If Australia has always been the lucky country, then consider yourself a resident of Gorgon City. Yep, we are the first place in the world given a chance to listen to and get our grubby mitts on Matt and Kai’s long awaited album ‘Sirens’ out now on iTunes thanks to Neon Records.

There is of course more to it than just simply knocking out a sa-weet Essential Mix and piecing together an extraordinary grouping of songs, some of which we’ve heard of the past few months including a remix by famed dance veteran Roni Size. There are those things such as, just how long it took to make the bastard or a classic moment that happened behind the scenes, of which we delve into courtesy of an exclusive chat with one half of the geezer duo Matt.

SR: How long has it taken for Gorgon City to complete the album?

 

GC: It’s been a while, we started the album a year and a half ago, it’s kind of like, when we started working together we didn’t know we were going to make an album.. But eventually we realised we had enough material to make an album and it just came about naturally like that!

SR: What was the funnest thing about making the album?

 

GC: Just writing with so many cool singers and song writers in our studio and just meeting a lot of people and learning about writing songs and different peoples techniques to writing songs and just getting inspiration from lots of different people. I think we learnt a lot in the process of writing the album when it comes to structuring songs and writing lyrics. I think that was quite a new thing for both of us. We were more stark music producers making underground stuff separately.

SR: What was the hardest thing about making album?

 

GC: Letting go and deciding when the tracks are finished. You always want to change stuff and it’s always difficult to say somethings finished but I think that’s what good about having two of you, you can tell each other, that’s cool and leave it and move on.

ALSO choosing the tracks that we can put on the album. Because we had probably about 30 tracks finished and 12 to put on the proper album and 18 on the deluxe. It’s hard to say goodbye to certain tracks because there’s certain tracks that Kai and I are really really fond of and they are just sitting on our computer in the studio. Well you might here them one day but not now.

SR: Maybe you can do something like the Wu-Tang clan did?

 

GC: Oh yeah haha. Make a case out of gold!

SR: And put it in a museum?

 

GC: haha yeah!

SR: If you had to choose one, what is your favourite track on the album?

 

GC: I really like FTPA with Erik Hassle because it’s quite a different sounding one to what we normally make. There’s a more dark vibe to it.

I know Kai is a big fan of ‘Hard On Me’, the last track on the album. It’s more emotional. But every week both our favourites change!

SR: Were there any people who played an influence on the album?

 

GC: I think working with people like MNEK was a big influence just because we did ‘Ready for your love’ with him and it was a big game changer for us and ‘Here for you’, which we actually co-wrote with him and Laura Walsh. I think his confidence, writing styles and his ideas in the studio definitely inspired us and gave us a lot of energy when it came to making the album.

SR: Is your live show evolving with the launch of your new album?

 

GC: Yeah we’ve done a few live shows already! We did a big one for BBC Radio One earlier in the year. We had Kai and I on the synths, drum pads, playing the basslines. Then we had a drummer, backing vocalist and all the vocalist who featured on our album.

We’re actually doing our UK show live in November and hopefully we’ll be bringing it to Australia soon. Obviously it’s quite a big trip for a live band to come over to Aus. I’m not sure when yet. Hopefully next year some time.

SR: Having come to Aus many times before, what’s your favourite part of touring Aus?

 

GC: Love the relaxed atmosphere. It’s kind of like England but everyone is happy instead of miserable. We really look forward to coming to Australia, the food and the quality of life is really nice out there. Even though the travelling is really intense, I always look really forward to it!

SR: What was your job while you were learning production?

 

GC: I used to do cold calling, knocking on peoples doors trying to get them to sign up to charity. I also went to university and would dj and promote little clubs there up until the age of 21.

Kai has quite a funny story. He was a site designer for a sewerage company!

Listen to Gorgon City’s entire album on iTunes