video: Harry Lagousis
Who does your artwork? It is always sooo fresh and it fits yoursound so greatly.
Originally we did most of the artwork ourselves, with the combination of mediocre photoshop skills crossed with backgrounds in graffiti art, although we'll often hire more experienced designers to create the art for our actual releases. The recent Golden Handshake EP on Numbers label was designed by Glasgow/London-based Remote location, who are absolutely incredible in what they do. They were also responsible for some other cool projects you might have seen, like the website for Warp Records, the Hudson Mohawke game for Butter, and a couple of the Rustie releases. I still design a lot of the smaller projects like show or tour flyers, mix tape covers, etc, mostly the less important web stuff like the occasional show flyer.
Tell me all about the album, please.
The production for our debut album, titled simply Lazer Sword, is finally finished just a couple weeks ago, and we're super happy with the final product. We'll be releasing the record on Los Angeles-based Innovative Leisure records, who were responsible for putting out the Gucci Sweatshirt 12" as well as the recent Shot In The Nite / Koopa boss mode 7". I suspect many people might be anticipating another mixtape, as opposed to a body of original material, but we approached the record with regards to making an actual ALBUM, 15 songs that cover the entire range of production we enjoy. There are bangers, experimental cuts, chill stuff, some straight beatless composition type of songs, and more…
What makes a good production for a good song?
I really think it really depends on the listener, as the term good is such a opinion-based description. I think the combination of a catchy, but not obvious or typical melody (one that you could hear over and over without growing sick of it), along with unique production ideas, and a truly proper sequence of events is a nice recipe for a good song. If you can pull feeling from the listener, whether it be excitement, happiness, sad vibes, something sinister, or even better–a combination of those, then you are on the right track. But really its all in preference, some people like their tracks more moody than others for sure.
Your mixes are so full of irrelevant stuff: you must have been spending days in record shops. Any crazy record-shopping stories?
Yes, its funny because one of our oldest stories of the record shop was when I first moved to San Francisco and started shopping at Amoeba records about 6 years ago, Antaeus (Lando) was working at the register, and he would occasionally make comments about my purchases like "this one is super dope" or "nice choice bro" . hahahahah!
Over the last few years the hiphop/electro sound has become very popular, especially in the USA. Why do you think this happened? How do you see this trend evolving in the following years?
Seems like all types of original music genres are crossing with each other like mad these days. I guess it was bound to happen, in the beginning while we were in our own little bubble in San Francisco making hip hop with electronic sounds and vice-versa, there were guys like the Turbo Crunk doing a very similar thing entirely on their own, and then scenes like the LuckyMe family in Glasgow were also making really experimental and original versions of hip hop music. On a similar yet more chilled-out, hip hop, vibe the cats in Los Angeles like Flying Lotus and the Brainfeeder/Alpha Pup guys were doing that long ago as well. In retrospect it makes sense that all these artists were kids who grew up listening to Nas and playing video games would eventually come up with their own take on futuristic, adventurous hip-hop music.
What are the 2 songs that mix best and work at any occasion?
haha ! Thats a hard one! Lando made this really great edit/remix of E-40 lyrics from the track Dumb Hyphy mixed with this techno/house song from Hugg & Pepp called Penguini. The result makes the club freak out every time !
How is the European crowd different to the US crowd?
The European crowds really differ from country to country, similar to individual states in the US i suppose. I think in Europe it seems like people ears are more accustomed to electronic music in general, since it's been popularized there much longer. On the other hand, the idea of merging electronic music with rap music or hip hop seems a little more accepted in the states still. There are also a bit more more hippies who listen to electronic music in the states.
How do you feel about coming to play in Greece?
To be honest we didn't have huge expectations since we don't know of many others who have come out to Greece to play shows, and don't know of any local producers or bands off the top of the head to come from Greece. Since we are completing this interview late (after we've played the show! sorry again!) i think we can both agree that we were TOTALLY SHOCKED at how excellent the crowd attendance and response was. I can also say that I was really impressed with the skill and selection of the other DJ's playing with us. Great show all around !!!! Thank you ATHENS !!!
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