Interview: Simian Mobile Disco

With hits like ‘Tits and Acid’, and ‘We Are Your Friends’, production duo SMD are the work of James Ford and partner in crime Jas Shaw. They began their musical career in the band Simian, and are to release their third artist album, Delicacies on their own imprint of the same name, at the end of November.

James is also famous as an in-demand indie producer to bands like Florence and the Machine, Klaxons, and Arctic Monkeys.

Skiddle caught up with the duo to talk about musical delicacies, New York residencies, and why they're looking forward to returning to The Warehouse Project.

For the uninitiated, how did SMD come about?

Well, we were both in the band Simian, and at the time we were doing mixtapes and remixes under the daft name Simian Mobile Disco. When the band broke up we kept on using the name for our tracks and remixes and it kinda stuck.

You’re returning to Manchester to play a SMD DJ set at the Warehouse Project.How do you find the Manchester audience, especially as former students and residents of the city? Have you played the WHP before?

We've played WHP quite a few times. We've always had a brilliant time which is why we were excited to do a Delicatessen night there. As a gig it ticks all the dirty warehouse boxes that we like, and the crowd is always the right balance of clued up and mental.

Following on from that, where else do you enjoy playing? what are the crowds like for example, in NY, where I understand you have a residency?

We do have a residency in New York and it's always amazing fun to go out there. The gigs in America on the whole are a little more hit and miss than in Europe as they have a different concept of clubbing as a whole but in general the crowds are getting better and better. Other than that, my favourite places to play definitely include Berlin, Montreal and Japan.

You’ll be releasing your third SMD artist album, ‘Delicacies’, later this month. What can we expect from that? A change of direction, influences, ideas, etc? Where did the ‘Delicacies’ concept come from?

Delicacies is kind of side project - hence why it's coming out on its own label, also called Delicacies... it focuses on club tracks - instrumental, eight min long bits of techno, basically stuff for us to play out when we DJ. The concept came from the fact that most food delicacies are actually a little odd and "specialist" and we thought it related to our tracks. I suppose in hindsight it's probably a reaction to the very vocal poppy feel of our last studio album.

Has your production work affected or influenced the way SMD works and the sounds / ideas you’re bringing to the table?

Not really, they're pretty different working processes really. I suppose working on lots of different types of music helps to stop you disappearing down a techno wormhole.

James, you’ve produced for Florence, The Klaxons, and the Arctic Monkeys, among many others (Jas, I understand you’ve collaborated on some of this, too!). What’s the secret to being a good producer? What sort of relationship do you have with those acts?

I don't think there is a secret to being a good producer. I still feel like i could be a much better producer. Each project is so different and requires such different things, that i suppose the biggest skill is being adaptable and flexible.

How come Delicacies is coming out on your own imprint? Are you striking out on your own?

No, not at all. Our next SMD studio record will be on Wichita. Delicacies was just a quick way for us to make tunes that we want to play as DJ's and make them available to others.

What music is exciting you at the moment, both techno-wise, and generally?

I really like Oni Ayhun's production and i think Ramadanman is one of the best new producers in the UK. I also am really enjoying the new Deerhunter album and Oneohtrix Point Never.

Interview by: Abbas Ali

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