This week the fuzz-pop band Panda Riot released their ep Far & Near, and is heading back east for a mini-tour. They are originally from Philadelphia and I thought it would be the perfect time to ask them a few questions.
The Deli (TD): What can fans except to find on Far & Near?
Panda Riot (PR): Between our last record, she dares all things, and this new EP, far and near, we’ve added a bass player, Justin, and an aux percussionist, Melissa. As a result, I think the songs are more dance-y and textured. Also, while our last record was more or less a collection of singles, Far and Near has a stronger theme. It’s like a little novella.
TD: The video for “Motown Glass” was very cool. How did you decide to make a video for that song as opposed to others on the EP?
PR: Rebecca and I both started out as filmmakers so we had a few ideas of what we wanted the video to look and feel like. Motown Glass just seemed to match up nicely.
TD: How did you come to score the film Apocalypse Story? How did that process differ from your typical writing process?
PR: When we write a panda riot song, it is intended to stand alone. But in the soundtrack, the music has to compliment the mood, the arc of the plot, and the interactions of the characters. So, it’s a completely different approach. Also, a lot of what you’ll hear on the soundtrack was done on the first take.
TD: How does the music environment in Chicago compare to the scene in Philly?
PR: In Philadelphia it was just Rebecca and myself recording songs in a tiny apartment. We had never really written or recorded songs before. As a result, I think that our first record reflects that intimacy and newness in the recordings. So you could say she dares all things was our Philadelphia Record.
Shortly after moving to Chicago Justin joined the band and his bass playing added a new dimension to the band. We also moved into a huge raw loft space where we can record and practice whenever we want. That gave us the time to rehearse and record the songs exactly how we wanted them. So if She Dares All Things was an intimate, spontaneous record, Far and Near is a more expansive dance-yer, more textured record.
Far & Near was released this week and is available here. Panda Riot is currently on an east coast tour.