I’ll be the first to admit I am not the best connoisseur of EDM, but the world of electronic music is one that has fascinated me ever since I was a little boy. Music in any form is amazing, but the idea of creating something from what is essentially a random sequence of 1s and 0s that not only sounds good, but makes people feel good, is about as close to a miracle of science as you’re likely to find. We never think of it this way, of course, because it’s all around us. You can’t watch TV, turn on the radio, or even visit an event open to the public without hearing some DJ or radio station playing a variety of EDM or EDM-influenced pop music. In a world where it seems we have an abundance of everything, EDM has a stronghold on our culture, and the competition to be the next great EDM artist has never been more intense.
You may have your own method for determining what constitutes as ‘good’ music, but I’ve always been the type to believe that I know it when I hear it. I probably tear through two dozen album promos a week, not to mention countless song streams and music videos from artists pitching me their new material. Some of it is good, but most of it is immediately forgettable. A very, very small amount of that content is actually great, but whenever I do stumble across something I feel deserve international acclaim I do everything in my power to help that particular artist advance their career, even if only in a small way. I know I am just one person, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make a difference. The same goes for you.
Anyways, last week I received a pitch regarding an Aussie duo known as Strange Talk. I had never heard their unique take on EDM before, but as soon as I experienced their single “Painted In Gold” I knew they were onto something special. It’s rare that a song from any genre blows me away on a first impression, but before I knew it “Painted In Gold” had earned more than 10 streams from me, and the rest of the group’s Soundcloud had been explored as well. It was good, or at least good to me, and that was when I realized something I admitted a bit above, but never fully confessed: I haven’t the slightest idea how someone becomes a ‘major’ EDM artist.
Bands and solo artists using guitar/piano make sense. You write some songs, you share those songs, you play some shows, and you watch your following grow. I assume EDM is the same, to an extent, but I knew deep down there had to be a countless ways the careers of those seeking fame and/or success in electronic music also differed from the classic idea of an artist and how they make ends meet. So, with that in mind, I reached out to Strange Talk in hopes of not only learning their story, but also to learn about the tricky and complicated world of underground EDM they must navigate if they ever hope to have their brand become a household name. You can read highlights from our conversation below.
Strange Talk will be embarking on a tour of the US in October. Dates for the tour can be found at the end of this post.
H: Thank for taking time to speak with me. I heard “Painted In Gold” for the first time last week and knew we needed to make this happen. How has the response to the song been so far?
ST: So far the response has been super positive. We havent given it a huge push yet, rather a slow and steady release online. We’ve been through quite a big change in the last 12 months so we’re just slowly introducing all the new and exciting things we’ve been working on.
H: We might as well dive right in from here. When it comes to dropping original songs, like “Painted In Gold,” what kind of goals do you set for yourself? Do you have an certain number of plays you hope to get within a day? Do you aim for exposure on certain blogs?
ST: Im sure every artist is different, but for me, the main goal is trying to get the music we release heard by as many people as possible. We believe in our music and our vision and we just want people to see and share that vision too! As far as play counts, it’s defintely a good guage of success or hype for a song, but generally speaking we are already thinking 6 months ahead and what the next 2 releases will be.
H: EDM is a genre everyone knows, but very few people outside the industry fully understand. As someone working in the thick of it, what is the state of EDM today? Some believe the popularity peaked a year ago, but others believe a transformation is currently taking place that has resulted in the best material to date. Where do you stand?
ST: Im actually in agreeance with the latter. For me in feel like we’re reaching a really diverse period, one that is seeing all kinds of EDM making it’s way to the top of the charts. It’s almost like a fusion of a whole bunch of different genres underneath the one EDM umbrella. I guess the downside to where we’re at is the turnover of new songs coming out daily all around the world. It makes it harder to standout from the rest.
H: Strange Talk was founded in 2010. How did you first come together?
ST: Gerard was a DJ in a few nightclubs around town, and I was a violinist in university, who would frequent the clubs Gerard was playing in, We got to know eachother and shared similar tastes in music, Gerard had a small studio space where we started writing, which became the birthplace of our journey.
H: Did you ever consider yourself a local/regional group, or have you always had your sights set on international stardom? You’ve certainly made a global impact.
