“Night Out”
from the EP Blue
2006
I recently had the opportunity to chat online with Danny Provencher of Montreal’s Under Electric Light. Danny shed some light on how the creative process works for his duo. Not all songs out there are composed in such a way or in such an order as we might assume them to be. Keep UEL’s modes of composition in mind as you listen to “Night Out,“ their New Order-like track that merges its grooving basslines and electro beats with traditional indie-rock guitar elements.
Jon: How did Under Electric Light get started? You moved from your native Victoriaville to Montreal a few years ago. Which came first — your musical ambition, or the move to the big city?
Danny: Well both actually. I wanted to leave my hometown real bad, but at the same time by leaving it I was also leaving the band I had there. We had a lot of potential but unfortunately I was the only one who really wanted to make something out of it. We were into bands like Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine, but into Kraftwerk and Detroit Techno as well. It was a bit like Under Electric Light really, where you have the electronic part and the kind of shoegaze sound. Once in Montreal I had no band and I wasn’t making music that much. It took me five years to get back to it seriously and that’s when Under Electric Light started.
Jon: So what did you do during that five-year span? What got you back into the frame of mind to pursue music again?
Danny: I don’t know really, at some point I figured I should start making music again, just to have fun. So I began recording tracks again as Under Electric Light. Electronic music, more four-on-the-floor stuff.
Jon: At some point you met bandmate Mathieu Rodier — how did that come about?
Danny: I started working in a record store. That’s where I met Mathieu. We were both clerks there and we were talking about music all the time. I made him listen to the music I was doing at that time, and he liked it. Later that year I got asked to do a concert so I asked Mathieu if he wanted to join Under Electric Light. We re-arranged all my electronic songs together and added guitar and bass to them. It was a bit of a surprise for the people who came to the concert, but everybody really enjoyed it. That’s where Under Electric Light really started as we know it now.
Jon: Tell me a bit about the process you and Mathieu go through when you are writing and recording material. Is it mostly you, or him, or a collaborative effort?
Danny: I write all the songs. It often starts with a bassline I have or a synth melody. I record the basic tracks, beats, bass, synths, vocal, and then hand it out to Mathieu so he can add guitars. He also also takes care of the mixing process and some of the arrangements. As for the lyrics, my girlfriend Meb writes them. I give her the melody I want and sometimes give her an idea of what the track is about. She really writes nice stuff. I don’t think I could do it. Maybe one day, but I’d rather give the job to someone I trust and who is good at it.
Jon: What does the immediate future hold for Under Electric Light? Are you playing live? Are you working on any new recordings? Might there be a full-length soon?
Danny: Right now, I’m working on our first album. I want to write a lot of songs so I can pick the best ones for the album. It’s going well, I already have a couple of new tracks. I would like to record everything this winter and be ready for the summer. I need to find other musicians by that time so we can play our songs live, which is, to me, the next big step for Under Electric Light.