One the biggest comebacks this year — if you can even call it that — is Flume. He resurrected his sound with Hi This Is Flume earlier this year, followed by an EP with Reo Cragun and a fantastic new single, “Rushing Back,” with Vera Blue. He’s also back on the live tour circuit, touching down at Red Rocks, Lollapalooza, and more. If there’s one thing to be happy about this year, it’s him.
The Australian artist recently sat down with Mixmag to talk about his live show, his influences, and the future. Throughout the conversation, they touch on his visuals from Jonathan Zawada, who produced most the Hi This Is Flume mixtape visualizer, as well as what it might be like if an artist played exactly to what the Spotify algorithm favors most… just as an experiment. If anyone could manipulate sound design to that degree, it would certainly be Flume.
He also talks about the newfound freedom his live show affords him, mentioning that he’d grown tired “just playing the same songs, standing there, the same moments.”
“I got sick seeing electronic music artists just standing in one position the entire show twiddling knobs, pressing buttons. I kind just thought, how about I just go and be entertaining and have some fun up there. I don’t try and pretend I can play every single element every single song because these are really complicated pieces music and if I were to completely play everything live, I’d need 30 or 40 people on stage. So, I was like let’s go the opposite direction, and I’ll make a whole bunch unique versions songs and I’ll do a bunch things on stage and I think it’ll be more entertaining and it’s going to create a completely different show. I think audiences aren’t necessarily expecting it, and it’s totally different. Some people love it, some people hate it.”
As for his place in the world EDM, Flume says he doesn’t mind being associated with the moniker as much as he used to when it first started gaining popularity in common vernacular so many years ago.
“I think it was a bit a dirty word when it first came out, but it seems like anything electronic these days is labeled EDM,” he admits. “So, call me EDM, call me whatever you want.”
Of course, Mixmag also had to ask him about the ass-eating video that went absolutely viral after Burning Man earlier this year. At the end the day, Flume says he doesn’t mind.
“It was kind crazy. I didn’t expect it to go viral honestly. But, I woke up one morning to thousands tweets and chaos. At first, I was kind stressed out about it because I don’t know. …] But, I think it was funny. It’s definitely the most press I’ve ever gotten. It’s fine, I don’t mind. I think it’s hilarious.”
You can read the full interview Mixmag here. Flume has more than a few shows left before the year is up, get your tickets here.