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High Places Has it really only been three short years that High Places have been honing their unique, genre-traversing style? From their intimate home recordings has emerged a groundswell of praise and international recognition for an exciting sound that blends the best elements of dream pop and the bubbling energy of tribal dance. For all the accolades and buzz however, the greatest compliment you could pay the duo's percussive maestro Rob Barber is to be utterly dumbfounded by the music they make. "I do like the idea of it being quietly confusing. I like it when people feel confused by the structures of the music or whatever, like when I get that response I think it's cool because at least they walk away thinking about it." The heights of success and buzz in the music industry can be fraught with danger - as their self-titled debut release simultaneously enveloped critics and won new legions of fans last year, you could be forgiven for presuming it might have all gone to the pair's heads. Yet it quickly becomes clear that for the newly re-located LA team it hasn't changed their modest yet diverse approach to making music. "I mean it's sort of surreal, you get caught up in touring and playing shows it's hard to have much perspective on it," vocalist Mary Pearson explains. "But yeah I think we're just excited about all the places it takes us, like literally we get to go to new places." New places such as Australia, where the group are thrilled to be making their first trip in a matter of days as part of Mistletone's Summer Tones festival, and touring with electro-pop enigma Dan Deacon. "Oh totally, I mean I've always wanted to go there, I think ever since I was a kid and I saw 'Priscilla Queen Of The Desert'," Barber enthuses. "Maybe that's totally cheesy for you guys but like it's a really good portrayal of the country and the visuals on the way out to the rock." If you needed a tip for your High Places outfit I think Rob just gave you the cue to dust off your wigs, prepare your makeup and shine your sequins. Likewise if you've got any chocolates lying around perhaps you could help Mary out on her quest: "I've heard a lot about Violet Crumbles. I'm vegan so I won't be having any but I'll bring lots back for my boyfriend." Transcending genres and being consistently surprising both live and in the studio is what keeps the duo going, and considering their vast brand of experimental pop maybe it shouldn't be surprising that at times it can be unlikely sources that spur their creative minds. "Sometimes I'll even nerd out and be like 'oh man there's this kick drum beat on a death metal record that I like totally love' and I'll try to copy it," Barber indulges. "You know, we can get influenced by bands and music that sound nothing like us... like we toured with No Age last time, we've known them since before either of our bands existed. For a completely rocking punk band they have a lot of dynamics going on in their music and I think that's just fine." For everyone that has immersed themselves in their recorded materials, get ready to be blown away by the live show hitting our shores. In the spirit of stunning experimentation and blurring boundaries, the High Places live experience is something that transcends the record and brings a whole new dynamic to their already brimming music. Despite the often gentle nature of their debut album, there's an obvious undercurrent of rich percussive texture and tribal dance beats, and Barber assures fans that these come to the forefront on stage. "We like to be really loud... we just kind of like how it comes across, almost like more dancey, more like dancehall music or something like that. Plus I think people don't expect it, you know? I think that it's like having something live that's pretty different from the record." High Places have never been ones to take it easy over their short history, and the exciting news for fans is that it seems 2009 will be no different, as Barber explains. "We just finished a split 12" that's coming out on a label called DPM and that's with Soft Circle who we're actually touring with right now... And we're probably going to take the summer off from touring because we've been touring pretty non-stop. So we're probably going to take most of the summer off to write a new record." So keep your eyes and ears peeled as Barber and Pearson's signature sounds negotiate the globe, amazing and befuddling listeners one by one. Nick Peters High Places play with Dan Deacon and Mark Barrage at Urtext Studios |