Midnight Juggernauts
Encyclopedia
Midnight Juggernauts are a band from Melbourne
, Australia
composed of Andrew Szekeres, Vincent Vendetta, and Daniel Stricker. The band has been described as anything from 'prog dance meets cosmic film scores', to 'slasher-flick disco' to 'deadpan landscape',. It is hard to define the band's sound as all the instruments are played live through a range of samplers, pads and various acoustic instruments. Following the release of numerous 7", 12" vinyls, and limited edition EPs, the band released their debut album Dystopia
. After playing festivals and headlining tours worldwide during late 2007-2008, the band finished working on their follow up album 'The Crystal Axis', touring around its release mid-2010 at festivals and headline shows across the globe. The group also runs the label Siberia Records, through which they release their own music and others including Kirin J Callinan and Djanimals.
in 2006, the band started to quickly gain a following in and out of Australia with the song "Shadows" becoming a hit in clubs and on the Internet. It was originally released as a 12” on friends label Cutters and re-released on Institubes in 2008 along with a host of limited edition vinyl. It and other songs were also featured on many compilations including Modular's Leave Them All Behind
, FBI’s Kill Your Idols CD, Kitsune Maison
, !K7's DJ-Kicks
, Cut Copy
's FabricLive.29 and a Christmas compilation with Institubes. It was on this Christmas compilation that then French up and coming act Justice
(who were also on the compilation) heard the band and declared them their new favourite act, later inviting them to tour with them around the world.
. Although not yet released overseas, some of its songs were being played on UK and US radio stations thanks to the many vinyl releases on different independent labels and many compilations, along with support from other artists. Because it was not yet released, the bands music such as "Shadows" was being played on BBC Radio 1
, as "Tomorrow Today" on Modular Records which was incorrect. It also received reviews not only in Australia but in the US and UK (before its release) as well stating Dystopia was an "euphoric hammering together of Krautrock
grooves, psychedelic flights of melodic fancy and post-Justice grindy synth noises", even being declared album of the year in 2007 by Pedro Winter
in XLR8R
magazine
At this time the band decided to do a license deal with EMI Records
for their label Siberia Records.
In October 2007 the band were invited to tour with Justice around North America, leaving their mark on the CMJ Festival
playing with !!!
, Holy Fuck and Klaxons
across the UK and Europe. They then returned to Australia where they played the main stage of the Big Day Out
festival alongside acts such as Rage Against The Machine
, Björk
and Arcade Fire.
2008 began with the band inviting M83 to tour with them on a league of sold-out shows in Australia. It then saw the band release Dystopia with additional material in April and May internationally. To support the release of the album the band toured the world performing on their own headlining tours and many festivals including Coachella, Fuji Rock, Glastonbury, Primavera Sound, Latitude, Bestival, Route du Rock, Electric Picnic, Lowlands, Pukkelpop, Lovebox, Summercase, Alive, Montreux Jazz Festival
, Eurockeenes, Hove and Rockness.
(tv on the radio, yeah yeah yeah's, yeasayer), and started tracking the new record .
Fresh out of the studio, they were then asked to perform at a range of festivals in Buenos Aires and Australia (Splendour in the Grass) and also a tour supporting the Flaming Lips, road-testing new material including early versions of 'Vital Signs' (then called United Illuminations), and 'This New Technology' - allowing the songs to further develop. As a preview to the new album, the band released the This New Technology EP, and an accompanying 500 copy 7" through Acephale Records, featuring the single This New Technology, a radio edit and remixes by Emperor Machine, Memory Tapes
, Juan Maclean and Babe Rainbow
, also performing in New York at the CMJ music festival. Returning home, the band (who were self-producing their new album) went back into the studio to finish mixing the rest of the record.
2010 started out with performances at the Falls, Big Day Out and Golden Plains festivals. The band then created 'The Crystal Axis' (not only the name of the album but a physical construct / a world surrounding the album) which they physically built (using all the synthesisers and instruments from the recording) with the help of melbourne artist Dylan Martorell and lights from MPH. They also created a video around this construct, an idea from the band executed with the help of Krozm.
Just prior to the release of The Crystal Axis the band played a handful of sold-out shows previewing the new record in Paris, London, Amsterdam, Zurich, Edinburgh, Santiago, Brazil and more. The Crystal Axis was then released on 28 May 2010 in Australia with international dates following between July (UK) and September (August in the USA, with a 12" double vinyl on Acephale/Siberia Records and September in Europe).
The rest of 2010 was filled with European and Australian festival dates such as Calvi on the Rocks, Montreux Jazz Festival, Exit Festival, Lovebox, Benicassim, Splendour in the Grass, Parklife and the bands own sold-out album tours around the world.
