Chicago – Nikki Taylor, Matt Lewkowicz, and Eric Zeiler have been turning heads and heating up dance floors with their official remixes for bands like Passion Pit, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and Atlas Genius. However the Brooklyn trio, known as Little Daylight, are proving themselves fully capable of creating their own catchy tunes. Shortly after forming in 2012, the pop connoisseurs released their EP Tunnel Vision, filled with synths, drums, and dreamy vocals, and caught our attention, making them a BestNewBands featured artist. After their release, Little Daylight hit the ground running, touring with BΔSTILLE while beginning to tackle their first LP Hello Memory. I had a little Q & A session with Matt Lewkowicz and talked about the soon to be released album, touring, and Mystics.
Sarah Hess: Your EP Tunnel Vision is amazing! How would you describe your sound? And what influences you musically?
Matt Lewkowicz: Thank you! That was a really interesting EP for us to make, since we pretty much completed it before we ever played a live show. It was over the course of making Tunnel Vision that we learned how to be Little Daylight. We were experimenting with different kinds of production… big tribal drum parts, ambience and electronics, live guitars and bass, and integrating it with the songs that we were writing. We had just done a bunch of remixes right when the band started, for Passion Pit, Edward Sharpe, the Neighbourhood, and some others, and that work definitely inspired the way we produced our original music on Tunnel Vision.
SH: You’ve been working on a LP. Can you tell us a bit about it? Do you have a release date yet?
ML: Since finishing Tunnel Vision, we have spent a lot of time on the road, and that influenced the way we worked on our upcoming LP, Hello Memory. There was more live drum stuff, more jamming and experimenting with live instruments in the studio. There is definitely a musical through-line between the EP and the LP, and a development to how we approached the songwriting and production for the album. We are really excited to get it out there into the world! It looks like it’s going to drop this summer and it’s definitely a summer album so we’re pumped about that.
SH: Which musicians inspire you the most? What new bands are you obsessed with right now?
ML: We’re constantly seeing/hearing and discovering new music, so this is a constantly evolving answer. Right now, and while working on our album, we were all obsessed with Jon Hopkins. We love Cashmere Cat, Miike Snow, Vampire Weekend. We also are often inspired by the bands in our community that we play shows and hang out with. We’ve played with amazing bands like Bastille, Haerts, and Charli XCX, and they’ve definitely inspired us. In terms of new bands, we’re all about friends Great Good Fine Ok. They’re amazing. Each time we hear one of their songs in the van, we’re all singing it for the next 48 hours. It’s a blessing and a curse!
SH: You guys are on tour now. Being somewhat new to touring, has it been a big adjustment for you? What have you found to be the most exciting aspect of touring?
ML: Touring is like camp, but instead of sack races and bug juice it’s set-lists and coffee. What I mean is that you end up getting pretty tight with the other bands because you’re all far from home and you’re all scrounging for good food and sleep. For instance, our last night out with Bastille in September was an epic New York night. It started with us all coming out to sing Pompeii and ended with some of us not making it home before sunrise. Same thing with this tour we’re on now with Terraplane Sun and Flagship. It’s great to bounce ideas and experiences off each other. That’s the best part.
SH: I haven’t read much about how the three of you met. I know Matt and Eric met in high school… when did Nikki join the mix? Was it destiny in the making?
ML: Eric and I have indeed been writing music together since we were kids. Nikki dated a friend we grew up with, and if memory serves me correctly, we actually met during a long night of partying in a room with a piano in it, so music was there from the beginning.
SH: In recent interviews you revealed you’re fans of The Dark Crystal and The NeverEnding Story. As I am too, I must know how you would rank the following in order from most fave to your least favorite: The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and The NeverEnding Story.
ML: In descending order: Dark Crystal, Never Ending Story, Labyrinth. Nikki and I can probably both trace our musical roots to that scene where the Mystics all start “Mmmmmmm”ing to each other from distant locations. Actually, wait a minute, maybe that’s why I’m so into Brian Eno and Steve Reich and drony stuff. Eric has never seen the Dark Crystal so next night we have off I think we’re going to watch it and annoy the shit out of him by gushing loudly through every scene.
You can catch Little Daylight on their Three of Clubs tour through April. And keep your eyes and ears open for their debut full length Hello Memory!
(Photo credit: Special Problems)
Sarah Hess
After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.
You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.
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