Asleep in Transit launches Kaleidoscope

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The Durban-based indie group Asleep in Transit has launched a new EP called Kaleidoscope. Vlad Buzdugan and Allister Christie answer a few questions about the project.

Hey Vlad, how are things?

Good thanks!

Congrats on the release of the Kaleidoscope EP. This is Asleep in Transit’s second EP and features four tracks. Any specific reasons the band didn’t tackle a full-length album and/or decided to stick with these four songs?

Well, we are conscious of the fact that nowadays people expect more music from their favourite bands, faster. The way that music reaches people now is different from how it used to in the old days. Gone are the days of recording an album for a year, putting it out and then touring to promote it for like two years before the next release. The internet makes it really easy to find new music, and we wanted to keep the momentum going and give fans new music, and stay current. A full-length is on the cards, but for now, we felt a follow-up EP was right for us.

A bit on the history of Asleep in Transit: in bios and interviews you guys always state that Allister Christie (vocals/guitar) was working on his own acoustic project until he “found” or “discovered” Irina Buzdugan (vocals, also your sister) and promptly decided to pursue a new project with her. There must be more to this – how and where did this “discovery” take place and what were the elements at play in their decision to form Asleep in Transit?

Well, Vlad spoke to Allister asking if he could help his little sister (Irina) to get more comfortable and experienced in performing and writing music, because she wanted to learn, and he said he would. When they met and Allister heard Irina sing, he really wanted to work with her because they really clicked and Allister felt she was the right vocalist for the songs he had been working on at the time. At that stage it was just Allister and Irina in the band, and the rest of the members joined as it felt right to add them.

Upon spinning Kaleidoscope the first time, I found myself involuntarily listing loads of indie artists that must’ve influenced you guys in some way – Bombay Bicycle Club, Beirut, even Vampire Weekend, etc … Am I hearing that right, or from where and from whom would you like to build on in terms of your sound and songwriting?

(Allister) Haha, I actually I haven't listed to any of those bands. I mean, I know about them, but they didn't really influence Asleep in Transit. I would guess the sound and songwriting would be inspired by a mash-up of Death Cab for Cutie, Copeland and Jimmy Eat World. I killed my CD player listening to them at a young age. But for me, inspiration is subconscious – the bands I like will influence me without me thinking about it. When I'm writing, there's no reference. It's just what comes out.

In the same vein: with the massive influx of indie-pop bands internationally in the past few years, it could be argued that it’s easy to disappear in the stream. How do you approach the creation of unique and striking sounds that will stand out?

We don't really pay much attention to what other bands are doing and how to differ from them, we just do whatever we like, whatever we think sounds good. We also don't know of many bands that sound like us, in our opinion, so we don't really have much basis for comparison. But that's the wrong way to approach making music. It’s good to be conscious of what’s happening around you musically, but we try to just write honestly, what we feel, and add sounds/rhythms/melodies etc that we feel will enhance or improve, just generally sound good in the song we are working on at the time. It’s all about figuring out the core of the song, the strongest thing that needs to come out, and enhancing that with everything at your disposal. Staying true to yourself, and not trying to constantly compare, be like, or “beat” another band is the right way write music. Your creativity is limited otherwise.

The male/female vocal combination has been working really well for a number of bands – Angus and Julia Stone, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Of Monsters and Men … In what way do you think this element counts in your favour? For example – a part of the bio on your website reads, “Sets appear like dialogues between a boy and a girl.” How important is this for the essence of your music?

(Allister) I've always enjoyed songs with both female and male vocals, even if it’s a feature. The idea started probably because I loved the band Copeland so much and they featured Rae Cassidy Klagstad in their You are My Sunshine album. Both vocals bring so many dynamics to the music and also allow the opportunity for a vocal delivery style like a conversation. Each song is like a little story based on an image or memory, and having both vocals/people to tell their sides of the story is pretty rad!

It’s been mentioned in other interviews that the music scene in Durban is hard to break into and people aren’t necessarily keen to go out and hit the venues. Judging by some of the acts hailing from Durban (City Bowl Mizers and Habit To are bands I’ve checked recently), the annual Splashy Fen festival taking place close by and the fact that the legendary Syd Kitchen resided there until his passing … it surely can’t be all bad?

Well, no, it isn't all bad. There are definitely great bands here, and the people that come out to shows are passionate, involved, and they live and breathe music. But the thing with Durban is that the scene is smaller than the other major cities (Joburg and Cape Town), because there aren't enough venues to play, and so that means that musicians can’t really make a living playing music here, and can’t get enough shows to really build a fan following. Which then leads to only a few bands surviving, because, let’s be honest here, bands cost money to run. If there were more venues, more potential fans would pull in, and more bands would form, or step up their game to play to those people.

You guys seem to enjoy spending time in and around nature. Do you draw inspiration in these places for songwriting? Or where do the songs “come from”?

(Allister) Haha, we’ve never thought of that before, but I guess it is true. Usually when Irina and I practise or run through songs, we will wander off somewhere outside or to a park. But the songs are generally all written in Allister's bedroom. That's where the magic happens ... =P

Everybody involved in music has some guilty pleasures … I’ll come out and say it: I’ve got a rather serious Def Leppard problem. Care to share yours and those your bandmates may have?

A lot of us listen to much harder music too, like Allister listens to He is Legend almost religiously, Josh loves Saosin, and a lot of post-hardcore (Vlad too) – they were both in metal/hardcore bands in their past. Vlad also loves his dubstep ... but that's normal for a guy with robot ears. And Irina is really into classical music ... and Hertz. Not sure if those are really “guilty pleasures”, though. Variety is the spice of life, and it’s really good to listen to a bit of everything – it helps you grow. Every now and then during a break at practice we will just blast some Nicki Minaj, because, you know, she crayzee. 

What does the near (and far) future hold for Asleep in Transit?

Well, we are looking to shoot a new music video; we have an EPK coming out, which we are really excited about (it features the writing of Kaleidoscope at a house in the Drakensberg in the snow last winter!); and we are starting work on a full-length album this year. Other than that, really excited for RAMfest, and just playing some great shows this year, all over South Africa. 

Click here to download Kaleidoscope for free.

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