Shit Robot (Marcus Lambkin) will release his third album for DFA Records, What Follows on May 6th. The new LP features collaborations with Hot Chip‘s Alexis Taylor and other fellow longstanding artists on the cult DFA Label —including Nancy Whang, Museum of Love, and Juan McLean. Here he tells what the creative process was for his latest offering…
What are the primary inspirations for What Follows (released May 06 collaborated with Alexis Taylor)?
Drum machines and sequencers. I’ve always used hardware to make music, but in the past few years I found myself experimenting with the “In The Box” way of doing things and I think I’ve realized it’s just not for me. Making stuff on the computer is just not as much fun as playing with gear. I also noticed that all of the music I listen to is made with drum machines and synths, so I wanted to get back to how I started and sync up some machines and see what happens.
Quite a few of the tracks on your latest album are produced by your old DFA Record label buddies Juan McLean, as well vocals by the Nancy Whang who has featured on several of your tracks over the years including the hit ‘Take ’em Up’ in 2010. Do you see this latest offering as a return to your roots?
Yes, for sure. But having said that, I’ve always worked with Nancy and Juan, they have both contributed to all my records as friends and artists. Even if Juan’s name isn’t on something he’s one of the few people I will bounce ideas or rough tracks off. They have both been huge help and influence on me. But yes, I feel that this record is closer to my first record than my second for whatever reason.
In the past your tracks have flirted casually within the comfortable realms of indie melodic style electro pop, and some YouTube commenters have even suggested (rap style G-Funk beats?). Do you feel these are fair comparisons to draw from your creative process?
Ha, really? I haven’t seen that before. I don’t know, “rap style G-funk beats??” I don’t hear that. But yes, I can’t argue with the melodic electro pop reference, there has been a bit of that. It depends on what I’m listening to at the time, I think. When I made ‘Take’Em Up’ I was listening to old Ministry 12″s, so that’s where that came from. These days I’m listening to deep techno, so there’s not going to be much disco or electro pop on this record.
Do you see yourself staying loyal to the techno genre in the long run, or do you think this is something you may eventually distance yourself from?
I’ve always listened to techno, so no, I don’t think I’ll be distancing myself from it anytime soon. My formative years were late 80’s, early 90’s in Dublin, ask anyone and they will tell you, Dublin has a very good techno pedigree. I’ve always Dj’ed house and techno, to the point were it’s been a bit of a problem. Part of the reason I made this record was to illustrate that I don’t play electro or 80’s pop when I’m DJing. Sometimes because I’m on DFA people think I’m going to be playing Disco or “Disco-punk” and the support DJ will be playing the entire LCD Soundsystem back catalogue.
How do you think the independent U.K. dance scene has developed since the early naughties, and where do you see it progressing in the next decade, after the rapid rise of internet streaming, of which it has had to adapt to in a phenomenally short space of time?
I have no idea to be honest. I think in the UK in particular you have some problems right now. There is a huge amount of talent, but the clubs are being closed down and the whole nightlife industry seems to be under attack. Online platforms are huge but this can’t be the future surely? Are we all just going to sit at home cyberclubbing?
After the recent success of Factory Floor’s curated Convergence event at Village Underground of which you performed a set at earlier this month, can you fill us in on what you have planned this Summer to mark your latest release?
Can we just repeat that night again and again for the rest of the summer? That was so much fun.
I’m going back to NY for a bit next month, so really looking forward to that and then I’ll be in Dublin for my album release party on the 28th of May . Then I’ll be back in London on the 3rd of June at The Nest.
Thank you Shit Robot! Preorders for the album can be found via Bandcamp.
Words by Natalie Wardle.
