HUMANS

Vancouver's Robbie Slade and Peter Ricq's visceral brand of indietronica serves their namesake well; as HUMANS, they released "Possession" off Traps early last year. The track drums in modestly, conveying a sense of solitude. The focus then shifts to the person, who I imagine, is pounding trash cans on a city street -- apparently helpless, yet exuding a surprisingly beautiful voice and rhythm. He captures an audience before his imagination takes the expression onto another dimension.

Toronto's Beta Frontiers respect the original musical aesthetic, while still transporting the listener. Their remix ironically places the mental vertigo of the lyrical content against optimistic percussion and bubbling, joyous elements. Although it easily becomes an underground club banger with a tinge of 80s synth, it maintains the sense that someone is telling you their strange, compelling story.

This remix is off of HUMANS' Nine Tenths Remix EP, released February 18, 2013. You can buy the EP and catch more remixes by Hissy Fit and Killing Time over on Beatport. To learn more about HUMANS, you can read our past interview with the duo. And catch up with Beta Frontiers on Facebook. - Indie Shuffle

On Interview's last night in Calgary for Sled Island Musical festival, we were ready to party. Half sedated and half electrified by Feist's headlining performance at the Olympic Pavillion, we headed to the HiFi club to visit our friend How To Dress Well. As HUMANS set up their stage shortly thereafter, we were expecting a run-of-the-mill DJ performance. It wasn't long before we switched from beer to Red Bull to keep up with an audience visibly under the influence of Canada's newest audible narcotic—for which we are happy to be the mule transporting the goods stateside. HUMANS, comprised of Robbie Slade and Peter Ricq, asks listeners to traverse the oft-shaky bridge between electromechanically produced sounds and handmade guitar and vocal melodies—but smart production and skillful instrumentation weave a strong net to fall on. The duo from British Columbia provides a wholly economical experience—blending DJ sets and live vocals and instruments into one part synthetic, part unmistakably human performance.

Music is somehow the first and final frontier for the pair, with their backgrounds in animation, filmmaking, and firefighting. HUMANS' ability to perform automated, computerized sounds while retaining the spontaneity essential to any good live performance reminds us that behind every good mechanic is a good human, and behind every HUMAN is a good party.


AMANDA DUBERMAN: Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Where are you guys right now? Are you promoting anything specific on this tour?

