Interview • Mirrors : "Electronic music is a very durable trend"

Mirrors is one of the bands in which we believe the most in 2011. They don't come with hopes of becoming world number one, of course, but one can feel that their album - Lights & Offering - that we have been listening to for the most part of our day (and which is released in the UK next week) is going to become one of our favourites this year. The perfect occasion for us to ask them a few questions, to which they answered with a surprising and refreshing frankness.

Hall-Musique • Now that we are just a few weeks away from the release of your very first album, how do you feel?

Mirrors • Both and excited and relieved. We are very proud of this album but it's been 2 years in the making, and it'll be nice to finally put it out into the world so we can stop worrying about it and start thinking about what we should do for the next one.

Hall-Musique • You're part of this new generation of bands which seems heavily influenced by the eighties sounds (with Hurts or The Sound of Arrows, for instance). How would you explain the progressive 'revival' of these sounds in today's pop music? Do you think it is a durable trend?

Mirrors • It depends on how you look at it. I don't see Mirrors as a solely 80's influenced band, taking a huge influence from German electronic music which I would see as more of a 70's movement, and the record itself is produced in a fairly modern way, making use of modern compression techniques and layering the music in a way that was not possible 20 years ago.

I think electronic music is a very durable trend. It's been around for 35 years and I doubt it's going anywhere now. Most people would tell you that dubstep was the UKs breakthrough genre last year, so if anything, it is still leading the way.

Hall-Musique • Where does your inspiration come from? Some 80's bands, we guess?

Mirrors • Yes, there are those bands that are obviously a big influence on us; Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, OMD, New Order. But I'd like to think there's more to Mirrors than these obvious reference points. There are elements of Krautrock in our music and in our more 'groove' based melodies; Neu, Can, Faust, Tangerine Dream and Harmonia are some of our favourite bands. There's an angst in the delivery of some of our music which can be accredited to the post punk movement. Combine that with a splash of modern influence, both in dance and contemporary pop, put it and a pot and mix it up and you have something that looks a bit like Mirrors.

Hall-Musique • How would you describe your first LP?

Mirrors • Well the first thing I should say is it's a pop record. Make no mistake about it. These are some catchy songs. It's ambitious, occasionally bombastic and potentially life affirming. The music is dark and electronic, but I guess more importantly warm and soulful. We incorporate a whole load of acoustic and organic sounds to give it this atmosphere. I guess it's a kind of dense, heavily layered electronic soul music.

Hall-Musique • Why did you choose Into the heart (we LOVE this song) as your first "official" single?

Mirrors • It's just a great song and a great representation of what we do I think. It has a very big chorus to boot and has a tendency to bury itself deep inside your brain. It's still in mine now and I haven't listened to the damn song in weeks!

Hall-Musique • Recently, Marina & The Diamonds wrote a blog message in which she explains that she's tired of seeing her new songs leaking before they're released. How do you react to this constant danger for artists to see their work given away for free long before being in stores?

Mirrors • I think it is a terrible shame. In fact I think it is disgusting but it's something we've had to grudgingly except over the last few years. The joke is the leak often comes from people working in the industry as they're the only ones who get the promo copies of the CDs. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!
I've heard the argument that if more people can hear your music, more people will come to your show but it doesn't work like that. It's an argument made by people who genuinely don't understand the dire situation both labels and the artists are finding themselves in. We're actually finding less people are coming to watch live music, and I expect that is probably because the music itself has been completely devalued in the last 10 years.


Hall-Musique • Who would you like to collaborate with (past or present artists)?

Mirrors • It's difficult with Mirrors. We're not really a collaborating kind of band, living quite happily in our own little world. But if we were to extend that world to someone I think it would have to be to someone living in a very different world to our own. Brian Eno seems an obvious choice. I remember making an inquiry about him producing something for my old band. His secretary told me, 'firstly he is not a producer, he is a sound sculptor'. Naturally I thought this was brilliant.

Hall-Musique • Now, for some of our traditional questions:

• What's the last album you bought?

Mirrors • Matthew Dear. Black City

• What are you blasting on your stereo right now?

Mirrors • Haha. It's actually Matthew Dear, but for the sake of making this interview more interesting, let's say 'I love a man in Uniform' - Gang of Four

• How would you describe these artists, in just a few words:
Hurts? Looks good, sounds bad
Britney Spears? Looks good, sounds bad also. haha
Florence & The Machine? Only heard that cover. It's a bit grating. Not really my thing.
Ellie Goulding? I'm sorry, I think she's terrible. (I'm aware I've come across a bit cynical)

• Gaga's new track : second coming or pure trash?

Mirrors • I haven't heard it but I do have a soft spot for Lady Gaga. She is someone who certainly has made pop music a bit more theatrical and fun. That is a commendable thing.

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You can listen to Mirrors' first album on their Myspace (Debut album out feb. 28th)
And you can follow them on Twitter : @Worldofmirrors