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I feel like it's my duty to raise awareness of Instrumenti, Europe's only panda duo... they're just such a mystery.
This is the first time I've noticed a band from Latvia playing the fest (atlhough that means nothing, we could have had hundreds, I'm not always the most observant person in the world). As an avid tennis fanatic I've become more interested in that fine country with the emergence of Ernests Gulbis but other than EG, I don't think I could tell you much about the Baltic republic, and I'm fascinated to find they're busy producing panda bands... or in this case it seems to be more of a panda collective if you read the bio.
I mean, just listen to "Life Jacket Under Your Seat"!!! It's a game changer. - Linda Park, SXSW.com
I feel like it's my duty to raise awareness of Instrumenti, Europe's only panda duo... they're just such a mystery.
This is the first time I've noticed a band from Latvia playing the fest (atlhough that means nothing, we could have had hundreds, I'm not always the most observant person in the world). As an avid tennis fanatic I've become more interested in that fine country with the emergence of Ernests Gulbis but other than EG, I don't think I could tell you much about the Baltic republic, and I'm fascinated to find they're busy producing panda bands... or in this case it seems to be more of a panda collective if you read the bio.
I mean, just listen to "Life Jacket Under Your Seat"!!! It's a game changer. - Linda Park, SXSW.com
Instrumenti began as a duo in Latvia in 2003, but have since grown to include sonic and visual collaborators from several European countries including Sweden, Iceland, Finland and France. They're never seen without their trademark panda costumes, and their often elaborate live show earned them supporting dates with James Blunt and Latvian rock legends Brainstorm. They released their debut EP 'Pandemyia' last year and have a forthcoming full-length due this summer. Spinner recently spoke with Instrumenti in anticipation of their stint at SXSW.
Describe your sound in your own words.
Sci-Fi animal indie-pop.
How did your band form?
The band was formed minutes after the Flaming Lips show at Glastonbury Festival in 2003. First rehearsal went on during Radiohead's headline performance on the same evening!
What are your musical influences?
Jónsi, Arcade Fire, Björk, Michael Jackson, Peter Gabriel.
How did you come up with your band name?
We found the thing in Wikipedia.
What's your biggest vice?
We don't have any clue what it means.
What's in your festival survival kit?
Bottle of Jack Daniels and aspirin.
Who was your first celeb crush?
Jack Daniels.
What's your musical guilty pleasure?
Franz Schubert.
Beatles or Stones?
Beatles.
What's the craziest thing you've seen or experienced while on tour?
They have this crazy tower in Paris. What was it called? Dude, let me tell you, that's the craziest thing we have seen! - Spinner
Instrumenti began as a duo in Latvia in 2003, but have since grown to include sonic and visual collaborators from several European countries including Sweden, Iceland, Finland and France. They're never seen without their trademark panda costumes, and their often elaborate live show earned them supporting dates with James Blunt and Latvian rock legends Brainstorm. They released their debut EP 'Pandemyia' last year and have a forthcoming full-length due this summer. Spinner recently spoke with Instrumenti in anticipation of their stint at SXSW.
Describe your sound in your own words.
Sci-Fi animal indie-pop.
How did your band form?
The band was formed minutes after the Flaming Lips show at Glastonbury Festival in 2003. First rehearsal went on during Radiohead's headline performance on the same evening!
What are your musical influences?
Jónsi, Arcade Fire, Björk, Michael Jackson, Peter Gabriel.
How did you come up with your band name?
We found the thing in Wikipedia.
What's your biggest vice?
We don't have any clue what it means.
What's in your festival survival kit?
Bottle of Jack Daniels and aspirin.
Who was your first celeb crush?
Jack Daniels.
What's your musical guilty pleasure?
Franz Schubert.
Beatles or Stones?
Beatles.
What's the craziest thing you've seen or experienced while on tour?