PETER RICQ: We're home for a couple of days. We had a couple of days off, had Thanksgiving dinner.
DUBERMAN: What does a Canadian Thanksgiving dinner consist of? The same as an American Thanksgiving?
RICQ: Probably. I think so? Yeah.
DUBERMAN: How did you guys meet?
ROBBIE SLADE: We met in 2008 and we didn't really start making music until summer of 2009. I was new in town, helping out my friend put on an art show. The concept was a robot having sex with girls. Peter and I started talking and drinking and talking about music; he was a musician too. He was actually designing the merch for the band. We had a consultation with him about what we wanted and we jammed with him a bit. From there he asked us to do a couple songs with him. We did a few songs together and then became HUMANS. Prior to that, I had done a lot of blues, reggae, and folk, and Peter did lots of electro and metal.
RICQ: Also, I'd been drawing a guy that looks a lot like Rob for two or three years before I met him. It's kind of odd to actually see my drawing alive and wanting to play music with me.
DUBERMAN: Sounds like some sort of divine intervention was going on.
RICQ: Yeah, and some people are like, "He looks a lot like your band mate, why do you draw him all the time?" and I get defensive and I'm like "No, I drew him before I met him!"
DUBERMAN: You both have broad artistic backgrounds. What kind of outlet does music provide that your other artistic endeavors don't?
RICQ: It's easier, it's less work to play a show than to make a movie and plan a premiere. Music is instant gratification, in terms of seeing how the audience responds, at least. With music, you can also help out all the other aspects—it's always good to have a good score in a movie. It's also easier to get more fans in music, there's a broader audience who has easy, instant access to music.
DUBERMAN: I saw that you were a forest fighter? Can you talk about that?
SLADE: Not a forest fighter, a forest fire fighter. I'm not sure what a forest fighter would be.
DUBERMAN: Right, that's what I meant. I don't know what a forest fighter would be. But I think the EPA would have a problem with it.
SLADE: Definitely. But fighting forest fires actually has a huge impact on who I am today. My specific role on the crew was as a faller. Before a crew can go into a forest fire and safely work it, someone has to go in and cut down all the burning trees with a chainsaw. I did that. It was so sweet.
DUBERMAN: That seems like a very solitary experience, and one that would make you very aware of your own mortality, I expect.
SLADE: It's definitely very solitary. So I learned how to write songs and remember and tweak the melody all day. Now I use my iPhone a lot, but after that I can easily write songs and remember them in my head. It was really formative for me; I was going through a breakup at the time.
DUBERMAN: I can't think of a more cathartic, symbolic way to deal with a breakup than to cut down burning trees.
SLADE: Dude, totally, not to mention in the fire areas it's always raining. It's not what people might imagine, like squirrels running away from fire. It looks like Mordor.
DUBERMAN: If someone asked you 10 years ago, "Where do you see yourself in 10 years," what would you have said?
SLADE: I probably would have lied and said something like music. I think deep down, I wanted to be doing exactly what I'm doing right now.
RICQ: In high school, that was 12 years ago now, I really did want to be a musician. Then I started making cartoons and pursuing visual art. And I thought, "Oh, well, that's done. I'm never going to be a musician." And now I'm doing this, which is really weird, honestly. Five years ago, when I met Robbie, I was like, "Okay, let's start a band, and I'm actually going to try really hard to make this happen. Play shows. Make videos. Really go at it." Robbie was down and it was on and up from there. I just hoped if I tried really hard, it would happen. It's happening and eight years ago, I never thought it could.
DUBERMAN: Tell me about your music videos. Do you conceive of those yourselves, or do you have people sending you treatments?
RICQ: I studied filmmaking in university, so I'm always the one directing, writing, producing, and editing the music videos. Some of them Robbie helped out. We like to do all of it ourselves.
DUBERMAN: Do you guys think about how songs will translate live during the writing process?
SLADE: Honestly, we don't have any rules other than dance-y. Like, we just write songs. Sometimes they're wimpy, and we make them dance-ier for live performance.
DUBERMAN: If you could have a song of yours in any TV show, what would it be, and what kind of scene would you want it to be scoring?
SLADE: I want to do a car commercial. We write so much of our music driving around.
RICQ: What kind of car, Robbie?
SLADE: Like a 1984 Volvo wagon.
DUBERMAN: I think it would have to be a really good song to sell a 1984 Volvo wagon.
SLADE: We could do it.
DUBERMAN: How's the music scene in Vancouver, compared to some American cities? Is it easier to network because it's not so as saturated with band as New York or LA?
PETER: It's awesome, and it's pretty tight knit. The art funding in Canada is pretty amazing—you can get all sorts of grants for the travel that you do, which makes it a lot easier. I know that's not the case in the States. The States is a really tough market. The only thing about being a musician in Canada is that all the cities are really far away. It makes it really expensive to tour.
DUBERMAN: What is your most memorable tour experience?
RICQ: For me, it was probably in Calgary. Do you know where Calgary is?
DUBERMAN: I was there for Sled Island.
RICQ: That's what I was going to say. Our most memorable experience was Sled Island. It was just a great day. We played two shows in one day, one was for about 1500 people—a packed house at HiFi.
DUBERMAN: Was that the one where you played after How To Dress Well?
RICQ: Yeah.
DUBERMAN: I was at that one. It was pretty incredible. I straight-up went by myself, all alone, and I had a great time.
RICQ: Really? [laughs] You should have come and said hi!
DUBERMAN: Well, I think I'll have lots of chances this week—you're playing five shows for CMJ. What are you looking forward to about New York?
RICQ: Every time we're in New York, we have such a blast. It's always a little bit different every time, and I love that. It's always a different story, a different New York every time.
DUBERMAN: What's the biggest compliment you could receive?
SLADE: I would like to deliver your babies. [laughs] But really! If a couple came up to you and said, "Robbie, I've been thinking about it and we'd like you to deliver our baby." That would probably be the biggest compliment ever.
RICQ: The biggest compliment would be, you know what, here's one: When people go through hard times and there's that album that brought them back to life, I think that'd be a really good compliment.
DUBERMAN: Maybe your album will help Robbie's hypothetical patient through their labor and delivery.
RICQ: Yeah, perfect.
DUBERMAN: Do you have your Halloween costumes planned out?
SLADE: My girlfriend is going to go as Han Solo and I was going to go as Chewy, but Chewy costumes are really, really hard to find—and very hot, too. It's kind of an homage to the first time we hung out—which was also Halloween—where she was freezing cold in this wedding dress and I stripped out of my teddy-bear costume and gave it to her.
RICQ: I think maybe an emo Where's Waldo. Or a dead Where's Waldo. Still deciding.

HUMANS ARE PLAYING FOUR NEW YORK SHOWS THROUGH SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, FOR THE CMJ FESTIVAL. THEIR ALBUM TRAPS IS OUT NOW. FOR MORE ON THE DUO, VISIT THEIR WEBSITE. - Interview Magazine

Ever wanted to don some weird face paint resembling either frosting or a topical medical cream, jump on a party bus, bring said party to your entire town, crash on a beach and get discovered by some strange Muppet-like cops? Well, Vancouver-based duo Humans make that happen in their video for ‘Avec Mes Mecs’. And with a song featuring lines like, “Who knew that all we had to do was party?”, this is certainly destined to end up on your next party playlist. - NME

http://www.earshot-online.com/charts/index.cfm?intChartTypeID=102 - Earshot

Have you ever seen a couple who's grown old together and kept the flame alive? It's pretty damn adorable. But, as can be the case with many romances, sometimes things aren't so hot below the surface.

Such is the case with the elderly lovers in Humans' new video for "Horizon." If you don't want to be spoiled, skip the below quote and head straight to the clip.

