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Interview with Jupiter Project

Jon Berrien
Latest posts by Jon Berrien (see all)

 

 Indie R&B duo Jupiter Project have landed on our music radar! Together Marty and Gav have been creating some fresh vibes that are oscillating through the universe for everyone to jam  to. GroundSounds recently caught up with the New Zealand natives for an exclusive interview check it out below.  

For those who are just discovering Jupiter Project, can you tell us a little bit about your music and how you guys met?

Marty:

Our music is kind of a hybrid of genres and sounds.  We met at these college parties that Gavin used to host and got to talking about music, art, science, girls.. but mostly music. We took those conversations to the project studio at my house and started using sound as a platform to create and get ideas out.

How did you guys decide on the name Jupiter Project?

Marty:

One of our favourite topics is space. Jupiter being the largest body in our solar system, in an abstract sense represents our ambition. And the Project represents our origins. 

“Peer Pressure” is one fresh track, can you guys tell us a little bit about the inspiration behind this song?

Gav:

Thanks! Our music is inspired by events happening in our lives and the people around us, so Peer Pressure was a case of us drawing from our experiences in relationships but with an abstract spin on it by using the metaphor of being high. ‘Peer Pressure’ was written on the road and largely inspired by our experiences in LA and NY. We wanted to capture the good vibes of that time on a record as an anthem.

We at GroundSounds now have your debut EP ZEUS on heavy rotation, what was it like working on this project from beginning to end?

Marty:

Awesome! Yeah ‘ZEUS’ was a real personal journey for us. Finding our ‘sound’ and creating something without boundaries was a really liberating. We started work on this mid way through 2012 and initially it was a really short 4/5 track EP. But we started to want to add more and more tracks haha so we wrapped on it this year and after coming back to it.

Tell us about the writing process and how you guys normally create your music…do your start with a beat, a hook, lyrics, or just an idea?

Marty:

Everything starts as an idea or feeling which we try to put in a musical format to communicate it.  So there is no real formula for us – we like the freedom of being to create any way we want and at any time. Most of the time we create when we’re at our busiest.

Who would you guys like to collaborate with in the future?

Gav:

Haha this ‘wish-list’ is way too long! But at the moment we’re really digging the new vibes from Daft Punk and we’ve been long time fans of theirs. 

What was it like growing up in New Zealand? What is one thing a visitor must see, do, and eat before leaving?

Gav: 

New Zealand is a great place to grow up and the people here are pretty laid back and chilled. I guess that’ why we relate to the LA lifestyle too cus it’s got that similar kinda lifestyle. When you come to NZ, you’ve gotta go to the South Island and also way up to the top of the North Island – complete contrasting experiences to be had – from the Southern Alps to untouched white sand beaches up north. Without a doubt you’ve gotta have some Bluff Oysters – best in the world.

What do you guys enjoy most when you come to the states?

Marty:

We really enjoy meeting new people and American’s have been nothing but amazing and super friendly so yeah, I’d say the people.

What do you guys feel while you are performing your music?

Gav: 

Being on stage is the best feeling in the world. It brings your art to life. That pretty much says it all.

Do you guys have a most memorable performance?

Gav:

 A huge New Year’s festival in New Zealand called “Rhythm and Vines” that is one of the biggest festivals in the Souther Hemisphere and in 2010/11 (when we were just getting started) we went down and were like 5 rows back when N.E.R.D. played. Those guys are some of our biggest idols and I just remember turning to Marty and saying “we’re gonna be here playing at this festival soon” and two years later, sure enough, it came true. We love it there so much that we’re paying again this year. 

What’s next for Jupiter Project? What are you guys currently working on?

Marty:

We’re currently working on new material and also playing a bunch of shows at home in support of ZEUS before we head back stateside in October to work with people and play a couple shows. Looking forward to coming back!