Body Language Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Mar 8th 2010 10:57PM by Shari Monique Gab
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Body Language is the collaboration of Matthew Young, Grant Wheeler, Angelica Bess, and Ian Chang streaming out of the Brooklyn/New York scene. The quartet produces a jocular but smooth electronic sound, pulling influences from Chicago House to Detroit Techno and even the Beach Boys. The four-person band may have started with lil' ol' weekly parties in Hartford, CT, but they released their album Speaks last summer and just finished a remix with Chaz Bundick of Toro y Moi. Spinner talks with Body Language about how pumped they are for their crowd to cut loose at their first time playing this year's SXSW.

How would you describe your sound?

Electrotropicalidiscodancingfun.

What happened after you started playing together in Hartford?

We were quickly bitten by the dance bug and started writing originals to spin in as well. Around the same time, we made plans to move to New York because we had some friends down there throwing some killer parties. When we got there, we played a crazy CassetteNYC party on a rooftop in Bushwick, which lead to the next gig, and the next, and now here we are.How did you come up with your band name?

There certainly wasn't any "eureka!" moment. Matt came up with the name. The meaning is probably something a little different to each of us, but generally refers to our kinetic performances with both the crowd and us moving with little forethought.

What are your musical influences?

Names that come to mind are Green Velvet, Other People Place, Metro Area, Elecktroids, tons of DFA artists. At the same time, there are a lot of more songwriter-driven artists that are really pulling our style towards a middle-ground like Otis Redding, Roy Ayers, Little Joy, St. Vincent, Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear.

Is there a band you are looking forward to seeing this year?

Toro y Moi; we've never met and never seen each other play. We get to do a couple of sets with him. We love his new release - Causers of This - so we're definitely looking forward to meeting up and sharing the stage.

Name your biggest vice.

Ang: Etsy.

Matt and Grant: Analog synthesizers.

Ian: Food. My appetite.

What's going to be in your festival survival kit?

It will be waiting for us when we get there - good ol' Tex-Mex dining and Tequila.

First celebrity crush?

Grant: Alicia Silverstone. I was in 5th grade, and saw all those Aerosmith videos. She might be tied with Topanga though.

Ang: Hulk Hogan.

Matt: Princess Jasmine.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

Grant: Destiny's Child, Discovery.

Ang: Emo bands, circa 2002.

Matt: Nerdy Detroit techno (i.e. Aux 88, Elecktroids).

Ian: Disney soundtracks.

Does it ever get crazy on tour?

It seems there's a lot of freaky ladies around when we play. Ladies making out, groping each other, and making dance floor sandwiches. In between songs, this girl offered to have sex with Grant in exchange for his Goosebumps T-shirt, and another kept running up to Matt and trying to kiss him stealth ninja-style while he was setting up his keyboards.

What can we catch you singing at Karaoke?

"I Wanna Dance with Somebody" - Whitney Houston.

Who is dancing at a Body Language show?

18 - 35's, who happen to also enjoy electrotropicalidiscodancingfun. We would expect nothing less from them.

What's coming up next?

Immediately after SXSW is a West Coast tour w/ Sia. We're going to be touching some new territory and reaching some new ears, very excited. We are wrapping up a demo at the moment, and that will be landing in a few offices while we're out playing some shows. We've also done a whole slew of remixes, most of them have bubbled to the surface at this point, but we've saved the best for last - a remix of Neon Indian's 'Should've Taken Acid With You'. Keep an eye out (or ear rather).

Where and when can we see you at SXSW '10?

Wednesday, March 17 - 2:45 - 3:30pm - BMI Party @ Mohawk (Outside) w/ Toro y Moi, Phantogram, Small Back
Thursday, March 18 - Afternoon (set time TBD) @ Malverde w/ Crystal Method, Uffie, Yes Giantess, Hey Champ
Friday, March 19 - 6:45 -7:15pm - Loose Control @ Vice w/ Toro y Moi, Treasure Fingers
Saturday, March 20 - 8:00 - 8:30pm - AMonly Party @ Beauty Bar w/ Hustle Club, Daedalus, Mickey Factz

Shari Monique Gab is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.