If every nation decided to lay down their arms and started the biggest, global dance party to celebrate world peace, Art Vs Science would be at the top of that playlist.
The Sydney dance-punk trio released their new single, 'In This Together', last month, and will tour Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne this month. “Really, really excited,” is Dan Mac (vocals/ synth/ guitar) response when asked about the upcoming tour.
“We're really pumped about that song. We're kind of going back to how we used to write things and record them, that's all in our room with some really nice, old analogue gear and a good producer and good engineer and just going for a really vibe-ing take. We're really stoked that it's getting some good play on Triple J at the moment.”
The track is a real return to form for Art Vs Science. With funky, syncopated rhythms on the hi hat, a driving kick drum, a wicked sounding bass synth, as well as some catchy, vocal melodies and skilled songwriting, 'In This Together' is destined to become a standard in their set list in the years to come.
The lyrics behind the song come from a sci-fi inspired take on the world we currently inhabit. “Basically, when you think about life and everything, the whole thing is like a sci-fi plot. We're these semi-conscious apes on this rock floating around a star out of billions of stars and people take it for granted,” Dan says.
“I actually think the whole experience is fundamentally bizarre. But we're all doing it at the same time and we're all sharing this experience. Maybe if we can all step back and see how weird it is, then you'd be more inclined to focus on that and less inclined to shoot someone or get angry in your car, all these trivial, mundane things that get people annoyed.
“That's what 'In This Together' is about, it's saying that all these people are here and in confusion. We get up and do what we do every day and sometimes we're happy and sometimes we're sad and we're not really sure why. But we're all doing it together, so let's have a party.”
Sci-fi imagery is a recurring theme in a lot of Art Vs Science lyrics. “Dan W [drums/ vocals] is the huge sci-fi fan in the band but he got me onto Issac Assimov and the Foundation. I thought that was awesome, the clown [Magnifico] and his ability to control people's minds,” Dan says.
“I actually think that music has a very similar kind of ability in that you can't control what people think, but if you engage someone with a piece of music you can actually control how they feel, to a certain extent, if they let go of their resistance and come with you. I love that aspect of music. I think it's also one of the most fascinating parts of the human condition, but also still one of the least understood.”
Even though Art Vs Science make electronic music, they tend to emphasise live energy over technological precision. “It's important in as much that it's fun to listen to three people in a room just play. When you listen to those really cool '70s recordings, even early '80s ones, stuff like that, I get a real kick out of that. I think that's something that's also missing in a lot of today's music.
“Take music just being made on a laptop. There's a lot of good music being made as well and I make music on laptops too, but we work really well together as a band playing live. So when you put us in a good sounding room with a lot of nice, vintage equipment and some fun songs, I think it cooks and adds something that you don't get every day in electronic music,” Dan says.
'In This Together' will be the single for an upcoming, yet unnamed album for Art Vs Science. “I'd love to tell you the name of the album because that would sum it up a lot,” Dan says. “It's very organic, very much a return to how we used to write back in the day and just about jamming and having fun, but still exploring a lot of the same psychological and philosophical concepts while trying to cram them into three-minute party songs. It's very exciting, I've got a very good feeling about it.”
Written by Peter Thrupp
Art Vs Science Tour Dates
Sat 13 June - The Basement (Sydney)Fri 19 June - Woolly Mammoth (Brisbane)
Sat 20 June - Howler (Melbourne)
