Shout out to our boys NuCalifornia for bringing Tumblr IRL + Santigoldâs 99¢ album release party to life this past week. They transformed Manhattanâs massive Jackâs World 99¢ store into a wild party with vibrant eclectic 99¢ store themed visuals.
The party continued with Santigoldâs debut of âCanât Get Enough of Myselfâ on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon with the help of NuCaliforniaâs creative direction.
Located just north of CancĂşn, Isla Holbox is paradise for anyone who likes to take the road less traveled. Its peaceful beaches and breathtaking landscapes create an aura of serenity and urge its visitors to relax and take in the calm, quaint atmosphere. Itâs a destination that New York Times calls âan ecotourism gemâ in its 52 Places to Go in 2016.Â
Niki from IAMSOUND just returned from this island paradise. Take a moment to live vicariously through her pictures. Feel the sand under your arches, or picture yourself dining in a cafe surrounded by bright colors coating the walls around you.Â
Niki compiled a playlist describing her time at Isla Holbox. Listen as you scroll through the pictures for the complete experience. In a sense, itâs like a vacation in a playlist:
Bill Withers - âUse Meâ
Jamie XX - âLoud Placesâ
Sade - âSmooth Operatorâ
Father John Misty - âTrue Affectionâ
The streets of Isla Holbox are busy with life. There are locals riding their bikes, and bright buildings lining the sidewalks. The street has traces of bike tracks, footsteps, even paw prints, but not a single tire mark in sight.
D.R.A.M. - âCha Chaâ
Isla Holbox is a sanctuary for flamingos, pelicans and other exotic animals. The colorful birds match the colorful atmosphere of this hidden paradise.
Welcome to the first installment of our newest series - Stories - where we sit down with artists who take us through a close-up look at their creative process. To introduce the series, we reached out to our friend Max Rainer of Bird Dog, one of IAMSOUNDâs newest artists, to tell us a story about the recording process for their upcoming EP release Misty Shrub, and the bandâs humble beginnings.Â
âWhen Bird Dog started working on our first album together, we knew it had to be a vinyl release. The best way to view an album cover is where the image is larger than your head and the liner notes and photos unfold together as the listener discovers what the needle is singing to them. There are no ones or zeros, no algorithms to force your attention. Itâs just some friends left with a collection of work that was brought into fruition by a collaboration of artists and engineers. In our minds, an album can stand alone like a novel, or cult film, and it was with this belief that we moved into recording our novel with inspiration and energy. We were fueled by Sgt. pepper and Crosby, Stills and Nash playing between takes on the turntable in the living room and pizzas in the oven.
A record is a moment in time when a group of people find the best sounds in the room and capture it. Itâs a snap shot, and, if captured right, that moment can evolve and grow into something much bigger than ever intended and connect with whoever gets to hear it.Â
Most of us are from Tulsa and itâs a great place to come from - even better to return. The city has birthed many musical pioneers like JJ Cale, Leon Russell and Bob Wills. There is an energy there, a pulse. We are happy to have some Texans among us, because well hell, Texas is a damn fine state with a rich musical heritage and even better people. Even our small town Texan bandmates can relate to our love for our hometown, Tulsa. Itâs about family and community. The music comes from there.
I was part of a special community of musicians who had been playing multiple gigs together every week for a few years in Tulsa. We were dialed in. We had learned where to take the songs dynamically and would often have new bursts of energy, or  a new twist of magic. There was mutual respect for each as players, but more importantly as people. We went through some hard times together and were able to lean on each other and then funnel those emotions into the music.
Check out Bird Dogâs EP Misty Shrub out January 22nd. In the meantime, have a listen to The Ocean And The Sea here.Â
Multimedia designer, Whoopi, just unleashed his first iOS game called âDrizzy Tearzâ â Itâs a game where you stop Drake from crying!!! And itâs accompanied by a soundtrack inspired by Drake himself, created by Whoopiâs brother, Tristan Winger.Â
We got to ask Whoopi a few questions about the app and how it came about.