"I came up with the story when a friend asked me if I had any ideas for a video," Humans' Peter Ricq tells Spinner. "After pitching the story to him, he didn't even take it and so I thought, 'Hmm. I should do this! It'll be easy to produce as long as I can find the actors for the piece.' One year later, on another Humans set, I saw this mature couple/musicians, I pitched them the concept and they said 'Ooooh, sounds lovely.'

"Caleb, the actor, was willing to do everything we needed: 'Hey Caleb, is it OK if we throw dirt in your face?' "Oh, yes!' 'Hey Caleb, can you fall into this 5-feet-deep hole after your wife knocks you on the back of the head with a shovel?' 'I'd love to.' They were both great sports about the whole thing. I couldn't ask for anyone more willing. It was a pleasure to work with both of them."

Check out the creepy video, which was made with the help of DOP Jeremy Van Nieuwerkand and Emma Higgins, below and pick up the Vancouver electro duo's latest release, Traps, via Hybridity. The group will also be on the road this summer with Young Empires. - Spinner

Earlier this year, dance pop duo Humans delivered their Traps EP, which Exclaim! praised for its "brilliant electro steeped in lush percussion." After garnering some attention for the mini-set, the Vancouver group have revealed they'll be taking their tunes out on the road for a quick North American trip this summer.

Humans' sunny tour season starts up tomorrow (June 21) with the first of two performances at Calgary's Sled Island, and the pair will keep up the festival vibe when they arrive at Port Renfrew, BC's Tall Tree Festival on June 23. From there, the act will hook up with Toronto electro pop outfit Young Empires in Whistler, BC, before heading down to the U.S. for a series of shows.

After a few weeks off, Humans will play on Canadian soil at Squamish, BC electronic festival Basscoast on August 5, and wrap up their summer in the same district at the LIVE at Squamish event on August 25.

On top of the tour dates, Humans have also just revealed a new video for Traps track "Horizon." You can dig the clip, which zones in on a shovel-toting seniors outing gone wrong, down below.

Tour dates:

6/21 Calgary, AB - Sled Island BBQ
?6/22 Calgary, AB - Hi FI (Sled Island) $
?6/23 Port Renfrew, BC - Tall Tree Festival
?6/27 Whistler, BC - Longhorn #
?6/29 Seattle, WA - The Vera Project #
?6/30 Portland, OR - Dante's #
7/3 San Francisco, CA - Thee Parkside #
?7/5 Los Angeles, CA - The Bootleg #
?7/6 Salt Lake City, UT - Club Sound #
7/7 Denver, CO - Hi Dive #
?7/9 Kansas City, MO - The Riot Room #
?7/10 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle #
?7/12 New York, NY - Glasslands #
?7/13 Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie #
?8/5 Squamish, BC - Basscoast
?8/25 Squamish, BC - LIVE at Squamish

$ with Badbadnotgood
# with Young Empires - Exclaim

Vancouver party-starting dance duo Humans have given us a couple of low-key releases in the last couple of years with The End and Avec Mes Mecs. And while they have yet to release a full-length, the band have just unveiled another new EP. Entitled Traps, it's due out March 6 on Hybridity Music.

According to a press release, Humans' latest release "emerges with obvious maturation, each track carrying a depth of sound, evolved production, and focused vision, while never straying from their early commitment to make music for the dance floor."

You can get a taste of this sound in the form of the dreamy but dance-y single "De Ciel," which is available below. Scroll past the tracklist to check it out.

Below, you can also see the band's forthcoming tour schedule, which is a little slim but includes a few U.S. dates, plus a gig in Toronto for Canadian Music Week.

Traps:

1. Hell Me
2. De Ciel
3. Possession
4. On Pagaie
5. Horizon
6. Plus Rien
7. Traps
8. De Ciel (Max Ulis Remix)

Tour dates:

3/9 Los Angeles, CA - Dim Mak Studios
3/15 Austin, TX - Geuro's (SXSW)
3/17 Austin, TX - Maggie Mae's (SXSW)
3/23 Toronto, ON - Wrongbar (CMW) - Exclaim

Vancouver-based Hybridity, which recently launched a record label after years of putting on all sorts of art, music, and cultural events, has shared this track with us, a song originally crafted by fellow British Colombian outfit Humans. A few weeks back, the young imprint passed along a Max Ulis remix of Humans' "De Ciel," and this rework comes from yet another Canadian, Toronto-based and Hemlock Recordings-affiliated producer Nautiluss (pictured above). Swapping out the live drums of the vocal-heavy original for a steady four-on-the-floor, Nautliuss warps, delays, and filters Humans vocalist Robbie Slade's words to a point where the indie-leaning vibe of the source material is almost entirely removed. The original version of "Horizon" appears on Hybridity's debut release, Traps, which was released earlier this month. - xlr8r

