Montreal’s minimalist avant-pop duo She-Devils form ethereal and hypnotic soundscapes that curiously draw the listener into the duo’s realm. Kyle Jukka’s vinyl samples blend seamlessly with Audrey Ann’s voice, resulting in a tantalising and multi-layered expressive complexity… We talk to the uplifting duo about their debut EP, The Simpsons and Star Wars…
TSH: How would you best describe your creative partnership?
Kyle: It's the opposite of when people make a conscious decision to "collaborate". Kind of the way brothers and sisters don't decide to be that way. We just kind of are bound by something; it's hard to say what that is.
Audrey: Cosmic fate.
TSH: In terms of tones and styles, what were you drawn to as you began to form your latest music?
Kyle: Dusty, smudged, subtle distortions, round, circus, sparkle, light burn, over-exposure, crudely cut with the images poking over the edges.
TSH: Tell us more about your musical approach consisting of any recorded music that’s been recorded at any point being potential material, fabric or thread to be fed into your ‘sewing machine’…. What this approach entails?
Kyle: It's a fantasy machine, listening to any music or watching movies, old TV shows, commercials, anything. If we hear something that has a certain character and could become a functional part our un-ending collage it can go in it. I think function is important and it can be a fine line between function and ornament, because ornaments have a function as well. A lot of music for me imposes involuntary visualisations. I work a lot from that perspective.
TSH: From your standpoint, what does the debut EP signify and convey to you?
Kyle: Just starting up the engine.
TSH: ‘Come’ conjures up such jovial and uplifting soundscapes, how was the song constructed between the two of you?
Audrey: Kyle gave me the basic sample that you hear looping over and over in the song, and I put it on my sampler. At that time we had a studio that had a giant broken mirror and I could see my body in it, but not my face because it was broken in such a way. When the sample came on I started dancing a little, and then the vocal melody came to me and I started dancing more and was doing kind of a choreography as I was singing - this is the first time I constructed a song physically. I didn't take it seriously; it's just for fun, you know?... I showed it to Kyle and then it became clear that we both liked it…
Kyle: I just made that loop and found it had this funny personality, it's round at the bottom and just glides so smoothly on top, it kind of laughs and has a mischievous imagination. It's little bit sweet and little bit mean. A little bit Bart Simpson on Sunday with the babysitter.
TSH: ‘Where There's No One’ is a sublime song. Tell us more about having the approach with this song by saying a lot without using many words…
Audrey: You're dragging your feet down, carrying a huge bucket of water. It's much larger and heavier than your own body, but you can't spill it. You have to be very careful not to spill it or else you will drown. You'll take everyone else with you if you can't lift that bucket any longer.
TSH: Also the video for ‘Where There's No One’ is also dazzling, was it pleasing to add a simple yet striking outcome to the song with visuals?
Audrey: It was gratifying. This song was more difficult for me to visualise because of the emotional content. Visually it's easier for me to express myself with bright colours and bold shapes. It was a challenge to conceptualise and produce a video like this. Of course when we were done, we felt relieved and proud that we saw it through.
TSH: What sort of motivations do you draw on to pen a track like ‘I Wanna Touch You’?
Audrey: I was trying to express my desire for someone, while pondering the uncertainty of reciprocated feelings.
TSH: What do you identify with and admire mostly about ’60s French pop?
Audrey: I'm francophone and both my parents were really into music, so I grew up influenced by different kinds of music. I remember being 9 and finding this compilation of Serge Gainsbourg songs and it made me feel a way no other music had before. I was at once fascinated and repelled by him. I didn’t make much of it, but later on as a late teenager I fell under his spell and I wanted to know more about him and who he's worked with (France Gall, Brigitte Bardot, Juliette Greco for example.) Recently I've also discovered Clothilde who has had an incredibly short career, but she is the ultimate French bad girl for kids… I think it really speaks to me because it is part of my cultural heritage, being able to understand the lyrics is an advantage, and my interest in French pop goes beyond the '60s to the early days of cabaret.
Kyle: I love the phrasing and the melodies and just the construction, it mirrors American music but obviously has so many of its own idiosyncrasies, I don't really understand the words.
TSH: Does your ethos very much centre around your statement on ‘creating impressions that burrow into the heart and imagination’…
Kyle: I think we just try to throw words around in a way that makes sense and services the work in some way. The work itself is always evolving and will in time shake itself out of so many of the statements you try to hang on it.
TSH: As you constantly refine and imply diversity with your music, what does it mean for you to push these boundaries and challenge yourselves in this way?
Audrey: We get to create an artistic identity of our own. The more time goes by the more you understand what you do, and not only do you understand your artistic identity, you start to get glimpses into the way your brain makes decisions and processes the world around you. We create a theme with repetition.
TSH: Does building and fleshing out from samples give you a certain wider scope to work with?
Kyle: It's certainly different than being a guitar band. Although even guitar playing can get kind of painterly with certain guitarists. It just changes the perspective and for me it’s very visual, but maybe that’s just the way I am with all music. There's a language that exists between my ears and eyes, whatever I do needs to be able to translate into that language smoothly, thoughtlessly. That's all I know.
TSH: What can you tell us about your fond admiration for The Simpsons…
Audrey: Well, I grew up watching The Simpsons! They have been a part of my imagination since I was so very little… I love cartoons in general, but The Simpsons are my generation's top. You can't beat them. It's clever, funny and comforting. It's also very artful, I've been paying attention to the slightest details recently, while watching older episodes, and there are a lot of treasures.
TSH: How cool was your time spent at a new venue in Brooklyn called National Sawdust?
Kyle: I loved it, it was very futuristic and cave like. Aesthetically it just works. It wasn't the best for us as performers but my praise goes out to the designer(s)!
TSH: What promoted the following unique tweet ‘I have as much charisma as a tiger that's about to jump at your throat lol’…
Audrey: Ha! Let's say that sometimes I feel like I grew up in the Jungle and was raised by feral animals.
TSH: Furthermore, being avid Star Wars fans, can you tell us your top moments from ‘The Force Awakens’?
Audrey: In no particular order: When Finn wants to help Rey as she's being attacked by some thugs trying to steal BB-8 and he soon realises that she kicks ass. Also, when Kylo Ren takes his mask off and when everything turns dark red on Kylo Ren's face right before he does the unthinkable.
TSH: What’s pleased you most with your progression to date?
Kyle: Just the structure of our lives and creative relationship. Things are really getting put in their right places, tightening the laces and greasing up the gears. It’s the spiritual gratification of building something that learns how to become increasingly functional with time. Doing it leads to more of IT. The discourse accelerates and is pointing towards what we're going for with greater and greater strength.
Audrey: It gives us focus and meaning.
TSH: Finally, what features in life would you say bring you most euphoria?
Kyle: I eat almond butter with banana, coconut oil and salt on toast in the morning, that's about the most pure sensual pleasure I experience all day.
Audrey: Ahhh the moment you realise you're seeing an oasis in the desert it's gone!