Tell us about when you first saw computing as an art form?
That actually goes back to when I was around 7. My uncle is an all around creative dude and an aerospace engineer. He was the one who introduced computers to me, by building them around me and showing me the possibilities of what a computer could do. He would also show me his 3D models and art pieces he would make using Poser and Photoshop.
What was your inspiration behind Drizzy Tearz?
Since it was my first app, I wanted to make something that most people could relate to and have fun with. I figured creating a game that references pop culture would be my best bet. And since I was pretty obsessed with Drake's If Youâre Reading This Itâs Too Late album at the time, I decided to go with him and amplify his characteristics through the app.
What came first? The album or the app?
Definitely the app! Once my brother saw the project coming together, he offered to create some background tracks to compliment the gameplay. I then had the idea to go bigger and create an actual album with him to live on iTunes, Spotify and other music streaming services. My buddies over at RudeTOON Records worked with me to mix, master and publish the album.
Have a listen:
You've done a lot of commissioned work with brands and artists. How do you maintain artistry in these kinds of collaborations? What kind of work do you find most fulfilling?
To be honest thatâs something Iâve been struggling with. My solution to that is creating personal projects for myself. With Drizzy Tearz I was really bored and wanted to switch up what I normally do, so I committed myself to creating a silly game about Drake. Itâs rare because of everyoneâs schedule, but I love collaborating with other creatives. For me, Itâs definitely the most fulfilling way to work.
Anything exciting on the horizon for you? Are you working on anything you can tell us about?
A couple of updates for Drizzy Tearz, then I'm switching my focus to VR. Canât wait to start building out wild experiences through Oculus. Iâm really stoked to create my own interactive world.
What is your dream collaboration?
I would love to work with my favorite producer/DJ duo, Justice. Theyâre the ones that opened my eyes to electro music/bloghouse and the scene that fueled it all. I would love to work on anything, from their stage production to even their music videos!
As the first installation of our newest tumblr series - Freeze Frame - weâre showcasing Zolloc, an Austin>NYC transplant thatâs made his way as a freelance artist. His distinctive color palette and absurd animations that toe the line between beautiful and creepy have made for a fascinating exploration. Check out some of his work below.
IAMSOUND got a chance to catch up with Jenny Eliscu for our latest installment of Leading Ladies, an ongoing series highlighting some of our favorite women in creative industries. Jenny is a contributing editor and music critic for Rolling Stone magazine for over a decade. For more on Jenny, you can tune into her wonderful show on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 35: Sirius XMU, Saturdays through Thursdays from 2 pm to 6 pm ET.
Where did you grow up and where do you currently reside?
I grew up in Queens, New York and I currently live in Brooklyn.
When and why did you decide that you wanted to work in the music industry?
I don't feel like I ever really decided to -- I just ended up here. My first music business experience was interning at CMJ in 1994. I was only a sophomore in college at the time and wasn't sure what I was going to do after graduation. But a friend told me I could get a free pass to CMJ's annual Music Marathon if I interned there, so I applied. Several months after I started there, I was encouraged to write a couple sample record reviews for their weekly publication, and soon thereafter I was contributing regularly. By early 1995 I had a job there as an editorial assistant, and I worked there until 1999, when I got a gig at Rolling Stone.
What does your typical weekday schedule look like?
I have weird hours because my job at SiriusXM requires me to tape my shows on weekends and evenings on certain days. So I work from home a few days a week and then go to our studio in midtown at various intervals the rest of the week.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I toyed with the idea of being a doctor or a teacher, when I was very young. But once I was in high school, I really wasn't sure anymore. Didn't quite figure it out until CMJ gave me a job and I realized that I could actually find a way to make a career out of my love for music and writing.
To date, what has been the biggest challenge for you in this industry? What do you find to be the most rewarding?
