Fine Mist is a dance pop duo from Vancouver consisting of Jay Arner and Megan McDonald. Last week, they released their debut album, Public Domain, which you can hear streaming on their CBC Radio 3 page.
They play the Olio Festival in Vancouver on Thursday, at The Metropole, and Rifflandia on Friday at the Victoria Arts Centre. Read my interview with them below.
How do you (feel) after releasing your debut album, Public Domain, last week?
Megan: Uh oh... how do we what? how do we sleep? On a pile of credit card debt! But it's very exciting.
Why did you decide to call the album Public Domain?
Megan: It was partly a play on the legal term relating to a song being copyright free 50 years after a composer's death if not registered. I thought it'd be funny if we shot ourselves in the foot simply by having that be the name of our album.
Really though it pertains to all of these songs on being so transparent. It was a challenge to myself to write personal lyrics that people could figure out if they knew me, and having to stand behind them. I'm working on sticking up for what I feel more and realizing it's not a big deal to say things to people.
What do you hope to accomplish with Public Domain?
Jay:
Megan and I have been in a few bands before this and made a bunch of
albums. I think this is our best one, so I'd be happy if more people
hear it.
What was the most difficult part of recording and producing the album?
Jay: The most difficult part for me was learning how to make totally electronic music. Our old bands were pretty synthy sometimes, but we'd never made a whole dance music album before. We ended up mostly treating our computer like our old 16-track tape machine, but I did figure out how to plug in a MIDI cable.
Right after releasing the new record, you're playing the Olio and
Rifflandia music festivals right off the bat on back to back nights. How
does it feel to get right to it?
Jay: It feels normal! We've played so many shows this year all we're doing is not slowing down.
What bands are you fans of that are playing at Olio and Rifflandia?
Jay: We're most excited to play with Run Chico Run at Rifflandia. They're super great friends and the greatest band and they haven't played in so long!
Megan: Two of our full (all-live) band mates, Joe and Elliot, are in SSRIs, and they're playing Olio. Not similar music at all, but they are awesome musicians in both bands. Also, No Gold rules.
[Rick Chung is the 2010 Alexis Mazurin intern]