THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, JULY 7, 2
LOCAL MUSIC
Middle Twin prepares for to
DYLAN GUTHRIE news@kansan.com
Lawrence's Middle Twin has undergone a myriad of changes over the past two years in both personnel and musical style, but their upcoming new single and 17 day tour shows that they are still wholly committed to their music.
Last August, the electronic indie band formerly known as Brain Food decided to change their name to Middle Twin.
"It was a really tough decision, but Brain Food didn't feel right for what we were doing," said Eric Davis, who plays guitar and synthesizer for Middle Twin. "We thought [Middle Twin] was cool. The idea is kind of a paradox. I think it describes our music really well. It's undefinable and it's between genres."
Middle Twin released their first self-titled EP as Brain Food in February 2013.
"We really got serious with the band the beginning of 2013," Davis said. "Joel was doing Brain Food long before."
Middle Twin's songwriting process is a collaborative effort spearheaded by keyboardist Joel Martin, according to vocalist, Demi Renault, who's Martin's girlfriend.
"I've got a whole list of lines in my phone that I piece together into songs," Martin said. "They start off as gibble-jabble."
It is clear upon listening to Middle Twin that they derive their sound-scape from an eclectic collection of musical influences.
"Joel gets the bare bones. He either gets the idea from a sound or a chord progression he's made up, and then he comes up with the structure and the melodies," Renault said. "Eric makes up his own parts. Joel makes up the start of a song and then it blossoms as a group."
"All of us have different inspirations," Renault said.
Davis describes their sound as "electronic indie experimental." The band cites musical inspiration from bands like the Gorillaz, Radiohead, James Blake and St. Vincent, though Martin is also motivated by an urge to make his sound and performances distinctive.
It was a really tough decision, but Brain Food didn't feel right for what we were doing.
"Putting on an interesting show. That inspires me to do some things I normally wouldn't do," he said.
One particular element of the group that stands out is Renault's classically trained vocals. She is a 2012 University graduate, with a degree in vocal performance. Her operatic nuances juxtaposed with Middle Twin's electronic and dance rhythms make for a striking dynamic.
ERIC DAVIS Plays guitar and synthesizer for Middle Twin
Another electronic music producer, Wesley Tedlock, a senior majoring in business administration, said he likes what Renault brings to Middle Twin.
"With a female vocalist who is as great as Demi, you can have a lot of expression and textures with the vocals," Tedlock said.
Middle Twin's sound has evolved since their most recent EP, and
that's part of the reason they want to get their new single "Frozen Feet," produced by Jim Barnes, out within the next month.
"We've got a bunch of shows coming up and I wanted to get some new music out," Davis said. "We've come full circle . . . I'd say we're electronic but we have elements of pop, elements of classical music, elements of experimental music."
They are playing their tour, which includes performances in Nashville, Chicago, Madison and Brooklyn, with a slightly different lineup, highlighted specifically by the addition of Garrett Marsh from Chanute on guitar.
Middle Twin has traditionally been a five-piece band which included Isaac Flynn on drums and Jon Fitzgerald on the bass guitar. Their upcoming tour will be played as a
four-piece group with a 1 thesizer action, as Davis of his traditional role as and double the synth p junction with Martin.
Their next show will be City, Mo. on Friday, July Room with Me Like Beerners. They'll be in L 25 performing at Love Ebony Tusks.
Edited