Simian Mobile Disco

Occasionally relaxed but never repressed, London techtronica duo Simian Mobile Disco has existed outside of the mainstream since the moment its members pressed fingers to buttons. This is precisely where they want to be: Annoyed by aggro-electro and fascinated by the potential of technology, James Ford and Jas Shaw issued...

By Kelsey Whipple

May 29, 2012

Audio By Carbonatix

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2",
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1",
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet|mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25,
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet|mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25,
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "leaderboardInlineContent",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "tower",
              "displayTargets": "mobile"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]

Occasionally relaxed but never repressed, London techtronica duo Simian Mobile Disco has existed outside of the mainstream since the moment its members pressed fingers to buttons. This is precisely where they want to be: Annoyed by aggro-electro and fascinated by the potential of technology, James Ford and Jas Shaw issued a bombastic call to arms with the glitchy, strobing dance-floor stompers on their 2007 debut, Attack Decay Sustain Release. By blending digital ambition with analog recording methods, the two earned a reputation for dynamic and open-minded — if occasionally over-the-top — electronic music. Over the next five years and two albums, both men refined their palette and unpacked their samples, picking up DJ gigs and production credits on their way to Unpatterns, a slimmed-down, retroactive glimmer of simplicity and elegance being released this month. Live, the machine maestros cash in on their influences, exploring the tracks that inspired their own brand of smooth operation while foreshadowing the motivation for their next recordings. In advance of the act's DJ set this week, stop by backbeatblog.com for a full Q&A with Ford.

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Westword has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.