Mount Kimbie’s debut, 2010’s ‘Crooks & Lovers’, was a complex masterpiece crafted entirely on FruityLoops; a release that pleased gig-goers and critics equally, and was impossible to pigeonhole. Brighton-bred Dom Maker is one half of Mount Kimbie and he took a break from rehearsing to talk to us about their not-so-difficult second album (and first for Warp) ‘Cold Spring Fault Less Youth’.
“The only pressure we’ve really felt when making it has come from ourselves,” he says. “We wanted to challenge ourselves to shed our old habits and have a fresh start.”
Dom and bandmate Kai Campos seem to have achieved that, moving from using software-only to incorporating guitars, drum machines and their own vocals. Dom describes their new sound as having more in common with post-rock than post-dubstep. After spending months on tour perfecting a live set, they wanted to include original sounds in their next album and listened to a lot of Tame Impala and Micachu & The Shapes on the road. With rock, indie and classical influences now given an outlet into their music, Dom describes ‘Cold Spring Fault Less Youth’ as a more expansive album than their first, more spacious, and progressive.
It’s clear that they’re enjoying being on the Warp roster, with Dom describing the label as “fantastic” and “tremendous,” and himself as “ecstatic to be working with them.” The opportunities and contacts provided by a major label are largely new to Mount Kimbie, and it’s pleasing to hear that the duo have been left to develop music in their own timescales. He mentions going to ex-Stereolab drummer Andy Ramsey’s studio to record a drum line, and staying for three weeks.
Their environment is very influential to Mount Kimbie, evidenced as Dom describes their early dubstep sets at the Volks in 2006. Being part of the dark, tightly electronic dubstep scene influenced their first album, and now, after being on tour for years, they seem to be have become more of a traditional band. Is that fair? “I don’t know,” says Dom. “We don’t have the musical craftsmanship to be a proper rock band. But, on the other hand, we are moving in that direction.”
The relentless touring isn’t set to end any time soon – they’re preparing for several European dates supporting The xx next, then an extensive US tour and then a series of shows in the UK, hopefully including one in Brighton. Dom mentions wanting to play at Concorde 2 – “everyone says the sound’s great” – and that, aside from Volks, they’ve already played at some pretty disparate venues here, including Sticky Mike’s, Coalition and Revenge. “Very Brighton,” he laughs.
The vocals on the new album are another change of direction for Mount Kimbie. They’re mostly Kai’s, and when questioned about the emotions or themes behind the lyrics, Dom pauses a little. “It’s more about the vocal harmonies and the layering,” he states, before conceding a little with, “we both moved house recently so some of it’s about that.” A post-rock album about moving house? Mount Kimbie: continuing to defy expectations.
FYI
ALBUM: ‘Cold Spring Fault Less Youth’ out now
LIVE: Concorde 2, Wednesday 6th November 2013
WEB: mountkimbie.com
Listen to the whole of ‘Cold Spring Fault Less Youth’ here:
