October 9th marks the second Spiritual Warfare released under Moone Records’ Album Release Program!
MIXTAPE Vol. 1 is a 5 song EP of chopped up and rearranged 60s Bollywood songs, with overlaying vocals from Spiritual Warfare. Snag a FREE Digital-copy today!
Spiritual Warfare‘s solo performer Joel Marquard was kind enough to have a quick chat with Eric Hughes about this fun mix!
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EH: For this MIXTAPES Vol. 1 release, I’m really curious about what your approach to putting the songs together was…
Were the samples you used already stuff you were listening to? Or did you seek them out for the project?
JM: Well, this whole project started from an idea I had about six years ago for a rap group that included like, three MCs and four or five Indian percussionists, nasty blown-out bass, and maybe keys/strings or surf guitar. Then I kinda forgot about the idea until one day I made a delivery to a Hindu temple and saw the inside, the shrines and stuff. I thought it was really neat.
EH: This release feels like it took a step away from the rap approach didn’t it?
JM: So, I had a couple Bollywood songs that I had bought about four or five years ago, and thought I could do this rap project, but instead of getting MCs, I could just sing over it.
This guy gave me Pro Tools 9 and there is a disc in the bottom of the box that says loops, so I put it in the computer and it has like, hundreds of pre-recorded, actual recorded instruments that are perfectly cut up so you can put them in Pro Tools and tell it to loop it like 60 times or whatever. Included in these loops are like 30 or 40 Indian and Arabic percussion samples.
I initially stumbled across Bollywood about eight years ago when I saw the film Ghost World which opens with the girl dancing to this amazing Bollywood surf song. About a week after that, my friend Lindsay got me an iTunes gift card for my birthday, so I bought about ten classic Bollywood songs with that.
I’ve since acquired about 200 songs. Mostly Bollywood ranging from the the 50s to 1980s.
EH: I have friends with ties in India – I should see if I can get you some real authentic stuff sent to you.
JM: Well, I’m always looking for a new sound or project or idea or….gimmick, so this seemed like an obvious path.
EH: So you say this EP is free in part because you were unable to get official clearance on the samples.
If you did, would you think this release deserves a small cassette run? I know I’d like to see that!
JM: Uh, yeah, that’d be cool! I’m fine with a free download though, because that’s how hip-hop mixtapes are usually done… Haha!
EH: Obviously, I have to ask if we can expect to see a MIXTAPES Vol. 2?
JM: Haha! I don’t know. I definitely have some songs chopped up, but not sure when I’ll get them done.
EH: I’ll be patiently awaiting – luckily you have four whole releases worth to keep us happy in the mean time!
JM: So when I play live I use all five of the songs that are sampled from the mixtape, and the rest are from the original composition which is called “Double Voices“
EH: I thought I had recognized several of those songs from your live shows.
JM: “Double Voices” is ten songs and mostly uses those Pro Tools Indian percussion loops. American Pop songs but with out an electronic club beat or a drum kit, Indian percussion.
Then the last album is called “I Hope My Grave Is A Gutter” and it’s kinda garage pop, dream pop, one country song and experimental stuff.
EH: Has any of “I Hope My Grave Is A Gutter” been debuted to a live audience? Or has it been a total hiatus so far?
JM: No, just home recordings.
EH: Cool, I can’t wait to hear them! As always, thank you so much for your time! Moone is psyched to be a part of these releases.
JM: Thanks Eric!!
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