Next week, Vancouver duo Humans will release the Traps EP, the debut offering from the newly launched Hybridity label. (For those taking notes at home, the folks at Hybridity are also behind Vancouver's New Forms Festival, which we visited—and thoroughly enjoyed—last year.) Now, the Hybridity team has stepped into the label game, and has elected to introduce itself by passing along this remix of first single "De Ciel." The original version—which can be streamed/downloaded here—pairs the slightly gravelly vocals of Humans' Robbie Slade with gliding synth melodies, a subtle 4/4 rhythm, and a bouncy bassline. It's a bit reminiscent of Junior Boys, though the vocals ultimately give the music a different sort of vibe. Here, we have an alternate take on "De Ciel" from Vancouver bass patron Max Ulis, who utilizes only warped remnants of Slade's vocals while constructing something deeper, a production punctuated by vaguely Eastern melodies, clacking percussion, and punchy bass stabs. It's an impressive first outing for the young imprint, one that's been enhanced by the remix's accompanying video, a clip assembled by Hybridity founder Malcolm Levy and described as, "a collection of other-frames footage shot in Istanbul, New York, Sao Paulo, Vancouver, and Tofino." The video can be viewed after the jump. - xlr8r

Vancouver duo Humans cut their teeth playing venues that usually host scrappy young rock bands, and you can hear it in their synth-based music: choppy, aggressive and with ticking drums that nonetheless feel like blows against your solar plexus, Robbie Slade and Peter Ricq mine a rockist aggression in a decidedly house-friendly template, somewhere between dance-punk and... well... dance. Their third EP, Traps, marks the first release on Vancouver's new Hybridity project, and its in-between nature nicely defines the label's own bridge-building endeavour.

"Hell Me" percolates to life on tangled arpeggios, eventually stumbling into lead single "De Ciel," with which its rigid, neurotically-perfect groove and clipped, catchy vocal, sounds ripe for an iPod commercial (turned into a sensually nocturnal throbber by Max Ulis). Slade's vocals are the most distinctive part of Humans' appeal, gruff, yelped phrases that you don't usually hear in this kind of dance music, a sometimes gritty contrast with the ebullient beats. They work best on EP highlight "Possession," with layered chants contributing to the feverish machine energy as the song explodes into LFO rumbles like it's catching fire. The EP's eight tracks blend seamlessly, turning the 25-minute EP into an organically respirating, carefully-paced entity.

For two artists who admittedly don't come from dance music backgrounds, it's interesting to hear what they do with house forms: on the robo-tribal of "On Pagaie" they overload every bar with as many snares that can possibly fit, giving the otherwise perfunctory synth riff a desperate urgency it'd lack otherwise. They exploit the same device on the more downbeat "Horizon," lending emphasis to specific moments with little pockets of crackling percussive sounds. The duo prove they can do mellow just as well with the title track and closer, two minutes of swirling, sepulchral pipe organ that recalls the paradoxically regal blues majesty of John Paul Jones' best moments in Led Zeppelin. - resident advisor

Humans are one of Vancouver’s most popular party bands right now.

But I have to warn you… Watch out if you direct one of their videos. You just might get “sprinkle bummed.” If you want to know what this means, but also want to remain safe, you can just listen to my interview with Robbie and Peter from Humans. - Winnie Cooper

According to blog pals at Winnie Cooper, these guys are ‘one of the most popular party band in Vancouver right now.’ I haven’t partied in Vancouver in a while, but with beats this fat, I don’t think I need to doubt ‘em.

Also: check their muppet cops “breaking up a kegger” music video for Bike Home and their muppet cops “watching mud wrestling” video for Doin’ Things. - YVYNYL

C'est quoi?
Avec mes mecs est le premier maxi officiel du duo vancouvérois Humans, qui fait dans l'électro-pop relâché et un peu gras, aux structures simples et répétées efficacement. À la première écoute, tu te dis : « Hum, c'est bien » (tu t'amuses, danses un peu); à la deuxième, tu chantes le refrain de Mon ton ton : « Hé Pascal, laisse-nous tranquille / tu ne vois pas, ce n'est pas facile / Hé Pascal, laisse-nous tranquille / Tu ne vois pas que l'on veut dormir » (tu souris, même si tu ne sais pas qui est Pascal).

Du français de Vancouver?
... Appris à Montréal. Malgré le titre du maxi, c'est sa seule portion francophone, mais ça met le reste des chansons en perspective, pour détecter une bonne intention : de plaire, certes, c'est léché tout en étant fashionably crotté; de fêter, aussi, car les rythmes sont menés avec le détachement nécessaire pour danser longtemps. Jamais chargé ni abrasif, le tout s'avère accrocheur et sympathique, bien que rarement surprenant.

