MWN: Hello guys! Thanks so much for thanking the time to answer these questions. Lets jump right into the upcoming release of your album entitled ‘R.U.R’ which is set to come out December 01. How are you guys feeling about that?
Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP): Thanks for having us! We feel excited and also a sense of relief. We worked on this album for almost a year and now it will finally be set free to interact with other people.
MWN: I know you can’t give away too much! What is one thing fans can expect from this record?
Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP): This album is more electronic than our most recent releases. It incorporates more polyrhythms, analog sounds, body percussion, and samples ranging from household objects to outer space sounds.
MWN: What mainly influenced this new album?
Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP): Personal things, the world? Current events, technological breakthroughs, and science fiction. R.U.R. imagines a future in which humans have been replaced by robots who are trying to understand what led to its predecessors’ extinction. Via a time capsule, the robots learn about humanity’s most noble endeavours (art, agriculture, science) and worst attributes (narcissism, materialism, environmental degradation) and wonder if the universe will ever see the likes of these peculiar beings again. The title comes from the 1920s Czech play Rossum’s Universal Robots where the word “robot” originated.
MWN: In the recording of the record did you guys discover anything new about your sound as a band or as individual musicians?
Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP): This album engages more with dissonance and uncertainty. As a result, we found ourselves gravitating more towards detuned instruments, complex rhythms, and atonal melodic pairings.
MWN: Was the writing for this record collective?
Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP): Yes, it was like having a musical dialogue. One of us would lay down the initial ideas (usually Yunfan) and then the other would add his or her thoughts. Then collectively we would build out the piece, which included activities such as recording vocals, creating percussion samples from household objects (e.g. scissors on a planter), and composing a three minute piano sequence.
MWN: Let’s jump into some fun fire round questions. Alright first one what is your favorite love song?
Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP):
Dave: Come Prima covered by Caetano Veloso & Gil Gilberto
Yunfan: Love’s Theme by Barry White & The Love Unlimited Orchestra
MWN: Favorite sad song?
Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP):
Dave: Bibo No Aozora by Ryuichi Sakamoto
Yunfan: Sodade by Cesaria Evora
MWN: Dream stage to play?
Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP): We don’t have a specific one in mind. We’re generally up for anything that takes us to a fun, different part of the world where the audience comes for the music.
MWN: First album you ever bought?
Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP):
Dave: Weird Al Yankovic – Even Worse (I was young and still have the cassette to prove it)
Yunfan: Pet Shop Boys – Very (I was intrigued by the Lego brick texture of the jewel case).
MWN: First recollection of live music?
Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP):
Dave: Branford & Ellis Marsalis at The Egg in Albany, NY
Yunfan: McCoy Tyner at The Blue Note in NYC.
MWN: Favorite festival to play?
Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP): A few come to mind but one of our craziest experiences was playing The Great Wall of China earlier this year.
MWN: To wrap things up once again thanks so much for taking the time to answer these questions. Lastly, is there anything you guys would like to say to the people who are going to be reading this interview?
Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP): Thanks for the fun questions! We hope your readers will take these songs away from us and make them a part of their lives.
MWN: Thank you guys so much!
Interview By: Maria Limon | @shotbylimon
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