La Mode Interview + Salami = :)

We have some special exclusives here today. Melbourne Australia's electro power trio La Mode were nice enough to field some questions from Voules and I regarding musical influences, writing processes and many other scintillating nuggets of knowledge. They were also nice enough to include some new tracks that are worth the wait.

High school pals Brendan Cordell (Dan Fantastik), Michael Spencer (PaperKuts) and Jamal Sakini (Malfunktion) have one thing in common besides the K in their A.K.A.'s. They make block rockin electro!

The new track to be released soon on Lost In Paris records is Salami which is a big beat monster with a sound equivalent to a 60 ft robot with a giant ass bass/rhythm guitar cranked to 11. This is an all around hands up hot stepper from down under. Enjoy the tracks and the interview. (sure made my day!)

So the name La Mode translated roughly is 'the prevailing style or fashion' Explain to the readers if you could where the name originated and if it is the first name you guys started with?

Originally we found the word a la mode in a magazine 'cooking for vegans weekly' (brendan reads it). But we changed it to just la mode because like Diddy's 'P' the 'A' was coming between us and our fans. We were making music for a while without a name, but then we were finishing stuff so we thought we needed one.

For those that maybe don't recognize the name? Who are you guys and what are your respective roles in the group?

We are a production and dj trio from melbourne australia. we all graduated from school together and didnt want to get jobs so we decided to form a group. we are all just as lazy as each other and dont have specific roles in the studio. its just whoever and be bothered reaching out to move the mouse, or hit some keys.

What sort of music did you guys grow up on?

We all grew up listening to different styles of music. anything from: the who, kiss, curtis mayfield, cypress, wu tang, talib kweli, roy orbison, john williams and alot of funk, rock, hip hop and happy hardcore stuff and we could go on for a bit.

What sort of music currently inspires you?

Can't go past Soulwax and the quality of their sound. good quality original sounds really inspire us!

Is it an advantage being based in Melbourne or is it a heavy cross to bear with its reputation for amazing indie electro pop and straight up bangers?

We don't really take notice of it. If you are trying to get your music out there the internet makes it so it doesnt matter where your from. We don't see why people base their opinions on where your from and who else is from there? if the musics good then whatever.

When did you guys start to produce music?

During high school we worked on stuff individualy just messing around but closer to the end of school we would get together and get boozed and make shity wierd techno carnival music.

Can you take the readers through a typical day in the life of the La Mode DJ's?

We basically spend all our spare time making music. We all live fairly close to one another so when we are all free we are in the studio. most days normally includes fish'n'chips and a team nap at some point.

What the most challenging thing about touring?

We would have to go on tour to tell you that.

Do you have a hard time nailing down a songs identity when writing or is more of a stream of conscientiousness thing?

Purple Monkey Dishwasher. (actual answer) lol!

On the remix of Digitalism's 'Magnets' you guys captured my heart and soul with that one due to my love for the original. You guys took that song to a whole new level making it more meaty in all parts of the song not just in the last minute of the song like they do it.How important are these remixes to the original artist in terms of keeping their material fresh in peoples minds?

When we remix we try to put our own spin on the original. depending on what the song is like, there might be certain parts that we think would work good for us and others that won't. with magnets we loved the break down so we used alot of that. we hope that people like our versions as a bit of a fresh change from the originals.

When working together on tracks do you all hang out, plan and write (digital jam session) or do you guys bring homework sounds to the studio and then blend your styles? Or both?

We normally all hang out and start from scratch together. we might bring ideas from home but thats about it, all the music is made together at the studio. we find that this way works best for us because we dont always agree on certain things. if we make it from scratch in the studio one of us wont get carried away with an idea the others dont like.

If you had to put a genre label on yourself as musicians what would it be?

Our music varies alot and we are still trying to have a more defined style, so iguess we would just say electronic, for now

Besides you of course - Who is the one artist we should keep our eyes on in 2008/9?

We have alot of stuff coming out such as our remixes foralex gopher, The bag raiders and the shoes and also release of our original Salami but besides all that we are really enjoying a.d.d as a DJ Edu K as a producer and gylnn williams as a cake decorator.

thanks for the interview guys we had alot of fun doing it la mode djs


DL : La Mode - Safari .
DL : La Mode - Salami .

And some more remixes that are totally brill!
DL : Digitalism - Magnets (La Mode's Space Pirate Mix)
DL : P Diddy - Bad Boy For Life (La Mode's Bad Mutha Fuckas Fuckup)