Five Questions

  There’s hints of psychedelic music in your songs, but are there any influences people wouldn’t expect?

There's that, and especially in my latest tracks like "Coconut Oil" and "Rainy Day in Southern California", there's a tropic/caribbean vibe. Hence the title of my upcoming album "Vibes from the Tropic Box". Sometimes I get inspired by weird shit too, like random background noises that I hear while recording. Like, one time while recording in my apartment in Long Beach, I heard the cars from the Long Beach Grand Prix zooming by, and it sounded so natural that I just added it to the beat.

 If you could pick any artist, dead or alive, to collaborate with, who would it be and why?

King Krule, he's got weird yet powerful voice. Kali Uchis, her style just fits with what I'm doing with the whole tropic box vibes. And Lianne La Havas, she's gotta really smooth "Sade-esque" voice, topped with an eclectic artistry. I wouldn't want to work with anyone dead, unfortunately their time was up for a reason. It's time for the youth to shine now.

 Coconut Oil is famed for its multi-purpose miracles, what is, in your opinion, its greatest use?

Cooking. I like to cook!

  How effective do you think music can be expressing what’s going on in America in terms of BLM and racial politics?

It all depends on how you do it. A lot of peeps make music basically describing what's going on and how fucked up it is. And that's cool, but everybody does it. So I'm like, at the end of the day we all want peace. That's what "Coconut Oil" is. It encourages black folks to love their blackness and to show love to everyone.

 Of all the songs you’ve produced, which is your proudest achievement?

 How important is it to balance authenticity with escapism in rap?

Being authentic is something that’s really important to me as an artist. I like to approach music I make as ‘boom, this is me, unapologetically, take it or leave it’. Nobody wants to hear something that doesn’t sound genuine, right? It just won’t resonate. At the same time for most of us rappers and myself too, music provides an avenue to channel feelings into something creative and beautiful, even if it is beautifully destructive in its style. That feeling of freedom is definitely something I think most musicians feel when they’re doing what they do, especially rappers. For me though, I don’t think of my music within the paradigm of escapism. I’m fully aware that I am a part of this world, I’ve observed it, questioned it, criticised it and described it and I hope my music creates a space for all of this and whatever is beyond to occur.

 How has your area, scene and upbringing affected your music and sound?

I grew up originally on an estate in Bow, East London, the heart and birthplace of grime and then moved to nearby Poplar. My upbringing was shaped by being exposed to a lot of things from an early age, whether that’s seeing Asian gangs on the estate literally warring each other throwing hammers at each other, to people jumping from the block and drug needles all over. I embraced grime with my older sister, Melodee, from the very start, using school books for lyrics and hitting up grime sets on pirate radio stations with crews I was involved in. My favourite MC was Kano. As a younger I went on Heat FM on 96.6 and hit up AxeFM a few times as well. My lyrical content reflected the life that I was surrounded by which wasn’t very pretty but I always had a certain perspective that was more introspective and a feeling that I ‘knew better’. I eventually got exposed to and discovered the likes of Immortal Technique, Dead Prez, and reggae legends like Dennis Brown and Capleton by my Dad and from there my music took a turn. From there that’s where I began to get into poetry and started experimenting with flows over hip hop. I met Akala at a youth club with my sister, Melodee, when I was 15-16 and then got introduced to performing with a live band. So sound wise I’ve been shaped by grime, hip hop and reggae, but these days I am really feeling the whole atmospheric neo-soul-jazz kind of vibe.

 How do you feel the resurgence of Grime and London being put back on the map?

I never thought grime was going to have a resurgence to be honest, it seemed like after Giggs dropped talking the hardest, everybody was slowing their raps down on a crazy one and then began emulating American flows and we were doomed to copying them but for the legends who kept pushing. I am so glad those who are veterans in the grime scene kept pushing like Skepta, JME, Ghetts, Wretch 32 because these guys are amazing at what they do and inspired the few to keep pushing for it. I’m glad grime is back and London and the UK are getting the recognition they deserve for our home-grown sound. That said I still think the UK has a way to go to REALLY do something amazing artistically like say Kendrick Lamar.

 You’ve expressed how Krishnamurti’s The Awakening of Intelligence has impacted you, but what other non-musical influences have helped to craft your music?

