Sometimes it seems as though the best debut albums are those that nearly never happened. Such is true of Anachronisms, the debut LP from Some Minor Noise, which dropped this Monday. The Toronto noise pop duo, comprised of Wayne Doe and Jane Void, went on hiatus last September, after releasing a handful of digital singles and EPs. However, they decided to stick it out, finish off their first full-length, and then promptly move on to more new songs. The songs of Anachronisms are certainly moody and dark, but they’re a little more postmodern gloss than postmodern grit. It’s sensually Apocalyptic, evoking images of society’s hippest intellectuals dragging their strung out asses across a dance floor. I recently got a chance to chat with Wayne Doe and Jane Void about their re-visiting of their work of a previous period and putting some finishing touches on it before sending it on its way.
Izzy Cihak: Some Minor Noise is returning from a hiatus of sorts, so I’m curious, what is the biggest difference between pre-hiatus Some Minor Noise and post-hiatus Some Minor Noise? And what is it that inspired you to keep the band together?
Wayne Doe: We decided to keep going because when we stepped away from the project, we felt aimless and unfulfilled. As time went on we realized that the working chemistry we have is really special and something neither of us wanted to abandon. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Jane Void: Post-hiatus SMN is a mildly saner, slightly more in-touch with reality, kinda better-functioning SMN, that’s making music that we’re both happily surprised by.
Izzy: You just released your debut LP, Anachronisms. What should fans of your previous, digitally-released singles and your first EP expect of this larger work?
Wayne: Anachronisms is an album of songs that were mostly made about two years ago, right after the first EP, and long before we made “Understanding,” “Coffers,” and “Aeroplanes.” To me, it is a bridge between the first EP and what we are headed towards. We didn’t want these songs to just die quietly. But it’s also not the direction of what we are working on now.
Jane: We just wanted to close that chapter and move on.
Wayne: We’ve grown a lot musically and personally since we released our first EP and we really can’t wait to keep releasing more material.
Izzy: What would you consider to be the band’s most significant influences and inspirations?
Wayne: Everything and nothing. Clarity. Confusion. The internet. Noise. Quiet. Pop music. Experimentation. Happy accidents. The human condition. Listicles. Buzzfeed. TED talks. Nicotine. The health and sustainability of our planet’s natural systems. Justin Bieber’s deposition. Distractions. Social unrest. Anxiety. Stress. Insomnia. Viral videos. Especially of kittens. Pop culture. Delusions. Grandeur. Candour. Splendour. Splenda.
Jane: Life.
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Izzy: Not to be tacky and pull attention from the music, but you both have a really cool sense of fashion. What does that draw inspiration from, if it’s even the kind of thing you think about?
Wayne: Thrift stores. Beyond that, this is a question for Jane.
Jane: Being broke and fuck consumerism. Most of my clothes are just stuff I find on the street and things people have given me. Sometimes I cut them up and change them. If I really want something that doesn’t exist, I’ll make it, poorly. Wayne only owns one hoodie. I like the idea of really owning your clothes, your style; having things that are part of you and your life, like a family heirloom or a gift or something you created. Not just buying new cheap mass-produced throw-away fashion every season. The whole throw-away culture we currently have is really harmful.
Izzy: How do you plan to spend the rest of 2014? Any chance of a tour? I’m picturing the live show as being especially cool.
Wayne: Making more music. We’re hoping to release a second album by the end of 2014. No tour as of yet, but you never know. And thank you, we’ve been spending a lot of time lately working on reinventing our live show.
Jane: We have a lot of stuff in our heads that wants to come out.
Izzy: Is there anything else you‚d like to share with our readers? Is there anything you think is especially important to know about Some Minor Noise, beyond the music itself?
Wayne: Maybe. Probably. No.
Jane: ¯\_(xx)_/¯
Izzy: Finally, to end on a somewhat goofy note, I fucking love your moniker… like, a lot. Aside from your own, are there any other band names you think are especially clever, catchy, or interesting?
Wayne: Thank you. I like the name Evian Christ. I find the hi-jacking and re-appropriation of the brands of Evian and Christianity a clever and powerful critique/exploitation of our hyper-modern, consumer driven, image-obsessed internet age. I also really like his album, Kings & Them.
