I am still wondering whether LOL Boys are real, or intricately constructed androids with a penchant for head throbbing, game changing percussive dance music. A  quick google search will give you an idea of how expansive their remix work has been over the past year, with an arsenal mainstream R&B re-edits to spine crumpling drum patterns overtop indefinable dance anthems of the future.

But who exactly are these two strange musicians? Real people, or a manifestation of the internet becoming aware of its own existence and using that consciousness to start making dance music?

These two mystical overseers of the web took a moment to shoot the breeze about influences, forthcoming work, (never) forgetting about Dr. Dre, and also provided us with a fantastic mix of exclusive club music – much of which I can absolutely guarantee that you have never heard in your life.

Interview by Brendan Arnott (my text in bold)

For those on the internet who don’t know – who are LOL Boys and how did they start making music together?

We met through a music message board.  We were both into each other’s music and thought “Why not try something together for this remix competition?” We liked how it came out, so we continued to work together. So, basically, the whole concept behind LOL Boys was like, to exist on the internet… to make music over the internet sending parts back and forth, try something different.  It’s an ongoing collaboration. We’ve made beats where we’re in the same room but normally we’re about two thousand miles apart.

I feel like that’s something that’s kind of unique about you- One of you  is located in Montreal; the other is currently in Los Angeles – do you find it tough to keep up with each other’s musical pallettes? Are there moments where one of you is into classical ballet re-edits and the other one is doing tribal juke?

I mean, the internet has changed the influence of taste so much that really, location doesn’t matter. We’re just existing on the internet and sharing the tracks we are into with each other. We both end up having very similar tastes, which is kinda why we started working together in the first place.


It seems like the internet is kind of central to the existence of LOL Boys. Your website, 
hot-tropic.com, kind of seems to symbolize this – it’s like I’ve overdosed on acid and gone to internet purgatory. Please explain your website.

Well, I mean… our name is “LOL Boys,” first off…so clearly we’re referencing the internet or whatever.  As far the site, it’s more of a tribute to Geocities and Angelfire and the lost web pages of the internet. It’s nowhere near completed and I don’t know if it ever will be, but you will be able to access our music from it soon enough. I also think it’s something fun to give people something to do…or at least will be when it’s more complete.

I like that the first priority on your website isn’t necessarily uploading music, but a maze of .gif files. It adds a bit of mystique to the whole process.

Yeah, even though we’re not the most serious people we are serious about the music…. Though we do like to LOL and have fun too.

I’ve heard your sound described as “Untold and Sound Pellegrino in a plane crash together”, what analogy would you use to describe yourselves?

That’s a hard one…I think we are trying to make music that sounds good to ourselves first and because music has evolved so quickly in the past few months we cannot help but be influenced by new sounds and ideas. I feel like we’re both diggers, and our music is a melange of different sound pallets. Untold and Sound Pellegrino both have done a great job of opening peoples ears to new/different sounds, so we’re happy with the comparisons.

When you talk about influences, I know that you’ve both existed under different names in the heyday of “blog house” – how do you look back on that era of music now?

I guess it was a time where you could just try things out and get some feedback.  You can look back on and be like “wut,” but you wouldn’t be where you are now without experimenting back then…learning how to produce.

Moving from the blog haus days to early 2010, it sometimes feels like music can’t even be categorized anymore. We’ve got all these new genre names that aren’t really sticking because they keep morphing- “hyperbass, chillwave, etc.” Is this exciting, or do you ever feel like things are moving too fast, and that maybe music is imploding on itself?

I think good music will stick regardless of the tag assigned to it by some journalists/bloggers/message boarders, and I think we both enjoy the music that is most difficult to classify because it grabs from so many ifluences.  I mean, we’re part of the first generation of kids who grew up on the internet and if you’re a rabid music fan the information is out there and it’s easily accessible if you want to learn. That accessibility can easily turn into influence as well. There will always be and always has been trends. I guess you could argue that with information being easily accessible that these trends move faster.

Musically, what’s the goal of an LOL Boys production – you approach it with a certain aesthetic or purpose? Headphones or the club?

