INTERVIEW: DECOUPLR
DECOUPLR
The Photo Ladies Interview - by Emily May
With a unique blend of electronica and trip hop, Philadelphia duo DECOUPLR, comprised of Bailey Walker and Adam Laub, recently released their first single "Cold Sweat", a track that aims to convey their message of a technology driven lifestyle. “I used mellotron flute samples to create the main synth line mixed in with 808 drums and other digital sounds to give the modern electronic sound a vintage feel,” says Laub. “The tape hiss cutting in and out over the track with the sub drop of the kick drum also serves to create the dissonance between electronic and physical.” “I thought about the concept of distance in a modern technological world," explains Walker. “To me, "Cold Sweat" is an intersection of the whirling uncertainties of this year colliding with a desire to be vulnerable with our closest friends.” The duo have announced the release of their debut album, DIGITAL BONFIRE, in February. Formed in West Philadelphia in 2019, DECOUPLR blends Walker's long history of live vocal performance and Laub's experience with electronic sounds to create their own unique sound. A staple in the Philadelphia music scene, Laub met Walker when she moved to West Philadelphia from Savannah, GA and they connected musically in a surprising way that led them to collaborate. With influences ranging from Trent Reznor, Sylvan Esso, and Flying Lotus, their music contains a mix of dreamy & sweet and punchy & playful sounds. Although people are more connected than ever in this modern digital age, DIGITAL BONFIRE explores the increasing feelings of loneliness that have ensued. You can connect with DECOUPLR via the following links and stay up-to-date on all upcoming album news.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | SoundCloud | Bandcamp
Adam- You have been an integral part of the local Philly scene for years, having played in several bands that encompass pop, electronic, trip-hop, and ambient sounds. Bailey- You began making music in Savannah, GA, later moving to Philly to play with the neo-soul group Likebirds. Did you always know that you wanted to have careers in music? What can you tell me about your musical backgrounds?
Bailey: Until a couple of years ago, I was really shy and not particularly interested in making music though it had been a big part of my life. I grew up singing in church, took some piano lessons here and there, and played saxophone throughout high school, but was only ready to step out on my own in late 2017. I was invited to practice with a group in Savannah who perform as Rich Animals, which is an experimental indie rock project. They are dedicated to creating space for new artists in town to grow and helped me over some creative hurdles. They encouraged me to pick up several instruments, I mostly sang and played saxophone. While in Savannah I met Sean and Brendan Kelly, members of A Fragile Tomorrow and recent project So Sure, and became friends over shared musical taste and a passion for social work specifically in the disabilities community. I recorded my first EP at their studio, Low Watt, shortly before making the jump to Philadelphia.
I didn't know music would be a career path for me. I have seen the groundwork, vulnerability, and dedication this craft takes and would often be overwhelmed at the thought of stepping into my own! Moving to Philadelphia brought a different attitude, though. In my first year here, I spent some time taking myself to open mics and finding shows at local venues to just get an idea of what was happening around town. I am still completely floored by the talent in this city, I am humbled to make music here and continue to meet new people.
Adam: I knew that I wanted to have a music-related career from when I was about 14 years old. I did live sound for my high school theater and got a cheap interface and mic set for my birthday. From then I started recording my friend’s bands in my parent’s basement much to the chagrin of my mother. She was very patient and let me play loud drums and guitars in our basement for hours on the weekends. From there I ended up going to Drexel for Audio Engineering and opened a studio with some of my classmates called Sleepless Sound Studio.
What can the two of you tell me about your childhoods and how they shaped your respective love for music?
Bailey: My parents were touring musicians for most of my childhood, so I became familiar with everything ranging from doing homework on the road to learning how to complete a proper soundcheck before I even made it to middle school. I was taught to be a curious listener, identifying parts of songs or albums that I liked and why. i.e. What instrument is being used and what is its history? What is making me connect to this piece of art and how did this art reflect the time? It's always been a part of me, I love interacting with music because of how expansive it is. There's always an opportunity to learn something.
Adam: My family is from the NY/NJ area so Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen were always on heavy rotation with my dad. My mom tended to listen to more of the 80s pop hits as they graduated high school in 1985 and were very immersed in that culture. I started piano lessons when I was 9 years old and maintained a pretty rigorous competitive performance schedule throughout my childhood into high school. In high school, I switched teachers and moved away from the classical training and got a teacher that taught me blues scales, jazz chords, rock piano improv, and all of the fun stuff that they won’t teach you with a classical teacher. At the same time, I was getting very into digital production and learning Logic and Reason. I still use Reason for all of my music production.
How did the two of you meet and what led you to decide to form DECOUPLR? What can you tell me about your sound, which merges the intricate digital elements of trip-hop and electronica with the live elements of soul music and vocal performance?
