CLASH Deputy Editor Shahzaib Hussain explores the universe of the latest and most significant alternative releases in this Astral Realm feature, designed as a transitional space for those in search of music that sets a mood beyond the mainstream. Each edition includes an interview with a Focus Artist, a highlight of a Next Wave artist, and a thoughtfully curated selection of noteworthy releases from the month.
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Focus Artist: Paris Texas
The Los Angeles duo Paris Texas, comprising Louie Pastel and Felix, has crafted a new punk-rap manifesto with their works: ‘They Left Me With a Sword’ and ‘They Left Me With a Gun’. Released unexpectedly within a week at the end of February, this duo blends camp horror, suburban tales, medieval themes, and sci-fi synesthesia into an exhilarating two-part saga.
Reintroducing “the voice” – the Great orator and benevolent guide featured in the Epilogue of their 2021 EP ‘Red Handed Akimbo’ – Paris Texas embodies their expansive fantasies in a compilation that reflects their collaboration and the growing divide between their aspirations and their efforts to maintain relationships that conflict with their rapid rise in success. As determined emcees, vibrant singers, and impressive producers, Paris Texas elevates their narrative of pursuing dreams, embracing the euphoria that accompanies such a fateful adventure.
In their discussion, Louie Pastel and Felix delve into themes of symbiosis, the value of collaboration, insights on touring with Tyler, The Creator, and the delicate balance of spontaneity, chaotic humor, and pointed critiques regarding industry fixation and creatively constrained peers.
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I'm thrilled to chat with you during such a creatively fruitful time in your career. You've just released what could be your best work in the span of a week. Are you digital natives? Do you follow real-time reactions online?
Felix: Thank you. Our team keeps us updated, but I'm not really online like that. I don't check to see what people are saying. The one notification I wish I could turn off is when people like your stories!
What is your collaborative process like as a duo? Do you write together or separately before merging your ideas?
Louie Pastel: We generally start the process together; we begin with a raw beat, and whoever has the first idea leads the way. It feels like math. It’s like a complex equation we work through together.
Do you usually agree on your sound and what messages you want to convey? Are there conflicts between the two of you?
Louie Pastel: When we disagree, it doesn't take long for us to sort it out. If one of us is particularly excited about something, the other usually comes around to it eventually.
Your earlier works from the SoundCloud era have gained a cult following. Looking back now, do you see releases like ‘Boy Anonymous’ as essential building blocks?
Louie Pastel: We're still very proud of those tracks. The process hasn't changed much. I can discern my influences in the early music, listening to something we produced in 2018 and pinpointing all those SoundCloud-inspired elements. There was only one song with a guitar, which was an interlude, and that laid the groundwork for who we are today.
And ‘Mid Air’ established you as unpredictable progressive punk poets. What aspect of ‘Mid Air’ are you most proud of?
Louie Pastel: A lot was happening at that time – we faced many challenges. We're really proud of what we created and how we overcame those obstacles.
Felix: I'm most proud of the writing. I often don't feel certain about the lyrical content until I reflect on it later. Listening to ‘Mid Air’ gives me a comforting feeling, but it feels somewhat blurry also.
Take me back to when the concept for this anthology project began to develop. Did it come together leading up to the tour?
Louie Pastel: I’d say it started last July. At that point, we weren't thinking of it as two EPs; we were merely making music. Eventually, we knew we wanted something larger. Recording while on tour doesn't go well for us— we produced one EP, then decided to make two. It was a moment of, let’s just go for it.
As conceptualists and storytellers, what themes were you exploring while recording? What references and influences were you blending to drive this narrative?
Louie Pastel: There wasn't a specific mood board. Once we finished the two EPs, it turned into a wild game of madlibs. We aimed to make it entertaining while also perplexing people. The decision to release the two EPs one week apart aimed to shock, surprise, and even anger some listeners. We're not the most famous artists, yet we always consider: what haven’t people seen or heard before? That’s often what drives my creative thought.
Felix: I was listening to a variety of things. Billy Lemos had lots of video game playthrough
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CLASH Deputy Editor Shahzaib Hussain explores the universe of the latest and most crucial alternative releases in this Astral Realm segment; a