Our good friend Jonas has been playing drums with Human Agency, which is the dynamic duo of Seamus and Biorhythm (a.k.a. Ryan). If you're from Colorado, then you've probably come across Human Agency. And if you haven't well, then you're in for a treat.
Human Agency is releasing a new album on May 20th titled "The Indigo Hour." They also released a single titled "Grace", which you can stream...
Human Agency also offered up a free download of GRACE here.
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I conducted a brief interview with Seamus from Human Agency. Here's the highlights...
PAULY: What were the influences for this album?
SEAMUS: I believe a vast musical influence on Human Agency is it's most creative weapon. Everything and anyone from Ninja Tune Records has greatly inspired us both for over a decade. We all listen to a wide array of Rock, Blues, alternative and world music and that shows in one way or another. Bonobo, DJ Shadow and RJD2 with a light dusting of Daft Punk is how I describe Human Agency to people who have never heard of us. Maybe that helps.
PAULY: Is the new album a glimpse into the future direction of band? Or does it solidify or build upon previous themes?
SEAMUS: Both of those ideas seem unavoidably true for "The Indigo Hour." Personally I would like to have a small group of talented, multi-instrumentalists collaborate and contribute to the live presence of what we record and produce in the studio. Easier said than done, believe me. That being said, we made a clear shot to have a more dance presence on the album without removing too much of the desired melody we all love in music. It came down to giving show-goers the energy they desire on the dance floor while giving the battle hardened music nerds a taste of our talent. The balance was hard and often illusive, but I'm happy with the current and future outlook of Human Agency. We have a strong and hard working group of people working directly around us. Stan Lee would call them True Believers, and I'm very appreciative.We pretty much broke our studio making this album. After spending countless hours in a basement production studio over a two year period, almost every piece of gear suffered some sort of injury. From beat machines to blown sub-woofers, turntable cartridges to Wurlitzer organs shorting out, very few pieces of gear survived this journey. Like the Mongols ascending the Great Wall of China, a lot of casualties were suffered before we realized it's ending ha! Good thing we ended in a beautifully equipped professional studio.
PAULY: Are you concerned with the backlash that's happening with the music industry and festival circuit being overrun by "dudes with laptops"?
A majority of this album was entirely written, composed and performed by Ryan and I. We draw from a traditional music background but are inspired by the creative options of digital music. So let me address something...I understand much of the argument many people have with this very recent surge of solo DJs with a single laptop selling out stadiums - and how eye burningly uninspiring it might seem when performed, I really do. I get it. But through the lens of a band like Human Agency, having grown up playing instruments then merging that with digital production thereafter, we spend as much time, if not much more, on our craft and sound. I'm very proud of the talented people who contributed to this record and help perform it on stage. I believe - from start to end - it's melodic, beautiful and inspired.
However, when I hear people from all levels of musical involvement criticize modern electronic music as being cheap, simple or uninspired, it immediately strikes me as an infinitely uneducated argument. I'll admit there's a slew of Dance/Electronic music that doesn't float my boat, nuff said. But there are some profound producers making richly unique music electronically out there. These scores of digital naysayers all the sudden come off as those puritanical haters who used to burn Beatles records or segregate Chuck Berry shows at the birth of Rock 'n' Roll. Let the people have a good time, even if you are not.
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Human Agency - Facebook Page
Human Agency - Soundcloud Page
Here's a promo video for "The Indigo Hour"...
