Opening words: In a scene full of acts that garnish the label “Future Pop”, one act has almost perfected it and is still making very relevant music in this genre. I honestly enjoy compass more than anything I have heard in the last 5 years in that style of music. He is the best future pop act on metropolis now. If he continues to put out this quality of music, I can see him standing on top alone. Interview conducted by Hexfix93.

EDTM: How are you?

A23: Busy, but busy is a good thing.

EDTM: Is there a theme to your new lp?

A23: I wouldn’t say so. I think concept albums and albums with a single theme can be tough to pull off. They’re definitely cool when they’re well done, but for the time being at least, I’d prefer to keep each song as a self-contained entity.

EDTM: What new bands are you into these days?

A23: Lately I’ve been digging the Presets, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Ulrich Schnauss, Hadouken, The Editors, Burial, Trentemoller, The Field, The Big Pink, Jon Tejada, Deadmau5, and various electro-house stuff.

EDTM: How is the scene treating you?

A23: It’s hard to complain. A23 has been releasing albums for ten years now, and the new one seems to be getting a pretty positive response. It’s a lot more fickle than it used to be and you’ve got to work hard to keep afloat, but my fans have always been really supportive and make it all worthwhile.

EDTM: Who were your musical idols growing up?

A23: The Clash, the Buzzcocks, the Circle Jerks, the first 2 Human League albums, Yaz, Depeche Mode, Fad Gadget, Joy Division/New Order…

EDTM: Is there a theme to your band?

A23: Not really. Writers always say to write about what you know, so A23 has always been about my experiences, things I’ve seen or been through, things I think about. It’s just one big ego dump. haha

EDTM: What is your favorite A23 lp?

A23: I’m really happy with the new one. It’s probably the first time I’ve finished an album and been almost completely happy with it. There’s always those tiny little things you want to tweak, but overall this one was the smoothest transition from what I was envisioning in my head and how the final project came out.

EDTM: Which LP was the most fun to make?

A23: Definitely “Compass”. I knew I wanted to get away from the older style a bit and incorporate influences from the kind of stuff I listen to these days. I felt like electronic music in general was advancing and evolving, but out scene was just kind of remaining stagnant, recycling the same late 90′s trance sounds that have been driven into the ground by this time. So I just did whatever felt right without worrying if it fit into what was expected for a specific genre. Frankly, I wish I’d loosened up this way much earlier.

EDTM: Who have you collaborated with in the past?

A23: I don’t really like collaborating too much, but last year I collaborated with Matt Fanale on a Caustic track under my Nerve Filter side-project.

EDTM: Now that VNV has left metropolis, you have taken the crown of Future Pop on that label, how do you feel about that?

A23: I don’t know. I’ve always hated that genre name. I don’t really consider what A23 does these days to fit that style, but ultimately, you are whatever the music listeners say you are, so there you go. “Status” on a label doesn’t mean a lot to me. I’m just happy I can keep making music for a living and am thankful that people like what I’m doing.

EDTM: Honestly, I think your new LP is excellent. It reminds me of a modern old depeche mode. I think you sound better than most of the acts doing this style these days, ho do you rate your new lp?

A23: Thanks very much. Like I said, it’s really the happiest I’ve been with an album. I’m looking forward to getting out and playing the new stuff live.

EDTM: I hear a little severed heads in your sound as well, is this just my imagination?

A23: I don’t listen to them so much any more, but I listened to them a lot when I was in high school, so I’m sure they made an impression on me. I’ve always had a lot of respect for Mr. Ellard.

EDTM: What is your most cherished synthesizer?

A23: At the moment is probably my Sequential Circuits Pro One. The previous owner painted it green, so it’s pretty unique. It’s just brilliant for bass sounds. I do wish the old SCI stuff had a better build quality, though…

EDTM: What DAW?

A23: Logic.

EDTM: What kind of recording gear do you use?

A23: My studio is centered around Apple Logic with a MOTU 828mkII audio interface. Probably 90% of the plug-ins I use are the ones that come with Logic… they’re very good. For compression and EQ I use a Focusrite Liquidmix. That piece alone is the best money I’ve spent on my studio. It sounds fantastic.

EDTM: MAC OR PC?

A23: I’ve always been a Mac guy. I’m not much of an ‘under the hood’ computer owner. I just want it to work right out of the box, and for me personally, the Mac stuff has always been great in that respect.

EDTM: What is your favorite 80s movie?

A23: Probably a toss-up between Blade Runner and Brazil… it’s amazing how well both of those movies have held up visually.

EDTM: What is your favorite B movie?

A23: I’m a bit of a bad movie fanatic, so it’s hard to name just one. Lately, I’ve been turning on a lot of friends to Tommy Wiseau’s “The Room”. It’s the most unintentionally funny movie I think I’ve ever seen.

EDTM: What is your favorite TV show?

A23: The Office… 30 Rock… COPS is still a guilty pleasure for me.

EDTM: Favorite Book?

A23: Hard to pick just one… Catcher in the Rye… 1984… Brave New World… Just about any of Chuck Palahniuk’s earlier books. I also really enjoy David Sedaris’ essays.

EDTM: List your top ten favorite lps.

A23: Man, that’s tough… it would probably change from day to day, but off the top of my head and in no particular order…
Black Celebration by Depeche Mode, Belief by Nitzer Ebb, Reproduction by the Human League, Post by Bjork, Official Version by Front 242, Movement by New Order, London Calling by the Clash, Upstairs at Eric’s by Yaz, Fad Gadget – The Singles, Computer World by Kraftwerk…

EDTM: If you could teleport any where in the universe, where would you go?

A23: Preferably some place with an oxygen-based atmosphere or I’d be in trouble…

EDTM: What do you desire most on this earth?

A23: Happiness.

EDTM: Of the lyrics you have written, which one is your favorite?

A23: I don’t think I could choose. I put a lot of work into the lyrics, so they’re all kind of special to me. I guess the obvious choice would have to be “Disappoint”. I wrote it just as a way of trying to make sense of my father’s suicide, but I get more email or people at shows telling me about how that song effected their lives when they went through something similar. It’s kind of nice when something as simple as a song can make a connection with people that way.

EDTM: Anlog VS Digital?

A23: Digilog. (They both have their place…)
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