Have you ever had a crazy dream and woken up thinking, “hmm, but what if?” Well, that’s exactly what happened to Theo and Trey of Argonaut & Wasp. Their new single, “Pretend You Know,” is based on a wild dream-turned-personalized reality that proves sometimes you should quite literally follow your dreams. And if there’s one feeling they want you to take away from the song it’s to, “Start a ruckus.”
Listening to “Pretend You Know” or watching its accompanying music video will make you feel like you’re taking a hit of straight serotonin. Opening with a clamor; laughter, clapping, drums, and a steady guitar riff set a rambunctious, funky tone. Lead singer, Trey Schibli’s, voice holds an air of mischief as he sings, “If you don’t want me, thank god it’s summer.” Synths are layered throughout the song, adding an 80’s flare that will undeniably bring you to your feet. ‘Grooviness;’ whatever that means, practically oozes from the song and will have you searching for your bellbottoms and looking for someone to hit the nearest disco with.
The music video depicts everything you would expect for a song like “Pretend You Know.” With New York City as the backdrop for their chaos, and chains, fedoras, and denim a-plenty, Trey and Theo run amuck in the city. Riding an Argonaut & Wasp ice cream cart, the video cuts between scenes of playful destruction and high energy jam sessions. Each of their absurd attempts to disrupt the peace plants a seed in the back of your mind and remind you it’s okay to not take life so seriously sometimes. If they weren’t as incredible of musicians as they are, I’d say they all could have solid careers in acting too, maybe as the fun uncle.
“Pretend You Know”, and its music video, invoke instant memories of summertime shenanigans. The moments you and your friends have a little too much time on your hands and a bit too much access to the city around you. As summer comes to a close, it’s the perfect soundtrack for reminiscing or sneaking in a final, iconic adventure.
LADYGUNN recently chatted with Theo and Trey from Argonaut & Wasp and unpacked their unique sound, soon-to-be hit single, and what’s to come.
As a band do you feel like you all have found your sound/how would you describe your sound?
We are both writing music constantly. Being inspired by so many different influences, we are naturally left with lots of material that spans the entire spectrum of genre and style. I think the pivotal part of us honing in on our “sound” comes from the live show – where we test out tracks, see how the crowd responds, how we respond, and if they all fit into the same sonic story we are trying to express from the stage. There are two fundamental goals we strive for in our music: to craft timeless songs and to make grooves that move you to dance – with these two ideals in mind, we can bend inspiration from any style and meld it into the framework that is Argonaut & Wasp.
What was the inspiration behind “Pretend You Know?” Is there any crazy backstory?
The inspiration for “Pretend You Know” came from a dream where we were sitting in the back seat of a car with Smash Mouth’s lead singer & Beastie Boys’ Mike D upfront, racing down the highway trading demos.
What was it like filming a music video while being COVID-conscious?
It was an awesome experience. Film sets always remind us of the tour van – everyone on set feels like family very quickly. As such, we felt compelled to respect each other & keep each other safe. And most of all, we just felt so fortunate to be able to collaborate with other people again.
Any collabs in your future? Are you planning any virtual concerts?
We have a few collabs lined up for a…“larger” project…details coming soon 😉
What is your creative process like with songwriting?
How songs start is never the same. And while Theo & I have grown to show each other more finished songs as we independently grow as songwriters/producers – the majority of this project still revels in the explorative collaboration that occurs when we start with just a programmed drum beat & a chord progression. Whether it was in the kitchen of our old apartment, a bedroom, or a rooftop – one of us would be like “hey this is a cool riff” then we’d head to the studio and flesh it out, writing as we went – continually inspired by any production choices that were happening in the moment. Once the general sketch of the production/song is arranged, we then bring it to Alec & Chris – our rhythm section. They will re-record drums & bass, adding their own style and sauce to the track.
Your music has been described as, “a soundtrack to New York City.” Does location play into your songwriting/ was that impacted under quarantine in NY?
We were lucky to be living above our studio, so when quarantine happened we were both stuck with each other – all our friends had left the city. Theo & I hunkered down and wrote the majority of what you’ll be hearing over these next 6 months. I look back on that time very fondly and shocked we didn’t kill each other.
There’s a lot going on in the US/world, in general. How have you all been holding each other accountable in these times? Do you feel artists have a responsibility to be using their platforms?
These are surreal times to be living in. Though we’re very aware that this is a time of great change, and many of the struggles we have faced this year served as essential catalysts of positive growth. We feel very strongly about our need to use the platforms at our disposal to promote peace & support the voices of those speaking out.
How do you think your songwriting/ general style has developed since you met in college?
We grew from working in a dorm room to our studio in Bushwick, Brooklyn. With the new space came more gear & instruments – which had a big impact on how we approached producing & writing songs.
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photos / Erica Snyder
story / Kinsley Cuen