Et si j'aime être surpris?
Mise sur ta sensibilité afin d'apprécier ces sept pièces pour leur côté pop détendu, sur le bord de la piscine du voisin avec tes mecs. - Badeapart (Quebec)

Humans är från Kanada och släpper sitt debutalbum den 12 oktober där vi hittar den här låten. Det är ett minimalistisk album som ekar lite dubstep känslor som påminner om The xx, även om de väljer bort den melankoliska delen i texterna. Rekommenderas! - Klubbace (Sweden)

jag har tidigare bloggat om den här gruppen och det finns dessutom en utförlig intervju att tillgå här, så jag ska inte bli långrandig. Humans heter de som sagt och de härstammar från Kanada och släpper snart en EP, men den finns redan nu att tillgå för name-the-price på deras bandcamp. låtarna avec mes mecs, witness och bike home rekommenderas djupt! - Dont Make it Fake it (Sweden)

Die Kanadier Peter und Robbie bilden das Elektro-Folk Duo Humans und haben jetzt ihren ersten offiziellen Release am Start: “Avec Mes Mecs“. Die gleichnamige EP erscheint am 12. Oktober auf CD und ist auf bandcamp bereits digital verfügbar. - I Am No Superman (Sweden)

4/5 Stars
( 56 Votes ) 18. (04:09) Humans - Avec Mes Mecs - Blalock / BIRP

This five-song EP, the first release from Humans, a new Vancouver duo made up of Robbie Slade (on guitar and vocals) and Peter Ricq (on sequencer/synthesizer and backup vocals) is one to keep an eye on. This is a remarkably assured and surprisingly well-recorded debut effort for such a new act. At the time of publication, you could count on one hand the number of shows these guys have played together. - Discorder

In other respects dubbed "Vancouver's hottest and number one party band of the moment", we've fallen in love with Humans' comparatively downbeat album closer Montonton 2, a tune of almost Hot Chip-like pop quality, an opaque electro ballad drowned in heavy synth, and if you close your eyes while listening you will for sure see the slow and colourful laser beams wandering around the dance floor. - No Fear Of Pop (berlin)

By Ashley HampsonAs if the West Coast needs any more help with its burgeoning electronic scene. Just in case it does, Vancouver, BC-based Humans are an inventive, refreshing duo focused on weaving solid, dirty electro with a touch of funk (thanks to Montreal native Peter Ricq) and the mellow crooning and reggae hooks of Robbie Slade. It's a ridiculously fun album, or in the words of Humans, "the purpose of the project is dancing and audience participation." Easy enough when the tracks Humans are throwing down are catchy as hell. The self-titled EP is an imaginative piece of work that will seriously surprise you. Each track builds on funk principles, setting up a mellow vibe before being steeped in grungy electro. "Dub Paris" slowly swells, riding a lazy bass line, but builds into a danceable electro treat, while live drums, deep, grumbling synths and a repetitive ending on "Always Around" make dancing the only option. If the Humans EP is a precursor to a full-length, they're definitely headed in the right direction.
(Independent) - exclaim!

Somewhere among the rain-filled streets of Vancouver is a neighbourhood called Main Street and within this “hood” is a light blue panelled house with a tire swing out front, just like the one in The Wizard of Oz. To the naked eye this house might appear to be like any other on the street—ordinary, pedestrian even—but things aren’t always as they seem. What goes on inside this unique abode is more technicoloured than you could imagine. Beyond the gated backyard, up the stairs and down the hall lies the quaintest wooden breakfast nook of all nooks. It is here in this nook, on this rainy day, that my interview with Robbie Slade and Peter Ricq of Humans takes place.

I am greeted with a big hug from Robbie, vocalist and guitarist of the Vancouver-based electro-pop band. Soon after, Peter Ricq, the other half of Humans, arrives bearing gifts: a thirst-crushing eight-pack, a copy of their CD and some flyers for an upcoming show. We “Cheers” and start chatting about camels, rhinos and of course, music.

Robbie and Peter met just over a year ago at an art show in Gastown. Peter sampled Robbie’s guitar and vocals to create the track “Bike Home,” and once Robbie’s former band Family Room broke up the only logical thing to do was to team up and make more music together. Over the next few months this partnership created a seven-track EP and thus, Humans was born.

The name Humans came from an effort to differentiate themselves from today’s cool, yet meaningless, band names. Robbie and Peter reveal their modesty and humble nature by choosing not to feature their faces on their cover art. Rather, Peter drew a cartoon picture of the two, instruments in hand, their human faces replaced by those of their animal brethren…a camel and a rhino. If anyone tries to argue that either of these two gentlemen take themselves too seriously, here’s your evidence to the contrary.

By night these guys are an indie electro-pop duo, but by day, well, you might be surprised. Robbie just graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce. As if that weren’t enough to keep him busy he started a business this past summer with his friend and roommate refurbishing vintage Seventies bicycles in their backyard shop, just below the nook. With so much of his life spent on two wheels it’s no surprise then that Robbie’s favourite quote is “Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race,” by HG Wells.

Robbie isn’t the only one keeping his days filled with work and play. Peter is an art director of a Vancouver animation company where he co- creates a TV show that airs on YTV. What’s more he directed, produced, wrote and storyboarded Humans’ first music video for the song “Bike Home,” shot in this very house. “Yeah, Peter’s killing it, like, really hard. If you could take one thing from this interview, it’s that Peter Ricq is kinda killing it!” Robbie playfully boasts of his bandmate’s many talents. The video is about two puppet police officers, conveniently named Rick and Slade, whose attempts to break up a house party are compromised when they find themselves indulging in the festivities.

When asked to describe Humans’ sound. Peter explains, “We just try to take people to really weird places with each song, and as long as we take you there dancing…” Robbie chimes in with, “That’s pretty much what we want people to do, is dance.”