Definitely, the Awakening of Intelligence is an amazing book. So amazing I had to reference it on my track Shadow and I’m even reading it again now! I spotted the book in Akala’s mini-library when I was maybe 17 and the element inside of really figuring things out for yourself resonated with me on a deep level. That gave me a certain insight into myself for when I create music. In terms of other non-musical influences, I would have to say my Dad, who passed away of cancer back in 2011 when I was 18. He was a super intelligent guy with a great sense of humour and the way he questioned world events as they happened, such as say 9/11, definitely has shaped how I think about delivering messages in my music. That said he was chilled out as well and always up for a good time so that reminds me to strike a balance in my music to not always appear to be preaching about something and just create nice vibes.

 If you could work with any current artist, who would it be and why?

   How would you describe your sound?

Our music is contemporary fusion of R&B, Jazz, Afro Beat, and Soul we like to refer to it as Cosmic soul. 

  You draw from a range of musical influences, but what non-musical things drive you to create your music?

My name is "Ngonda" in Congolese this means "The Moon" Lady moon & the Eclipse is a musical experience guided by the moon's relationship with her band which symbolizes as the "Sun" shedding light on the moon amplifying her melodic message to intensify or sooth your inner waters, manipulating your moods as "star people" of Earth. The experience become a metaphoric eclipse which the Sun, Moon, and Earth become aligned creating a unique moment in times as does many performances in the arts.

  How did your seven piece band form?

I started the concept of Lady Moon & The Eclipse when I was 22 years old which was about 8 years ago in a small city upstate called Hudson NY. I worked with many musicians who represented the sun. When I moved to NYC in 2010 to study music at Hunter College I took a break from leading the project but continued to perform with Pianist Arlen Hart who is a current member of the band. I decided in 2012 after my father passed that I wanted to establish a more committed Sun for Lady Moon & The Eclipse and together Arlen and I brought in people we knew to represent the Sun. Arlen brought in Ken Reichl who is our Drummer and Lead Manager, Marketing Specialist, I brought in Jonathan who is our bassist, as well as the singers which include my sisters Ntangou and Nkoula Badila and former singer Aatifa Drayton.

  How has your upbringing affected your music and creative process?

The way we work is so cohesively that the sound becomes a beautiful unique combination of Hip-hop, RNB, Rock, Classical, Afro beat, Jazz, Funk and everything that musically inspires us as individuals. I have always been a person who believes that to lead is to bring out the leaders in everyone. So everyone has the freedom to express their ideas and contributions to the music. I also grew up with a big family. My Grandparents on both sides had 13 children and my parents had 10. I basically grew up in big communities and I learned at a young age how to work with and understand people as unique individuals. Everyone has a voice and different ways of expressing themselves and it’s good to acknowledge and respect that so we can work cohesively as a community of people.

  What is the relevance of space and time to your work?

How did RONiiA form?

RONiiA formed in the summer of 2013, as a way for Mark & Nona to improvise & experiment with electronic sounds. Really, it was a break from their other projects at the time, and a way for them both to create new music without any pressures for it to sound a certain way. Fletcher joined the band in early 2014 to help perform the synth parts live, and together the trio wrote and recorded the self-titled debut release. 

 How have you approached Sisters differently to the last record and your other groups?

The Sisters EP came together in a unique way; Mark was living in Venice Beach at the time, Nona was busy with a licensing residency in downtown Minneapolis, and Fletcher was working on a commission project for the Jerome Foundation. Basically, we made the tracks through the internet by passing takes back and forth through email. Not exactly the most romantic way to write, but for us, it worked somehow. Our communication about crafting a track was already really strong, so somehow each of us working out our parts in our own studios didn't come across as sterile as it sounds. The connection we established writing and touring the first record really showed itself through this long distance process. 

 Do you feel that the different places you come from has an effect on the outcome of the music?

No doubt. Not in a competitive way or anything. It's like New York City, every time we get together to write, everyone just lays down their authentic style & the outcome is this beautiful mix. 

 The name Ronia comes from an Astrid Lindgren novel, how has other non-musical art inspired you?

The community here in Minneapolis definitely plays a big role in how the music turns out. Being inspired by the scene is essential to our process. Luckily, the long winters here lay a real strong foundation for amazing art & music. Emotion also plays a big part in the music we create. Basically, the world is a really heavy place right now, and recording Sisters gave each of us a place to channel our reactions.

