The/Das: "Is all about experimentation & the freedom of doing whatever we like to do"

Rising from the ashes of successful German indie-rock outfit Bodi Bill, the duo of Fabian Fenk and Anton K. Feis decided they had new horizons to explore with The/Das – this time in a fusion that would bring the electronic world of techno together with the more organic realms of rock.

Beginning the life of their new incarnation with a rather hot collaborative EP with Clockwork and Tale of Us earlier this year on the Life and Death stable, they've just released their first solo work on the label with Outfashioned; an impressively well-defined effort that provides a great foundation from which they can build their crossover sound. Exciting things are to come.

They’ve indicated to I Voice that their live show is something they’ll be willing to talk about a little more at the end of the year. In the meantime though, we got the pair to share a few more details about what we can expect from The/Das in the near future.

Congratulations on your new ‘Outfashioned’ EP. Did you have a strong idea of what you what you were going for while you were recording it?Not really. We did know what we actually didn't want to do, in terms of repeating ourselves, or using the same sounds again. Because we started the The/Das after moving into a new studio, everything we did felt kinda fresh to us, as in new and inspiring. Starting a new project was a great motivation in itself, so we did not have to plan a lot. Most of the time things just happened.

One of the defining things about The/Das is you’re fusing the live/indie aspects with a more techno aesthetic. Do you consider this a big part of what you’re trying to do?I think we are open to various influences; sometimes a great help, sometimes a drag. That's why our workflow varies as well. For instance, on one day we feel like recording real drums, but on the next day we propose that real drums are strictly forbidden. We definitely like organic sound structures, so we always try to find a balance between the long synth jam, and the distinct sound.
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Another defining thing for The/Das is that you obviously both already have a strong history together, touring and putting out several albums as Bodi Bill.We got to know each other about 15 years ago, while playing in noisy math rock bands. We lost track of each other when we were studying, but got back together in 2006 to start Bodi Bill (as a trio, with Alex Stolze). Until summer 2012 we released four LPs on Sinnbus Records, and played about 200 shows. So one could say we are not complete strangers to each other anymore.

What inspired you to begin a fresh with a new act, rather than evolving your old one? And what do you see as the identity and the future of The/Das?We are superstitious: we thing that every seven years you should turn the tables to start afresh. I guess we did quite some evolving with Bodi Bill, so we felt it was about time to revolve. We did not quit Bodi, it's more like a creative break. I guess it was also time to get away from the German indie-scene, to be able to also meet inspiring artist from other scenes. Right now The/Das is all about experimentation and the freedom of doing whatever we like to do (musically) within the context of electronic music. Thus, we will focus on producing a few more EPs for various labels.

Your debut release as The/Das was the Fresh Water EP on Life and Death, where you partnered with Tale of Us and Clockwork. Was this a way of testing the waters with your new identity?Fresh Water is the result of a few people getting to know each other by making and enjoying music, hanging out and talking about food, shoes, women and Berghain. We did not smoke any weed, because Tale Of Us are actually retired policemen.

You’ve just recently played a very cool live gig in Detroit that was a showcase for the Life and Death label, alongside Clockwork and a pretty impressive roster that also included James Holden, Maceo Plex and Magda. How was the gig?It was a pleasure to play there of course. I've been a fan of James Holden since Break In The Clouds. It was our first time in Detroit, so of course we were quite impressed by the city. It almost felt like Berlin right after the wall came down (in 1989, when we were little kids) where abandoned buildings and deserted places allowed new ideas, where the rules weren´t so strict, where you could try out new things. So the rundown houses were rather a symbol of freedom, than of poverty.

Now that your new EP is out, what’s planned for the future, in terms of performing live and other new material, are you planning an album at some stage?There is quite a steady stream of ideas, so for now we are trying to collect them and bring them together. Till the end of the year we'll be trying several approaches for different labels. Furthermore, we are looking forward to having an LP ready by next spring. For us a longplayer serves as a nice conclusion, describing a certain period of time, telling us where we are and where we want to go. It also gives you a chance to start all over again.