ST: Thank you so much! That genuinely is really nice to hear. I guess when you’re so close to a project, it’s hard to distance yourself enough from it to really stop and get a sense of how it’s connecting. In the beginning we were just writing dance loops, which evoloved to songs and so on, because we had a passion for creating music. It was fun. Then when we started getting some traction and interest from managers and record labels, we started shooting for the stars. We want as many people possible to hear and enjoy our music and come see our live shows.
H: Speaking of your rise to a point of international exposure, are you able to pinpoint a moment when you realized your music was becoming something people around the world enjoyed? Was there a certain single that helped you break out, or was it the culmination of many songs? I’d like to know what you believe to be the force behind your continued success in recent years?
ST: The funny thing is, with the few successes that can happen in the journey, there are far more knock backs. But the one time that I wont ever forget was only a few months back, when we received an incredible personal facebook message from a fan in the US saying that she had been recovering in hospital from major eye surgery, which would leave her without eye-sight. She went onto say that our music is the only thing helping her through things right now. As an artist, to hear something like that, it truely warms the heart!
H: Competition in EDM is as fierce as ever today. What do you do in Strange Talk to make sure you stand out from the countless competitors who are also vying for every bit of exposure you are currently receiving?
ST: We just try and stay original and honest and try to make sure everything we deliver is at the highest standard possible!
H: You’ve released two great singles in recent months. Can we expect an album sometime in the not too distant future?
ST: We have Ep coming out in October supported with North America tour (all tour dates are on our facebook.com/strangetalkmusic) and we have plenty more new music we’ll be aiming to release next year.
H: When it comes to music production, do you tend to plan for the future in terms of singles or albums? I know short term popularity is built on catchy tracks, but longterm success requires thematic continuity and cohesion, like what you typically find on an album. Is that something you are thinking about at this point?
ST: When we write music, we just write whatever we feel like writing at that point in time. After we have 10 or so tracks we start to work how they all go together, whether its a album or Ep. If we feel like its missing a certain sound or song we’ll focus on writing something to fill that gap. We want out EP/LP to evolve and keep you interested, we love so much different music and we want you to hear that in everything we put out.
H: At the end of the day, what do you hope people take away from your music?
ST: I want them to really enjoy our music and for it to make them happy. I also want them to appreciate all the hard work that goes into making it.
H: If you had to guess where Strange Talk will be a year from now, what would you say? How about five years from now?
ST: Hopefully still making music we love and touring a bigger level, would love to be playing stadiums every night!!
H: Having found a way to navigate the often treacherous waters of the modern music business, what advice would you offer to young talent on making their name known?
ST: A few things….
- Be realistic about your music and you as a artist
- Be original and don’t be afraid to take risks
- Work with the people are truly passionate about you and your music
- Be prepared to work your ass off and then some
- Be super confident in your abilities and music as you will constantly get shot down
H: That’s all I have at the moment. Before you go, is there anything you’d like us to promote?
ST: Its been a pleasure!! Please check out our facbook page for our up coming Oct/Nov North America Tour, at which we’ll be premiering our crazy new live show. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Strange_Talk & Instagram /strangetalkmusic
Strange Talk will be touring the US this October. Catch them live in a city near you:
10/13 – Doug Fir – Portland, OR
10/16 – Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco, CA
10/17 – The Roxy – Los Angeles, CA
10/20 – Soda Bar – San Diego, CA
10/21 – Last Exit – Phoenix, AZ
10/22 – Lowbrow Palace – El Paso, TX
10/24 – Limelight – San Antonio, TX
10/27 – 529 Club – Atlanta, GA
10/28 – U Street Music Hall – Washington D.C.
10/29 – Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA
10/30 – Le Poisson Rouge – NYC
10/31 – World Café – Philadelphia, PA
11/01 – The Westcott Theater – Syracuse, NY
11/02 – Flour City Station – Rochester, NY
11/03 – The Waiting Room – Buffalo, NY
11/04 – BAR – New Haven, CT
11/05 – Belmont – Montreal
11/06 – The Drake Hotel – Toronto
11/07 – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL
11/08 – The Rave – Madison, WI
11/09 – 7th Street Entry – Minneapolis, MN
11/10 – The Riot Room – Kansas City, KS
11/11 – Lost Lake Lounge – Denver, CO
