Tag Archives: First Aid Kit
My Q&A With: Chaos Chaos
HAIM, First Aid Kit, Tegan and Sara… sister acts are becoming a driving force in the modern day music scene and Brooklyn based duo Chaos Chaos is no exception. Sisters Asy and Chloe are currently working on a new EP, one that is sure to be comprised of unique electronic and indie pop rhythms, accompanied by underlying acoustic patterns. One of the most captivating things about the band is their capability to take music and lyrics, and combine them in a way that is professional and catchy, yet entirely unique, raw and individualistic. As the band continues to work on their EP this summer and hit a few tour stops, Chloe was able to answer a few questions about the past, present, and future of Chaos Chaos. Certainly a band to keep an eye on!
Prior to the formation of Chaos Chaos, you and your sisters were in the band Smoosh. How do you feel your music differs now from the earlier music you created with Smoosh?
It has gone in a lot of different directions over the years. We go through fazes where we think we have discovered “the right” way to do music and then a year later completely overthrow that idea with a new one. Now we’re really into writing pop songs and adding accoutrements to make them weirder but I can guarantee our style will always be changing. I like oxymoron music like weird pop, experimental classical, minimalist music with maximal vocals etc.
Your previous EP, as well as the EP you are recording now, came about after successful Kickstarter campaigns. How did you decide to try Kickstarter and what was the experience like?
Kickstarter is a great platform to interact and have a personal exchange with your fans. If you are an independent artist it’s great because if you have fans willing to pay for your product then that’s all you need. A label may try to tell you that you need to change this or that to have a sellable product but sometimes they’re wrong. Amanda Palmer for example, kickstarter allows her to do music her way without having a label to work around.
What can fans expect from the new EP you’re recording?
Pop, sarcasm, stories and fun. We allowed ourselves to be young and sort of naive with these songs. We wanted to capture who we are now and not worry about how we will be perceived or what us 5 years from now will think.
The music of Chaos Chaos presents a neat blend of real instrumental backing and electronic musical accompaniment. What is the process like combining these two elements to create one, unified sound?
It’s awesome! Programming drums has definitely influenced my acoustic drumming. I like to combine acoustic sounds and samples with hip hop and trap drums to bring the electronic sounds to life. We have a song with soda can lids being played and trap influenced electronic drums. We’ve definitely moved in a more electronic direction, but we like to use unusual electronic sounds/effects combined with imperfect vocals so that the song still sounds human. The worst is stale perfect pop music, that’s death.
The song “Across the Map” is much edgier than other songs on the S EP. How did this song come about?
Maybe it’s because across the map was a very personal song that we really connected to and knew how to portray through music too. It’s about moving to sweden and leaving our lives behind/starting over. It was a big deal when we were navigating our teen years to be stripped of everything we had to define ourselves, so we had a lot of bottled up anger at the time. (Everything is very dramatic when you’re a teenager). We wanted the drums to resemble a warrior sound and the songs vocals to be changing in very emotional ways, like in the last chorus it’s like the end of an argument or war when Asy is yelling and the drums are thumping.
What is it like working together in a band as sisters?
It’s interesting, good and bad. We definitely have a weird sisterly telepathic way of conversing through music. When we’re writing a song we usually know what to do next intuitively. A lot of times we’ll both have the exact same vocal idea and sing it at the same time. Pretty funny actually. Our experiences working with other musicians are much lengthier, because it takes so much longer to describe your ideas and to get on the same page. Also being in a sister band, we don’t have to be weary of each others egos or feelings. We just tell each other what we think. I’ll say, “um Asy that part sounds like Britney Spears on crack” and we’ll both laugh and Asy told me the other day In the studio that my drum idea sounded like a baby beating drums. We’re really harsh with each other and our producer Fraser McCulloch laughs at us. We decided to write an insult wall: we list all the insults each person says.
Check out their EP S here!
Let’s Talk About: Stay Gold
First Aid Kit’s latest studio album, Stay Gold, is full of the charm that has drawn listeners to the band since the beginning. The album certainly seems to be the moodiest, most melancholy, and most percussive album the band has produced thus far, yet it is undoubtedly one of the most mature sounding, a reflection of how far the sisters have come.
Very rarely on this album does one hear the light and whimsical sounds of those heard in their earlier songs like “Emmylou.” Rather, the songs seem to capture a heavier sound. Even the more charming songs, such as “Heaven Knows,” contain more pronounced musical accompaniment that differs from the light-folky sounds of earlier albums. The first four tracks, “My Silver Lining,” “Master Pretender,” “Stay Gold,” and “Cedar Lane” coincidentally happen to be my favorite four on the album. The writing on this album is also something that jumps out; the songs seem to be more personal and wholehearted.
