“There is a fallacy that evolution must mean “progress” to “more advanced” organisms with more complex structure and function, whereas it can become something more simple and beautiful…”
The inspiration point for The Upbeats latest project: The De-Evolution series.
Little is known about the project so far. And what is known is being kept very close to Dylan and Jeremy’s chests, but here’s what we do know… De-Evolution is a series of releases to be dispersed throughout 2016 by Noisia’s flagship Vision vehicle from April 22.
We know it will feature one of The Upbeats’ all-time favourite singers plus an Ivy Lab collaboration and the project will coincide with a hefty world tour that kicks off in their New Zealand home on the same day of the release. Oh, and it features THIS…
The Upbeats – Dungeon
“We’re taking things back to being a little more human,” explains Jeremy. “It’s the vibe and feeling that we’ve always strived to have in all our work. Something that has much more of a soul than technicality. We stem from those riffy roots and that’s what we’re really focusing on throughout the series.”
Many would argue it’s the soul that all Upbeats releases have consistently showcased and even referenced in their last album Primitive Technique. For the duo, it’s even more of a focus than ever before with the ‘riffy roots’ referring their really early days in hardcore and rock bands.
“Yeah we’re not talking about older music in terms of drum & bass,” agrees Dylan. “But older music like rock and really old gritty analogue raw sounding stuff. The whole series has put us in a mindset to progress what we’re doing but the same time we’re making it sound rawer and organic.”
As well as a collaboration with Ivy Lab, the series will also feature Mara TK, the lead singer from fellow Kiwi band Electric Wire Hustle and will feature some of the more leftfield, experimental and musical dynamics that you usually find on their albums.
With three years passing since Primitive Technique (the amount of time they’ve spent between every album since emerging in 2004), you have to wonder if this is effectively the next Upbeats album?
“We’re not using that word,” states Jeremy. “It’s a project and an experiment. We’re seeing if this is a better way to release our music. What’s really exciting is how it all comes together on the final part both musically and with the artwork.”
Simple, beautiful and most likely raw as f**k. The Upbeats De-Evolution series launches April 22 on Vision.
Catch The Upbeats at UKF @ FABRICLIVE This Friday, March 18, alongside Spor, 12th Planet, Kove, Nu:Tone,Joker, Chimpo and many more. Full details.
Photo Credit: Chelone Wolf
