In the town of Boulder, Colorado, the threesome consisting of DJs Ben Eberdt and Gray Smith and drummer Mike Kelly brought their talents together to form the now up and coming electronic group SAVOY. From a little shed to a bumpin’, laser-filled venue near you, SAVOY’s determination and success in creating new, unique electronic sounds is sure to keep them climbing the charts. Currently touring the U.S. on their second Live with Lasers Tour, we got the chance to ask SAVOY a few questions about their lives as EDM artists:
EDM Sauce: For those out there who aren’t familiar with your music, please describe your style.
Savoy: Our style covers a lot of genres and tempos because variation gives our live shows more energy and excitement. We think it’s really important to have melodic breaks with warm analogue sounding synths and real instrumentation. Then we create contrast by dropping into something loud and dirty. There is an arena rock undertone that ties all these elements together so the whole thing feels real.
EDM Sauce: How did you three originally know each other and get together? What got you into the music scene?
Savoy: We are from all parts of the country, but the three of us met in college in Boulder, Colorado. We just randomly found each other and were all looking to collaborate and make music. It’s always difficult to find a group of people that are serious about putting in the time and making the commitment together. But we worked on music for several hours a day in this dingy shed, and over time our musical tastes converged and grew into the vision that Savoy has today. But it’s always changing.
EDM Sauce: Your tracks bring something different and aren’t just your normal everyday house music. What’s your inspiration? And what are you trying to achieve through your music?
Savoy: Most electronic music lacks strong identity and emotional depth. That was fine for a long time because that was the point. But after awhile the sounds and the format got old which made the genre a little stale. So we borrow sounds and influences from outside of Dance music, which gives us a unique sound. In our new EP “Three Against Nature” we played and layered a lot of guitars and organic drums. When you put a distorted guitar chord over a dirty analogue Synth stab, it really makes it sound like Queen or something. Our raw sound is something that really sets us apart. The live drums at our shows help tie in all those sonic layers making Savoy Live a unique experience.
EDM Sauce: You guys have been killing it lately, planning several Live with Lasers Tours, headlining at Red Rock Amphitheater, what do you think of all this success?
Savoy: The success we have achieved has all been really exciting but it is also relative. It’s a very gradual process so sometimes you have to remind yourself to really enjoy the special moments. At the same time, we realize that we could do a lot more so we are in no position to relax and start slacking.
EDM Sauce: What’s life like on tour/on the road? What’s your favorite part?
Savoy: The most fulfilling part of touring is seeing the reaction of so many crowds across the country. Our shows are very high energy and the lasers take it to the next level. People are loosing their shit out there. Constantly being on the move could be exhausting but it’s a lot of fun if you like partying.
EDM Sauce: What has been your favorite show you’ve played so far? Why?
Savoy: Playing at Red Rocks is the best. Our Colorado fans are the craziest and the venue is legendary. San Fran is the unofficial sister city of Boulder, Colorado so it gets pretty nuts there too. [Join the craziness at Slim’s in San Francisco on May 17, 2013].
EDM Sauce: What can fans look forward to? What’s coming up next?
Savoy: We are really excited about the release of our new EP “Three Against Nature”. It has a lot of musical qualities that give it the depth and character that most electronic music today is lacking. In the breakdowns there are a lot of classic old school synths that you would hear in 70s music or old house records. There are also catchy vocal melodies and vocoders that really keep the music personal. These nostalgic sounds can evoke emotion and remind you of another time. But the drops are in classic Savoy style. All the basses are huge and will get the dance floor moving pretty frantically. The blend between the listenable breaks and the club friendly drop is something that we always loved and it really shows in this EP. We also really look forward to our upcoming live tour which will have a lot of New Music in there. Playing our new songs and changing up the set is always fun, especially with the lasers.
EDM Sauce: When you’re not listening to electronic music, you’re listening to..?
Savoy: We listen to a variety of stuff. My gym playlist is something like Eric Prydz, Etta James, Steely Dan, Gesaffelstein, Gladiator Soundtrack
EDM Sauce: What are you guys doing when you’re not in the studio?
Savoy: When we aren’t in the studio we are probably outside playing golf or out on a boat wakeboarding or fishing. Gray might be a few hundred feet up a rock face somewhere.
EDM Sauce: Any tips for aspiring artists?
Savoy: Listen to a variety of music because your favorite producer probably has a lot of influences other than himself. A variety of styles and sounds will inevitably give your music a special identity. That is the most important thing an artist can achieve.
[Photo by We Went Hard]