I was supposed to attend the sisters’ concert the other day, but unfortunately could not attend at the last minute (tears for days). I imagine the presentation of this new album differs from the live performances from a few years ago for there seems to have been significant musical progression between this album and The Lion’s Roar and The Big Black and the Blue. By this, I definitely do not mean First Aid Kit has become a “better band,” because I never thought they needed improvement in the first place. Rather, I note that it seems that there has been advancement within as a band and as musicians from previous albums. Again, that sounds a bit like I am minimizing how spectacular their previous albums are, which I am not at all. What I mean to say is that First Aid Kit has come a long way since 2007. With each year and with each album they further solidify their position as a prominent band in folk music.
My Silver Lining- First Aid Kit
First Aid Kit’s newest video. So incredibly rad.
Emmylou- First Aid Kit
Blue- First Aid Kit
Let’s Talk About: A Random Selection Of Things
Good evening to those in the US and other locations where it is evening, happy April Fools day to those who are currently in April (some of us are still in March, how rude) and happy everything else to anyone else that I failed to mention, because I value anyone who looks at this blog equally and want to spread the love!
I have started and stopped making this post about six times today, for there are so many things I would like to touch upon, but find none of them can stand on their own. Thus, I have conceded and am making one large random post about nothing, everything and anything all at the same time.
For starters, I just found out today that First Aid Kit is releasing their third studio album Stay Gold on June 10th and I could not be more excited. As many of you know, I find the sisters so talented and blessed with such soulful, folky voices. They also announced a tour if anyone is interested in getting their First Aid Kit on, still speaking about the band here, not a physical first aid kit equipped with gauze and ointment. If you want a little taste of their new album, click the link here for the weird and folky sequence of wonder and amazement that is the album trailer.
Secondly, I just got home from seeing Divergent and it was so good. I have always been indifferent toward Shailene Woodley as an actress, but after seeing this movie, I am absolutely convinced she was the perfect choice to play Tris. She captures all of her attributes and characteristics to a tee. The books are always better than the movies, but nonetheless, this movie was such a treat. Hip hip hurray! I always get nervy (nervous) about seeing movies adapted from book series. Here’s to The Maze Runner coming out so soon! Also, Paper Towns is being adapted, this is movie overload.
Next point, today my music Professor told us how the opera that Richard Gere and Julia Roberts go to in Pretty Woman is La Traviata by Verdi, which is about a prostitute who falls in love with a man outside of her social class, JUST LIKE THE MOVIE! I love when little connections like these are made, especially when I find out about them so much later in life and things finally make sense. I had a little ah ha moment in class, I just love love love little things like this.
Next, I am reading Battleborn right now by Claire Vaye Watkins. I am only on the third story within the book, but so far so good, I suggest it to everyone. Also, the author is a professor at a college near my college. Plot twist! Is it acceptable to drive to the school or…?
Next, AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW! YES YES YES YES!
Finally, It was Lorde and Jame’s (her boyfriend) one year anniversary yesterday! Dawwww that’s cute and I am very happy for them that they are able to continue in a relationship despite the hurtful things put on the internet and the distance between them with her touring. Also, I know that because she put a picture on instagram, I promise you I’m not a creepy stalker. POWER TO YOU GUYS!
Those are all of my random thoughts at the moment, I promise I will have more soon! Ta ta!
Also, I feel like this was less humorous than some of my other posts, mehhhh. Oh well.
Let’s Talk About: Music & Life
In my music history class, we’re learning about the operas of the enlightenment and how they are supposed to evoke strong emotion in audiences and create relatable scenarios. When I’m think about it in class, to me it seems like such an obvious thing. Of course music should draw these noble and overwhelming feelings out of people, but that was something that took time to realize, starting in the Baroque Period.
I’m currently in my room with First Aid Kit on my record player and I can feel those feelings. Music is so powerful and so capable of getting thoughts across that can’t simply put into words (even though music has lyrics, which are words, but you know what I mean, so pretend that didn’t happen). I don’t know if it is different from person to person, but for me, music is how I express myself, through my words or the words of someone else. Maybe it takes practice, listening to music over and over, before you are able to have these feelings come to the surface so easily. I’m really not sure. However, I think that music is so capable of so many amazing things.
Sometimes I think I’m a rarity. I talk about music so much and get so excited and moved by it so quickly. I’m constantly talking about music and listening to music. Luckily, my roommate is awesome and has gotten used to my impassioned and a bit crazy chats about new music, new artists and festivals.
But at the end of the day, I know I am not a rarity. I know music does this to everyone. It certainly has the power to. I guess that is why I think it is so silly that the people who lived long ago didn’t view music as a medium to help and move people, but then again, maybe the reason why there is emphasis on evoking emotion now is because it took so long to find. Finally, people have found the missing piece that they were searching for and that is an awesome thing.
Also, in case you were wondering, I am now officially late for class. THANKS MUSIC THANKS WORLD THANKS KERSCORNER…… heeeeelp.
Wolf- First Aid Kit
The Lion’s Roar- First Aid Kit