Premiere: IO ECHO - Outsiders (slow mix)
The slow mix of Outsiders by LA duo IO ECHO is a rousing cut of atmospherics, sounding like one of those pop songs that should be used during an important setpiece in an award-winning movie before being co-opted for use in a car advert and being heard by every person under the sun. Fans of the track should be happy to know that you can download it here for free, as you read this exclusive Q&A with Leopold Ross from the duo.
Hello IO ECHO, what have you been up to lately?
We’ve been finishing our full length. We’re starting to rehearse for our opening slot with No Doubt and Group Love and we’ve just confirmed a US tour with Bloc Party.
You’ve had some outstanding videos made to accompany your music – we really like the fascinating, freaky visuals made for Berlin, It’s All A Mess. It was made in collaboration with LA’s Museum of Contemporary Art – can you tell us how that project came together?
Over the summer we curated an audio visual festival at the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles along with their director Jeffrey Deitch and our label IAMSOUND. It was three nights of original visual art and live performances from us, Salem, Cults, Zola Jesus and others. The festival went well, and from that experience MoCA asked us to provide content for the launch of their new channel MoCA TV. Bjork, Death Grips and us — we were to be the first to premiere exclusive video art pieces. We thought about who best to work with and our friend suggested director John Hillcoat and his amazing artist wife Polly Borland. We met, and thankfully they were into the idea.
You recently composed the score for Harmony Korine and James Franco film ‘Rebel’. How did that experience differ from writing regularly as a group?
We wrote the piece to the picture, so it differed to our normal songwriting process in that the structure was dictated by the pacing and tone of the visuals.
There are moments of real beauty and tenderness in your music, but there’s often a sort of uneasiness lurking in your expansive sounds. Is this something you consciously try and convey?
We like to explore contrasts and juxtapositions. Ioanna and I have quite different musical backgrounds and tastes, and I think it’s that collision of two different mindsets that helps to create what you are describing.
What’s the best thing you’ve heard this year?
There’s been a lot of good stuff this year. On this past tour I got into Bauuer, The Soft Moon, Frank Ocean’s ‘channel ORANGE’, and Kendrick Lamar.
Luv Luv Luv will release the IO ECHO EP on the 25th February 2012.
