into the wild

(Wildlife's Andrew Doga, Gabe DeVries, & Tomek Gross)


Have you ever heard of Brooklyn-based trio Wildlife? Well you have now, so here's a rundown of what they’re about.

They make funky electronica spliced with hints of House, Nu Jazz, R&B and hip-hop. It’s ideal for playing at medium volume on a Friday after work, as you smoke the first cigarette from a freshly cracked deck and iron the creases on your favourite shirt.

They’re about to release their debut EP International Girl and are sharing their youthful enthusiasm with everyone like a troupe of African jungle kings humping antelope and hippopotami.

International Girl is quite addictive. It has a clean, crispy sound that doesn’t get tiring like dirty bangers which, after hours of distortion, can make your cochleas explode.

This record tells the story of three well-mannered musicians who got together to make music influenced by what they grew up finding in their parents’ vinyl collections. So these influences run deep - this is the work of producers that probably stay in the studio into the early hours, skipping meals and showers to mix an eclectic, nuance-filled EP. So they probably also smell.

But i was so curious that i had to find out more. I got in contact with them to chat about international girls, living in the wild and plans to tour the Vega star system.

Which band member/s am I interviewing?

We're all here, Houston. And we read you loud and clear.

What are your names and what do you play?

Wildlife is Gabe DeVries, Tomek Gross, & Andrew Doga. We all share duties on keys, drums, computers, rain sticks, mating calls, waterfalls and assorted fauna.

Are you signed to a label?

Not currently. We're holding court and reviewing suitors.

So you guys are from Brooklyn? How has geography shaped your musical development?

We're actually originally from Manhattan. And it's fair to say geography was a big influence. There's not much by way of wildlife here, and so we had to turn inwards to find the fertile forests.

How would you describe your sound?

We try to ignite your primal instincts with a sound that combines the cool serenity of eternal truth with the thrust and gusto of a galactic space engine.

Er, ok. When did you form the group?

The first seeds were planted in 1492. The tree began to bloom in 2007.

Is the International Girl EP your debut release? What else have you put out?

This is our first EP release, though we've also released a generation of captured rhinos back into the wilderness.

What is an ‘international girl’ exactly?

An International Girl is a fearless bold beauty who's just as at home on the moist mosses of the forest floor as she is on the plush featherbeds of a penthouse suite, and whose lust for life allows her to transcend the artificial borders that divide our world.

Why do you call yourselves Wildlife? Is it hygiene related?

Not at all...

Can you elaborate on some of the artists you’ve collaborated with?

We've been lucky to work with members of the world-famous Dujeous band, notably the multi-talented crooner Mojo the Cinematic, as well as Apex and TaylorMade. Tay Strathairn of Ed Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros is on the EP as well. We also got to work with Daptone trumpet extraordinaire Dave Guy. He's in The Dap Kings, Menahan Street Band, The Budos Band, and probably a lot of other bands that people love.

When does International Girl get an official release and how can peeps pick up a copy?

The EP will be available on iTunes later this Summer (US). You can visit us at myspace/intothewildlife or our website intothewildlife.com. We're working on a second EP and will be posting selections soon. Keep visiting.

Is there a tour planned? If so, what info can you reveal about it?

We are planning to tour the Vega star system this fall. Will be bringing back treats.

If you could be tied up in the boot of a ’67 Cadillac Eldorado with anyone, who would it be?

Eve, before she ate the fruit of knowledge and realized she was nekkid.

Wildlife - International Girl

>Wildlife - Wildlife

check out more wildlife tracks here