Remixes
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
composed of Andrew Szekeres, Vincent Vendetta, and Daniel Stricker. The band has been described as anything from 'prog dance meets cosmic film scores', to 'slasher-flick disco' to 'deadpan landscape',. It is hard to define the band's sound as all the instruments are played live through a range of samplers, pads and various acoustic instruments. Following the release of numerous 7", 12" vinyls, and limited edition EPs, the band released their debut album Dystopia
Dystopia (Midnight Juggernauts album)
Dystopia is the debut album from Australian electronic band Midnight Juggernauts. It debuted and peaked at #21 on the ARIA Albums Chart.-Track listing:#"Intro" - 0:57#"Ending of an Era" - 4:51#"Into the Galaxy" - 4:54#"Shadows" - 4:17...
. After playing festivals and headlining tours worldwide during late 2007-2008, the band finished working on their follow up album 'The Crystal Axis', touring around its release mid-2010 at festivals and headline shows across the globe. The group also runs the label Siberia Records, through which they release their own music and others including Kirin J Callinan and Djanimals.
Origins
The band was formed in 2004 by Vincenzi Vendetta and Andrew Szekeres who met in school. They were later joined by Daniel Stricker in late 2006 who has met the two whilst playing in various groups over the years. In early shows the band had many different names and the lyrical content changed from show to show – one time when playing above a Chinese restaurant using the name of items from the menu in the lyrics of a few songs.EPs and vinyl
Following a self-titled EP featuring “Raised By Wolves” in 2005, and the EP Secrets of the UniverseSecrets of the Universe
Secrets Of The Universe is the second mini-album from Australian indie-synth band Midnight Juggernauts. It is the first release on the band's own label, Siberia.The EP also includes a music video for "45 And Rising" by Chris Hill and Ewan McLeod....
in 2006, the band started to quickly gain a following in and out of Australia with the song "Shadows" becoming a hit in clubs and on the Internet. It was originally released as a 12” on friends label Cutters and re-released on Institubes in 2008 along with a host of limited edition vinyl. It and other songs were also featured on many compilations including Modular's Leave Them All Behind
Modular Presents: Leave Them All Behind
Modular Presents: Leave Them All Behind is a double disc sampling of some of 2005's big names in dance-rock, indie-rock, dance-punk, post-punk and the like. Put together by the Australian label Modular Recordings, the compilation features 32 original and remix versions of tracks by artists such as...
, FBI’s Kill Your Idols CD, Kitsune Maison
Kitsuné Music
Kitsuné is a French fashion label and electronic music record label created in 2002 by Gildas Loaëc, Masaya Kuroki and the London-based company Åbäke...
, !K7's DJ-Kicks
DJ-Kicks
DJ-Kicks is a series of DJ mix albums, mixed by various artists for the independent record label !K7 Records.-History:...
, Cut Copy
Cut Copy
Cut Copy are an Australian electronic band formed in 2001 by Dan Whitford on vocals, keyboard and guitar. Other members are Tim Hoey on guitar and sampler, Ben Browning on bass guitar and Mitchell Scott on drums. Their second album, In Ghost Colours peaked at number-one on the ARIA Albums Chart in...
's FabricLive.29 and a Christmas compilation with Institubes. It was on this Christmas compilation that then French up and coming act Justice
Justice (French band)
Justice is a French electronic music duo consisting of Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay . The duo is one of the most successful groups on Ed Banger Records and is managed by the label's head, Pedro Winter...
(who were also on the compilation) heard the band and declared them their new favourite act, later inviting them to tour with them around the world.
Dystopia (2007–2008)
In August 2007, the band released their debut album Dystopia in Australia on their own label Siberia Records debuting at #24 on the ARIA ChartsARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
. Although not yet released overseas, some of its songs were being played on UK and US radio stations thanks to the many vinyl releases on different independent labels and many compilations, along with support from other artists. Because it was not yet released, the bands music such as "Shadows" was being played on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
, as "Tomorrow Today" on Modular Records which was incorrect. It also received reviews not only in Australia but in the US and UK (before its release) as well stating Dystopia was an "euphoric hammering together of Krautrock
Krautrock
Krautrock is a generic name for the experimental music scenes that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s, especially in Britain. The term is a result of the English-speaking world's reception of the music at the time and not a reference to any one...
grooves, psychedelic flights of melodic fancy and post-Justice grindy synth noises", even being declared album of the year in 2007 by Pedro Winter
Pedro Winter
Pedro Winter aka Busy P is a French electrohouse DJ, producer, manager and owner of the Ed Banger Records label. Pedro Winter manages Cassius, Cosmo Vitelli, artists on his Ed Banger Records label, and managed Daft Punk from 1996 to 2008.-Life:...
in XLR8R
XLR8R
XLR8R is a magazine and website thatcovers music, culture, style, and technology. It was founded as anewsprint ‘zine in 1993 by publisher Andrew Smith in Seattle; themagazine currently has offices in San Francisco and New York...
magazine
At this time the band decided to do a license deal with EMI Records
EMI Records
EMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
for their label Siberia Records.
