MODERNS is the Los Angeles-based synth-pop duo of Christopher Fudurich and Rosie Okumura.
Fudurich is an engineer, multi-instrumentalist and analog enthusiast. As a producer, he has worked with a variety of pop artists but MODERNS is his first collaboration with his own musical output. Okumura is a songwriter, vocalist, and performer who has partnered with veteran producers. She plans to continue writing, collaborating and performing for MODERNS as her sole project and shares her experience: “I can’t describe how excited I am for what Chris and I are creating. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of; it’s so inspiring to me to work with someone so unique and creative.”
Fudurich is an engineer, multi-instrumentalist and analog enthusiast. As a producer, he has worked with a variety of pop artists but MODERNS is his first collaboration with his own musical output. Okumura is a songwriter, vocalist, and performer who has partnered with veteran producers. She plans to continue writing, collaborating and performing for MODERNS as her sole project and shares her experience: “I can’t describe how excited I am for what Chris and I are creating. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of; it’s so inspiring to me to work with someone so unique and creative.”
Information above taken from their Facebook Bio
I noticed that both of you have really rich musical backgrounds, how did you decide to join and create Moderns?
Chris: I had started working on this project with some other guy whose name I can’t remember, and I felt we needed to bring some different energy and I knew Rosie through mutual friends. I threw the idea out to her and she got on board and here we are!
Rosie: Basically what Chris said, we had been friends and worked together before, I was asked onto the project and loved it right away!
On that note, Why Moderns?
Chris: I’m a bit of an architectural junkie and am in love with the Mid Century Modern style. That’s a bit of a mouthful, so it ended up being MODERNS.
Your music is really clean, so well put together, is the creative process also like that? or is that a whole different story?
Chris: First off, thank you very much! This stems from the architecture idea of everything being put in it’s right place. I’ve produced plenty of rock and punk records, just raw playing and sound and I wanted to create something of my own that was very structured, very built with all the parts in the right place. Things usually start off with me coming up with a track idea, sometimes even a 90% completed track, and then Rosie throwing top line ideas at me and then we refine the arrangement and parts together.
Rosie: What’s interesting about our process is that most of our songs are written on opposite sides of town in separate places. We are rarely in the same room when we write/finish a song.
What is the story behind “Statique”? What inspired the song and the sound?
Chris: I kinda think of our music as stoney synth pop. I think this one started as a beat / rhythm loop and actually was a almost completed track. It kinda sat around for a while as when we were starting off, we were a little more synth wave and this was a little odd. We keep a shared cloud drive where we dump our ideas and I threw it on that one day and Rosie came back with a interesting catchy top line.
What are the plans for the rest of 2016? After that, where would you like to take your music?
Chris: We seem to be getting more and more attention with this project, so I’m curious as to what our plans with be as well! I know we will be putting out EP #2 very soon and I’m quite excited about that. I feel this EP is 10 times more interesting that what we’ve just released, although I could just be excited cause it’s all new and fresh.
I would love to get out on the road and play some shows, do some short run tours. Also, to get some stuff placed on TV/Movies as to fund our adventure.
Rosie: Yes it’d be really fun to get on the road and play shows regularly! I’m excited for EP II to come out. We will be playing a song or two off that this coming show!
What will be the vibe of your upcoming EP?
Chris: It’s similar to what we’ve done on the last EP. I think we are stretching out a little more, incorporating elements of different genres I find interesting. A couple of tracks, like Statique, will be up tempo, slightly twisted dance music and a couple of deep sonic mid tempo tracks.
Will you continue experimenting with your sound for future records?
Chris: Of course! Right now the synth thing has been the inspiration due to my collection of vintage analog synths laying around and it’s easy since it’s just the two of us, but we’re incorporating some acoustic instruments here and there. I’d love to collaborate with 1 or 2 multi-instrumentalists for live and reworking of current arrangements.
Any advice for musicians out there?
Chris: Know your limits. Always keep yourself in check. Egos and a shitty attitude do not go far in the biz.
Rosie: What Chris said. And the following: You’re never done learning, always be grateful for anyone who supports what you do, and half the fun is getting there.
http://modernsmusic.tumblr.com/
https://www.facebook.com/modernsmusic
http://modernsmusic.bandcamp.com/
