Interview with Lexytron her single "Disco Jenny"

From Auckland, New Zealand, the English duo Lexytron presents "Disco Jenny", the second single from their new album, "Something New". With a blend of alternative pop, funk, and emotional honesty, the band formed by Lexy and Mike, a couple both in and out of the studio, turns a couple's argument into a musical battle filled with brass, rhythm, and mischief.

1- How was Lexytron born? What motivated you to work together as a couple and as musicians?

Lexytron was my DJ name when I used to DJ an indie student night. When I met Mike, my now husband, he was really serious about playing with his band and they released two albums. When we moved together from Manchester to his hometown of London, he hung up his musical boots and got more into his sport again. It was kind of like roles reversed as I joined a folk band and played violin, keys and did backing vocals for them. We did weekly band practice and played folk nights and pubs. It was great fun and got me thinking about doing something with my own songwriting. When I met Marco Meloni, who mixed and mastered my albums, he helped me gain confidence in my voice and writing and I decided to record my music. I had played violin supporting Mike’s band before and he had started to jam with my folk band, so it organically came together that he would play on and produce it. He learned how to use Logic and we set up a studio in our flat.

2- How would you define the sound of "Disco Jenny" in a few words?

A funky brassy battle of the sexes.

3- Was it born from a real experience or is it an inspired fiction?

It’s really hard for me to break this one down as I wrote the song around the opening riff that Mike had going on loop and so the plot of the song emerged as I was spitting vocals against it and forming the melody. So it is fictional, but maybe some of the lines and sentiments in there come from a real place somewhere in my subconscious.

4- What is it like for you to make pop with electronic and sarcastic overtones, is humour a tool to talk about difficult subjects?

With a pop song you only have 3 or 4 minutes tops to get your message across and I’d you want to write something catchy, you have to be clever about how to say a lot by not saying that much! I think I use humour for the reason you said, it comes naturally and it’s also a way to bring light to something more serious which we also do through the music.

5- Do you plan to tour with this album?

I would love to play this album for people but there are currently a few logistics standing in my way - the first one being I live in New Zealand and our fans (though in small numbers relatively speaking) are all over the world, so any shows would need to be local! I also work pretty much full time and have a toddler, so I decided to put the music out first and see what else happens after that. I missed being a part of music - as I always have in some way even when I’m not ‘Lexytron’, so I’m excited and reinvigorated by doing it again so watch this space!

6- Do you have a favourite song from the new album?

‘Disco Jenny’ is the one I always come back to because it’s so funky and fun and I love the lyrics and story. I also adore everyone’s contributions on it - having Gwyn Owen play horns and trumpets and he’s now part of the BBC Philharmonic was amazing! Also Stephen Lake is an old friend of Mike’s and an incredible player, well known in South East London’s music scene and having him on board was a highlight! However, I’m really proud of this album as a cohesive piece of work and there are definitely other bops!

7- What's next after this release?

Releasing more music - another single(s) and the whole album! I’m ready to give birth to this baby as it’s been slow cooking for a while!