In October 2007 the band were invited to tour with Justice around North America, leaving their mark on the CMJ Festival
CMJ Music Marathon
CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival is put on by CMJ Network. CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival 2010 is scheduled for October 19–23 and will be headquartered at New York University and other downtown NYC venues.- History :...
playing with !!!
!!!
!!! is a dance-punk band that formed in Sacramento, California, in 1996. Members of !!! came from other local bands such as The Yah Mos, Black Liquorice and Popesmashers...
, Holy Fuck and Klaxons
Klaxons
Klaxons are a British indie rock band, based in London. Following the release of numerous 7-inch singles on different independent record labels, as well as the success of previous singles "Magick" and "Golden Skans", the band released their debut album, Myths of the Near Future on 29 January 2007....
across the UK and Europe. They then returned to Australia where they played the main stage of the Big Day Out
Big Day Out
The Big Day Out is an annual music festival held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in late January. It started in Sydney in 1992, spread to Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth by 1993, with the Gold Coast and Auckland joining in 1994...
festival alongside acts such as Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
, Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
and Arcade Fire.
2008 began with the band inviting M83 to tour with them on a league of sold-out shows in Australia. It then saw the band release Dystopia with additional material in April and May internationally. To support the release of the album the band toured the world performing on their own headlining tours and many festivals including Coachella, Fuji Rock, Glastonbury, Primavera Sound, Latitude, Bestival, Route du Rock, Electric Picnic, Lowlands, Pukkelpop, Lovebox, Summercase, Alive, Montreux Jazz Festival
Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe; it is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva...
, Eurockeenes, Hove and Rockness.
The Crystal Axis (2008–present)
After Dystopia the band located to a beach house on the east coast of Australia to work on new music, having collected a lot of ideas while touring for the previous 2 years. After experimenting with a range of analogue gear and new digital sounds, a fresh batch of songs were written with a more 'prog' / 'layered' sound - working with a lot of ambient layers. The band then entered a range of studio's with engineer Chris MooreChris Moore (producer/audio engineer)
Chris Moore is a record producer, mixer, and recording engineer currently based in Brooklyn, NY. He has produced, recorded and mixed albums by Midnight Juggernauts , TV On The Radio , Scarlett Johansson, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yeasayer, Au Revoir Simone, Foals, Dragons of Zynth, and The...
(tv on the radio, yeah yeah yeah's, yeasayer), and started tracking the new record .
Fresh out of the studio, they were then asked to perform at a range of festivals in Buenos Aires and Australia (Splendour in the Grass) and also a tour supporting the Flaming Lips, road-testing new material including early versions of 'Vital Signs' (then called United Illuminations), and 'This New Technology' - allowing the songs to further develop. As a preview to the new album, the band released the This New Technology EP, and an accompanying 500 copy 7" through Acephale Records, featuring the single This New Technology, a radio edit and remixes by Emperor Machine, Memory Tapes
Memory Tapes
Memory Tapes is a recording alias of New Jersey-based Dayve Hawk, former frontman of Philadelphia-based Hail Social.After initially releasing material under the names Memory Cassette and Weird Tapes., and on signing to Something In Construction to release a Memory Cassette EP , Memory Tapes' first...
, Juan Maclean and Babe Rainbow
Babe Rainbow
Babe Rainbow is the third album by British alternative rock band The House of Love.-Background:Babe Rainbow is the only House of Love studio album to feature Simon Walker...
, also performing in New York at the CMJ music festival. Returning home, the band (who were self-producing their new album) went back into the studio to finish mixing the rest of the record.
2010 started out with performances at the Falls, Big Day Out and Golden Plains festivals. The band then created 'The Crystal Axis' (not only the name of the album but a physical construct / a world surrounding the album) which they physically built (using all the synthesisers and instruments from the recording) with the help of melbourne artist Dylan Martorell and lights from MPH. They also created a video around this construct, an idea from the band executed with the help of Krozm.
Just prior to the release of The Crystal Axis the band played a handful of sold-out shows previewing the new record in Paris, London, Amsterdam, Zurich, Edinburgh, Santiago, Brazil and more. The Crystal Axis was then released on 28 May 2010 in Australia with international dates following between July (UK) and September (August in the USA, with a 12" double vinyl on Acephale/Siberia Records and September in Europe).