They have this crazy tower in Paris. What was it called? Dude, let me tell you, that's the craziest thing we have seen! - Spinner
Mais l'immense choc de la soirée est à venir : INSTRUMENTI. Au pays des “Panda Mountains”, comme Cocoon avait fantasmé, avant de s'envoler ailleurs, cette Auvergne toute en rondeurs, Clermont-Ferrand accueille effectivement deux pandas. Même la batterie du duo est déguisée en panda. Mais très vite, passé le gag, voire le kitsch, les chansons commencent par intriguer, puis enthousiasmer. Car les pandas font subir à la pop quelques tours pendables. Les deux Lituaniens, beaux gosses sous leurs masques et costumes sudatoires, jouent ainsi, dans leurs moments les plus humbles et réservés, un pop d'une extrême extravagance.
Quand ils se lâchent, c'est carrément le grand cirque cosmique/comique : on pense à un Genesis défoncé à l'électro de contrebande ou même à un Mika qui aurait forcé sur le LSD. Le public, nombreux pour de tels inconnus, commence par applaudir, puis par s'exciter, inventant pour ces chansons sans queue ni tête des danses de Saint-Guy aussi frénétiques qu'inédites : très vite, il n'y a pas une fesse immobile, par une main qui ne tape, pas une tête qui ne dodeline. Le groupe annonce, très marrant, que son nouveau single s'appelle Pandémie et que “c'est un instrumental chanté en islandais”. Entre cabaret vraiment barré et Macumba de l'allégresse, le chapiteau devient l'un des lieux les plus joyeux, extatiques que l'on ait visités cette année. Leur tube, le génialissime Life Jacket Under Your Seat le transforme même en soucoupe volante : on visite les étoiles, plein les mirettes. C'est le tube parfait et universel pour un été sans crise, sans Grèce, sans le moindre coup de téléphone de la réalité. Le public est tellement reconnaissant pour ce moment de grâce qu'il ne sait plus comment témoigner son affection : les hurlements et applaudissements ne suffisant plus, les premiers rangs improvisent carrément une ola. Sous leurs masques, les deux Lituaniens en versent une petite larme. - Les Inrocks
Mais l'immense choc de la soirée est à venir : INSTRUMENTI. Au pays des “Panda Mountains”, comme Cocoon avait fantasmé, avant de s'envoler ailleurs, cette Auvergne toute en rondeurs, Clermont-Ferrand accueille effectivement deux pandas. Même la batterie du duo est déguisée en panda. Mais très vite, passé le gag, voire le kitsch, les chansons commencent par intriguer, puis enthousiasmer. Car les pandas font subir à la pop quelques tours pendables. Les deux Lituaniens, beaux gosses sous leurs masques et costumes sudatoires, jouent ainsi, dans leurs moments les plus humbles et réservés, un pop d'une extrême extravagance.
Quand ils se lâchent, c'est carrément le grand cirque cosmique/comique : on pense à un Genesis défoncé à l'électro de contrebande ou même à un Mika qui aurait forcé sur le LSD. Le public, nombreux pour de tels inconnus, commence par applaudir, puis par s'exciter, inventant pour ces chansons sans queue ni tête des danses de Saint-Guy aussi frénétiques qu'inédites : très vite, il n'y a pas une fesse immobile, par une main qui ne tape, pas une tête qui ne dodeline. Le groupe annonce, très marrant, que son nouveau single s'appelle Pandémie et que “c'est un instrumental chanté en islandais”. Entre cabaret vraiment barré et Macumba de l'allégresse, le chapiteau devient l'un des lieux les plus joyeux, extatiques que l'on ait visités cette année. Leur tube, le génialissime Life Jacket Under Your Seat le transforme même en soucoupe volante : on visite les étoiles, plein les mirettes. C'est le tube parfait et universel pour un été sans crise, sans Grèce, sans le moindre coup de téléphone de la réalité. Le public est tellement reconnaissant pour ce moment de grâce qu'il ne sait plus comment témoigner son affection : les hurlements et applaudissements ne suffisant plus, les premiers rangs improvisent carrément une ola. Sous leurs masques, les deux Lituaniens en versent une petite larme. - Les Inrocks
“We love music. And we love pandas.”
Instrumenti are never seen without wearing giant panda bear heads.
