Catching Up With Stardust Creatures + Watch “Spaced Out”

A few weeks ago, we featured NYC-based dance-psych-rockers Stardust Creatures and their debut, self-titled EP. Now, the band is back with a cosmic new video for standout single “Spaced Out” which we’re featuring below.

To go along with the video, we sent Stardust Creatures some interview questions to help get to know them better. Check it all out below and look for more from the band here.

Hi, Stardust Creatures! Congrats on your new single and video. Can you tell us a little more on who you are and how you first got into making music?

Hi! Thanks! Everyone in the band is from various corners of New York, and we’ve all been playing music since we were kids. I decided to learn guitar at 11 after someone lent me a Jimi Hendrix CD (which I promptly broke). I’ve known Kristen Mita and Colin O’Rourke for a long time because we used to work together at a center for kids with learning disabilities, and we met Adam Marks and George Sarpola through mutual friends at jam sessions and house parties around the city. We’re all very close now, like a big happy family except louder.

What’s your songwriting process like? Who are some of your biggest influences?

My process is pretty scattershot- I’ve never been able to say “OK, it’s 5:00pm, time to work on some songs.” I have music floating around in my head almost all the time, and if a particular melody or idea strikes me I try to pluck it out of the air and transform it into something people will to listen to.

In terms of influences, we like a lot of synthy post-punk, stuff like Devo, Talking Heads and New Order, as well as dreamier electronic acts like Röyksopp and Air. We’re also flower children at heart, so we have a soft spot for psychedelic music and space-age pseudo-spirituality. The lineup has a pretty eclectic set of musicians- between us we’ve dabbled in jazz, rock, funk, hip hop, dance music, etc. As for me personally, I’m a chronically sad white boy so obviously I love Radiohead and post-rock bands with preposterously long names. All of that stuff finds its way into the music in one form or another.

What is “Spaced Out” about? How did it come to be?

The song is about the awkwardness of growing up as a space cadet on planet earth. I have a hard time focusing, sitting still, and staying organized- the kind of stuff people associate with being a responsible adult. Eventually, you figure it out and adapt, but it gets frustrating and you feel like you’re treading water a lot of the time. It can make you feel pretty alienated like they shipped you to the wrong planet by mistake.

The video was a collaboration with filmmaker Raymond Chu, who is brilliant and was vital to the project. It was a lot of work to put it together- we spent a few all-nighters making costumes and props. The masks were based on really cool designs from a company called Wintercroft. Shooting in the city was a crazy adventure, as the space suit was very hot and falling apart constantly. The rave scene, on the other hand, was a really fun hang with some great people. My friend Cory Travallo stole the show as the androgynous space deity at the end- he’s a talented actor and hosts a lot of parties in the gay nightlife scene, so I was really excited when he agreed to play the part.

What drew you into the space and psychedelic vibes of the song and video?

Part of it is camp- we get a kick out of low budget sci-fi movies, old Godzilla flicks, things like that. We wanted to do something that would illustrate the meaning of the song while still being playful. The space suit was a great way to convey a sense of disconnection with the surrounding world, which is one of the key themes of the lyrics. As for the psychedelic rave scenes, we wanted to create a fantasy space that we could contrast with the mundane world, sort of an idealized reality with alternate hierarchies and values. The trippy bits of the song are definitely meant to convey transportation to some kind of alternative zone, albeit in a way that relies on certain musical tropes, so the rave scene was a natural extension of that. The B movie sci-fi and duct tape costumes let us play with all of these ideas without getting overly serious or pretentious- we want people to think, but we also want them to have fun.

Is “Spaced Out” indicative of where your sound is headed in the future?

Definitely. In the past, we’ve played around with bits of freak folk and straight ahead rock, but recently it’s the space sounds that have been most inspiring.

Any new artists/venues/purveyors of the arts in NYC you could turn our readers onto?

There’s a group called The Living Strange who we’ve played shows with in the past- they put out an album recently that I thought was really great.

Also, we’re good friends with a band called the Values, who got a pretty cool write up recently.

They have new music coming out in early May, plus they’re working on some other exciting things that I shouldn’t reveal. Definitely, keep an eye on them!

Finally, Sami Stevens & the Man I Love have a record out, if you’re into neo-soul/hip hop/jazz you should check them out. Sami has an absolutely incredible voice and some amazing musicians behind her.

Where can we follow you and where can our readers catch you live next?

We’re live at the Footlight on May 11th! We were invited by a great artist called the Reddd, and we’re super stoked.

In terms of social media, we’re most active on Instagram and Facebook.

You can always learn about shows and other doings on our website.

Any parting thoughts? Open platform!

Thanks again!