Entrevista a Zeds Dead

BEATMASH MAGAZINE: After several EPs, «Northern Lights» is your first album, how and where was it recorded?

ZEDS DEAD: We created this album over the course of about two years mainly in Toronto, LA, and on the road.

BM: Why did you choose “Northern Lights” as the name of the album?

ZD: It’s kind of a reference to where we’re from, Canada is considered the north. It’s also something that is both beautiful and mysterious which we hope our music has a bit of.

BM: “Northern Lights” is a versatile record, there are some melodic tracks, some dubstep, trap, indie, hip-hop… how would you describe the album in a couple of sentences?

ZD: It’s hard to describe. We are into listening to and producing a variety of sounds so we tried to represent a lot of them while still having a cohesive album experience.

BM: A while ago we were surprised when you collaborated with Twin Shadow on “Lost You”, in this album there are two new collaborations with him, how did these come about?

ZD: We just have a good chemistry together and we loved both songs so we kept them both.

BM: In the album you collaborate with great rappers like Pusha T, Jadakiss, Styles P… On your next record, which rap artists would you most like to collaborate with?

ZD: Will just have to wait and see…

BM: “Blame” features Diplo as a production partner, how was it working with him?

ZD: He’s great to work with, very open to trying different ideas.

BM: Ethan (Crystal Castles), A-Trak, deadmau5, Kaytranada, MSTRKRFT, yourselves… Canada has given us some huge names in the electronic music scene, do you think Canada’s electronic music scene is underrated? What will be the next act to break through from the scene?

ZD: I think a lot of people may not know which artists are from Canada. If they did I think it would be viewed as one of the best scenes.

BM: Some people think that the term “EDM” includes all electronic dance music, and others think that EDM only represents the commercial electronic music and the not the “real thing”, what do you think about the EDM controversy?

ZD: We don’t like the term EDM because it brings to mind a lot of acts I think we have very little in common with musically. But it’s not a huge deal either way.

BM: Are the “press play” DJs and ghost-producers ruining the electronic music scene?

ZD: We don’t pay attention to that stuff.

BM: It seems obvious that your artistic name is taken from the Pulp Fiction quote. But… why did you choose this name? Was it just down to your love of the movie, or was there something more to it?

ZD: It was actually thought of while trying to make something with our initials Z and D, Zack and Dylan.

BM: If you were not musicians, what would you have become?

ZD: Maybe work at an ice cream parlor, seems so rewarding, everyone’s always happy.

BM: If you had Back To The Future’s Delorean, where would you travel?

ZD: Probably to various historical moments to see if there were conspiracies or not: JFK assasination, etc.

BM: Thank you so much.