To create music that makes people want to dance Peter uses a Korg electribe sampler and a Roland groove box -MC – 505. The groove box is complete with a keyboard and drum machine. According to Robbie, this equals, “Double bass, double drums, double awesome!” Pair Peter’s skills handling the groove box and Robbie’s soulful vocals and guitar riffs and you get songs like “Bike Home” and “Always Around,” the two most popular and make-you- want-to-dance songs on Humans’ seven-track EP.

The boys just wrapped up shooting the music video for the track “Doin’ Things” and are set to throw a video premiere party. Robbie and Peter also recently performed at the New Forms Festival, opening for LA Riots, The Golden Filter and Junior Boys. What’s more, Humans are about to drop their full length (The title is still in the works). The album has three brand new tracks and includes newly remixed versions of all seven tracks recorded on the EP. A lot of the songs have evolved since their initial conception and the new album was made to better reflect the way the songs are now played live. The boys are also planning a summer tour to promote the album and are considering documenting the whole experience.

More and more, loud whispers are being heard about Humans as they book show after show and their fans continue to multiply. So find out when the next one is and buy a ticket! Buy a T-shirt! Then, put on your ruby slippers and prepare to let it out on the dance floor. - ION Mag

“Who knew that all we had to do is party?”

To truly embrace a lot of music and all its desired effects, one must party with it. For some it means drink alcohol, for others it means drugs, for many it means both. However for all it means the right song at the right volume at the right time.

Humans are a Vancouver-based duo with all the exciting possibilities of the music business ahead of them. Their sound is diverse and their potential limitless; some songs are minimalist and punchy, others are synthy and wild. Some have very few lyrics. All are acceptable.

Avec Mes Mecs is Human’s official introduction to the world, the first song on their first EP of the same name. It sets the tone for what could be a prosperous and exhilarating career. If the music doesn’t work for you on the first listen, here’s some advice: grab a drink, turn it up, and give it two minutes. If only you knew that all you had to do is party. - The Spicy Tuna

The debut video of Vancouver electro duo Humans, for its Daft Punk-esque song Bike Home, is one of the funniest and catchiest things to have popped on YouTube in the past year.

In the video, made on a shoestring budget with very little equipment, two cops bust a local house party only to eventually become the party and crash the whole thing in style.

The twist?

The two cops are Muppetsinspired puppets, complete with moustaches and fuzzy, flappy heads.

"I wanted to do this thing where the cops try to go bust a party," Humans' Robbie Slade says, "and Peter [Ricq] said, 'What if they were puppets?' I didn't like the idea at all at first, and Pete just kinda did it and said, 'Well, I got them made.' C

"I just spent the money," Ricq, Humans' other half, says with a laugh.

"I gave these two girls the design and got them made and Robbie said, 'Oh really? Is that what we're doing now?' "

"He just dragged me kicking and screaming into it," Slade says.

If Slade wasn't sold on the idea, the 12,000-plus hits the video has gathered on YouTube over the past year certainly proved Ricq right.

The video also found its way into the top spots of music blog The Hype Machine ( hypem.com)and landed in some of the Vancouver indie scene's movers and shakers' laps, which garnered Humans opening spots for Broken Social Scene, Junior Boys, the Crystal Method and K'naan.

Not bad for two guys whose little electro outfit was still very much in its infancy.

If anything, the unexpected amount of attention the video generated also proved that Humans' buzzy, gritty, folk-infused electro grooves, which can now be found on the duo's debut EP Avec Mes Mecs, really had legs, even if their puppets did not.
Vancouver electro duo rides puppet video hype, releases debut EP Avec Mes Mecs

"[The video] was shot over six hours at a real party," Ricq says. "Everybody was drunk and I was just trying to do something cheap and fun. We had a friend that said, 'Aw, man. Now I want to go to your next party. It looked like so much fun.' "

"We've had way crazier parties since then," Slade says with a laugh.

"There's this guy I've had a really rocky relationship with -- I know his girlfriend and he doesn't like it or something. I think he thinks we have the craziest lives because he was around during that party, and the other night, me and Peter got our girlfriends to shoot pictures of us naked in the streets with our instruments just for fun and he was walking by with his bike and he was like, 'What the hell?' I think we have a bit of a reputation."

As their difference of opinion over the puppets demonstrates, Slade and Ricq couldn't be any more opposite in real life.

Slade is the party guy, while Ricq is the down-to-earth one.

Ironically, Slade comes from a folk/reggae singer-songwriter background, while Ricq brought the duo its electro component when Humans formed two years ago, having worked extensively as a club DJ in Montreal and Vancouver.

"I party hard to earn my mellow folkiness," Slade says with a chuckle.

Both, however, are dedicated multi-taskers with myriad other projects on the go. Slade works in marketing, while Ricq works as an art director at Nerd Corps Entertainment and created the Leowinning children's television show The League of Super Evil.

"I work hard during the day so I can earn my party time at night," Ricq says.

Get the idea?

EP Avec Mes Mecs -- which translates from French as "with my pals" or, more appropriately, "with my dudes" -- will be released Friday night alongside a five-minute video short entitled The End, which is apparently a bit of a gore fest inspired by a meeting with a girl gone horribly wrong.

