About this Playlist
70 years of influences have created the Human Rhythms Not Algorithms sound. There’s a nod to the classic blues, rock, reggae and soul of the 50’s & 60’s that laid the foundation for so much of the music we love today. The 70’s production techniques of disco and dub and the energy of punk and experimental nature of prog rock, jazz funk and fusion. You’ll hear the influence of the 80s in the synth-heavy pop and electro tracks, the breaks and beats of hip hop, while the 90s are represented by house beats and the indie rock underground.
Much of the best music of the next three decade’s have amalgamated all those styles and genres and made it there own and that’s what this playlist is all about, sharing the music that has influenced me over the years, the latest selection is from Canadian band Springworks.
“So, let’s start at the beginning – when did you first discover your love for music? And what was the moment that made you realize you wanted to pursue it as a career?”
I’d say sitting down as a young toddler listening to the Beatles on my dad’s big 70’s style headphones. And it was when we met each other we instantly knew we had a unique connection musically that we knew we would explore and refine.
“Tell us about your latest song Snake Oil Salesman, can you share with us the inspiration behind it?”
Snake Oil Salesman is a song we had come up with some time ago. I think we may have been listening to Glad Girls by GBV maybe around that time. We’d been seeing many Mennonites on horse drawn carriage around where we were at the time, which sort of inspired the idea of the snake oil salesman riding around in the same way. And the slightly different double guitar hits we liked how it kind of glued it all together.
“Every musician has that one classic track that they hold dear to their heart. Can you tell us about yours? What about it inspires you or keeps you coming back?”
Impossible to narrow it down to one. But one song that I think is perfect in every way is Policy of Truth by Depeche Mode. Turn that one up every time.
“We’re always on the hunt for new music here. Is there an up-and-coming artist or band that you’ve recently discovered and think deserves more attention?”
There are some real stand outs we’ve come across, very often through playlists we’ve been fortunate enough to be added to. We have been blown away by these bands and have a playlist called Springworks – Indie Songs We Love 2 that has our current favourites.
Leif Heigaard, Sgt. Fiasco, Vernon’s Future, Nervous Wretch, MLKSHK
The Flying Grey Suns, Hey Calamity, Won’t Say Rabbit,One Hundred Moons, Gae Vinci, The Third Man.
“Looking ahead to the rest of the year, what are your plans? Any exciting releases or shows that you can tease for us?”
We are working on finishing our third album Chapter Thieves. It’s a bit longer than usual, but the tracks are there as we work through the mixes.
“Playlists have become such an important part of music discovery in recent years. What do you think the future holds for this format? Are there any playlists out there that you personally listen to?”
It’s a good way to hear other bands. Some we really like are Nenes Butler, NOESFM, From the Strait has a few great ones actually. Heatwave! is great. Martina Dorner is a fantastic playlister and supporter of Indie music. Sound Wave Therapy by Radio Armazem. Avid Beats has a few. Oh, and Indie Archives 2 and 3 are good.
“Connecting with fans is crucial for any artist. How do you prefer to interact with your audience? And have you found that social media has changed the way you approach this?”
Being in different cities, social media is really the only way we have, so we do our best to stay connected that way.
“With so many different ways to consume music nowadays, it can be hard to know what format to focus on. How do you feel about streaming versus downloads versus physical copies?”
Physical copies are preferred, but you just can’t beat the convenience of streaming so that’s how we must admit to listening, also downloading.
“What’s the best way for fans to support you right now? If they only had a few minutes, what could they do to help spread the word about your music?”
Really the best would be to listen. With so much out there, it’s a big compliment to occupy someone’s ears exclusively for an hour or so. And if it connects with you, tell a friend !
“Do you believe music matters? Why?”
Anything that can evoke a feeling from another person we think is, and music has always been the thing that does that best for us, so definitely yes.
“When did you write your first lyrics/music and how different is it from the lyrics/music you are writing today? How did your style develop or evolve?”
We went from octave bass lines and vocal melodies matching the music I suppose to where we are now.
“Is collaboration a part of your whole creative process or do you write songs individually first and then collaborate on refining the song?”
Most often collaborate throughout the song most definitely. One of us will share a quick idea with the other, and together we come up with what we both knew it would be. There are times one of us will have one flushed out, but it’s the exception to the rule.
“How do you stay motivated and engaged with your art over time? What keeps you inspired and interested in creating new music?”
We just enjoy making songs we want to hear. And then, listen to them.
“What is the best performance you’ve ever seen by another musician?”
So many. One I didn’t expect was George Thorogood. So fantastic after tagging along the first time, brought a friend myself next time. Depeche Mode too. Matt Johnson / The The has been so incredible to see a few times and is legendary. Trashcan Sinatras have been perfection every time, fantastic fellows and criminally under rated. The best show I’ve ever been to was the Superbi tour for The Beautiful South. Had a chance to spend time with the band and Dave Hemingway was a fantastic fellow. What a band.
“What was the first album you ever bought, and how did it influence your love of music?”
Perform your experiments on someone else tonight
“What is your favorite music-related documentary?”
“What is your favorite music-related website?”
“What are you curious about at the moment? Why?”
Will we get to see a person back on the moon ? A person on Mars ? Because it would be amazing in the true sense of the word
“How do you balance artistic expression with commercial success? Is it possible to create commercially successful music that’s also intellectually stimulating?”
We hope to reach as many people as possible, and have complete faith if enough people get the chance to hear us, there are a few that will like what they hear and want to hear more.
“How do you define success as an artist? Is it based on commercial success, critical acclaim, or something else?”
Any time someone has a reaction to a song you’ve made.
“How do you approach experimentation and pushing the boundaries of your art? Are there any risks involved in taking creative risks?”
Some of our favourite bits develop by going further out than at first seems plausible, almost to make each other laugh. Next thing you know… we also like finding odd bits of spoken stuff here and there.
“Tell us about your writing and recording process, what instruments, software or hardware do you use?”
We are a few Provinces apart, so we use cubase to build our songs, and send wav files to each other as we develop the song.
“What do you think sets your music apart from that of other artists in your genre?”
We think we have a unique sound that doesn’t sound of a particular genre. Or maybe span different genres. Each time ends up recognizable as us, if the style is unexpected. We also really enjoy harmonies, and can get a bit carried away with them at times.
“How do you approach experimenting with new sounds or styles in your music without alienating your fanbase?”
We trust the listener. And the fan base we think will like our music are the sort that would get a kick from us mixing things up regularly.
