Q Your new self-titled third album sure covers plenty of ground, from dub and roots-reggae to hip-hop to soul. Did you have a clear idea in mind as to how you wanted the album to sound? Or was it a case of experimenting as you went and just seeing where the mood took you?
A We never set out to have a specific sound or style though we often set up processes in order to create the music. For example, we had a writing session with our vocalists in Martinborough in order to generate material.
We also spent some time at Trident Studios tracking loads of different instruments. We took all this material back to our studio and messed with it. We then mixed it through the mixing desk at Trident. The sound that came out the other end was a result of all this experimentation.
Q How much time did you spend on the album? Has it been a drawn-out affair or a wham-bam approach? Has much of the material been road-tested or is it relatively new?
A Our processes are never as short as we would like them to be, but I don't feel our music suffers from the length of time it takes to create it - quite the opposite, really. Much of our material has been road-tested already, which is part of our improvisational nature. Sometimes we run instrumentals live of things we have been working on in order for our vocalists to experiment with ideas.
Q Your lyrics are often socially conscious. Do you spend much time on them? Are they an important ingredient in your songs?
A Lyrics are important, and we like to work with people who share a similar understanding. Some of our vocalists spend more time on their words than others. Freestyle is also an important part of what we do, so some of the lyrics come about very quickly. I would say that we don't promote ourselves as a socially conscious band exactly, rather that our music is a direct result of who we work with, and the values that are important to us as a collective.
Q A Rhombus record wouldn't be complete without a range of collaborations. Do you enjoy working with others? Do you sometimes obtain unexpected results?
A Most of our results are unexpected! We do enjoy working with others, although sometimes it can be difficult to find the right process to achieve the best results. It is a real pleasure to work with quality musicians like Darren Mathiassen, Peter Hill and Darcy O'Brien. There are 12 fantastic vocalists on our album, and each has a different style. Nothing like keeping it fresh.
Q Jamaica seems an obvious reference point for much of your material, something that is strengthened by the inclusion of Studio One DJ and singer Ranking Joe on Babylon Retreat and another Jamaican singer, Junior Kelly, on Royalty. Can you explain the connection?
A Ranking Joe and Junior Kelly are two vocalists we sought out while they were on tour in New Zealand between 2005 and 2008. Ranking Joe is obviously a huge figure in reggae music, I have a lot of tracks with his toasting and jumped at the chance to work with such an iconic MC. Junior Kelly has a great voice and a fantastic work ethic. We were amazed at how involved he was in the studio, and how much care he took to make sure his vocals were tight.
Q Given Japanese MCs appear on final track Article 9 and the instrumental Piata includes some interesting field recordings, have your travels also played a part in the material on the album? And in that regard, do you see the album as a global effort?
A We often include field recordings and live recordings in our music. We also like to include moments in the studio that weren't meant to be heard - laughter, conversations that kind of thing. It helps to involve the listener more in what we do. Travel plays a huge part in our sound.
Much of the music is created in different environments : Article 9 was conceived somewhere along the west coast of Central America; Home To Me was conceived in rural Japan; the chorus for Beautiful Things was written in India; Prize Fighter contains recordings of the subway in San Francisco.
These things are often buried in the music or not immediately apparent to the listener, though on a subconscious level, I believe these things contribute to a sound which is both incredibly local and universal at the same time.
Q How big is your tour line-up? Have you pulled in some extra musicians (e.g. a horn section). Does the line-up change depending on where you are playing?
A The tour line-up consists of Simon Rycroft on the sequencing and dubs, Thomas Voyce on keyboards, Peter Hill on guitar and our four vocalists Raashi Malik, Lisa Tomlins, MC Antsman and MC Mana. DJ Koa will be playing a few fresh cuts. Raashi is very pregnant and won't be with us for the Otago leg of the tour, so I guess our line-up does change depending on where we are playing.
Q What's the next project after this tour? Any overseas trips planned?
A We will be off overseas next year for sure. Japan and Europe are on the cards at this stage. In the short term we will be releasing a bunch of remixes early next year, including a fantastic cut with Rodney P. So keep your ear to the ground for that one.
• Freebies
The Otago Daily Times has five Rhombus CDs to give away. To enter the draw, write your name, address and daytime phone number on the back of an envelope and send it to Rhombus, Editorial Features, Response Bag 500010 Dunedin, or email playtime@odt.co.nz with Rhombus in the subject line, to arrive before Thursday.
