~ Erin Dillon
You know that image of a musician or rockstar with an incredibly humongous ego? Well let me bust that myth: they’re not all like Russell from Stillwater. In fact, they can be so genuinely kind and accepting that they make you stop and think I should be more like that. Well, that’s The Octopus Project. So kind, in fact, that when my tape recorder crapped out at the first interview, they were willing to redo it over the phone. When I sat down with this Austin-based foursome before their show at the Troubadour two weeks ago, I could tell these folks weren’t merely demonstrating typical Texan courtesy; they were truly delightful. They answered questions with ease and poise. I was stunned. Not only do they kick infinite amounts of ass on stage (swapping instruments mid-song), they’re jolly good people. Josh Lambert, Yvonne Lambert, Toto Miranda and Ryan Figg have been together since the late ‘90s and they’re still generating originality. They experiment with the theremin, glockenspiel, samplers and the standards. Together it all sounds like a loopy, electronic noise party where you can wiggle and dance the night away. Their most current release- an EP called Golden Beds- is some of their only music featuring vocals. It’s a subtle and lovely change. The Octopus Project also kills it at festivals like Coachella, SXSW and All Tomorrow’s Parties. What can’t they do? Okay, enough chatter. Here’s the interview:
The Octopus Project – Moon Boil
Black Moth Super Rainbow + The Octopus Project – Marshmallow Window
How’s the tour going so far?
Josh Lambert: It’s going very well. All the shows have been super awesome and really fun. It’s exciting.
Will you be working on a new album when you get back home?
JL: We have a lot of ideas and we’re going back to some stuff we worked on before the tour. As soon as we get back we’re planning on diving into all that. That’s what we’re gonna focus on… That’ll be a big goal as soon as we get home.
