One of Australia’s most popular live acts, Art vs Science are back with a brand new single, Create/Destroy.
‘It’s about a faltering relationship, and the myriad questions the mind throws out and the crumbling footholds to which it clings as it falls into an unknown conclusion’, says Dan Mac.
After touring in the US, the band are keen to get back to home turf, excited about ditching the old stuff, and bringing in the new.
‘We were touring the old album in the US and the old EP and we had done that for a good year or two. It was fresh for them but not for us. Most of the time it’s fine, but I was like, get me home!’
On arrival the band were head-first into new projects. ‘Freshness was what we were looking for in the US, and I think you need that risk factor as well. It keeps a show interesting. It’s rewarding when people go, I like that, and they’ve heard it before everyone else.’
The new album Off the Edge of the Earth and into Forever Forever has just been released.
‘It has been a torturous ordeal’, says Mac, ‘I never want to do it again!’
‘We recorded the main bits of each song. The bass drums, and the keyboards and then we would try and track them at the same time so you have the band playing at once with the same vibe.
And then we do the vocals and build it after that. Sometimes you are just second guessing yourself. One song went through seven recalls, we mixed and recalled it six more times and it didn’t make the record.’
‘Recording is a bit like arranging chairs on the Titanic’, laughs Mac, ‘we are independent and we do record in batches, but it’s hard to say how long from start to finish. Of course the whole thing cost a fortune and we spent way too much money!’
The experience has inspired Mac to invest in his own studio. ‘We are going to be making the next album ourselves!’
Gearing up for the festival circuit, Art vs Science will be headlining at Falls Festival this year.
‘I can’t wait’, says Mac. ‘The Byron one will be awesome. We are playing NYE in the amphitheatre. We saw Tame Impala there at the last Splendour in the Grass and we said, this is where we will be playing on New Years!’
Music for your feet, Art vs Science at Falls Festival, December 31 – January 3.
www.byron.fallsfestival.com.au
