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Interview with Ayer

Jon Berrien
Latest posts by Jon Berrien (see all)

Ayer caught our attention with ‘Circle Down’ and had us wanting more with the release of ‘Young’. The fresh new Brooklyn based duo that consist of singer Danny Schmittler and producer Mickey Valen have teamed up and created some smooth tracks that get the good vibes flowing. The two have an upcoming EP on the way and big things are expected. 

Groundsounds recently caught up with Danny for an exclusive interview check it out below.

For those just discovering Ayer how did you guys come together to start creating music?

We met in a Guatamalan jail.  

How did you guys come up with the name Ayer?

I took the name from the Uluru rock in Australia, also known as Ayers Rock. It’s the 8th wonder of the world, you know, this beautiful monolothic rock that rises from seemingly nowhere. It’s a perfect metaphor for the music we’d like to create; epic, unexpected and impossibly awesome.

We read that you guys quit your day jobs not too long ago, what were you guys doing before working on music full time?

Mickey was a business analyst for a large financial institution and I was managing a niche men’s fashion website. 

What do you guys enjoy most about Brooklyn?

Pickleback shots, live music, house parties and the fact that it’s not the city.

What music are you guys currently listening to?

Blood Orange, Betty Who, SOHN, ASTR, holychild, and any Birp.fm playlist.

What was the creative process like for your songs “Circle Down” and “Young”? How did these songs come to fruition?

Our first release, Circle Down, kind of surprised us both in the studio actually. I had had an experience at Westway in the city where I felt like I was being prowled on, circled down on if you will, and came up with the idea for the song then. We were messing around in the studio a few days later and came up with an awesome hook built around the idea. We were so in love with it that we scrapped the single we had already completed and were set to release so we could drop Circle Down as our first track. Young was similar in that we started with the chorus and built the song from there.

We at GroundSounds are really anticipating your debut EP, what can you guys reveal about it?

That your anticipation is worthy! 

What peoples, places, and books have inspired you guys?

D) All of the above.

After the EP drops what is the next move for Ayer? Do you guys have any plans for a tour in the works?

Yea, absolutely. Live shows, a tour, collaborations, a full length record, world domination.. we’re gonna tackle all those things this year.

What are you looking forward to most in 2014? The first thing that came to mind honestly is the Robyn / Royksopp tour! 

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