 Who are your favorite up and coming bands right now?

How would you describe JMYSTR in three words?

JMYSTR in three words: dark, alternative, R&B

Who has been the biggest influence on your music and why?

The biggest influence(s) in my career have got to be The Weeknd and BANKS. Simply for their individual sounds, the vibe they portray in their music, attitude towards social media, all of that is inspiring to me. You can hear tinges of the ‘Kiss Land’ era and the 'London’ EP vibe in my album.

How would you describe the development of your music since your first demos?

I've not been producing/writing songs for that long (4 years) but already I believe I have improved significantly and developed my own style, which I find important. At the start back in college I would just be looking to get used to the software, create simple melodies to fit borderline mainstream music. Now I'm more into making darker music, with several synths, repetitive melodies and sounds with an overall eery vibe, that's beautiful to me.

What plans do you have in terms of releases and playing live?

For releases, my debut single, 'Better' which features Luchana Shaw, is out on SoundCloud now and will be available on iTunes/Spotify/Google Play within days too. The whole album, It's Taken A While, is out April 22 and while I still have 1-2 tracks to finish, I'm proud of how it's sounding as I've been working on it for the past 18 months. Live performances are something I really want to get into! There's not really been any opportunities for me as yet, but I will be looking to find venues, maybe even sign up to an opportunities company to get a set or two. I'll probably have more luck once the album comes out!

Are there any small or local artists would you tip for success?

What influences have helped shape the new EP?

Some influences that helped shaped EP included listening to a lot of Funk bands like Vulfpeck and our all-time favorites Red Hot Chili Peppers. We wanted to shape our own sound and get people to dance with this new record.

When touring, what music you all listen to?

Damn, we listen to a ton of music before shows. Some would include Bear Hands, Katastro, Private Island, and Badbadnotgood.

How do you feel about funk in the mainstream since Mark Ronson and Kendrick Lamar have helped popularise it?

It's good to see that funk is coming back, and it's our goal to bring it back. It's a lost art that should be mainstream. Kendrick Lamar's new album is a great fusion of jazz, funk and hip hop. We totally dig that.

Who are your favourite up and coming Californian bands and artists right now?

Private Island, Hunny, Max and the Moon, Nightair and Oyster Kids.

What inspires you right now?

How did you both meet and form Bruising?

Naomi: We met in a club called the Cockpit in Leeds, and when we realised that we loved the same bands, we decided to form one and sent voice memos back and forth for a few months before turning them into 'real songs'. 

 What artists, inside and out of music, have influenced your musical output so far?

Naomi: Musically, I would say we're influenced by the melodies and fun lovin' riffs of bands like Pavement, The Breeders and The Lemonheads, and lyrically by Radiator Hospital, Joni Mitchell and All Dogs. I am influenced and inspired by Kanye West's confidence, discipline and perfectionism; by Tracey Emin's honesty and poetry; and by so many of my friends who make art just for them. 

Ben: For my guitarness it's always either what would happen in this Weezer/Pixies/Breeders/Guided By Voices song then do exactly that. No shame/.

 How important (if at all) is authenticity?

Naomi: Authenticity is important to us. The way i try and maintain authenticity is by being honest in my lyrics and always feeling lucky and honoured to be able to play shows of any size, anywhere.

Ben: Yeah, we believe in what we do, and love what we do, and I think if it got to a point where it didn't feel 'authentic' or like we weren't into anymore, or it was just an act, we wouldn't be doing it.

 How would you describe your music?

Naomi: Our songs are definitely pop songs, just sad ones with loud guitars.

 Who are your favourite small/up and coming Leeds bands right now?

Naomi: There are so many! Is it cheating to say our bassist's band? anyway, they're great and they're called Don't. 

What’s the process of creating your very textual, psychedelic songs?

For me, it's all about recording, whether its actual music or just little conceptual ideas. I'm not very good at just sitting down and writing a song from beginning to end, so I'm always making half-baked demos on the computer or recording little bits and sketches on my phone's voice memos as stuff pops into my head. I also write a lot of lines and ideas for lyrics whenever I'm going for groceries or something mundane like that. Once I have enough ideas I try to fit the ones that go together like a little collage or puzzle. 

