Influences: ALASKALASKA

Under the skin of the poly-creative London group...

ALASKALASKA have always been difficult to pin down.

Fond of guitars and signed to Marathon, you could be forgiven for mistaking them – at least broadly – for being an indie band.

The cold hard truth, though, is that they're nowhere close to this tag, with each song seeming to rupture any definition placed upon them.

Debut album 'The Dots' is out now, a fascinating, bewildering record, all blinding colour and searing ideas, and it's set to be followed by a UK tour.

Clash caught up with ALASKALASKA to find out what drove their debut LP…

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Talking Heads – ‘Born Under Punches’

There’s so much going on in this song and yet it never feels cluttered. It’s so many things, everything has its place, everyone is doing something interesting and, it’s actually quite simple when you break it down.

It feels like a ‘How to’ normalising the absurd’ which I think ‘moon’ really benefitted from.

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Gene Wilder – ‘Pure Imagination’

It’s just soooo dreamy and beautiful and gives me a warm lush nostalgic feeling that makes me want to cry and smile at the same time. Hopefully there are some little pockets of this across the record.

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Vondelpark – ‘California Analog Dream’

Another one of those songs that transports you to another realm of being… I have quite a personal connection to this song. I just like how it distracts me from whatever else might be on my mind which is something I really strive for with any music I make. Connect with me. I wanna be inside you…

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Bea1991 – ‘Big World 4 Lovers’

The space she creates around her vocals – it’s totally unafraid. I’m always of the persuasion to coat my vocal in other effects just because I prefer how it sounds most of the time but there are some songs where I felt like I needed to allow for my voice to be honest and open to the elements.

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Mount Kimbie – ‘SP12 BEAT’

THAT BUILD UP.

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Romeo Void – ‘I Mean It’

It’s darkness and swagger and the powerful nature of the layered saxophone. Genius.

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Catch ALASKALASKA at the following shows:

May
14 Brighton The Green Door Store
15 London Omeara
16 Birmingham Hare & Hounds
17 Leeds Hyde Park Book Club
19 Manchester YES
20 Glasgow The Hug And Pint
22 Bristol Rough Trade

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