I caught up with APSCI at a recent FADER party in NYC.  Dana and Ra are a do-it-yourself powerhouse -- from the beats to the video cut-ups to a recent feature in WIRED mag, this guys cover their bases.  APSCI's new album drops September 22nd on San Fran's venerable Quannum label.   Dana and Ra were kind to entertain my questions for this Mugshot Monday exclusive.

When do politics and art form a symbiotic relationship?

Ra: I think we're living in an era now when art and politics can compliment and feed one another more than ever.  I don't want to idealize our president, although I like the guy as much as anybody else... But I think the support he got early on from the music & film community... that 'Yes We Can' video Will.I.Am did on Youtube... I think that was one of the factors that helped propel him to victory.  Whatever your opinion of Obama is, his victory changed politics in America forever and world opinion of America shifted dramatically.

I think music & art can help mobilize people to make better choices, or see things from a different angle.  Sometimes it can put that 'cool stamp' of approval on an issue, or generate support.  As far as politics nourishing art, you're talking about government funding for arts programs, music in schools, scholarships... Otherwise if political figures do the opposite and kill those programs, we artists are 'inspired' to complain about them in our art...  Which may just help get them kicked out of power if enough people agree with us...  I'm just sayin.

W.P.A. Brass Band

Dana: From the W.P.A. brass band in New Orleans in the 1930's, to music workshops being ran in the aboriginal communities in Australia happening now, many governments do provide financial support especially in communities where it can make a significant difference to the community morale, and where the music cannot survive alone otherwise. I have a tendency to feel cynicism about the lack of government funding for the arts and the lack of understanding about what it means to encourage and truly harvest new talent, but there is an exchange on a community level to a certain degree.

Music you're into right now?

Ra:  'Ethiopiques, Vol. 19' by Alemye Mahmoud Ahmed (video above), & 'Introducing' Etran Finatawa.  Both north african records.  Mind blowing.

Dana:  I recently came across Icelandic folk singer/songwriter, Ólöf Arnalds and found her recordings to be so powerful and delicate at the same time. I can't wait to see her play live.

How'd you learn to play music?

Ra:  I played the saxophone in school for 9 years.  I saw a guy play the 'Angel is the centerfold' riff on the sax and it was a wrap.  Picked up the bass in high school & started a punk band called Vitapup.  We were busy in NY for a few years in the 90's. 

Dana: My mum brought back a Minus One machine from the Philippines when I was about 8. If you're not asian you may have never heard of these not-so-little machines. It was the size of a guitar amplifier, had 2 tape players where you'd insert a Minus One tape (out of a Minus One Tape Library that you'd purchase, such as Whitney Houston faves like "Didn't We Almost Have It All" or Charlene's "I've Never Been To Me") and in the other player you'd make a recording of yourself singing! The 'minus one' button could be turned all the way to one side and you'd have both music and guide vocals. Turn the knob all the way to the left and the vocals would 'disappear' so you just the music so you could sing your favorite hit solo. I did singing competitions in the filipino community and begged my mum to send me to singing lessons. I did a lot of begging as a kid, cause I also remember giving my mum a hard time about a piano. She eventually succumbed to buying me an old upright that I taught myself to play. I played jenga-jenga geetar, trombone and clarinet but singing has always been first and foremost for me. At 14 I auditioned for an Australian Youth Opera production and thus began my obsession with my music/performance career. My first equipment setup was an Ensoniq EPS, an Alesis HR-16 and a four track in my teens. I would call a producer friend when I needed a quick tutorial but learnt Cubase (pre-SX) and used to walk around with a portable DAT machine and collect my own sounds.

What's it like to make music with your girlfriend/boyfriend?

Ra:  Rewarding.  You gotta work on your communication and time management, but at this point I couldn't imagine my life any other way.

Dana: I love how honest we can be with each other. May I say constructive criticism is ssoooo important in order to avoid an emotional, antagonising studio session! But fortunately for the most part, we have a similar creative vision.

How to keep your art fierce?

Ra: I try to only pursue creative ideas that really grab me.  If I get something down and I'm not totally amazed by it, I put it aside maybe rework it later.  If I'm not having fun, it doesn't end up being much fun for anyone else. 

Dana: If I hear a track and I'm not feeling inspired, I generally can't force myself to do it. I think my 'first gut response' keeps Ra on his toes as a producer. Much of his production makes me immediately say "ok, can you give that to me in a 8 minute loop right now?" so I can take it away and start writing then and there.

What's something that's inspired you recently?

Ra: Man, how embarassing.  Seeing these 3 kids sing 'God Bless America' today on America's Got Talent actually brought me to tears.  There it is I said it.

