CHAIRLIFT
The SiS Interview by Dany Sloan

Not all discoveries of new music come over the internet in this future world. There are still those moments where you show up to the venue and the schedule's been shaken up, allowing you downtime to chat with whomever may be around. That's what happened in Montreal with the members of Chairlift. We had a mutual touchstone in MGMT and that was enough for me to lay down some dollars for their singles. What I found after I got back to my hotel room was music that drew on so many things I love, yet it sounds like nothing I've ever heard before.

As part of our continuing series on "2008's Bands To Watch," I chatted with Brooklyn group Chairlift about the present, the future and creativity.

SIS: We've named you one of Stranded In Stereo's Bands to Watch in 2008. What is the first feeling or thought that comes to mind?

Chairlift: Excitement. In the last year, we went from imitating the music we listened to in college to discovering our own sound, and imitating that. By
continuously imitating our own aesthetic, we drive ourselves into paradoxically known-unknown territory. So who knows what the next year has
to offer? We'll be watching ourselves in 2008! And everyone's invited to come along.

SIS: What does 2008 have in store for you guys?

Chairlift: The release of our first full-length, lots of touring, and collaborative adventures with artists we love in the Brooklyn music community; members of Mixel Pixel, Standing Nudes, Elizabeth Harper, Yeasayer, MGMT, Stylofone,
Aquila. We're looking forward to shooting music videos too, one for each song on the album to be released as a DVD, featuring bodily wounds, assorted vegetables, togas, etc.

SIS: Is anyone already looking ahead to 2009?

Chairlift: We've been looking ahead to 2009 since we were born, (what a great
number!) but in the production sense, yes, we're already working on material for the next record. The internet is a marvelous habitat for creativity, and we want to prove the people wrong who believe the internet is an isolating force. We want to use it to unite people, form community, foster amazing-ness. And not just by sending hip messages of 'what-I'm-into'-ness, but by suggesting real, everyday connection that's ecstatic and exciting. So right now, we're thinking about how that can be done.

SIS: If any member of your band would be on the cover a tabloid, who would it
be and what would it be for?

Chairlift: Patrick, probably, for getting Britney's little sister pregnant (again).

SIS: Who do you often find yourselves compared to, and do you like or dislike
that comparison?

Chairlift: We recently were compared to Regina Spektor, Cocorosie and Joanna Newsom. We love those artists, but those reviewers actually didn't listen to us.
What we're doing is heavier, without being 'hard.' We've liked past comparisons to Kate Bush, Hot Chip, Sigur Ros, Beach House, Art of Noise, Klaus Nomi.

SIS: In 15 words or less, why should people buy your record?

Chairlift: Because it's the perfect soundtrack for costumed midsummer night lakeside tree-house gatherings under meteor showers.

(there. 15 words.)