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Guestlist talks to Vanguard
House | Friday 15th June 2012 | Osh
Vanguard is an upcoming duo of electronic music based in Cardiff. The Guestlist Network got an exclusive interview for you:
Guestlist Network: First of all, can you tell us more about yourselves, for those who don’t know you?
Vanguard: We are James Thomas and Tom Morgan, 21 year old producers and full-time Welshmen.
How did you guys meet? How did you decide to make music together and start the Vanguard project?
We met through mutual friends who wanted to start a band so making music was the first thing we ever did together and became friends through that. The Vanguard project began through messing around on a home computer late at night with some samples and some VST synths and realizing that we had a similar vision for the music we wanted to make.
By the way, why “Vanguard”? Is that a reference to the father of Thomas Bangalter (one of the two Daft Punk) named Daniel Vangarde?
We just liked the way it looked, sounded and the meaning behind the word. It gives a lot of freedom to do what we want with music and be a bit more experimental. We didn't realize that TB's dad used that name for a few months so it was even more appropriate once we knew!
When we listen to your tracks, we can feel the inspiration of the 90s. What are your influences?
We're influenced by many different genres, from obvious inspirations such as the French House movement to Post Hardcore Rock as well as New Jack Swing and a million other artists, tracks and genres.
How would you describe your music?
It's hard to pinpoint exactly what our music is really, over the last year we've been working on loads of new tracks trying to do something different from anyone else. Right now it's guitars, deep bass, big kicks, huge snares, and every BPM between 75 to 150.
You released your first EP –Oyster in the Half Shell– last year on Kris Menace’s label. What are your plans for 2012? A new EP?
At the moment we're collecting as many songs together to see what we've got and try and make sense of them, then decide exactly what we're going to do. We're thinking about doing a free release over the next couple of months.
What about an album?
An album is definitely a possibility but if we were to do it we'd almost certainly have to do it over a short period of time to keep the continuity as we're constantly developing and changing!
What are the artists or tracks that you can’t stop listening to right now?
Loving Lunice, Hudson Mohawke, 123Mrk, Light Year and Lapalux.
What are your favorites albums?
We could go obvious and say 'Discovery' so we'll avoid that... 'Relationship of Command' by At The Drive In, 'Cross' by Justice and Metronomy's 'Nights Out'.
Can you give us some exclusive news?
We're playing the Kitsuné night at XOYO in London on 23rd June with Jupiter, Housse de Racket, Punks Jump Up and Russ Chimes.
By Simon Vallenet.
