10 Questions With… A series that delves into fresh new releases from some of our favourite artists. With a focus on our Melodic Distraction hosts and wider community, this lil natter gives us an insight into their musical escapades when they’re in their studio, not ours.
For this week’s 10 Questions With, we visit Manchester-based record label Failed Units, fresh from the release of the latest instalment from their ‘Rescue & Research’ EP series. ‘Pt. 4’ comes from Icelandic duo PANG, who have seen through the other end of the techno telescope, broken through and kicked the frameworks right in. The result is three 150bpm rhythmic tornadoes to sweep the clubs clean, topped off with a jungle remix from Kyoto-based producer Naco. We chat with PANG to find out more about what PANG really is, the impact of beautiful Icelandic surroundings and more…
Hey PANG, we’re big fans of ‘Rescue & Research Pt. 4’. Can you tell us a bit more about how you first got into music?
Thank you so much! Our aim has always been to meet the demands of our fans and satisfy their every need. We are devoted to delivering products that bring laughter, joy and happiness into people’s lives and we’ve found that music is a medium through which these goals can be achieved.
If you could describe your sound in 3 words, what would they be?
Satisfying, convenient, vital.
As well as making music, you also make ‘products to fulfil all imaginable sonic desires.’ Can you talk us through what these are? How did they lead you to making music, or vice versa?
PANG has explored a variety of viable products in the pursuit of consumers’ happiness and pleasure. Our research shows that sound products are the preferred choice of most of our customers. With that in mind, we have opted to focus most of our efforts into producing, designing and manufacturing the highest grade of sound products on the market today.
How do your recordings translate live? What’s your live setup?
Live performance is great because it opens up to direct engagement with our fans. The real-time reaction allows for experimentations, which can often yield very different outcomes compared to what would happen in the production process. When playing live, we like to capitalise on this quality and use the opportunity to expand on the motifs and themes of the studio versions of our tracks.
Currently residing in the beautiful Iceland, do your surroundings have much of an impact on the music you make?
Yes, it’s safe to say that our production process has benefited greatly from the raw untouched beauty of our magical country. One of the many reasons our products are vastly superior to the more generic brands out there is the fact that we use only the highest quality ingredients, which are harvested in perfect harmony with the Icelandic nature. When you choose PANG, you choose nature!
What is the music scene like in your hometown?
Reykjavík is home to a very rich and creative music scene. There’s a DIY and DIT mentality, which is very healthy for new and upcoming artists. I think this leads to the most interesting stuff often coming from new and virtually unrecognised artists.
Are there any other local artists you’ve got on your radar at the moment?
Absolutely. Some of the Icelandic artists on our radar are sideproject, Jónbjörn, DYNKUR, Thizone, Cucumb45 and Agzilla, to name a few.
What was the last record you bought?
A pre-order of I/T, the upcoming Smog release on Tripalium Corp. Check it out!
What’s your favourite snack?
Hummus and chips.
What’s coming up next for you?
Our plan is to simply keep on growing our brand, manufacturing and releasing more music and maybe some other products. We have one release lined up for this year and then we will just keep on going after that.
‘Rescue & Research Pt. 4’ featuring PANG is out now on Failed Units – check it out below!
|| PANG ||