Monday, August 22, 2011

EIC'S10Q'S w/Tropic Of Cancer

"..mopy Slowcore melodies with Gothic/Dream Poppy vignettes and Minimalist New Wave sounds.."





Tropic Of Cancer

Hyperborean Manufactured Despair



Tropic Of Cancer Bio:

Sorry, I couldn't find a proper biography, here's what Boomkat had to say: Blackest Ever Black made an indelible mark on 2010 with a couplet of stunning releases from Raime. This year they open their leathery wings to shelter Tropic Of Cancer aka Camella Lobo and Juan Mendez (Silent Servant) for a midnight mission away from their spiritual home, Regis' Downwards sect. No doubt, this is their strongest material to date: three passionately gothic odes to the romance of misery. There are clear, strong references to the gothic digital minimalism of Martin Hannet's work on Joy Division, and maybe more apt allusions to the skinny Post Punk of Savage Republic, and Faith/Pornography/Seventeen Seconds era The Cure, but unlike many contemporary guardians of this sound, TOC's misanthropy is articulated with exquisite production values closer to those of Grouper or Broadcast, making their introversion that much more tangible and heart-breakingly glorious. Of these three songs, 'Dive (Wheel Of The Law)' is the most affecting; Lobo's lamenting vocals sigh for your sins while a malnourished drum machine paces echoic alley space like a Kafka character tortuously trapped in his misanthropy, plangent guitars precipitate a cold grey drizzle. This is severely dank, uncompromising material, and therein lies its beauty. If you're on that wavelength, this will probably be one of the most precious 12"s you'll encounter this year.






Hello, how are you?

Hello. We're fine. How are you?

..I'm great thanks for asking:)



What are you currently listening to?


C: I finally got the Grouper double LP "A/A - Alien Observer/Dream Loss" that came out a few months ago. It's just stunning. I've listened to it several times in a row today. Liz Harris' sound always puts me in such a veiled and suspended kind of mood.



When you began this project did you have a particular sound in mind that you were going for?


C: No, there was never a conversation where we sat down and said, "We should play music that sounds like this." Everything we've managed to create has been borne from a natural and intuitive process. Our sound is just what comes out when we work together. Nothing is ever premeditated.



Who are/were the biggest musical influences for ToC?

C: Trish Keenan of Broadcast for me and probably Martin Hannett for Juan.



I love all the EP's you've put out, is there a full length in the making?

C: We have plans to release an LP in the spring of 2012 and have an EP coming out in the meantime on Mannequin.



Will you be touring the country for said release?

C: We'd like to plan a small European tour at some point but a lot has to be set in motion before then.



Any side projects we should know about?

C: Juan is one part of Sandwell District and DJs and makes electronic music as Silent Servant. I'm currently working on a project with Motion Sickness Of Time Travel that we'll most likely release on vinyl or cassette in the next few months.



If Tropic of Cancer was a soundtrack, what film/TV series would it work best with?

C: I suppose I would say anything touched by David Lynch. I embrace the whole tumblr child Twin Peaks revival happening these days. When my mom and dad saw us play one of our first live shows in '07, they said our music sounded like it could be the score for Twin Peaks. I've always stuck to that because it was probably one of the greatest compliments I've ever received.



You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?

C: Erik Satie "Gymnopedie 1-3 / Gnossienne 1-6"

J: The Smiths "Meat Is Murder"



Are you living your dream?


C: Every day is a different one.



Thanx Camella & Juan!



Tropic Of Cancer are currently working on their full length debut, look for that sometime next year, until then be sure to check the band's older material (because you'll regret it of you don't)...


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