 What influences have helped to shape the new record?

It'd probably be different depending on who you'd talk to in the band, so I can only really speak for myself. I guess I got really into Stereolab's jazzy albums (Cobra and Phases Group, Emperor Tomato Ketchup, & Dots and Loops) while finishing up the record, and I think you can kinda hear that in the production and synth sounds. I also had a pretty crazy bike accident and broke my elbow while I still had guitar parts to record, so I tried to add other textures to fill the void. Maybe while writing it was more stuff like Can, Broadcast, Homosexuals or Brian Eno though.

 Sonatine is also available as a limited cassette tape, what are your thoughts on their resurgence and the importance of physical formats?

I think that both the physical and digital formats are more important than they've ever been right now. It's so easy to release something digitally now, you could finish something and immediately put it on the internet for people to hear, which is pretty great for artists like Drake or Un Blonde that are super productive because they can have constant output.

Though even with the domination of digital sales, people still mostly care and write about the tapes or LPs or CDs that are put out. I think the fact that there's another option makes the decision to create a tangible item a stronger statement.

 How would you describe the development of your music since your first demos?

I feel like the latest album is kind of what we've wanted to do the whole time, and we were just kind of zoning in to what we were trying to make when we were first writing together as teenagers. Though now that it's done, I'm really psyched to move on and do something fresh.

 Who are your favourite up and coming Canadian bands and artists right now?

What songs first inspired you to make music?

Early Strokes music (Is This It/Room On Fire), early Interpol (Turn On The Bright Lights/Antics), The Unicorns.

 Aside from music, what influenced the outcome and overall sound of Drugs?

Hard drugs

 How would you rate fellow Chicagoans The Orwells, Twin Peaks and others?

Orwells - 10 out of 10 

Twin Peaks - 10 out of 10 

They're both pretty badass bands, Chicago’s finest atm. 

 What’s the wildest gig you’ve ever played?

Symposium/Twin Peaks/Orwells house show at our bassist Benny's place.  Too many people showed up, I'm surprised no one died from asphyxiation. 

 Are there any other upcoming artists you would tip for success?

What influences led you to create your Jazz Indie combo?

We all listen to different types of music, from jazz acts like the Bad Plus and Kamasi Washington to big indie acts like Built to Spill and Modest Mouse to other music, like Regina Spektor, Alex G, Philip Glass and Hiatus Kaiyote. So I guess that whole library of records and artists led us to making this type of music.

 How do you feel your area, scene and upbringing affected your music?

That's a good question. I guess since we've been living in the same area for the past five or six years and hanging out with the same group of people and musicians, we've all been having an influence on each other, especially when we're just sharing bands with one another.

 How do you feel about artists like Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamar bringing modern Jazz into the mainstream consciousness?

I think it's amazing! Flying Lotus is one of our favorite artists, and his newest record, "You're Dead!" is unbelievable. And Kendrick's new record, "To Pimp A Butterfly" is the sickest album to come out of the mainstream in the past ten years. Not only with its jazz influence, but lyrically as well. It's incomparable.

 Are there any influences that don’t come across in the music?

Probably the song "Evil" by Interpol. That is the best jam ever.

 What’s process do you both go through to blend all these styles together while writing?

What was it like working and playing music with Angel Olsen?

It's been dope, she is a 100% intuitive artist and I've learned a lot playing with her. I still get blown away by her voice and on top of that she is a super talented songwriter. 

How does your artwork relate to the music?

The only relation would probably be the physical aspect. With the music, everything that's recorded is mic'd and there aren't any digital instruments. Similar with the artwork, it's physical ink on paper. But I don't really take myself seriously as a visual artist, it's more just about having fun. 

How can love be like a Turnstile?

That line just kind of came out when I was writing it, I don't really have any big ideas behind it. Sometimes it's better not to overthink stuff ya know?

How are you approaching the project differently this time around (after disbanding in 2010)?

Well Josh and I started playing shows in Chicago as Lionlimb in 2010, and we never disbanded. We've played shows every year since then, it's just that in 2014 we were really busy touring behind Angels record. The focus of the project for me has always been about the songwriting and then recording with Josh, which is still the case, but now we'll be working more on the live show. 

What inspires you right now?

How have you felt about the response you’ve been getting for the Hippie Castle EP, a 10/10 review isn’t bad is it?

