Intergalactix has been exciting crowds with their funky microphone effects and head-bopping beats for nearly a decade. This multi-instrumental electronic duo, hailing from Sydney, Australia, consists of long-time friends Serg Dimitrijevic and Kristian Attard, who, after moving to the States, decided to combine visions and create music which they characterize as “an interstellar combustion of music, space travel and vintage devices.” The duo, who has worked behind the scenes with artists such as Ariana Grande, Jason Mraz, Good Charlotte, and Zedd, recently released their first EP, If We Stepped On Mars, which features four tracks, including their debut single Tuesday. Following their five-stop east coast tour, they will be gearing up to release their debut album.
Jessiva Levit @ Philthy Mag: How did the two of you get together?
Kristian Attard: We’ve known each other for quite a long time – probably 15 years. We met playing shows in Sydney. We ended up being at the same type of gigs all the time. Serg was playing guitar and I was playing bass. We played together so much that we started working together. We ended up coming out to the States and starting a project up here.
JL: There seems to be a science-fiction/space theme throughout all of your work. Does space inspire you?
KA: Definitely. When I was growing up, my grandfather was really into UFOs. He had a whole room full of UFO books and stuff. A lot of people might have thought he was crazy because he was really into it, but I used to go in there and read the books. When I met Serg, he was totally into it as well, so we connected on that a lot, so that’s why Intergalactix seemed like a really good name for us. We actually did see a UFO together. One time we were driving to a gig in Orange County and I saw this light going through the sky so fast. I thought it was a shooting star, but then it just kept going. It was way too fast to be a plane. It could have been something military or experimental or something. But it was really fast. I don’t watch much TV but Serg watches a lot of UFO documentaries.
JL: If We Stepped On Mars is your first EP. How does this EP compare to your previous projects?
KA: Those four songs are the first four songs that we wrote. Those songs are definitely more in an indie kind of art; the funkiness of our band evolved after that. Those songs-well I dont know if you can call the style indie- but it’s more in that vibe, which really came from older music too, like Joy Division. Our newer stuff is exploring more of our funk and soul roots that we grew up playing in Sydney. That’s been coming out a lot more in our newer stuff. I think stylistically we’re changing.
JL: In the music video for your newest single, Tuesday, the main character uses music to help others. Do you often find that music helps you through difficult times in your own life?
KA: That’s a good question. I sometimes wonder, if there wasn’t music in my life, I don’t really know what I would be doing. I would probably be walking around searching for something- I don’t know. It would be so weird for me. I definitely think it gives me something to keep working towards.. It takes my mind off things. It’s always inspiring to me, and I think it’s important in your life to be inspired by something. For me, music is everything.
JL: I’ve seen your music described as incorporating many different genres. How would you describe your genre/style?
KA: It’s hard. There are a few different things in there, so I just call it like electrofunk or indie-funk. The vocals are very indie and the music is very funky. It is kind of a cross between dance music, funk, and indie.
JL: You use a lot of vintage devices, can you talk a little bit about that?
KA: The main bass I use to record and write is a 64 Precision bass. We have old synthesisers, vintage drum machines, and vintage guitars. The old stuff always sounds better, it just doesn’t travel well on the road, so we try to use other things on the road.
JL: How was your experience exploring the music scene in Japan?
KA: I was there doing a little tour. There’s a place called 5G in Japan, it’s a vintage synth shop. I’ve always heard about it and seen pictures of it. I’ve always wanted to go there, so I found it when I was there. I think I annoyed the shit out of the guys who were working there. I played every single instrument. I had an awesome time there it was great.
JL: You’ve done backup for a plethora of successful artists and, recently, you supported Zedd on Jimmy Kimmel Live. How was that?
KA: Zedd is an artist that we love very much. It was cool. We got asked to play a show on Kimmel with him. He’s a DJ but he’s a musician, as well. His music is different than a lot of the other DJs, I think it is a lot more creative and he has a lot more sophistication to his music. We were very excited to do that. It was really awesome to work with him I learned a lot about his background.
JL: Are you excited to play at Firefly this year? Which artists are you looking forward to sharing the stage with?
KA: Yeah, that’s awesome. We can’t wait for that. I dont know if we will be on the same stage, but Paul McCartney. How can you not like The Beatles? For me, growing up, that was like the first music I ever heard. My mom was a massive Beatles fan, so that’s kind of what I first listened to.
JL: And now you’re playing at the same concert as Paul McCartney.
KA: Yeah, it’s weird. I told my mom and she couldn’t believe it. And Zedd obviously, cause we’ve worked with him, and hopefully we’ll try to reconnect with him there. There are so many cool bands playing at Firefly. Snoop Dogg I’ve grown up listening to. He’s one of my favorite artists ever. I don’t know; there are a bunch of cool people playing. We’re excited about the whole thing. Just to be a part of it is a massive thing for us.
JL: For our readers in Philadelphia, at the beginning of the Tuesday video, it says “Steve Condon made this jawn”. Jawn is largely a Philly word, and I’ve never heard anyone besides Philadelphians say it, so I was surprised when I saw it in your video. Where did you learn it?
KA: He’s originally from Philly- the director, Steve Condon. Serg met him in LA at the House of Blues, and he was just getting into making video clips and stuff like that. We went to him and we said we wanted to do something a little different. He was really into it and he got a lot of people to come on board. But I didn’t really know what that word was until right now. I thought it must be a Philly thing, but you just confirmed it for me. He used jawn on Facebook today too.
JL: Is there a similar Australian word or phrase that, when you use it in the states, people look at you like you’re crazy?
KA: There are so many of those, but I’ve had to change them all in my head because I’m sick of people making fun or going what the hell is that. I’ve got an app on my phone called Australian slang; there’s so many. I’ve sort of deleted them out of my vocabulary, but when I get back to Australia, my friends make fun of me for saying American things.
JL: Have you had a chance to go back and perform in Australia?
KA: Yeah, I have with other artists. I was just there two weeks ago playing a show with an artist. I’ve been back there doing shows about 5 times, so thats been cool. We haven’t played as Intergalactix back there yet.
Web: http://theintergalactix.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/the-intergalactix/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_Intergalactix
Instagram: https://instagram.com/theintergalactix/
