Autograf based in Chicago, U.S. is a trio unit with Jake Carpenter, Louis Kha and Mikul Wing. Their debut single “Dream” created a buzz in the scene and they also produce exciting remixes with their original taste trying to reach out to a bigger crowd. Every show they host is completely packed with their fans and in 2015 they did a show for Asia’s biggest cruising party “It’s The Ship” and partied with Asian fans out here. Hopefully the trio are going to talk to us about their future plans and how they are going to be involved in this scene to create a bigger buzz this year.
Q1. Your new track Nobody Knows featuring WYNNE is out today. Can you tell us a bit more about this new track? What inspired you and how did it evolve over time to its final version?
WYNNE wrote the lyrics so we can’t speak on what the song means to him- but for us the song is about disassociation. Whether that comes from mental illness or other causes- the song is about that feeling.
Q2. How did you come about working together with WYNNE on this track?
It was simple really- our managers linked us up and he sent the vocal and piano part over. We did the rest- and the end result just worked. It all happened very fast.
Q3. What was your best experience of 2016?
So in the early fall right before our 30-date North American tour we had to get together to build our entire show. Our gallery space in Chicago had some electrical issues so we had to rent a space- which turned out to be a huge garage filled with vintage British motorcycles and sports cars. We really came together in that week- and because we all live in different parts of the country we never get that chance- so that was really awesome.
Q4. You have a lot of gigs already planned for 2017! Do you still remember the first gig you ever played? What was it like and how did you feel?
We started as an art project building large-scale installations, and we would always play music for these events. We formed Autograf as a result of that success and threw our first ever show as Autograf with an Andy Warhol Factory theme at the House of Blues in Chicago. We filled the stage and part of the crowd with our art installations and headlined the event. It was really gratifying seeing all our hard work come to fruition in one night like that- it was a great success.
Q5. Where did you guys meet and what led to you three to start producing together?
Mikul and Louis met in Chicago throwing underground art parties with acts playing them like Justice and Crystal Castles. They met me (Jake) from hearing some of my music on soundcloud. When they found out I was an artist as well and had made an 8 foot tall robot they asked me to bring it with me to one of their parties as an installation and DJ the event.
Q6. Where do you get your inspiration from when producing music?
Inspiration always comes from many sources- but for me it comes from my imagination. Sounds corny typing it out ha but it’s true- I hear detailed music constantly in my head. I take these ideas, make rough edits, send them to Mikul and Louis for feedback, then process that and finish the song. We can make music really fast this way- and constantly working fuels that imagination which inspires us.
Q7. What does working with the Armada team and releasing on the label mean to you guys?
When we played in Amsterdam on our last European tour we met an A&R man from Armada at the show and we were really impressed with their fresh, unique approach to the music industry. Things naturally evolved from there and we’re stoked to be working with them.
Q8. What more do you guys have in store for us in 2017?
We have A LOT of music coming out this year, with a world tour to back it up. A new direction for us that we’re really excited about however is our streetwear clothing line called A by Autograf. We’ve traveled many cities throughout the world, and wanted something that reflected our international experiences with culture and fashion. Our roots are in visual art so it has been really fun for us to get back to that.
Q9. DJ MAG recently started a vote for the "Top 100 Clubs", can you tell us a bit more about your favorite clubs and why?
My favorite club in the world is Showcase in Paris. We played there in November 2015 as part of our European/Asia tour. Showcase was great because of several things- but top of the list for me has to be the unique quality of the location and the vibe that gives. It’s located on the Seine under the bridge that leads to the Grand Palais. It used to be one of Napoleon’s wine-cellars- so you get that stone walled Euro club vibe that feels very underground but also very posh and high quality.
Q10. Please leave a message for your fans in Japan.
We haven’t played Japan yet and we really want to! It’s one of the few countries in Asia we haven’t played and have heard nothing but amazing things. Let’s make it happen!
Autograf is definitely making steps closer to reaching the world famous top layer in the scene. They have rapidly increased their fans throughout the world on SoundCloud and Facebook, showing that they are one of the new comers with high expectations to go bigger and wilder. They commented that they want to come to Japan and do a show here and reach out to Japanese fans through this interview. Hopefully in the near future when they come, they will be rocking the crowd and let’s follow what the trio are going to release to us next.