Recently, alt-dance/pop duo Glassio dropped their new track “Search & Destroy” unto their growing number of fans. A light, whispery track that feels perfect for transitioning into warmer months, we’re big fans of their latest release. But we want you to hear it so you understand why. So check out the song below, and then take a gander at the interview we got to do with the guys themselves.
If you could introduce yourself to an audience in any way, no constraints, how would you?
Charlie: It would probably involve an extremely expensive lighting rig and some VJ’s. This is something we actually think of often, considering constraints though.
What’s your official origin story?
Charlie: Sam and I were both living in the same dorm our freshman year at NYU and attending Clive Davis. We’d gone out together a few times through mutual friends and got to hang out more as we were both doing some recording projects with a classmate of ours. After a crazy summer festival experience, we eventually decided to start writing and producing together for fun. That kickstarted the dynamic we have today.
What sort of cohesion, or togetherness, has been forged in your time together?
Sam: We really connect over melodic, and soulful music. When we first started writing songs together, we were very much in a psych-folk phase, but could also connect over older soul from Gamble/Huff era and then at the same time Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Paul Simon albums. So for us, we’ve always been driven by melody and storytelling. The rest unfolds for us later.
How do you continually find the inspiration to keep creating music?
Charlie: It’s always been about loving and discovering music. That’s what has kept us afloat and creative – broadening our listening palette. If you’re continuously repeating the same sentiment or intention over and over again, music can start to feel like it’s boxing you in – as opposed to helping you express yourself. That flexibility has helped music remain self-actualized for us, I believe.
Where do you feel the most comfortable as an artist? On stage, in the studio, somewhere else?
Sam: Being on stage is overwhelming because you are literally submerging yourself in 45 minutes of music that has come out of your head and your heart. It can be a pretty emotional experience: you can feel the thread between all the songs, and almost start visualizing all the places you were when the songs started coming to you. That being said, we get very quirky in the studio, and find a comfort in being weird that I don’t think would go down so well on stage. Definitely glad there’s a filtering process.
Is there a particularly challenging moment that has defined your journey so far?
Charlie: I’m not sure if there is a particular moment that’s defined our journey so far, but we’ve learned a lot along the way. It’s a mix of music and non-music related experiences that make our journey what it is. We try to put all our energy into our releases, our live show, and always find our ourselves facing issues. Being in it day-to-day, details tend to be the source of stress.
“Search & Destroy” is a much needed injection of hope for 2017. What has the response been thus far?
Sam: It felt like a very refreshing way to start the year. We both grew up in different continents. Charlie spent most of his life in Paris. I grew up between the Middle East and London/California, and have definitely felt the whole world tense up. There’s a lot of love on both sides. Not enough people realize that. We wanted to pour as much emotion and soul into this cover and re-coat the anger in the lyrics with positivity. We’ve been really happy with the response, and messages we’ve gotten from people so far.
What’s the dynamic like, both of you having backgrounds in production?
Charlie: We share a lot of musical references so we can easily communicate about production or arrangement ideas. We’ll have track ideas, talk about what sounds/production elements we think make sense for a song. We both have our natural ways of building songs and let those instincts speak when it makes sense but it’s a lot of back and forth in the studio. Also depends on how complete an idea one of us might bring to the table is.
Do you have a dream collaboration with another artist, producer, or someone else?
Sam: There’s 3 that come to mind right away. 1. Tirzah – she’s an incredible songwriter/vocalist based in London signed to Greco-Roman. Her voice has such a haunting, distinct quality – almost a tinge of Rihanna, but more of a post-apocalyptic Rihanna. It sounds like the voice you’d want to hear if you were kidnapped and trapped in a basement and you needed to be comforted. 2. Matthew Herbert because he’s an absolute mad genius. He’s a sound designer/field recorder meets house/techno producer in England. He’s almost like the Syd Barrett of electronic music (listen to his album One Pig made all from the sound of a pig he recorded one summer). 3. Erykah Badu because how could you not want to make music with her? Her voice and lyrics are very brutally honest, but so ethereal at the same time
Anything else you’d like to let the readers of Impose Magazine know?
Sam: Yeah, we’ll be putting out a new original single in the next few weeks that we’re pretty excited about! We have some live shows coming up, and on the 4th Friday of each month host/DJ our own parties in Brooklyn at this fantastic new club called Ceremony. Those parties are always the best – a very warm, and welcoming vibe that we feel the world needs more of these days.