I feel like I haven't really faced very many major challenges, to be honest. Working hard and remaining passionate are ongoing challenges, but they are also their own rewards. Sometimes I feel like it's challenging to avoid lapsing into cynicism about the industry, the marketplace, even the artists themselves. But then I hear a great, interesting record that has found a perfect audience -- Tame Impala's new one, for instance -- and it reinforces my faith in the whole fucked up system.
What are your top 5 favorite records? Present or of all time?
Ugh. This is tough. These are just five favorites that represent my taste/sensibility.
1. Bob Dylan, Blood On The Tracks
2. Pavement, Crooked Rain Crooked Rain
3. Dinosaur Jr., Bug
4. Bright Eyes, I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
5. Beatles, Revolver
Whatâs your favorite venue and/or city to see a show?
Bowery Ballroom, NYC
Being as you work with many creatives, do you have a personal creative outlet you practice outside of work?
Does obsessively scouring the internet for Seinfeld gifs count?
Any advice to aspiring artist? Any advice to the veterans?
For aspiring artists I would say, Be yourself. Trust your instincts. Work harder than you ever thought possible. Be patient. Be realistic. Be passionate.
And last but not least, what's your favorite quote?
Weâve been hooked on Shamirâs debut album, Ratchet, since spring when it was released. We always want to know what our favorite artists are inspired and luckily for us, Shamir took the opportunity to share his favorite two albums.Â
The Slits - Cut
âCut by The Slits released in 1979 is my favorite album ever (so far). When I first heard it I felt like I was transported to another dimension! I first heard of The Slits when I was 13 after they were mentioned by Lily Allen and decided to check them out. After hearing âInstant Hit" I was hooked! The playful vocals and reggae bass with the punk attitude is what caught my attention. Plus their cover of âHeard it Though the Grapevineâ is my favorite version of that song!â
Japantheris - Dump the Body in Rikki Lake
âDump the Body in Rikki Lake by Japantheris is one of my favorite albums and album covers! âCritical" is my favorite song of all time. The melody in the music makes me feel sad, happy, and optimistic all at once! Beyond that "Claudia's Symptoms" is another great track, which is also kind of part two of âCritical." I love how a lot of the album is instrumental and features samples of people explaining how they got into cannibalism and stuff like that.â
IAMSOUND got a chance to catch up late this summer with Chrissy Stuart, Director of Licensing at Beggars Music US, the publishing entity of Beggars Group, which boasts a roster with acts like Cat Power, Yo La Tengo, and Sampha. Chrissy is a strong force of nature in many respects; from overseeing sync opportunities for her artists, to working closely with other labels, publishers, and artists to coordinate creative collaborations and unique opportunities for her writers. Â
IAS: Where did you grow up and where do you currently reside?
CS: I grew up in Texas. Â I'm currently living in and loving LA.Â
IAS: When and why did you decide that you wanted to work in the music industry?
It was never a calculated decision really, more advice I grew up around that I put it into practice. My dad was always encouraging me to follow my passions, chase what I loved, and figure out a way to make a living doing it. Â Music has always been a big part of my life.
IAS: What does your typical weekday schedule look like?
Every day is different but the one routine I prioritize is taking a moment for myself each morning to clear my head before I walk out the door.
IAS: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to play in the WNBA. Â And I wanted to be a marine biologist in the off-season.
IAS: To date, what has been the biggest challenge for you in this industry? What do you find to be the most rewarding?
For me it's become less about the challenges in "this industry", and more about life's challenges and finding the balance. And actually, the most rewarding is navigating through the challenges.Â
IAS: What are your top 5 favorite records? Present or of all time?
Favorite records always changing, here's a few:Â
Aretha Franklin - Young, Gifted and Black
Townes Van Zandt - Rear View Mirror
Nas - lllmatic
Dolly Parton's Greatest Hits (duh)
Radiohead - In Rainbows, The Clash - London Calling
IAS: Whatâs your favorite venue and/or city to see a show?Â
 I have a lot of memories and magical moments from Bowery Ballroom in NYC and Broken Spoke in Austin.
