinski & Yuksek) and just a Yuksek remix.
Ok, so I’m kinda late on this front. While just about everyone was gushing over The Field‘s 2007 debut From Here We Go Sublime, I wasn’t completely sold. And not for any reason in particular, I just wasn’t wow’d. However it was enough to pique my interest when the first taste of Alex Willner‘s follow-up album, Yesterday and Today, arrived in the form of The More That I Do a few weeks back. Again, not overly impressed but I was determined to “get” what The Field are about.
As it turns out The More That I Do is probably my least favourite track off an album full of fantastic tunes. Willner has the ability to stretch a track out over 10-15 minute period and still make it every bit as interesting as something a 1/4 its length. The detail that is going on underneath the sea of washed-out samples is amazing. These are songs that will test your patience but reward you for it in the long run. Leave It glides along nicely until about the 3 minute mark when a damn fine bass line emerges from underneath the swell of ambiance. The following 8 minutes glide by. Trust me.
So as I stated at the top of this post, I’m a little late to the party with these guys, but I’m more than willing to play catch up. I’ll definitely be going back to Sublime now with a fresh perspective. So please go and check out Yesterday and Today. I have little doubt that it will make an appearance somewhere on my top 10 of 2009.
Here are a couple of new tracks I was just sent last night and since receiving them they haven’t stopped playing. First up is a new remix of Santogold‘s track Anne. King Britt has really given it a steady backbeat and with Santogold‘s distinctive voice kind of reminds me of a soundtrack for some horror movie. Maybe a psycho bride going on a rampage after her wedding or something… I dont know, it just has this dark edge to the track. BUT this is what makes it really cool for me.
Next up I have a Patrick Wolf track remixed by Buffetlibre. Slightly more upbeat and brighter than the Santogold track so I thought it would bring a good contrast. Blending the backup choir with Buffetlibre‘s killer synth lines has given the track a depth I didn’t really get in the original. I love the soft break down with just the keys then slowly bring back the beat building it back up to full strength leaving the audience in suspense just a little but giving them what they want in the end.
