Art vs Science - Artist of the Week

Official video for “Higher“

Art vs Science is an Australian dance rock trio that puts out the energy and charismatic strangeness of a much larger group. Their full length album The Experiment came out early this year, with their EP Magic Fountain hot on its heels. Both albums are filled with uptempo dance grooves, Daft Punk-style electronica, and quirky lyrics, the majority of which are posted on their website. Their music video for “Higher” was released earlier this summer in conjunction with their album tour in Australia, and in the coming months the group will be busy making the rounds at home as well as in North America. I exchanged questions with Art vs Science’s Dan W via email, and though I’ve yet to see the group live or meet them in person, his thoughtful yet hilarious responses to my questions secured their position as a must-see at the upcoming Sunset Junction street fair here in Los Angeles at the end of this month.

Laurel Kathleen: What’s the biggest difference between being a touring band in Australia versus the US?

Dan W: The on-road cuisine. In Australia there is a pie shop called Fredo Pies in between Sydney and Brisbane where you can get crocodile, kangaroo, beef, deer; you name it. Americans dont seem to have meat pies. What gives? In the U.S. we have found some pretty awesome Mexican food which you dont really get in Oz. We’re trying to avoid the burger chains if possible….they make the gigs slow down and smell funny.

LK: Are there any specific venues you’re dying to return to, or would like to play for the first time?

DW: Cant wait to play Bowery Ballroom in New York. Heard so much about it, and New York City is like some weird otherworldly second home for us. Because of Sesame Street and Die Hard: With A Vengeance I feel like I grew up there in some way. And of course playing in Mexico City and Vancouver will be a trip. And Sunset Junction with the Butthole Surfers.

LK: Who else are you excited to see perform and/or meet that’s sharing the bill at Sunset Junction?

DW: Butthole Surfers for sure. My mum thought they were called “Butt whore surface”. And also Art Brut.

LK: What did you take away from the making of The Experiment in regards to the way your band works as a unit? Did anything that surprise you about the recording process or finished product?

DW: A whole bunch of things too numerous to list here. The whole process has rejigged the way we think about music and songwriting I think. Next time will be far less scattered I think i.e. done in one studio with the same guy probably….

LK: Are there any recording techniques or different instruments that you’d like to incorporate in the future? Or plan on avoiding if at all possible?

DW: Oh man. We wanna have a choir, a flutist and a female tambourine player/keyboardist. No banjos.

LK: What’s something you guys geek out about (either individually or as a trio) that your fans wouldn’t ordinarily guess?

DW: We love to talk about feats of engineering. Much of that to do with space travel. I think we all want to invent something. Jim has an idea for a water bottle that I’m not allowed to discuss here for fear of copyright infringement. I have an idea for an artificial gravity system for interstellar flight. Dan Mac is currently working on free energy reaped from the earth’s magnetic field. Piece of cake.

LK: What’s the strangest interaction you’ve ever had with a fan?

DW: The first time I saw a band tattoo was pretty wack. The guy kind of shoved it in my face when I was exhausted after a show. He had this crazed look in his eyes and was covered in sweat. I didn’t know what to say. I think I just nodded.

Art vs Science has several dates lined up in North America over the next few weeks, including stops in Arizona, Vancouver, and Mexico City before playing Saturday, August 27th at Sunset Junction in Los Angeles. Advance tickets for the festival are now available here. For tickets to Art vs Science‘s other upcoming dates, please visit their website or follow them on Facebook or Twitter. Their full album The Experiment is now available on iTunes along with their EP Magic Fountain.