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In the past few weeks, we’ve recently caught wind of a fresh duo that started making music together while one of them was in London and the other was in LA. The sound, though, is so cohesive that you would never think there was any distance at all in how they recorded. Needless to say, they did something right, crashing onto the scene with “Down” and the incredible follow-up “Blades,” which they just released some dope visuals for. Watch it below our chat, it’s very well done! After seeing them perform at a small gig in Los Angeles, we caught up with the guys and got the lowdown on their inspirations, favorite gear, and what they’re up to next.
Hey guys, thanks so much for taking the time talk to us here at GroundSounds! For those just discovering your music for the first time, how would you best describe your sound?
I guess we could best describe it as electronic soul.
What’s the recording process like? You’re working on music from thousands of miles apart, so who gets sent what first?
Linden Jay: It varies, sometimes Roméo sends me an a cappella idea for a hook and then I’ll build a beat that I think will work and send it over for him to put down the idea on. Alternatively, often I make a beat and send it over for Roméo to vibe ideas on. It’s a bit of a free for all until the idea starts to take shape!
We recently caught you guys play a few songs in K-town here in Los Angeles. Was that your first show together?
Roméo: Yup! This was the first one. This was a bit of landmark trip because of this show we had. We only decided to play it a few days before it happened, so it was a good test of how we work under pressure. It was also sick to be able to bring the songs to life for the first time in front of an audience.
I always love to learn about what sort of equipment or unique ideas artists have when it comes to the technical side of the recording process. Any favorite gear or techniques that you use?
L: The production/engineering side and the studio process is incredibly important to me as it’s what translates the song in the most coherent way. We try to experiment as much as possible, but I definitely have my go-to tools. The way I usually work in my studio in London is I first record as many live instruments and analog synths as possible. Once I get all the ideas into Ableton, I level it all up with software in the box, which gives it that modern shine but with real tone from outside the box. My most used gear for FARR is: UAD, Shure SM7b, AKG 414, Juno 6, Moog Prodigy and a huge box of percussion.
What sort of music did you guys listen to growing up? What were some of those early influences?
R: We both come from pretty eclectic musical upbringings. I grew up with everything from Classical to R&B to Latin Jazz playing around the house. My first concert was James Brown at the Greek in LA, that was really the moment everything changed for me influentially.
L: Growing up in London I was exposed to so many different styles. I spent years playing drums in rock bands as well as going to a Saturday jazz big band which I learnt a lot in. When I was finishing school I got heavily into dance music and became really inspired by production and engineering. I listened to such a wide array of music from across the eras, and I’m still inspired by totally new sounds.
Are there any specific venues or festivals that you guys hope to play one day?
L: I’d love to play at Roundhouse in London, I grew up not too far from there and saw some classic shows there throughout my youth. Glastonbury would be a milestone for sure.
R: Yeah, I just want to play to more than 11 people.
What else is on the horizon for you this Summer and Fall? When can fans hear some new tracks?
We have another single coming soon called ‘Rebel Soul’ which is a real level up from the last two releases. After that, we’ll get some shows lined up and gear up for the next tracks we’re releasing.
