26 Nov 23rd–Nov 29th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | anymore. And so it just added that layer of emotionality for us. And I think that made the record so much more special to us, and in a way that I think records in the past weren’t even as special to us.” The record also allowed the brothers to bridge the gap between their own writing/ recording styles, and explore that disso- nance in novel ways. “I don’t want to speak for Alex too much, but Alex writes in a different way ... in the sense that he has a lot of really polished sounds,” Andrew says. “He makes these really elaborate intros and outros. I’m a lot more rough in my approach; I have a really trashy sound. So there’s a lot of gritti- ness mixed with hi-fi in the album, and that’s a balance that we ride out a lot and I think we’ll probably continue to do.” All of these different ideas and approaches ultimately resulted in an album that’s about honesty — an honesty for themselves as artists, the art they love and something utterly real within the world (with a dash of nostalgia to boot). “Because this world has become so arti- ficial, everything has become a reflection of the real truth in a way,” Alex says. “And I do think that was sort of conscious of, ‘How are we going to tell the truth in a way that resonates in the same sense like when we were growing up in the ’90s.’ When you listen to a lot of those albums, like R.E.M., it’s super emotional and super organic sounding. I think in some ways I do think music has lost that in some ways. I’m not super pessimistic, but we wanted to keep that kind of thread for sure.” There’s little denying that the process has changed how the band operates, and the way they continue to approach their multifaceted careers. Take touring, for instance; it’s no longer the be-all and end-all for Body of Light. “We’ve been a band for something like 12 or 13 years, which is insane to think about,” Andrew says. “But a lot of that history was us touring. Like, immediately, that was the goal: We record something and then we’re just going to tour as much as possible. And so a lot of the work that went into this band has been road work — sleeping in parks in Europe and just trying to figure it out that way. I think COVID really allowed us to chill on that a little bit and focus more on the music. I think we did really develop a solid base of sound that we didn’t necessarily expect, but it really has given us this base that I don’t think was there in the past records. We’ve finally allowed ourselves the confidence to dive into our own selves.” That even extends to the actual live shows, including a forthcoming U.S. tour this December. “So I think because the album’s so personal, I think it’s allowed us also to be more personal with the audience,” Alex says. “So we do spend a lot more time in the audience, and I’m trying to confront the audience in a way with more emotion.” He adds, “I kind of want it all, you know? I want motion and I want some dancing. I want an experience that I can remember and that people can remember.” Part of that entails relying more heavily on hand-playing as opposed to pre- programming synths ahead of time. It’s a slightly scary prospect, but one that will allow them to be more present in the moment. It’s just another element that speaks to their dual natures, and what happens when you embrace all ideas with gusto and passion. “I definitely want to keep trying new stuff in that regard,” Andrew says. “Just really performing and pushing it. Every show will be a little different. Like, I might actually mess up a part. But it’s good in electronic music to have that possibility of imperfection.” Read the full version of the article on phoenixnewtimes.com. Body of Light is composed of Alex and Andrew Jarson. (Photo by Jamie Parkhurst) It Takes Two from p 24