Humans will then hit the road for select tour dates in Western Canada, plus stops in Montreal, Toronto and New York City as well.

While Slade and Ricq can only thank their lucky stars their silly puppet-video idea worked out so well, it's not something they're necessarily planning to repeat. (Though, one must admit, it would be a cool theme to build upon.)

"We're still looking for our niche and moving away from the puppets because it's not really a sustainable approach," Slade says. "The stuff we're writing right now isn't jokey or all that lighthearted anyway.

"I don't want to be taken seriously," Ricq says, "but I don't want to be a joke band either. That's not what I'm into. I'm glad that we're not a band that's super-emo, but I don't want to be remembered as [comedy band] Bloodhound Gang."

fmarchand@vancouversun.com

Blog: vancouversun.com/sound

Twitter: @awesomesoundvs

AT A GLANCE

Humans

With: Christian Hansen and the Autistics, Autacoid, Wizerdz

When: Friday, 9 p.m.

Where: The Cobalt, 917 Main St.

Tickets: $10 at the door


Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Humans+joke/3670122/story.html#ixzz137C4KDkc - Vancouver Sun

The world is separated into dreamers and doers, according to a book that Robbie Slade was browsing while he sat on the shitter recently. We only mention this detail because Slade himself is so enthusiastic about it as he tells the story to the Straight, over seriously great espresso milkshakes at the Acme Café on West Hastings. More significantly, it appears that the dreamer-doer binary applies somewhat to Slade and his partner, Peter Ricq, respectively the guitarist-vocalist and the Roland-MC-505-bashing members of electropop outfit Humans.

The duo is about to release its first official EP, Avec Mes Mecs, premiere a new five-minute short film called “The End”, and kick off a jaunt to the East Coast that takes Ricq to his hometown of Montreal. “It’ll be the first time I’ll be playing in front of my friends and family, which will be nice,” he notes. Humans will also hit Toronto and New York—or “America’s version of Toronto,” as Slade puts it—which is a pretty high-profile way of rounding out the short but action-packed history of Humans.

Ricq and Slade only met in 2008, but their ascension has been swift, to say the least, as anybody who saw Humans’ almost-sold-out, second-ever gig at Glory Days will tell you. Put that down to Hurricane Peter and the game plan he drew up presumably within minutes of starting the band. As Slade admits, he’s in awe of the man’s “crazy mental stamina”.

“He can go forever,” he says. “I think it’s because he took all the things he likes to do and he figured out ways to get paid for them. His work is his play. Then all he does to relax is watch RoboCop and fall asleep.” Indeed, Ricq appears to be an insanely goal-oriented individual, which explains why he has his own animated TV series (League of Super Evil, seen on YTV and Nickelodeon in Canada), plus another three shows in development with his partners, while also maintaining a career as an artist. Somehow he floats the Humans project right down the middle of his overstuffed calendar. Pretty amazing for a guy who, by his own admission, “always looks stoned”.

“It can be hard keeping up with his schedule,” Slade says, although the roguishly charming singer is no slouch. He might have a slightly more relaxed internal timetable (he was “super late” for their first practice, and also for this interview), but Ricq obviously intuited something when they met at his art opening and bonded over MGMT and “men who sing in high voices”. Gradually, Slade drifted from his scruffy folk-rock band Family Room and into Ricq’s high-pressure, digital project. Ricq wasn’t disappointed.

“I saw this going well from the first two songs we did, ‘Always Around’ and ‘Bike Home’,” he says. “And I thought, ‘This could go somewhere.’ I just had to convince this guy.” Slade shrugs. “He expected it. When I think things are going really good, he’ll say, ‘Yeah, it’s not moving as fast as I wanted.’ ”

It’s hard to imagine things moving any faster. Humans’ opening salvo was to produce and release a homemade, five-song EP, pester the blogosphere, and make a video for the Daft-Punk-gone-dub dance-floor champ “Bike Home”. Slade provided the concept, and Ricq, naturally, directed and shot the crisp, guerrilla effort, which subsequently rocketed to the number five spot on the Hype Machine. Local impresario and all-around tastemaker Dani Vachon got behind Humans, and opening slots with Junior Boys, among others, followed.

The release of Avec Mes Mecs puts a cap on this whirlwind first chapter for Humans with a ridiculously catchy, seven-track ass-shaker that includes “Bike Home”, the blue-eyed digital pop of “Always Around”, and the lovingly crafted ’80s proto-robo-funk of “Witness”. As for the future, that aforementioned short film, “The End”, features an intriguing new track, also called “The End”, which is like a 21st-century refitting of Riz Ortolani’s syrupy Cannibal Holocaust soundtrack. Quite appropriately, since the film itself—written and directed by Ricq—is apparently a gorefest. Ricq’s long-term ambitions include feature filmmaking, and he counts Sam Raimi as an influence. Proving once again that the man has killer instincts, Slade has turned out to be an astoundingly good foil. “He’s never really acted before and he’s got some really good, funny expressions,” Ricq says. “Robbie also has a lot of really good angles. He’s like a young Bruce Campbell.”

