The end of year is a time for reflection and a time to look to the future. For Future Feats, the LA-based alt-pop outfit signed to the Fader label, 2018 was all about preparing for the new year. It was dropping new music, collaborating with remix artists, and building the hype train for the release of their new full length.
We recently spoke with the band’s frontman and lyricist Josh, to talk about their new music, their insightful and complicated lyrical content and more.
The new record is on the horizon — how excited are you guys for your fans (and those yet to discover you) to hear your first record?
I’ve spent so long writing and recording our debut and it means so much to me that I tend to be a bit long-winded when I try to talk about it. I could get lost in paragraph after paragraph answering this question for you, but I will try to scale it down…
You see, this all started out as my wildest dream. I dreamt of being recognized for my ability to write a song, and I eventually landed a publishing deal byway of a piece of music that started out as an iPhone demo that I, personally, didn’t think was great enough to hold any form of weight. I forwent sleep most nights in hopes of writing an album that I’d one day get an opportunity to record out in LA. I then went on to sign a recording contract with FADER Label..and I did just that. I recorded this album. Point being, some doors and windows supposedly take time to open.
Ultimately, I’m very excited to let the world finally hear this music.
What are some of the lyrical themes touched upon on this album?
I’d like the takeaway to be:
Here’s 12 pop songs about a laundry list of mistakes you might make and obstacles that will always be there to scare you away from a life not excessively lived, but if you can find the beauty in what those experiences are teaching you..then you might just find your way to the other side of your own life’s story. You can persevere. You won’t take “no” for an answer. Yes, you will fall, fail, succeed and thrive, but no matter how tremendous the jolt of the ride..none of us..will ever make it out alive.
So smile while you can because time is precious, for as I type now it is leaving me. But I hold no regrets from my past, I’m currently enjoying writing this in my present and I am very much looking forward to a future where I’m enlightened by the fact that not giving up was the better decision for my own certainty..and quite possibly my sanity.
You recently worked with Darkwood who remixed ‘Same Mistakes.’ How did you end up working with him?
Yes. Hailing from Lincoln, NE, Mr. Caleb Wiedel, also known as Darkwood, is an incredibly gifted DJ / Producer friend of ours, and he was kind enough to take a stab at remixing “Same Mistakes” for us. I’m not typically drawn to that genre of today’s electronic music per se, but I was completely blown away after I heard Caleb’s version of our song. Knowingly or not, he even further highlighted certain elements from bands of the postmodern era [i.e. New Order] that were original inspirations and curations of the track’s initial birthing process.
Can you talk about the idea of someone seeking you out and wanting to remix one of your songs?
Now there’s an idea. If someone would like to remix a song of ours, then they can simply reach out to me via the social media platform of their choosing. I would be more than happy to provide them with audio stems, etc. I’m absolutely open to discussing and promoting the creativity that surrounds this project…given they can pass my vigorously selective screening process, of course.
After the release of this record — what are some of the goals the band has for the next year or so?
Realistically, we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. It’s all about continuing the slow build. We must continue to forcefully find and do our best to connect with real fans while getting this music in front of as many new audiences around the world as we can. That is the best way to break any band. It has to break from the road. Meaning, it doesn’t necessarily “have to” these days, but for me it does. We belong on the road. We’re a rock band with massive pop sensibilities, and there is so much more to our live show that we are feverishly holding back only because certain songs haven’t been released yet. But patience, as well as diligence, will always be the virtues that overcome.
What do you love about being in this band?
I love everything about being in this band. That might seem like a trivial, albeit, “stock” response, but a few facts remain: being in this band has given my life a great sense of purpose, if there is such a thing. And music will always be the great love of my life. That’s just how it has to be.
What are you most excited about for the rest of 2018, early 2019?
I believe I’m most excited about bringing and breathing even more life into this record by creating a ton of new content for songs that have long just existed in my own headspace. We’re going to continue setting up releases for the support of this album, we’ll be rehearsing and prepping for more touring next year, we’ll be shooting multiple music videos and we might even have a few more surprises in store for those of you who were actually intrigued enough to have made it to the end of this interview.
