This week, our own Michael Rincon was able to sit down with Painted Face to talk about history, music, and more…

1.) How long have you been making music and playing in bands?

It’s been a while. I grew up singing and playing instruments, but I was pretty shy. I didn’t start playing in bands until after college. I lived in Brooklyn and there were a lot creative people there making amazing music and art. I played the guitar and bass in different projects, put out some releases, and went on a few tours. As I got more into experimenting with electronics, I eventually decided to produce music on my own. Painted Face is a project I’ve been working on since and it’s evolved into collaboration with my brother Alvin Risk.

 

2.) What are some of your musical influences?

I listen to so many different kinds of music. For Painted Face, I’m definitely inspired by iconic women who make weird pop music. Kate Bush, Bjork, Yoko Ono, New Wave bands from back in the day, as well as more current stuff like Deastro, Pnau, Hercules & Love Affair and Heartsrevolution.

3.) Your music is pretty different I think as far as the whole electro-pop and dance music scene is concerned. What influenced you to create the kind of music that you make?

Well, I didn’t start out thinking I would be making dance music. I was used to writing songs in more improvisational settings. But when you are making music on a grid, it starts to become inevitable. The beats end up being the most prominent element of the music and then you become absorbed by that. I had more of a background in playing live electronic music, so Painted Face is somewhere in the middle. My brother was in the drum and bass scene so he’s definitely tuned into making dance mixes and that was a big part of why I wanted to work with him.

 

4.) How has living and being apart of the New York music scene played a part in the music you write.

I spent many formative years in New York. It was such a huge influence, and so engrained in who I am. I moved there after high school so in many ways it was like another parent. So many music movements were birthed there, but even just the physical city, the pavement, the buildings–were inspirations. It’s not really a happy place, it’s pretty dark in a lot of ways, but if you find beauty in the underside of things, which I do, it draws you like a moth to a flame.

 

5.) What’s currently going on for you musically? A new album, a tour, what?

I put some songs up on the web this summer (www.soundcloud.com/paintedface). I have a lot of material that needs vocals so I’m hoping to finish more stuff and release an EP or two. I plan to start playing shows this fall and hopefully a couple of mini tours.

 

6.) How do you write a song? Does the music come first or the lyrics?

The music comes first. I write pretty much everything and my brother makes suggestions or adds parts. I’ve learned a lot from him about arranging music. Weirdly, I always crank out the chorus first but the vocals and lyrics usually come last. I need to experiment with doing it the other way around. I write songs in keys that are hard to sing to.

 

7.) What subject matters are your lyrics based on?

Sometimes abstract things, sometimes personal things. I try to match the words to the mood of the music.