IAS: Being as you work with many creatives, do you have a personal creative outlet you practice outside of work?Â
Of course, got to. Mostly watercoloring, and I'm learning to play bass and surf.Â
IAS: Any advice to aspiring artist? Any advice to the veterans?
Aspiring artists - don't stray too far from what makes you unique and be open to learning from those around you. Vets - Stay connected and always be growing.
IAS: And last but not least, whatâs your favorite quote?
Not a quote gal, but have recently been inspired by performance artist Tehching Hsieh.
NuCalifornia is a Los Angeles-based creative team focusing on installations, environment design, motion graphics, set and prop design. They have been overseeing live set design and direction for Classixx and Twin Shadow and Halsey. This past summer, we got a chance to visit their studio while in the middle of their build of Classixxâs new stage props and spoke to Daniel Lane who heads up NuCalifornia.
Where is your studio?
My studio is located in Highland Park, Los Angeles. Itâs an old grocery store converted into studio spaces. We are often asked what kind of store we are opening by the neighbors passing by.
What are you currently working on now?
I'm currently working on a couple jobs at once, at various stages of development. The piece you are looking at is something for Classixx. It is a set of two faux synth rigs that fold up for transport in a van. The piece is a multi-channel RGB lighting system which converts Midi info (Classixx uses a lot of this) into light patterns through Ableton and some plugins. Each song plays an entire light show, each looking very different.
What is your process?
Well, with every project I do, I start with the intention of using a new material. Recently those materials have been based on lighting and electronics. I'm slowly making my way up the totem pole of electronics, Arduino's are next, sensors and robotics after that. So with this in mind I will work with a client and take their needs from a basic idea or an image/concept all the way to completion. It is a mixture of making and getting things made, I talk to a lot of nerds on the phone.
What is your background?
I went to school for painting, I managed to go to grad school for it as well. I love painting and will always continue to do it to some degree. While in school I also studied sculpture, made movies, including extensive props, and taught college courses. I've always had a lot of ideas and NuCalifornia is a great outlet for ideas that don't make sense as paintings.
What is your preferred medium?
This is changing a lot. This past year I've been introduced to the ups and downs of aluminum, which is large change from using wood to build everything. I wouldn't say it is my preferred medium but it is the medium I am learning the most about. Other runners up include DMX lighting, LED of all sorts, and also figuring out how to incorporate techie looking materials into projects; again Arduino's on the horizon.
Do you listen to music while you are working?
If I'm not on Soundcloud I'm on Audible. My studiomate has the same iPod from when he was in high school, his math rock is poison to my ears, and though I love the Erykah Badu, I don't love her daily. I have to have something to drown out the nostalgia. I listen to a lot of Acid House.
What are you inspired by these days?
Mostly Crispr/Cas9, haptic VR, and the writhing funk at the opposing end of technology.
What are you working on next?
I have some secret projects on the horizon that I may or may not be able to tell you all about. Materials include but are not limited to: printed EL panels, cosmetic wiring, and monumental sculpture.
We are very excited to announce the fourth Independent Label Market here in Los Angeles, in association with Culture Collide! We have 30 record labels joining forces to bring you records, merch, and fun! Join us this October 10th 12-6p in the Taix parking lot. Itâs open to the public, all ages, and free!
IAMSOUND had a chance to catch up with Crystal Moselle after the release of her most recent film The Wolfpack. Moselle is not new to the film world, as her first feature documentary, Excavating Taylor Mead, was included in the Whitney Biennial and selected for the TriBeCa Film Festival in 2005. She also co-directed AsDSSkaâs music video for âHold Onâ with Spike Jonze, and has been known to work on fashion and brand films for MAC, Ralph Lauren, Phillip Lim, Converse, and Leviâs.Â
IAS: Do you remember the first time you picked up a camera and filmed something?Â
CM: I was 11 years old at my grandmotherâs house. My mother had given me a video camera for Christmas. I remember filming out the window to the pool down below...being a voyeur of some sort.Â
IAS: What's your favorite part about the filmmaking process?