Adam: We met each other after Bailey moved to West Philadelphia from Savannah, Georgia and after I heard her vocal style, I knew that she would be the right fit for some of the beats I had been working on for years. We got into the studio and laid down some rough vocals over the demo of Cold Sweat and a couple of other songs that ended up on the record and from there it all flowed naturally. I always had a cold sounding electronic production style and blending in Bailey’s vocals bridged that connection from the electronic to the live in a way that I wasn’t expecting.
Bailey: Growing up as a saxophone player, I tend to lean toward warm vocals and strong melodies. Adam brought a few ideas to me that were previously written with a rapper in mind, the beats were well constructed and could stand on their own. I felt that my task was to provide vocals that supported the framework he had built and add an emotional component. Sade is an artist I drew inspiration from, in the way that she brings a warm, thoughtful vocal and is not limited to a specific genre.
You recently released "Cold Sweat", the first single from your upcoming debut album DIGITAL BONFIRE, which explores the concept of distance in a technological world. What can you tell me about the song, as well as your use of music/sound to mimic the stacking emotions of a dissociated anxiousness?
Bailey: The original track for Cold Sweat was a project that Adam had worked on previously, there was a vocal sample on the track that kind of led me to the melody. The song was introspective and complex, each phrase beginning is accompanied by a sub drop followed by arpeggiated bells. This wave-like, contemplative sound reminded me of uncertainty, which is what I tried to explore in the lyrics. As the idea formed, we began stacking sounds with an intent to accentuate the dizzying concept.
Adam: DIGITAL BONFIRE is 11 tracks, of those 11 tracks, 5 were beats that I had made in the past with no specific purpose. I had released trip-hop and experimental electronic music under the name <radioaddict> in the past and didn’t feel that these tracks were right for that project. In fact, most of the tracks that we used from my archives were meant to have a rapper on them and there are demos of the tracks with rappers on them that didn’t turn out the way I wanted them to. After we started working on DECOUPLR, I saw a new perspective on the potential for some of these beats after getting Bailey’s vocals on it. From there we wrote Cold Sweat, which is all about the loneliness of the digital age and the rest of the songs followed suit with similar themes.
On Cold Sweat I used a Mellotron sampler that I have to create the flute sound and give it an organic feel. I really like this Mellotron sampler because it is made from extremely high-quality samples of a real Mellotron, which I feel give it much more authenticity in the sound than a lot of the other Mellotron samplers that I have played around with.
You have said that the digital age is a tether that keeps people connected no matter where they are. Your upcoming album explores the greater message of a technology-driven lifestyle and the ever-increasing feelings of loneliness associated with this new connection. Can you talk a bit about making the album and the broader message you are trying to convey? Why do you feel that people are feeling so lonely despite so many ways to connect?
Bailey: I noticed a pretty distinct learning curve with some technology in my personal relationships when COVID-19 began. We were experiencing an abrupt lifestyle change, processing fear, and trying to adjust. It takes a bit of effort to learn new forms of communication, and the frustration for some is very real. Most can accomplish check-ins or birthday parties via Zoom or FaceTime, as we all found out this year, but it is still isolating. This experience as a whole is like no other in history, and in a lot of ways we are collectively grieving a time when things were “normal.” There are still many unanswered questions, lost loved ones, and no clear idea of what our future looks like right now. Those of us who are not comfortable knocking out these topics over a Zoom call have a lot to sit with and sort through. How do we open up like we used to? What are the new routines that keep us in the community together? Connection and care are available to us right in our pockets, and a lot of us are learning as we go about how to wield that power.
Adam- You are an up-and-coming producer, songwriter and engineer who wants to develop smaller local acts. What can you tell me about Sleepless Sound Studio, the studio you started with other local producers? What led to your interest in production and engineering? What can you tell me about the local Philly music scene and your love for helping local artists?
Adam: In college, we all played together in a band called OhBree. OhBree is a large band with 8 members and a focus on getting literally as many tracks on the recording as possible. We would record 24+ horn tracks, 15 vocal tracks, piano, guitar doubles, bass, drums, synths, special effects, and more on one song. Working on OhBree in college with Bob and Luke (my two partners at Sleepless Sound) really helped us grind out our editing and mixing skills. After college, we all knew we wanted to continue working on production so the three of us got a plan together to open a small studio. We scraped together a modest starting budget with the help of family and friends and found a little spot out in Germantown where we started Sleepless Sound. The pandemic has affected our business dramatically as it is not really safe to have sessions in a small unventilated room with outsiders, but we have been running for close to 7 years now.
I love finding small artists and working with them to make their projects better than they thought it could be. I have always been of the school of thought that it is much better to take the time and care to edit and mix thoroughly and consider the artists’ taste than to have expensive equipment and push something out quickly. For years we did the editing for free because we wanted our artists’ work to shine no matter their budget. I know that a lot of studios can be cutthroat with pricing, and show off their flashy gear but in the end, they don’t always take the time to work with local artists who can’t necessarily afford the dozens of hours it takes to make a record sound professional. Our stance was to always try to help the musicians that came to us even if we didn’t necessarily profit from it.