Dana: We were performing live on Diesel U Music the other day and found ourselves on the same show as Ingoma Nshya (video below), a group of Rwandan female drummers. I haven't seen many performances that make me beam from ear to ear the whole time, but they were great drummers and their energy was contagious. Girls ranging from 6" tall to just scraping 5" and masterfully bashing on big drums and coordinated group movements. Apparently they had to ask for permission from certain Rwandan elders before they could play the drums, so all of them haven't played for longer than 5 years. Some of the younger women are only a year deep in drumming and they already have serious skills. They are currently playing here in the U.S. to help raise funds for a Rwanda's first local icecream shop. My heart sings when I witness pure awesomeness like this.



How does making your own videos inform your music?

 Ra: I think for us one hand washes the other.  The videos come from us sitting around brainstorming, locking in on a concept & then taking the long road to execute it.  With music it can be more immediate.  Usually I make a beat, play it for Dana or sometimes write a hook...  The whole song can be wrapped in a couple days.  But our videos have been stop-motion projects that have taken months to finish.  Worthwhile, but time consuming.  We really want our clips to hold up over time though, and I think it's well worth the effort.
Dana: Yes, I do not want to cut out any more paper dolls or animate them click by click. Well, at least not for another 6 months. But safe to say it was worth the many months of labor. I love designing sets and art directing, so that will never end. Just next time we'll hire someone to help with the tedious busy work. But once the track is mixed and mastered and I'm sitting in a dark room with a good soundsystem, soaking in the whole experience, I get visuals in my head and I make sure my sketch book is close by.

Tell us about how your natural surroundings affect your sound?

Ra: I think it plays a big role for us, but not in a way that's obvious... Our record doesn't sound like where we made it...  We started recording our album in Brooklyn in 2006, had about 12 songs but weren't totally happy with it.  We then decided to move to Sydney last minute. We shipped our gear over on a freighter, and rebuilt our studio and started recording again.  The rest was written & recorded in our studio near the beach.  A couple friends laughed about the beach really not chilling us out, as the record is pretty energized.  It's not a surf record.  But I think it was all the built up experiences from NY & touring that got a chance to come out... 

Dana: I like creating an environment around me that is calming, relaxed and clear. Finishing off the record in Australia definitely helped me chill out, open up and play with different 'vocal characters' and generally have fun with it all.

What's the most do-it-yourself aspect of APSCI?

Ra: I mean, we produce our own music, videos & artwork... So it's more like "what's the least DIY aspect..." We're working on doing less behind-the-scenes stuff, but there's been plenty of busy work as well.  

Dana: Yes, yes and yes. All of it. We do have some people on board who help with certain elements, but all of the creative visual and audio stuff that is produced comes from Ra and myself. Exhausting? uh... yeah. But most definitely worthwhile.

What's the most interesting piece of technology that you guys own?

Ra:  Depends on what week you ask...  I'm geeking out about our new I/O box, the Apogee Duet.  Sounds incredible, and is about the width of a CD jewel case. 

Dana: I just got this new Soundmatters FoxL speaker. It's a very small speaker that's about 6"x2"x1.5" and it's really lightweight. The sound is great out of something so small. Apparently a NASA engineer designed this and it uses technology that is not found in any other portable speaker in the market. The battery also acts as a sub and I kid-you-not, you can feel the bass through the floor. The clarity and bass is remarkable for the size. Being a pain-in-the-ass Taurean that I am, I really did my homework and this is the best portable mini-speaker currently in the market. So yes, as you can tell I'm really happy about having decent sound whilst living out of a suitcase. For me, it makes all the difference.

We've got mad respect for your label, Quannum.  What do they do best?

Ra: I think they've established a great label with a legendary catalogue.  We're really excited & honored to add to that body of work.  For us what's been great is their faith in our work.  They've never asked us to change anything, just behind what we do 100%.  I think that's increasingly valuable in this age.

Dana: I was a Solesides fan so to be asked to join the Quannum family was an honor. So same for me that the faith and respect they have for our creativity and our whole process is definitely encouraging. These guys are all so very talented in their own rights and have long track records of creating and performing great music, so it's very gratifying to be working with them.

What's in store for the future?

Ra: The album drops on iTunes Aug 11th, on CD Sep 8th thru Quannum/EMI.  We're about to drop the video for our next single 'Crazy Crazy Insane' and have a mixtape in the works with Modular DJ Anna Lunoe.  Also going into remixland now.  You can find us on myspace but I may chuck out more goodies on the ApSci Facebook page.

Dana: A live show with kick ass drummer and guitarist now, along with Ra on vocals and bass, and me jumping around onstage with a coupla shots of dark rum to keep my throat limber.  Just heat up the rum, plug in and play.

Check APSCI on their MYSPACE here.

Posted by Wills Glasspiegel
wills@greenowl.com