CM: Feeling that inspiration from a character that carries me away and all I want to do is create stories with them. This could be turned into fiction or real life.
IAS: Your documentary, The Wolfpack, reveals how culturally powerful movies can be - is that power part of what inspired you to be a filmmaker?Â
CM: Absolutely. Itâs a way of escaping into another world. Everybody can relate to film. Mukunda realized this was the perfect conversation starter "Whatâs your favorite movie?"Â
IAS: Who is your favorite director?
CM: I don't really have a favorite director but I will always love the fucked up poetic mess that Harmony Korine puts together perfectly. He is so pure with his filmmaking. He just does exactly what he wants and puts it out to the world and it works. I love Jane Campion as well.
IAS:Â What are your two favorite albums of all time and why?
CM: Sgt Pepper Lonely hearts album by The Beatles. It has been since I was 7. Â I love how it has a narrative to it, the songs bleed into each other.Â
IAS: What is your favorite song at the moment?
CM: âAmerica For Meâ from A Most Violent Year by Alex Ebert.
For our second post in the Leading Ladies series, we are highlighting Senior VP of A&R at Atlantic Records, Maureen Kenny. She previously did A&R at Columbia Records and Republic Records before joining Atlantic in 2014. Over her career, Maureen has signed acts such as MGMT, Chairlift, Of Monsters & Men, Weezer and Miike Snow.
IAS: Where did you grow up and where do you currently reside?
MK:Â I grew up in San Francisco, LA and Boston. I currently reside in LA.
IAS: When and why did you decide that you wanted to work in the music industry?
MK: In 1999, I moved to NY right out of college. I was not sure what I wanted to do but I was desperate for a job so I took a position as a receptionist at an independent label called Blackbird Records. After about a week of working there, I knew I wanted a career in the music industry. It took me a few more years to figure out that I wanted to specialize in A&R. I had two fantastic mentors early in my career. Â They taught me everything they knew and showed me that it was possible, so I went for it.
IAS: What does your typical weekday schedule look like?
MK: My typical weekday schedule starts with an early morning spin or yoga class, then I head to the office around 10 am. Iâm in the office until early evening answering emails from various artists, producers, songwriters and managers. Â On most weekday evenings, I usually have dinners with industry friends or go see a live show.
IAS: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
MK: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a professional photographer. Â Sometimes I still want to.
IAS: To date, what has been the biggest challenge for you in this industry? What do you find to be the most rewarding?
MK: The biggest challenge for me has been learning to trust my gut but also be ok with being wrong sometimes. Â A&R is a career of high risks as well as high rewards when it works. Itâs about learning to roll with the ups and downs of the job.
IAS: What are your top 5 favorite records? Present or of all time?
MK: My all time favorites are Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin, Radiohead In Rainbows, Beastie Boys Paulâs Boutique, and Iâm presently obsessed with Leon Bridges Coming Home and Tame Impala Currents.
IAS: Whatâs your favorite venue and/or city to see a show?
MK: My favorite venue is Stubbs in Austin, Texas. I have traveled to Austin for SXSW every March for the last 14 years. Austin fans are the best and seeing a show at Stubbâs is always the highlight!
IAS: Being as you work with many creatives, do you have a personal creative outlet you practice outside of work?
MK: I still dabble in photography for fun. I like to shoot film on old cameras.
IAS: Any advice to aspiring artist? Any advice to the veterans?
MK: For an aspiring artist, I would advise that they spend the majority of their time studying the craft of songwriting and not worry so much about style or trends. Â For veterans, I really have no advice because this business is a beast and if you are still doing it after many years, then I just applaud you.
IAS: And last but not least, what's your favorite quote?
MK: âInvictusâ by William Ernest Henley âI am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."
To begin a series about powerful working women, we chose to spotlight Julia Willinger. She is the VP of A&R and Publishing at Mom + Pop and the co-founder of the independent label, The Blue Rider. Julia is responsible for signing Jagwar Ma and Courtney Barnett, as well as doing A&R for Flume, Polica, and Sleigh Bells.
