INTRO BY SERA SNYDER
INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY
PHOTO BY JULIEN MIGNOT
STAL is the latest project to come from M83’s Pierre Marie-Maulini, the group now claiming Los Angeles as home. Their latest single The Crime was just released on January 19th and it comes from their new EP Fresh Blood - out this March, and produced by Eric Palmquist. Maulini was first exposed to the world of synths, keyboards and other electronic elements while touring with M83 that would soon be so prevalent in the music he would create. The first demos from STAL came in 2011, which were followed by an EP and debut full album release. Following those releases they toured with Nothing But Thieves and Matt and Kim. To find out more about how STAL was formed, and hear about their upcoming music, read our interview with Pierre below!
How did you guys come together to make the band?
PIERRE: "I started to think about making my own project while I was on tour with M83. When I came back from it, I decided to start writing demos and I knew I needed a band as I've always wanted to work with a real drummer and a guitarist. Through a common friend in Paris, I met Renaud who was playing in some hardcore bands. We gave it a try and it was just obvious I wanted to work with him. The fact that we were both coming from different musical scenes was a real plus. Jeff came later in the band and he's Renaud's long time friend, he has a great studio in Paris and he's one of the most talented guitarists I know. Even if I compose the music from A to Z, they undeniably bring their own touch to the STAL sound!"
In your own words, how would you describe your music style?
PIERRE: "My music is definitely a bridge between all the music that shaped my musical background like early emo stuff, post rock and a more modern sound and producer-like electronic music, R&B and even post-classical artists like Olafur Arnalds and Max Richter."
Who are some of your musical influences?
PIERRE: "Sigur Ros is the band that changed my life but I love tons of bands coming from different scenes from Baths to Olafur Arnalds. I really loved last year’s debut album from MUNA! Pop music in general is a big influence for me."
You recently released your new single The Crime. Can you tell us a little about the song and the inspiration behind it?
PIERRE: "This track is quite a new path for me, we explored some textures that are totally new for us. I love everything about this track, from the recording to lyrics. We composed it from scratch in the studio with our producer Eric Palmquist. It's a spontaneous track. We started with that R&B vibe on the drumbeat and the chords. Then I added my post rock touch and we thought it was really cool! The lyrics are about relationships in our modern society. Our world has become so selfish that everyone is focused on his/her career or his/her own ego instead of building long term relationships and love. So basically, “The Crime” is about this guy who's really attracted to this girl, she makes his head spin but at the end what matters most is himself."
This March you will also be releasing your EP, Fresh Blood. What can we expect from the EP?
PIERRE: "I can't wait to release the EP as it shows exactly what STAL is, from pop tracks with catchy choruses to some more cinematic indietronic tracks."
Aside from the EP, is there anything else we can expect from you in the near future?
PIERRE: "We can't wait to go back on stage, we'll be playing The Study, Hollywood for a Breaking Sound show this Feb 21st. After that, we'll head to SXSW 2018. I'm sure it's going to be a blast and chaos at the same time haha. We're planning on touring more this spring and summer too!"