Following up from their last album ‘Hearts On Hold’, Tu Fawning have expanded on their mind blowing algorithm of sounds to bring an album of soulful tunes that incorporate Gospel, Dance-hall, Dub Reggae among others on latest LP ‘A Monument’. Frankly I feel out of place explaining their unique blends of genre, so thankfully here are Toussaint and Liza from Tu Fawning to explain that and ‘apocalyptic ABBA’, of all things. Check out more from the band at their facebook here .
HTF: So the new album is out next month, how do you feel it differs from ‘Hearts On Hold’?
Toussaint: We love ‘Hearts on Hold’ but I think there is a feeling of more energy being channeled into ‘A Monument.’ Momentum from touring, more collaborative energy, and more creative urgency. We wanted to push the boundaries of our sound.
HTF: Your band doesn’t fit any set of genre labels so what would you call “your genre” and who would be allowed to be in it with you?
Liza: First off, defining a “genre” these days is tricky. Both culturally and musically, there is such a variety of influences and references stirred into one pot. Cross-pollination craziness! We like that we don’t fit into a specific genre. In fact, our music thrives on this amalgamation. The influences are endless: gospel, polyrhythmic, hip-hop, dance-hall, classical, all stirred up into our own pot of witches brew. Tu Fawning is a blending of the old and new; of sounds distant and eerie yet familiar and soothing.
HTF: Your press release compares you to an “apocalyptic Abba”, can you explain that description and tell us who would win in a fight between the apocalyptic Abba and the real thing?
Toussaint: The superficial similarity is self evident – two guys and two girls, including a foxy blonde front woman! Beyond that though, where Abba is a blast of Swedish sunshine coming through an AM radio speaker, Tu Fawning is more a crystalline glacier shearing the trees from the forest floor. Also, Abba turned down $1 Billion for a reunion tour, whereas we would happily break up and reunite for like, half of that, and just in time for the 2012 apocalypse.
HTF: In what ways would you say collaborating with other artists in your area has helped your work as a group?
Liza: Portland has so many talented artists. I believe that our diverse experiences with a variety of talented artists has contributed to our sound as a band. We have all played in numerous other bands, and performed as solo artists. This artistic diversity extends beyond the musical realm as well. Between the four of us we have worked as actors, clothing designers, and as teachers. In my opinion, these diverse experiences makes for a tighter run ship with more wind in its sails.
HTF: What albums would you say are on rotation the most at your individual homes?
Toussaint: I can only speak for myself but I crave deep and dark music during the dreary winter, but when the sun reappears in the spring I start to crave a party vibe. So I wear out my John Fahey and Leonard Cohen LPs by March and then ease into the Jamaican dub and rocksteady, eventually landing on sleazy dancehall and hip hop by the height of summer.
Corrina: The new AU record – ‘Both Lights’, Emmylou Harris – ‘Blue Kentucky Girl’, Kraftwerk – ‘Radio-Activity’. All on vinyl.
HTF: How do you find the recording process in terms of putting down your quite complex and freeform songs?
Liza: The recording process is a balance of both the complex and the freeform. In the past, it was an art of track stacking: laying down tracks and building on top of each track. With ‘A Monument’, we found ourselves recording more as a group, playing all together, adding embellishments and adding tracks on top. Being in the studio is a combination of true hard work and fun-loving play, and always leaving room for exploration. I love that a day at the studio could be hours of perfecting a precise and complex drumbeat interrupted by a low blood sugar moment where we all decide some random fuzzed out pedal or trippy Raagini is the icing on the cake! Not to make it sound like the record all coalesced in the studio. It should be duly noted that Joe’s late night screen time and precise editing made our record complete.
HTF: Obviously European audiences haven’t had the greatest chance to catch your live show, so in 200 words or less, convince us why we should! (Lies are allowed!)
Toussaint: Our live show is a dark celebration, an ecstatic expression of the mysteries of our recorded material. We seek to romance and terrify you!
HTF: After an album is out there, what can we expect next from you guys?
Toussaint: We’re always excited about writing new songs and dreaming up new ideas. I don’t think we are afraid at all of repeating ourselves or getting pigeonholed, that’s for sure. I think we’re all interested in exploring the frontiers of different musical landscapes. I can hear heavier dance rhythms in my mind’s ear, but I also hear Andean flutes, a French horn section, a eunuch choir. We might even get super crazy and introduce a bass guitar!
Tu Fawning are due to play London’s Cargo on the 29th of May. ‘A Monument’ comes out on 7th May on City Slang Records.