Then there’s the projected, all-new full-length Humans is hell-bent on releasing in April. Slade is apparently rising to the standards set by his high-functioning colleague and takes the deadline very seriously. “I have enough unfinished ideas that we can definitely have it done by April. We have a lot of material that we haven’t done anything with,” he states, wagging his finger and forcefully adding: “Moving on is really what it’s all about.” Slade seems to be graduating from dreamer to doer, and Ricq couldn’t look prouder. Or more stoned. - The Georgia Straight

What's so good?

Canada’s secret is almost out. Referred to as “Vancouver’s number one party band of the moment,” Humans are a week from releasing their first official EP. Don’t get the wrong idea from the tagline though: the seven-song bundle proves that this is assuredly more than just “party music.” Mixing the duo’s backgrounds in folk and electronic, the music moves fluidly between genres and moods. The result is a fresh, eclectic soundtrack for those who have a lust for life.

Humans are Robbie Slade and Peter Ricq, a couple of puppets (see interview and video below) from British Columbia, Canada. Okay maybe they’re not puppets, but they do have a sense of humor and their talents extend far beyond the realm of music (filmmaking, art, making custom bikes, entrepreneurship). Both are multi-instrumentalists, while folk-experienced Robbie sings lead vocals and electronic-based Peter heads the synth and drum machine. These guys know how to have a good time and their songs implore listeners to do the same.

The eponymous track from the EP, “Avec Mes Mecs,” is exemplary of what Humans do best: matching infectious dance beats to a poignant cry. They create an emotional dichotomy between instrumentation and voice. The upbeat, dance-happy rhythm plays background to Robbie’s reverb-laden drone, evoking apathy and angst. An emotional rise from this lethargy comes two-thirds of the way into the song as Robbie exalts, “Who knew that all we had to do was party?” complimented by a triumphant climax of pulsating, heavy synth. What started as a tranquil toe-tapper is now a frenzied exclamation that commands dance.

Such highlights are prominent throughout the EP, and yet remarkable that Humans manage to create a distinct sound with each track. It is a treat to witness Peter explore a spectrum of synth sound ranging from clean keys to an 8-bit lo-fi crunch to a very dense, gritty bass. “Mon Ton Ton 2” is reminiscent of Hot Chip with its bright, clean backing and clicking percussion while the loud, buzzsaw-like sound employed in “Avec Mes Mecs” resembles Soulwax. Robbie’s vocal hooks provide the necessary glue throughout, as he is consistently riveting whether in a dejected murmur or a soulful yell.

Avec Mes Mecs will be digitally distributed worldwide on October 12 via Blood & Water/IODA. Special thanks to Humans for taking the time to answer some questions. Enjoy and be sure to check out their highly entertaining video for “Bike Home” at the end of the article. - Indie Shuffle

LCD Soundsystem may have been the first to bring dance music and Muppets together, but Vancouver electro-pop duo HUMANS are definitely the first to unite cats, Muppets, and hallucinogens together in one video. In the clip for "Tell Me" off their LP Noontide (out now via Hybridity Records), the furry friends sit on couches, smoke... something and drink a dark liquid before diving into a psychedelic swirl of strange, slow-motion lights and grasping hands.

Watch the Muppets Perform Naughty By Nature's 'Hip Hop Hooray'

Of the video, which was directed by their own Peter Ricq, HUMANS tell Billboard, "The 'Tell Me' video is a sequel to the first HUMANS' video we ever produced ['Bike Home']. We wanted to revisit the characters/puppets of Rick and Slade, we were curious to see where they stand today, five years later since their debut."

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The release of this video coincides with the announcement of HUMANS' signing to AM Only, the booking agency that represents David Guetta, Tiesto, and Skrillex, among others. "We are very excited to have HUMANS here at AM Only," the company tells Billboard. "There aren't a lot of acts out there that has talent like HUMANS. They are definitely a lifetime act and will be around for a very long time. I am looking forward to being a part of their journey."

Watch it for yourself and find their SXSW tour dates below.

HUMANS SXSW Tour Dates:
March 20 - Maggie Mae's - MusicBC/Beatroute Showcase
March 21 - The Main - IHEARTCOMIX: Mad Decent x Fools Gold SxSW Super Party
March 21 - Swan Dive – Arts & Crafts showcase - Billboard

MTV Drops: HUMANS 'Noontide'
MTV Drops four exclusive preview tracks off HUMANS upcoming album, 'Noontide.' Pre-order available now on iTunes, full album out February 24, 2015. - MTV

Vancouver duo HUMANS is an electronic act with a pop group’s heart, and on their upcoming LP Noontide they infuse their blend of Kraftwerk and Detroit techno with enough hooks to appeal to someone who doesn’t even know what Detroit techno sounds like. Their new video, directed by member Peter Ricq, adds a dash of mystery to the mix with some criminal-seeming types, an enigmatic package, and a man who’s willing to transport mysterious packages without an explanation.

Noontide is out Feb. 24 on Hybridity Music. - Entertainment Weekly