Interview w/ AVAN LAVA

We recently had the chance to catch up with one of NY’s finest electronic pop groups AVAN LAVA about their forthcoming debut album, a first national tour, connections to Jeff Buckley, Shakespeare and more! You can read our chat below. Also, you can catch AVAN LAVA perform live this coming Thursday, May 2 at the Echoplex in Los Angeles along with Little Boots and Feathers as part of the first annual BritWeek. Get more info and tix here.

B3SCI: To us, your music instantly evokes one particular thought – dance party. What element of message do you think excites AVAN LAVA most outside of that feel good and high energy vibe?

AVAN LAVA: Minimal sexiness. Excitement comes with confusion, and we’re very confused.

B3SCI: How does it feel to be on your first national tour as AVAN LAVA? Any surprises that fans can expect for this special occasion?

AVAN LAVA: It feels AMAZING!! We’ve played many parts of the world (South-Korea, Bali, Singapore), but have yet to tour the US. We’re excited to eat as much fast food as possible.

B3SCI: Given the band members various backgrounds and commitments in other projects, when your Vapors EP was release in 2009, had you ever thought/known that AVAN LAVA would continue to exist beyond that release?

AVAN LAVA: AVAN LAVA has always felt special, even from the first time me (TC) and Chev tracked our first vocals in the basement of a haunted church. It’s so fun to see it growing..

B3SCI: Was there anything vital or cleansing about Vapors which lead you to your current Flex Fantasy EP release? How will they culminate to your forthcoming debut album?

AVAN LAVA: We definitely got all of our angst and anxieties out in Vapors, and were ready to get more joyful for the second release… The last track in Vapors, “The Easy Way” was so well received in our live show that we felt we needed to head in a more exciting, pop direction.

B3SCI: Is there a particular track on the Flex Fantasy EP that you feel especially proud of as a band?

AVAN LAVA: “Feels Good”. It’s the track that everyone loves. We never thought it would be a single, but it really took on a life of its own.

B3SCI: There seems to be an element if irony oozing from your track “It’s Never Over”. It’s seductive vibe draws you in musically while it’s vocal only seems to call for distance. Do you think there can human elements of tug-of-war in music like there can be in a relationship?

AVAN LAVA: Totally. That’s why every love affair seems to have its own soundtrack.

B3SCI: The sound that comprises AVAN LAVA is an impressive melting pop. What are some contemporary or newest elements of sound that have been captivating and helping evolve the band’s music as of late?

AVAN LAVA: Big room house, trap music, analogue everything.

B3SCI: Lead vocalist TC was first spotted for the band during a reading for a Shakespeare x Jeff Buckley project. Have you ever felt there was an element of fate tying together these artists prolific works and that of AVAN LAVA?

AVAN LAVA: We TRY to hold ourselves to the presumably elevated standards of any great artist. We strive to make songs that sound as good on the thousandth listen as it did on the first. That’s when you know..

*AVAN LAVA’s core is the trio of TC (singer), Le Chev (producer, synths) and Ian Pai (producer, drums) and live they’re making the party complete with Andrew Schneider (percussion), Drew Citron (sing/dance) and Jo Lampert (sing/dance).

AVAN LAVA (Facebook) (Twitter)

Reviewed by b3