Meet our new MAI Wonder of the World – “Tversky” a Barcelona-based duo who have released the music video equivalent of what it feels like to be a grown adult in a disco/funk candy store losing your sh*t. Their “Faking Funk” EP is anything but fake as it openly reflects on 80s nostalgia and the bands dreamy, electrofunk, pop and disco influences. We had a chat with them and found out everything you might want to know about the great Catalan tradition of hitting logs with sticks until they release presents & who wins in the eternal battle for the window seat on tour!
Hi Tversky, in your track “1985” from your “Faking Funk” EP you seem to be giving a knowing nod to a time that has passed and a nostalgia for the 80s… Are either of you children from the 80s & who is your favorite 80s band?
Hi! Yeah absolutely. We wanted to transmit a feeling of nostalgia for the 80s even though we didn’t exactly grow up in that decade… Alan was born in 1985 and Xavier in 1991 so the story behind the song applies more to our parents rather than us. As for our favourite 80s band , that’s hard to say because there are so many!
Did the film “Back to the Future” which is referenced in the video & was released back in 1985 inspire you to write the song, or was that an idea that your music video director Ferran Capo came up with?
I think it was an idea that Ferran Capo naturally came up with when he heard the song and we explained what it was all about. The storyline talks about a person who is stuck in the past and won’t let go of that time, or rather a person from the 80s stuck in the present. Suffice to say, the link between our song and the movie “Back to the Future” was only natural!
How long did you work on your “Faking Funk” EP & what was the most challenging part during the whole writing, recording, mastering process?
It took us around 6-8 months to compose, produce and polish the tracks but the mixing and mastering process was postponed because of many reasons beyond our control… Still we started playing the songs in our live shows very early on so it could be said that the composition and writing process were the easiest part and the final delivery (so to speak) was the hardest part.
Both of you are currently based in Barcelona tell us something weird or defining that only where you live has?
Yeah we’ve both been living here for over 10 years and we love it! Have you heard of the Catalonian Christmas tradition of hitting a log with a stick so that it craps out presents for children? You heard right, it’s a real thing. Way better than Santa Claus.
Window seat or aisle seat?
Haha that’s a typical question when we tour. We usually just take turns to get the window seat which is without a doubt the best. One of the advantages of being a duo is that half the time you’ll get the window seat.
What’s something that you learnt recently that completely blew your mind?
That Apes have the capacity to talk about the past amongst themselves and have rituals which means that they have a culture. Same thing goes for other animals such as whales.
What’s your most treasured item?
XAVIER: I’d say I’m not particularly materialistic so it’s hard to answer. I have lots of things I wouldn’t like losing but to go as far as saying that one of them is my most treasured item is a bit exaggerated.
What do you have coming up next?
We’ve just released a new videoclip for one of the tracks on ‘Faking Funk’, ‘Maybe after tonight’ (you can find it one YouTube). We’ve also just finished recording an album that will come out this year and we can’t wait till you hear it!!!
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