The response to the EP - specifically "Fanfare" - has been, for lack of a better word, overwhelming. We were #1 on the Viral top 50 for Global/US/UK/Canada Spotify charts. It’s all been really exciting, but we’re still at the foothills of the mountain – there’s still a long road ahead of us.

What is the actual Hippie Castle like?

The Hippie Castle truly is a magical place. It's where all the songs were written, where we all found our current girlfriends, and the inspiration for the EP. It's a 70s style bungalow, nestled amongst a lush jungle of diverse flora and fauna. Where women lay sun bathing along the edge of the pool, and the keg blasts the golden soda of the summer, into our mouths, and random thrift store cups, and glasses. The music is blasting, and the sun is shining. There is not one care in the world. This is the spirit of the times.

You use rap in your songs and have covered hip-hop tracks in the past, how has hip-hop influenced you?

Hip Hop is a major influence for us. From classic, old skool jams/producers like J Dilla, to current artists like Kendrick [Lamar], we swim in all things that make the body move.

Some songs have elements of The Neighbourhood and others sound like Mark Ronson, yet you still have a unique sound, what would you say helps keep your music distinctive?

Mark Ronson is another huge influence, but I would say, the thing that keeps us distinctive is that we are not set into anyone one genre/mood. We write music that we want to, without anyone telling us what to do. We create music that moves us, and by the barometer, we imagine if will move our listeners as well.

Are there any tips you’d give to other bands around the Miami scene?

How would you describe your sound?

It's dreamy-pop music with elements of shoegaze and rock.

 How did you first discover music, and what helped you to start making it?

Jack: We all grew up in the early 90's watching MTV, Kerrang and Top of the Pops when music videos were on all day! I always wanted a Fender Strat and one Christmas a little black and white copy turned up.

Mattea: Stuff my Mum listened to like Joni Mitchell and Neil Young got me interested in music and lyrics - I got given a guitar shortly after Jack and we became obsessed with trying to write our own songs. I had a little four track tape player which we used to record on - we then saved up for a 12 track.

Daryl: I got given a guitar by a family friend and it went from there really!

 Aside from obvious influences, which bands have helped you create your music?

Mattea: Tricky question as we never deliberately set out to sound like anyone in particular! We all listen to a huge range of music and our taste is all so different - I think that's why it is so hard to pin point the sound.

Jack: We love to experiment with guitar sounds in the studio for hours before actually recording. I think bands like The Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine have encouraged us to do this. 

 Apart from your own, what’s the best record you’ve heard this year?

Darren: Technically it's not this year but nothing has topped The 1975's debut album yet for me.

Jack: Catfish and the Bottlemen - The Balcony 

Daryl: It's last year but Bombay Bicycle Club - So Long, See you tomorrow. 

Mattea: The Chemical Brothers - Born in the Echo's

 After two E.Ps, being played on BBC and receiving great reviews, what’s next for you guys?

Daryl: We're continuing to record and write music. I think our new material is by far the best stuff yet which is exciting. 

Darren: We're planning a bigger tour and looking into European dates at the moment.  

What’s the story behind the brilliant single IDIOT? The song is about my sister’s ex-husband. It’s basically saying how easy it has been to hate him because of the things he's done. I tried to keep the feel of the chorus fairly upbeat to give it some juxtaposition with the rest of the song. I like the fact that it’s not a cliché hate rant.

It’s often hard to sound so full in a three piece, how do you think you achieve it? We start the writing process by getting a full song down on drums and bass, so essentially the guitar adds those extra parts you'd have in a four piece. A bit like any two piece band with an extra instrument to fill the space.

Apart from the more obvious garage rock bands, are there any influences we wouldn’t expect in the band? We all love pop, we'd like to think more than most to tell the truth. Artists like Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars and John Mayor. Myself and our drummer James have always been into Metal as well. Every time I Die, Architects and Alexisonfire to name a few.

How did the features with Dr. Martens come about?

We were in Contact with The Joe Strummer Foundation who do brilliant work for unsigned bands. They got in Contact with the guys from Dr Martens and we received an email asking to use one of our tracks in their STAND FOR SOMETHING campaign. We are actually still in contact with them and will be announcing more news very soon so we all really excited about it.

Who are your favourite up and coming bands right now?