Sextile on Diners, Drums, and Damon Albarn

This is SOUND ADVICE, a weekly destination for playlists curated by Interview’s friends, enemies, and lovers. Over the past few weeks, we’ve gathered playlists from OLTH, Tems, and DJ Miss Parker. This week, Brady Keehn and Melissa Scaduto of Sextile join us in the wake of their newest album release, Push, which veers on the electronic side of their characteristic industrial synthpunk sound. Setting out to make a record full of songs you can “actually dance to,” the L.A.-underground band laid their angsty, satirical vocals over high-BPM breaks and trance-inflected beats. The two founding members also made us a playlist as versatile as their music and told us about their favorite song about NYC (in honor of their new video for “New York”) and their fave concert memories.

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BRADY KEEHN

Where do you dance? Mostly in my room, probably the most when we perform. Then afters or raves in L.A. 

Bluetooth or wired headphones? Bluetooth no doubt — I can’t get tied down.

Who do you trust most with the AUX cord? Melissa for sure.

Where’s the afters? C’mon, you know you got to DM for that address.

If you could work with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be? Damon Albarn, he’s got a vision and I love how he is unrestrictive in his choice of sound sources/sound design and genre bending/blending. The first three Gorillaz albums show this off completely.

Favorite on-the-road meal? Anything that doesn’t make me feel like shit or have me all backed up. So smoothies. But for real, we are diner heads. We hit up as many old-school American diners as we can. Who’s got the best hash browns is something I need to know.

What was your first concert? The Cranberries and it was amazing.

What’s your favorite song about New York? I don’t know if I got a fav song that’s like an ode to New York but more of whats it’s like to live NY: Big L – Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, one of my fav albums, and Notorious Big — “Gimme the Loot” is an all time fav.

Describe your music taste in three words: Bass, energy, and dangerous.

What song on this playlist makes you cry? Nico — “Sixty Forty.” I think this alternate mix version is just the best. The Blue Orchids backing her, really underrated Nico album in general. 

What do you listen to when you’re high? Underworld

Name your favorite artist no one knows about: Big L

Do you play an instrument? Which one[s]? I play em all except traditional wind and string.

Who’s the queen [or king] of dance music? Giorgio Moroder.

 

MELISSA SCADUTO

Where do you dance? These days it does seem like my dancing is mainly on stage or in my home.

Bluetooth or wired headphones? Bluetooth — it’s a new thing for me but I’m shocked I never had ’em before.

Who do you trust most with the AUX cord? Myself.

If you could work with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be? Andrew Weatherall or Mike Kelley.

Favorite on-the-road meal? Yes, I am obsessed with the American diner. 

What was your first concert? This band from Florida called Discount, I was 12 yrs old and won the tickets via college radio station WVUM. The girl singing was Alison Mosshart who went on to do big things. Discount never really made it out of Florida and in retrospect they weren’t that good of a band (haha), but their impact on me was important cause it was my first punk show.

What’s your favorite song about New York? Lou Reed – Coney Island Baby (THE WHOLE RECORD!), “Walk on the Wild Side” (naturally!); Gang Starr – “JFK 2 LAX” (it doubles as a song about my two favorite places in the USA); Digable Planets – “Where I’m From”

Describe your music taste in three words: I gotta be the weirdest music listener cause I don’t think I fit a single vibe. My emotional state that day will dictate where I’m at and what I wanna listen to. It could be 1930s country, it could be modern pop like Charli XCX, it could be dissonant weird industrial or some random punk 45 from 1980.

What song on this playlist makes you dance? Primal Scream and Underworld all day.

Name your favorite artist no one knows about: The Tronics or The Homosexuals, two very important post punk bands only record store heads know well.

Do you play an instrument? Which one[s]? In Sextile I play guitar, synth, and I was playing drums. I have never formally learned an instrument. I have just learned songs from bands I loved from a young age with my brother.

What’s your favorite album cover of all time? Primal Scream – Screamadelica, Roxy Music – Country Life, 39 clocks – Pain It Dark, Lee Hazlewood – Cowboy In Sweden, any DAF record.

Who’s the queen [or king] of dance music? It depends what we talking! Are we talking old or modern? Are we talking dancehall? Cause that’s Sister Nancy! Moroder is an excellent answer cause no one can top Donna Summer — “I Feel Love”!