OK folks yes its that time you have been waiting for - KMD managed to get to grips with the duo whom she ripped off with her name, and boy was it fabulous. I managed to tie Jas Shaw (of Simian Mobile Disco) down for a quick chat before he escaped again to continue on their hectic schedule. We talked about their new EP - Clocks, The Chemical Brothers & ‘Tits & Acid’ obviously….

Kimberleysmobiledisco: Why release this EP now?

Jas Shaw: This new LP is a way for us to draw the line under the previous mobile disco sessions. The record basically contains tracks that we absolutely loved and were personally my favourite, but we just couldn’t put them on the first album, as the structure didn’t sit quite right. This EP allows us to lay the past to rest and start on the second album fresh.

We felt that by distancing the first and second albums there is no danger of the creative process being damaged, plus by releasing the EP we relieve the whole ‘second album syndrome’ that has so clearly plagued a lot of artists in the past.

We really want to get onto writing new stuff; we are already booked to go into the DFA studio, which is very exciting.

KMD: So, tell us about the SMD way of laying down new tracks

JS: It doesn’t take long to write stuff at all, and it’s definitely a spontaneous process for us in the studio. Both of us often put melody ideas down separately and then come together to experiment as that retains the fun element and gives us that all important starting point for new tracks.

Our main downfall is buying copious amounts of gear; seriously we spend loads! Analogue gear is the key.

KMD: There are a lot of electro wannabee wizzkids out there, so you have any tips?

JS: Keep away from software! Computer based music always sounds so stiff, particularly in the transition from studio to stage. Try to avoid too much programming if you can. We tend to stick to Pro Tools, which we use like a tape machine alongside hardware.

I am personally always loathe to any restrictions placed on me, however I truly realise the importance of deadlines now, mainly because the more time we get from people to complete things the more get tied up over analysing things instead of getting the job done. My girlfriend is a teacher and she says the broader the brief you provide a class with the harder they find the task as it becomes too much to consider. So along those lines is important to consider deadlines – they help immensely in the long run to keep focus.

KMD: Your Mix Mag CD created immense disco fever for KMD, do you have any plans to do another?

JS: Yes! We are going to do a Fabric Mix. [KMD faints]. Fabric have been really good to us, especially in the early days of SMD and its time we returned the favour by doing a mix for them.

KMD: Can we expect it to go off the beaten path like the Justice mix?

JS: [After an explanation of why Justice didn’t release the mix] Wow, I wondered why it hadn’t been released. Maybe we will go down a heavy prog route, haha!

KMD How was touring with The Chemical Brothers?

JS: They are real dudes. Their live set makes ours look a bit shit really! It takes them like 12 hours to set up before a show, as a lot of it has to be programmed. I think when you want to incorporate audiovisuals and tailor your show to stadium-sized audiences you really have to raise your game.

KMD: You have a pretty hectic schedule how do you deal with it all?

JS: It’s bad, we say ‘yes’ too much. Both of us are very close to having an episode! We only got back from Paris the other day and as soon as we got off the plane we got a call from someone [very secretive] to tell us they were in the country, so rushed off to record with them till the early hours of the morning!

KMD: Onto the new album; what projects are in the pipeline?

JS: Shhhhh most of them are being done on the sly as we speak! However I will let you into one secret, even though I’m not exactly sure whether it is a secret – we have just done some stuff in the studio with Peaches, which was great.

KMD: I have to ask you about those crazy song titles, how do you choose them?

JS: It’s stupid really. It’s mainly down to the way we record; it’s primarily due to the set up of our analogue boxes. We make a session on Pro Tools then we have to decide quickly what we want to call it otherwise the analogue stuff will drift out of tune and in a few moments its gone. We quickly go around the room and it’s the first thing that anyone shouts!

My philosophy is always – First Thought, Best Thought.

KMD: What a great philosophy that is. Simian are not only sincerely genuine and great to engage with, but they inject that evident hyperactivity and passion into everything they do.

I’m off now to work out who was the dirty bugger that named ‘Tits & Acid’!