Both, really. Just something that sounds good mostly.  Like the music is definitely going to have club influence because we go out to clubs and have friends who are DJs, etc… but also, it’d be cool if people were driving to it or listening to it on their laptop speakers while doing their arts + crafts u no…study sesh @ da dorm…make out sesh at the libe…ridin yr bike or just trying to get wavey with the homies.

Name the “definitive sound of 2010” in your opinion. For example, “2010 is all about the (bongos, emostep, “joystep”, etc. etc)

2010 is all about putting “mind” back into music. For a minute it’s been about the body, you know? Dance. Party. Jump. Fist pump.  But in 2010, I think we’re seeing that dance music…at least the dance music we are into… is starting to get more cerebral.  It’s not to say that 2010 is all about that… but I’d say for our peers & friends making music and the stuff we are into…it’s kind of going that way.

What are three records or sounds that are responsible for pushing you down the musical path you’re on today?

I would like to thank Tim Longiel for selling me a CDR of Dr. Dre’s “2001” in 7th grade Algebra.

I don’t think the current state of “whatever this new undefined dance music genre we’re in is called” would be where it is without Burial’s “Untrue”. As our friend Jamie Acid Girls said: “We live in a ‘post-Burial’ world.” Although, twisted vocals been around for a minute – it’s not just Burial.  Burial is a prime example of music that broke a lot of the rules and standards of dance music. I like music that doesn’t adhere to the rules and even music that makes you a bit uncomfortable.  But back to the topic… Lots of those old dipset beats. MORTAL KOMBAT…Tevin Campbell…Dre… ok ok…three sounds: Mid 90’s rap and r&b, Timbaland & Dance Mania.

Name some up and coming artists who will be doing big tings soon.

Dubbel Dutch, BowlyGlass Actor, Stalker, Girl Unit, Distal, Erick Rincon, Delivery, Brenmar, Pipes, Camo UFOs.

Talk a bit about your upcoming release on Palms Out Sounds. What will it sound like compared to the rest of your work?

It’s our first official release and is kind of a compilation of tracks we have been working on for a while and finally getting it out. There will definitely be some late summer music on there for you to vibe out to.

What’s a collaboration would you like to see Mixpak involved in?

Mixpak should work with DJ Nate. He’s this young producer from Chicago who makes these ill footwork tracks.

This seems to be the overwhelming response (about DJ Nate) – both NGUZUNGUZU and Bok Bok have mentioned that a Mixpak collaboration would be fantastic at some point.

Haha, yeah someone has to get him. I don’t think he has any official releases, though i could be wrong. The syncopation of the toms in his tracks is mind melting. His percussion techniques and his near impossibility to reach make him highly sought after.

How do you define success for LOL Boys?

A 12 year old girl on a farm in Kentucky and a 43 year old man drinking beer in Mexico city equally enjoying our music, that’s success. And maybe getting to do a full length. But in the immediate sense just hopefully people can listen to our music and relate to it…cliche response, I know… but I think that is mostly any artist’s goal.

Thanks very much to LOL Boys for the interview! Check out their exclusive Mixpak mix below!

LOL Boys Exclusive Mixpak Mix (Direct Link)

Tracklist:

1.   James Blake “CMYK”
2.   Ramadanman “Glut”
3.   Dubbel Dutch “Fool in you”
4.   Jay Weed “The Naos”
5.   Bowly “Tarot Drums”
6.   LOL Boys “w8ing2xhale”
7.   LOL Boys “Spiral Staircases”
8.   Roska “Squark”
9.   Greyman “Funk The Groove”
10. LOL Boys “Unemployed”
11. Dooze Jackers “We Love Moogie (Canblaster Remix)”
12. DJ Icon Audioadiccion “Tribal Kid”
13. DJ Erick Rincon  “Magdalena”
14. DJ Mouse “Amantes De La Waracha”
15. DJ Manuel Palofox “Canto Africano”
16. Makency DJ “Chiketere”
17. Expendable Youth “Cannabalistic (LOL Boys Remix)”
18. DJs Del Futuro VIP  “Fiesta by White Band”
19. Them Jeans “Balloons (LOL Boys Remix)”
20. Rovalrio “Exotix Drumz”
21. Distal “Grape Donut”
22. Uproot Andy & Geko Jones “Manuelita Remix”