And if enormous novelty headgear wasn’t enough to draw a crowd at their SXSW 2010 performances this year, the band, which formed in 2003 when its founding members met after a Flaming Lips set at Glastonbury and had their first rehearsal during Radiohead’s headlining set that night, was one of the biggest buzz bands of 2009 thanks to their debut EP Pandemyia.
Instrumenti isn’t just a band – it’s a total musical and visual experience. Instrumenti’s music is alternately frantic and riff-driven and full of upbeat piano melodies and soaring falsettos – you either feel like you’re back at your first rave or on a carousel with a cotton candy as big as your head. And it is this quirky brand of indie pop that’s earned Instrumenti supporting spots on tours with the likes of James Blunt, The Whip and Moby – all before releasing its first full-length album, which is due out this summer.
We caught up with Instrumenti in Austin today before the band heads back to Iceland to put the finishing touches on their debut album – you can check out LP33.tv’s chat with Instrumenti above! - LP33.com
“We love music. And we love pandas.”
Instrumenti are never seen without wearing giant panda bear heads.
And if enormous novelty headgear wasn’t enough to draw a crowd at their SXSW 2010 performances this year, the band, which formed in 2003 when its founding members met after a Flaming Lips set at Glastonbury and had their first rehearsal during Radiohead’s headlining set that night, was one of the biggest buzz bands of 2009 thanks to their debut EP Pandemyia.
Instrumenti isn’t just a band – it’s a total musical and visual experience. Instrumenti’s music is alternately frantic and riff-driven and full of upbeat piano melodies and soaring falsettos – you either feel like you’re back at your first rave or on a carousel with a cotton candy as big as your head. And it is this quirky brand of indie pop that’s earned Instrumenti supporting spots on tours with the likes of James Blunt, The Whip and Moby – all before releasing its first full-length album, which is due out this summer.
We caught up with Instrumenti in Austin today before the band heads back to Iceland to put the finishing touches on their debut album – you can check out LP33.tv’s chat with Instrumenti above! - LP33.com
Discography
Instrumenti debut album TRU was released in 2011.
TRU was recorded at Greenhouse Studios in Reykjavik and mastered at Abbey Road studios, working with people who've worked with Björk, CocoRosie, Sigur Rós, Jónsi, Beastie Boys, Radiohead and Antony and the Johnsons among others.
Instrumenti released their second studio album Procrasination in May, 2013. Recorded at the band's Tru Music Studio in Riga, Latvia.
Photos
Bio
Instrumenti, a two piece electro indie pop band, has proven to be amongst the best Baltic live acts of the decade.
Formed in 2009 by two academically educated musicians. Shipsi (vocals/keyboards) has one of the most impressive falsettos today’s music has to offer while Reynsi (drums/ keyboards/vocals) has a genuine talent of creating incredibly rich and warm sound backed up with beautiful harmonies. Instrumenti sound has been described as a mix of Muse, Sigur Rós and Michael Jackson.
In August 2011 Instrumenti released their debut album TRU recorded at the Greenhouse studios in Reykjavik, collaborating with producers and arrangers who’ve worked on most of Sigur Rós, Björk and Jónsi’s records.
Being one of the most sought-after Baltic acts, Instrumenti have played the biggest venues in the Baltic states and have taken part in numerous festivals and showcases all over Europe (Germany, Austria, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Poland, UK, France, Belgium, Czech Republic etc.) - SXSW, The Great Escape, Eurosonic Noorderslag, Heineken Opene'r, Positivus Festival, Rock For People, Waves Vienna, Tallinn Music Week among others.
What makes Instrumenti captivating is the duo’s natural wit, charisma, creativity and skills that allow them to delicately blend different styles and genres, creating an enjoyable aural and visual adventure.
Last summer Instrumenti participated in a number of European festivals, playing alongside Friendly Fires, Keane, The Vaccines, Hurts and Skrillex among others.
Instrumenti released their second studio album Procrasination in May, 2013.
Instrumenti has been invited to open for Depeche Mode in Vilnius this July.
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