Birds of Pandæmonium: A Dynamic Duo like no other...
With the release of their new album, I simply had to meet Tim and James, the duo behind Birds of Pandæmonium. There are some dynamics you can't ignore!
1) First of all, thank you for being here with us! Birds of Pandæmonium, what a great name! Can you tell us why you chose it, and how it represents the music you craft?
JAMES: I’ve always had a fascination with birds since I was a kid - the freedom of flight was really appealing and their grace, beauty. I’d read a book about a tech exec who transitioned her career to caring for endangered and exotic birds, called ‘The Birds of Pandemonium’, her sanctuary is called Pandemonium. I think I saw it on the shelf and said it out loud, and Tim thought Pandæmonium, like Milton - the infernal capital. Related to music, music is kind of a thing that does allow you to float and fly over a metaphorical hell scape and I think that’s why it works for the music we endeavor to make.
TIM: It kind of sounds like a really cool literate Biker Gang too
2) 'I Want To Believe' was featured on Colleen's show last week, it has a strong leading rhythm and grand sonics, expanding the stereo image and bringing wild visuals during the chorus, contrasting with the verses which do not sound as big visually speaking. There is a strong trippy feeling in there! Do you think believing should have the same kind of dynamics in our lives?
TIM: I think so. In fact, I’ve come to believe that the “secret of life” is learning to sit with or surf that inherent uncertainty of existence. Life is full of contradictions, unexpected turns, moments when everything feels small and moments when suddenly the whole world opens up. The trick is to embrace all of it.
I like the idea of making life an epic, impossible quest and trusting that, somehow, it will work out. It’s how fairy tales seem to operate, and I think real life can be a little like that too.
How do you achieve the impossible? You can only achieve the impossible by doing impossible things. You have to be willing to attempt things you don’t believe can happen, or things you never thought you could do, like, for example, making an album again. And trust that you will get from A to B. Somehow.
Once you embrace the impossible, you enter a world where magic becomes possible. Belief/Trust becomes a kind of creative force. It allows you to move beyond what you think the rules are and into what “might” be.
So maybe the dynamics are necessary: the quieter moments, the uncertainty, the tension and then the moments when everything expands and suddenly feels enormous. You accept the contradictions, step into the unknown, and keep going. That’s where the magic is.
3) I took the time to listen to some other tracks of yours, and indeed you use the stereo panning and the soundstage in a very immersive way. It is quite rare to feel sound in such an organic and vibrant way. Am I wrong if I say you don't like audio compression?
JAMES: Ha, everything in moderation. I think dynamics are very important; you don’t want to have sound waves that are rectangles.
TIM: So far almost all of our releases have had a vinyl component so we definitely mix with a lot of headroom. Our soundstages are wide and psychedelic, and some of our basses on this record are even wider. I was very worried when I first heard the test press of the record that some of our bass was too out there, but I got to tell you the record itself is a sonic thing of beauty. If you do vinyl, go and grab one now; it sounds amazing!
4) Another great example of your love for, I would say, "cinematic music" is "Out for you". How do you finalize a song, on the sonic side? What tells you that 'this is the good version" ?
JAMES: Mostly the release date tells us, ha. I’m not an engineer and am prone to want things that are sometimes very wrong, and Tim puts up with my bad suggestions, somehow harnessing insanity into controlled chaos.
TIM: Yes, like some of the real big subbass moments on the new record
5) What's next for Birds of Pandæmonium? Any touring plans?
JAMES: Definitely more music, we’re always writing, dating and tinkering. Maybe some new reworks & remixes. We’ve been in the rehearsal space testing out live renditions, so a lot more coming soon.
TIM: 3 Albums, many EPs, a world tour and maybe a feature film. You got to think big!
