Story // Robert Frezza
Photos // Derek Rickert
Australian electronic dance trio RÜFÜS DU SOL are Tyrone Lindqvist, Jon George, and James Hunt and the band is expanding their global reach with their latest album Solace with their singles “Treat You Better” and the worldly, sophisticated, captivating, lush single “Underwater”. Both singles are picking up traction on alternative rock stations across the nation.
In the early 2000s mainstream music was engulfed by the sounds of Electronic Dance Music, or EDM, with Calvin Harris, Avicii, and other DJs at the forefront of the scene. The genre was massively popular overseas at first, which then made the crossover, as it took the place of alternative rock in many formats here in the United States.
Today electronic music is morphing into other sounds and slowly creeping into other genres. RÜFÜS DU SOL is taking the EDM sound into another direction as they incorporate live instrumentation with it. Call it EDM, house music, or alternative dance. These boys from down under are taking the music into their own hands and created an amazing and mature album that will take you from one side of the world to the other.
We chat with James Hunt from the Australian trio (who are now located in Los Angeles) about the ever-changing EDM landscape, touring, and what separates them from the inescapable genre.
How do the American and Australian audiences differ?
Well the United States is so much bigger than Australia. There are bigger cities here. It’s been nice to see how the United States crowds have been so welcoming to us. We find it to be a very strong fan culture here. The fans will drive out to see us at multiple shows in different cities, which I really love.
Do you consider RÜFÜS DU SOL EDM? Do you think the genre has run its course?
I wouldn’t consider us EDM, but I think that EDM came to represent the more Calvin Harris commercial transient influence kind of stuff. We were more influenced by the underground by acts like Booka Shade and Trentemoller. We identified with those acts.
I think EDM artists have moved to a bigger platform now. One thing that I feel that people are now connecting to again is the live aspect of music as opposed to just deejaying. We really value musicianship; that’s something we try to challenge ourselves with.
Is that what separates you guys from the rest of the genre?
Yes, we identify with a lot of other bands that we grew up on like Cut Copy. They were a band but they were into house or dance music and that’s kind of the space that we are into. It’s quite an interesting space for us.
What inspires the writing process?
The writing process is really great. Everyone contributes and we all write together. Everyone plays everything. It’s a really cool balance that way. We spend 75% in the studio and the rest in production. When it comes to learn the live show we relearn it in a fresh new way, which is great.
What are your goals for the new album, Solace?
I hope that people could relate to it because it is emotionally darker and a bit more raw of an album. I hope it kicks them to the core or helps them through a tough time. That would be amazing.
Do you enjoy the touring process?
There are two worlds: studio time and touring. When we were touring two years from the last album we were ready to go back in the studio. Now that we have been in the studio in the past year and a half, we were dying to get back out on the road and travel again.