IAS: Where did you grow up and where do you currently reside?Â
JW: I grew up in New Jersey and currently reside in the East Village.
IAS: When and why did you decide that you wanted to work in the music industry?Â
JW: When I was thinking about what I would be doing over the summer after my freshmen year of college, I was considering going to Paris for an art and architecture program. My best friend didn't want me to go away so she found me an internship at a record label to apply to. She understood my obsession and skill with finding undiscovered talent before I did. Somehow I got that internship, potentially based on my knowledge of hip hop and going to school in the south, where my future intern boss happened to be from. From that point on, I knew this is what I had to do. I haven't stopped working in music and pursuing my passion of becoming an A&R since.
IAS: What does your typical weekday schedule look like?
JW: I don't have that typical of a week but I do go to the office most days around 10/10:30 and shows at least a few nights a week. Other than work, I can be found trying some new workout or yoga, hanging with friends, writing, reading, drawing, meetings, meditating... etc. I also go to school for Contemplative Psychotherapy and am doing a yoga teacher training this fall.
IAS: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
JW: I had no idea, but I always wanted to help people in some way. I also wanted to be able to use my creative and artistic side. I have always felt a desire to try everything, but wasn't sure what the one thing would be.
IAS: To date, what has been the biggest challenge for you in this industry? What do you find to be the most rewarding?
JW:Â Staying strong. I have been told no and pushed down so many times. When I listen to my internal gut and instincts, it usually leads me in the right direction, so always paying attention to that. I don't care if I fail anymore because my heart is in the right place. The most rewarding thing is working with artists I believe in and getting to help them grow, while connecting with them and having even a small impact. Getting to work with artists and people who want to work with me is magical. Being told âthank youâ from bands I work with, and for, is honestly beyond rewarding. It doesn't matter how "big" the bands I work with get. I just feel honored to be part of the teams and work my butt off for what we both believe in.
IAS: What are your top 5 favorite records? Present or of all time?
JW: Hard question but itâs got to be Nas - Illmatic, Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde, Tame Impala - Innerspeaker, Radiohead - Ok Computer, and A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory.
All for different reasons! Lately love the new UMO, Kendrick and Courtney Barnett :)
IAS: Whatâs your favorite venue and/or city to see a show?
JW: I always seem to have a magical experience at both Music Hall in the burg and the 930 Club.
IAS: Being as you work with many creatives, do you have a personal creative outlet you practice outside of work?
JW: Many! I survive by drawing, writing, and recently trying to play the bass. Any way to get out my feelings and creative energy.
IAS: Any advice to aspiring artist? Any advice to the veterans?
JW: Find your own voice and express it. And don't rush, if it's good, it won't need to come out right now. Veterans, don't forget about why you are doing this and that it's about the music.
IAS: And last but not least, what's your favorite quote?
JW: Obviously Courtney Barnett has some amazing ones, "I think your a joke, but I don't find you very funny" and "give me all your money, and Iâll make you origami" are such amazing lyrics...they make me want to laugh and cry, they are so perfect!
I have become obsessed with both Oscar Wilde and David Whythe.
"Our work is to make ourselves visible to the world. This is the soul's individual journey, and the soul would much rather fail at its own life than succeed at someone else's." - David Whythe
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at stars." - Oscar Wilde
Los Angeles based photographer, Shelby Duncan, exclusively shared her photo series with us from a recent trip she took to Tangier, Morocco where she photographed Chilean aristocrat, artist, and poet Baron Francisco De Corcuera Gandarillas - one of the many expatriates who have settled in the region.Â
Nestled in the northernmost tip of Morocco, Tangier is a basin that many travel to and never depart from by their own volition. These eccentric and nomadic expatriates, among them, Francisco, an artist, poet, and aristocrat, are what Tangier has become known for. In April of 2014, The New York Times featured Francisco and several other expatriates of Tangier.Â
Shelby described her meeting Francisco, âI was in Morocco for a short trip, only four days, and met Francisco the first day at a cafe in Tangier. He was wearing a very dapper suit with an array of vibrant colors, laughing and swaying his hands about like an absolute mad hatter. Completely enchanted by his charm and very audacious nature, I asked him if I could join his party for mint tea and then ended up roaming the city with him for the next two days.â
Shelby created the photo series during her walks through Tangier with Francisco. She asked Francisco to craft a poem, inspired by their serendipitous meeting, to pair with the photos below:Â
This text I love:
While you preen
Moon muse of the saturnine
Your face changing with the tides
And I, in this rigid chair,
Chained to the bone marrow
Of doomed love, regard.