In general, I love the Philly music scene. I have met so many loving and warm people who care deeply about even the smallest local act. I spent countless nights in basement shows that were packed out wall to wall with local fans. I feel like you don’t find that kind of accepting and engaging musical community everywhere and it was one of the things that drove me to continue working in the Philly music scene for so long.
What can you tell me about your musical projects you are involved with outside of DECOUPLR?
Bailey: I got my start singing with the local neo-soul darlings called Likebirds, they began writing and performing in 2017. They are a well-polished project that believes in equal contribution to the sound, they are true collaborators. Dani Gershkoff brings an impressive skill set both vocally and instrumentally, Joe Perullo is a multi-instrumentalist who writes, plays drums, and occasionally features on keys, and Christopher Thornton thoughtfully weaves between the band creating an atmosphere like no other. There are talks about a music release from them soon, so stay alert!
Adam: I have played drums and produced in OhBree, a wacky art-rock band that featured an 8-piece costumed band with a horn section, since 2011. OhBree has been a bit quiet in recent years but we still have some new material in the wings and someday we will return to the Philly music scene to play way too loudly for you in a small concrete basement.
I have played in a noise/ambient project called Tidal Archive with my close friend Tyler Mack who just released a solo EP under the name Samurai Mack that you should absolutely listen to if you like prog rock and trip-hop. Tidal Archive has released over a dozen ambient and noise records over the years and every year we do a live-streamed 24 hour-long noise and ambient performance where we get local experimental musicians to join us for blocks of the improvised performance. We have done the livestream for 7 years running; however, we will be skipping this year due to covid which certainly makes me sad. Hopefully next year we can come back strong and who knows, maybe we will force ourselves to do 48 hours to make up for the missed year! Tidal Archive has also scored postmodern dance pieces for the Temple Dance Masters Program as noise and ambient is the perfect backdrop for these kinds of performance art pieces.
I also have made electronic music and trip-hop beats under the name <radioaddict> and collaborated with the now-defunct Glitch Squad record label to release a few EPs and songs for compilations through them. <radioaddict> started as an electronic singer-songwriter project in the vein of Caribou or Panda Bear but over time moved towards the trip-hop instrumental style that we ended up using for DECOUPLR.
How have you been navigating the musical landscape as artists during the Covid pandemic? How has it altered the music scene in Philly? What do you think the music industry will look like on the other side of this?
Adam: The pandemic has essentially completely killed the local music scene in Philly. With so many venues shutting down forever like Voltage Lounge and Boot and Saddle along with many DIY house shows not able to operate, live music is basically gone from the city. If one good thing has come out of all of the venues closing and real-life interactions halting, it’s that it has forced a lot of the musicians I know to explore new directions for their music. I have seen a lot of friends making new projects at home in a different style. An artist that I work with at the studio frequently, Jameel Farruk, is taking the time to learn recording software at home and trying a new direction for his music and I have several other friends that are putting out some of their most unique work now that they have the time and focus to work on something different.
I hope that after covid is quelled, things will return to normal. I doubt that venues that have closed permanently will be able to re-open but I hope that the house show venues come back in full force and new venues open to replace the closed spaces. I am sure that once we all feel safe going back out into the world, there will be a huge demand for live music and concerts and I am hopeful that the passionate people in the Philly music scene will cause everything to bounce back stronger than ever.
Who are you listening to right now? Who are some of your favorite Philly artists?
Adam: As far as Philly staples, I have always loved The Extraordinaires and Man Man. I also love Kyle Press’s solo work that you can find on Bandcamp at kylepress.bandcamp.com. He is an amazing saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist that you should definitely check out. Also, I love Vince Tampio’s solo music and the band he plays in, You Do You.
Outside of local music, I have been listening to a lot of modern classical like Nilhs Frahm and Ólafur Arnalds. Also, I love Bonobo, DJ Shadow, Tyler the Creator, and I have had the new Sylvan Esso record on repeat since it came out a few weeks ago.
Bailey: Some of my favorite Philly artists are Rosalie Swana, Werwe, Likebirds, Upholstery, Sam Rise, Martronimous, Suzanne Sheer, Taylor Kelly, Sleepmonster, Secret Nudist Friends & Lauren Scott. I love this city.
What's next for you?
We have a music video for Cold Sweat coming out from Drew Mercadante and Matt Keppler over at SUPERVOIDtv. They are amazing visual artists and I am so excited to share the work that they have done on this music video. After that, we have a couple more singles, some more videos, and a full-length album coming in February 2021!