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Photo courtesy of Glassnote Records
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Photo courtesy of Glassnote Records
A Microsoft gamepad, a Wii remote, a joystick and a driving simulator steering wheel: video game-related devices that could be found in a well-stocked apartment housing a group of college boys…and also on stage with Robert Delong, an artist blurring the lines between indie pop-rock and electronic dance music. Delong uses the tech gadgets to create one component of his dance-able yet melodic, lyric-focused songs.
“It started in college since [the game controllers] were something I had laying around,” Delong says. “I was poor at the time, so it was cheaper than buying new equipment—and then over time, it sort of became my thing, and people told me they thought it was clever.”
His overall sound could also be described as clever, as he incorporates a background in contemporary jazz, as well as indie inspirations like Death Cab for Cutie and Modest Mouse with dance beats and philosophical lyrics.
“I think The Postal Service was a big turning point for me because it was one of the first indie groups to heavily feature electronics,” Delong says.
He even cites Phil Collins and Genesis for the upcoming album, In the Cards, to be released on September 18, specifically because of featured drum solos.
Although the theme for his debut album, Just Movement, was the reductionist idea that all things may be boiled down to atoms moving and colliding with one another, Delong’s creative process is far less particular to one idea than it is organic.
Delong says, “Lyrics come from a lot of different places. I often find that I have a song that I’ll start writing, but then the lyrics start to write themselves. Sometimes, I’ll be trying out melodies and one lyric will pop up, and I can just expand on that theme. Beyond that, heartbreak is always a fun one and also trying to relate that to other things like religion or addiction. But I try to leave my songs a bit open-ended, so one song could be about your sad lover or your sad drug problem.”
The overarching theme behind In the Cards is the idea of fate versus free will. According to Delong, the songs on In the Cards will appear to stand alone, in comparison to those on Just Movement, which was structured more as one continuous album.
“I wanted to take into consideration that we’re living in an era where you might listen to just one song or choose one song to download, as opposed to considering everything in the context of an album,” Delong says. "The other side of it is that I basically ‘had’ to sing the songs on Just Movement because they were mine and I’d already written them over the course of 6 years, but this time, when I was making songs, I had the chance to think about how my voice sounds with certain arrangements. It’s definitely a progression in my vocal skills, and I take a lot more vocal risks…for better or worse,” Delong explains, laughing.
Delong is known for creating an explosive and engaging live experience, especially at large festival appearances like Lollapollooza and Coachella.
“The set I've done for festivals is definitely dramatic, and I’ve been working closely with my video guy over the past 3 years in designing the show,” Delong says. “With cameras set up everywhere, the audience can see what’s going on from 150 yards away.”
Delong’s music lends itself perfectly to a festival environment: he’s even been cited as a high-energy one-man dance party. He says, “There’s nothing worse than watching a band be sad on stage at a festival because there’s no time to get through that emotional experience. With a giant sound system and 30 minutes to do your thing, it’s all about every moment capturing someone’s attention. It’s a chance to be epic and have fun over-blowing all of my songs, so that nothing is too mellow."
Robert DeLong performs Saturday, September 12 at 4 p.m. For more information, go to loufest.com.