Grasp this, my silver disc
And you will understand
Why
The garden of arts
Is in terrible need
Of a bit of weeding.
A Divine Game, after all.Â
In March of 2015, we visited Lord Huronâs studio space in Los Angeles. We chatted with frontman Ben Schneider about the space and Lord Huronâs forthcoming album, Strange Trails, out April 7th, 2015. Since writing his debut EP in May 2010, Into the Sun, inspired by and written on Lake Huron, Michigan, Ben is still influenced by his surrounding environment when it comes to songwriting. We sat down with Ben and asked him how the studio plays a role in his continuing environmental inspiration.Â
How long have you had your studio? How did you find it?
Weâve been in here almost a year now. We had been on the lookout for a place where we could rehearse, record and take care of business. A clubhouse or LH-HQ, you could say. We werenât really finding much, and we were losing hope. Then we came across this place in the classifieds. From the posting, it didnât look like much, but we decided to check it out anyway. Turns out, sheâs a real gem.
Have you done a lot of work building the studio out? What is your favorite part about the space?
It had been sitting unused for many years, so there was a bit of work to be done. We had to strip out some obsolete or time-ravaged gear and cabling and replace it with our stuff. But for the most part, the acoustic infrastructure was perfect. We didnât have to do much on that front. They donât make âem like this anymore.
Do you also use your place to rehearse? It looks so cozy; do you have friends come over often?
Yep, we do everything here. Record, rehearse, handle business â we even shot our video here. We have a pretty constant stream of friends and colleagues coming through to hang out or work on projects. Itâs command central. The missile defense system will be up and running shortly.Â
Your work is heavily influenced by places you have been to. Does your studio space call upon a similar inspiration in your new album, Strange Trails?
Most of the record had been written by the time we got into the studio. Despite that, I think the space did influence Strange Trails. Aside from sonics, thereâs a haunted feeling to this place that I think you can hear just below the surface throughout the record. A darkness and unease thatâs also somehow inviting. A big, dark hug.
In what ways is Strange Trails different from your previous work?Â
Thatâs a tough question to answer having such an intimate relationship with the album. From my perspective itâs different in so many ways. But I know not everyone will hear it that way. I guess Iâll leave that one to the experts.
Have you incorporated any of your visual projects into the studioâs design?Â
Weâve done a little sprucing up, but nothing too deep. Weâre using it for so many different purposes. It feels good to keep it somewhat of a clean slate, where we can come in and do anything we need to do, be that record, shoot some photos, film a video, or throw a dance party.
Tell us a bit more about the instruments in the studio. What are your favorites and what one instrument has been critical in getting the sound you wanted for the new album?Â
Thereâs nothing too crazy in here. A lot of guitars, a lot of percussion stuff. Weâve invented a few things along the way. The Gong Pedal Xâ˘, The Lâil Snapperâ˘, Bubbyâs Cubby⢠and the Chub Dingerâ˘. But I think the coffee maker was our recording MVP.
And lastly, what one thing do you want that would make your studio complete?
Marcelo Gomes is a Brazilian-born photographer, director, and writer hailing from New York City who has exclusively shared with us his photos from a recent trip to Tokyo. His past projects include photography for The New York Times, Levi's, Harper's Bazaar and Opening Ceremony.
Check out his Instagram to follow his every day photography.
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