Indie Pop band Dutchkid return with their new single ‘Empires’
London newcomers Dutchkid who have previously been endorsed and called “super dope” by fellow Indie Pop band Fickle Friends are back better than ever. Dutchkid is a creative collective made up of Jordi van Dyk, Pete Coggan, Chris Smyth, Jack Kircher, Josh Hailes and Jordan McGregor. I chatted to Jordi about new music and bad habits.
How did Dutchkid come about? How did you all first meet?
Pete and I were introduced to each other by Chris. We quickly realised that we shared a common love for the same artists and for songwriting. I guess you could say that it was inevitable that we’d get together to write. We quickly realised that we needed to do something with these songs if we wanted them to be more than just project files on our computers. It was clear from the start that Chris would join and take lead on live Sampling, Synth and all things graphic design.
We always imagined having a drummer join the line-up and Jack was the obvious choice. When Pete isn’t doing music, he works in film and these two guys connected in the industry over this shared passion. It all just pieced together, really. Jack heads up National Studios and is a fantastic mix engineer, so as you can imagine that’s really helpful within our collective!
I asked Josh if he’d be interested in joining Dutchkid. We all knew that in order for us to do this project well and bring the live aspect to life, we’d need him in our corner.
Lastly, Jordan McGregor. The man with the strategy and the skills to make sure we’re headed in the right direction. He’s really good at that… I guess that’s a good thing considering that he is our manager!
Tell me about your EP ‘Empires’?
Our debut EP ‘Empires’ will be available on all platforms on the 31st of August. It is out for pre-order on Apple Music right now. ‘Empires’ is an 8 track EP written and produced by Pete and I.
– Mixed by Jack
– Design by Chris and Josh
– Film by Josh, Jack and Pete
– EP Photo by Greg Carlin
– Mastered by Pierce Johnston in New York City, USA
We pride ourselves in that we are a collective of creatives all contributing to what eventually becomes a Dutchkid offering.
And what was the inspiration behind it?
The concept behind the title ‘Empires’ is that in life everybody is trying to make something of themselves. Everyday with every decision we make or don’t make, we are contributing to our very own empire. With trying to build something beautiful comes highs and lows and for us – so ‘Empires’ felt like the perfect title for this project.
For those who haven’t heard of you, how would you describe your sound?
The Dutchkid sound is diverse, dynamically varied, and filled with interesting tones and textures. Every song is different to the one before it. I think the diversity within the music we make is the result of the six of us being from different backgrounds, nationalities (UK, South Africa, and USA), and creative fields. Diversity is a beautiful thing.
Who would be your dream collaboration?
We all have different dream collaborations, Mine would be Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. Pete’s would be Jonsi of Sigur Rós. Chris would choose Thom Yorke and Jack & Josh would choose Greg Kurstin and Jungle. Lastly Jordan would definitely pick the killers.
Do you have any pre show rituals?
We like to find somewhere quiet, just before stage time, where we can chat through a few things and really just take in the moment as a team.
Three tour essentials you can’t live without?
Instruments, toothpaste, and a good sense of humour!
And who has the worst habits in the band?
Could being ‘too good’ at something be a bad habit? If so, then it’s definitely Jordan…he’s too good at Maths!
What has been the best advice you’ve received since starting ‘Dutchkid’ ?
“Make sure that the people that join your team are champions of your music” – Karl Anderson
