Munch Munch: Bit Less Bedroomy

Munch Munch are Richard, Thomas, Jack and Sarah Louise. They make glitch-pop; taking simple formats and whizzing them into a fury. In 2008 they were sold as as hyperactive laptop mashers that were more like Klaxons than the bands they actually like. They joked about how the band started life doing Lighthouse Family covers. So has anything changed? Jasmine Davies dragged the two original members of Munch Munch into late 2009 to talk tempo, Tomlab and not being Twee.

Has anything changed for these new releases?

Tom: This time we recorded most of the music in the studio, so it sounds a bit less bedroomy. I think the music is still quite hyperactive, but this time there are a range of moods and tempos instead of just flat out the whole time. We even have something approaching a power ballad. We have more strings to our bow.
Richard: I never really got the whole Klaxons thing, maybe it’s because we have falsetto vocals and keyboards. I think the new stuff we’ve been working sounds a lot less electronic, we made a real effort to use more ‘organic’ sounding instruments like pianos and vibrophones and all live drums. I think it gives the recordings a lot more energy.

I think energy is still there anyway... Are you looking forward to performing live again? How have your recent shows gone?

T: Recent shows have gone well. We have been changing our set up a lot to try and find the perfect mix of songs to play. It is very hard to pick a set list though because Jack and Rich swap instruments quite a lot, and we want to cut down on the amount of time in between songs we spend faffing around. We normally only play for about 25mins - half an hour and we want to cram as many songs and musical ideas as we can into that space!

R: We’re not really playing too much from now until the album comes out, but I’m really looking forward to properly touring again and trying to work out all the new songs live.

Got anything planned for the new year yet? [apart from the 7"?]

T: We have an album coming out on Tomlab that were just mixing at the moment. Im also writing demos for our second album in my spare time so quite busy. Im living in Bristol whereas the rest of the band are in London, so we have to be quite organised. Actually Rich has just bought a soundcard so im waiting for him to start sending me some ideas.

R: Apart from new stuff I’m also really looking forward to properly touring the album and playing in as many countries as will have us.

So how did the Fear and Records release come about?

T: We wanted to do a single as a taster of the album and they wanted to put it out. There is also a b-side. A quite heavy song in a minor key that didn’t really fit on the album, called “In the Body.” Its probably our most “rocking” number.

And it's going to lead into an album... What can everyone expect from that?

T: Its quite a playful album. Not in a twee happy way but more in a kind of throw stuff at the wall and see if it sticks kind of way. I think the word ‘pop’ is overused by a lot of bands nowadays so im not gonna say its pop, but it does have lots of melody hooks etc. Its quite an escapist thing. I didn’t want it to be this heavy melodramatic thing. In fact there were some songs that I wrote that I then rejected for being too emotional and taking themselves too seriously. Maybe they will go on another album when were feeling in different mood.

Can you describe the video to me because Vimeo tells me it has been taken down [curse the internet]...

[wait, i've just found another copy on myspace] Can you describe it in your own words anyway?

T: Harry and Carmel of LoopShapers made it. Its us filmed in black and white on super 8 film mixed up with loads of colourful lights switching on and off. Its executed really well!

R: Yeah it was really great working with them. They heard about us through our friends band Kotki Dwa and we all met up and they kind of got what we were about straight away.

So it's a live performance cut up with lights. I think it captures you all very well.

T: Thankyou!

You supported The Dirty Projectors a while back, if you could play with anyone who would it be?

T: Fantasy wise, I would like to write some songs for nico to sing, and have quincy jones produce. Maybe get burt bacharach to write something for us to play. Playing with or being remixed by max tundra would also be cool. Our friend james who co produced our album in a band called Vowels and it would be fun to play with them.

R: We’ve actually been really lucky being able to play with a lot of our favourite bands, like dirty projectors and why? And no age. I guess because we sound like we have American influences we get put on with American bands, which is fine by us.

How are things in Bristol at the moment? Weather nice? Lots of good shows on?

T: Bristol always has stuff going on. Weather not so good. This weekend broadcast are playing. Its also a toss up between lightning bolt and ariel pink, and I cant decide.

R: I don’t live there anymore but I miss it.

Also, have you heard The Most Serene Republic? I think you'd quite like them...

T: No I havent heard them. I will check them out, thanks for the recommendation.

Munch Munch release their 7" in January through Fear and Records. You can but the record by clicking on the words get me on of those records and you can watch the video for Cyclorama below.