Interview: Simian Mobile Disco

By Kevin Yeoh  •  03 Nov 2009 in Features

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English lads James Ford and Jas Shaw of Simian Mobile Disco just released their new sophomore album titled Temporary Pleasure in May this year. They began their career with singles from Kitsuné Music which led them to fame for remixing tracks by Muse, Klaxons, Air and a whole lot more. Now, they are hooking up with big names such as Beth Ditto of Gossip, Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals and Chris Keating of Yeasayer. Get stylised with and our interview with the furious two. Here we go.

How’s London?
London is great.

Are you concerned that people regard to you as a dance band and disregard your lyrics?
People get what we do from a number of different angles, that’s not a problem for us.

Why make this a song-based album as compared to your usual instrumental record?
We have always used vocals, just not so many. This record was supposed to be mostly instrumental but we got so many good vocals that we decided to just go with it.

Do you randomly give titles to instrumental records?
Yeah, most of them are working titles that we don’t get round to changing.

I am particularly intrigued by my personal favourite on the album, ‘Turn Up The Dial’. Where did you get that ‘chant’ from?
All the vocalists wrote thair own lyrics. In that case, it was Young Fathers, I guess you would have to ask them.

Who’s your favourite and least favourite collaboration on this record?
That would be telling.

What did you guys eat most during the recording of Temporary Pleasure?
Mostly sandwiches from a cafe called A Taste of Bitter Love. And lots of tea.

What’s this techno record we hear?
We are working on techno versions at the moment and will probably make some new instrumental techno for fun.

If you could switch something from each other, what would it be?
I wish James had long blonde hair and I wish I had an Afro.

If you have to be compared to another act, who would you like it to be?
Kraftwerk.

How does synthesizer make you feel?
It depends what you play on it.

You have a song called ‘Cruel Intentions’, did you wish you were in the film?
I’ve not seen the film.

What’s your favourite cream?
Cream is wrong.

Thanks to Love Da Music for the hook-up! Check out Simian Mobile Disco at www.simianmobiledisco.co.uk now.

Image Love Da Music