The rest of 2010 was filled with European and Australian festival dates such as Calvi on the Rocks, Montreux Jazz Festival, Exit Festival, Lovebox, Benicassim, Splendour in the Grass, Parklife and the bands own sold-out album tours around the world.
Albums
- DystopiaDystopia (Midnight Juggernauts album)Dystopia is the debut album from Australian electronic band Midnight Juggernauts. It debuted and peaked at #21 on the ARIA Albums Chart.-Track listing:#"Intro" - 0:57#"Ending of an Era" - 4:51#"Into the Galaxy" - 4:54#"Shadows" - 4:17...
- Siberia/InertiaInertia DistributionInertia is an independent record company based in Sydney, Australia. It was established in March 2000 by Ashley Sellers. Inertia releases exclusively the music from many of the world’s most prominent independent labels...
(SIB002X) (4 August 2007) AUS #21 - The Crystal AxisThe Crystal AxisThe Crystal Axis is the second album from Australian electronic band Midnight Juggernauts. It was released on May 28, 2010. The album was the feature album on Triple J for the week of 24 to 30 May....
- Siberia (28 May 2010) AUS #20
EPs
- Midnight Juggernauts - Independent (May 2005)
- Secrets of the UniverseSecrets of the UniverseSecrets Of The Universe is the second mini-album from Australian indie-synth band Midnight Juggernauts. It is the first release on the band's own label, Siberia.The EP also includes a music video for "45 And Rising" by Chris Hill and Ewan McLeod....
- Siberia/Inertia (SIB001) (June 2006) - 20,000 Leagues (2007)
- Shadows EP - Siberia (2008)
- Into the Galaxy EP - Siberia (2008)
- Surplus Maximus EP - Siberia (2010) (bonus CD issued with album The Crystal Axis as 2 CD limited edition release
Singles
- "45 and Rising" 12" - Cutters (CUTTERS002) (May 2006)
- "Road to Recovery" - Siberia (16 July 2007)
- "Shadows" 12" - Siberia (21 February 2008)
- "Into the Galaxy" 12" - Siberia (29 September 2008)
- "This New Technology" - Bandroom (2009)
- "Vital Signs" (2 April 2010)
- "Lara Versus the Savage Pack" (2010)
Videos
- "Raised by Wolves" from Midnight Juggernauts EP (2005)
- "45 and Rising" from Secrets of The Universe EP (2006), directed by Krozm
- "Shadows" from Secrets of The Universe EP (2006), directed by Krozm
- "Road to Recovery" (2007), directed by Krozm
- "Into the Galaxy-Original" (2008), directed by Krozm
- "Tombstone" (2008), directed by Krozm
- "Into the Galaxy-New Video" (2008), directed by Dir. Rozan & Schmeltz for Surface 2 Air (Partizan)
- "This New Technology" (2009), directed by Special Problems
- "Vital Signs" (2010), directed by Krozm
- "Midnight Juggernauts live at Bataclan in Paris" (2010), produced by Grandcrew.com
Remixes
- The PresetsThe PresetsThe Presets are an Australian electronic duo formed in 2003, consisting of Julian Hamilton on vocals and keyboards, and Kim Moyes on drums and keyboards. They released their debut album Beams in 2005 to positive critical response. Their 2008 release Apocalypso debuted at number-one on the ARIA...
: "Down Down Down" (2006) - DragonetteDragonetteDragonette is a Canadian electropop group active since 2005. Dragonette consists of singer-songwriter Martina Sorbara, bassist and producer Dan Kurtz and drummer Joel Stouffer....
: "I Get AroundI Get Around (Dragonette song)"I Get Around" is an electropop song performed by Canadian band Dragonette. The song was written and produced by Dragonette for their debut album Galore...
" (2006) - Electric SixElectric SixElectric Six is a six-piece metro Detroit-based band that plays what has been described as a brand of rock music infused with elements of "garage, disco, punk, new wave, and metal." The band met recognition in 2003 with the singles "Danger! High Voltage" and "Gay Bar", and subsequently recorded...
: "Future Is in the Future" (2006) - K.I.M.Kim MoyesKimberley "Kim" Isaac Moyes or K.I.M. is half of a Sydney-based electronica duo, The Presets with Julian Hamilton. Moyes provides keyboard and drums, as well as production . His involvement with The Presets has resulted in a total of six ARIA Music Awards...
: "Wet N' Wild" (2006) - Damn Arms: "The Cormorant" (2007)
- Sébastien TellierSébastien TellierSébastien Tellier is a French singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is currently signed to Record Makers, a French independent record label. He sings in English, French and Italian.-Biography:...
: "DivineDivine (Sébastien Tellier song)"Divine" is a song by Sébastien Tellier from his 2008 album Sexuality. The song represented France at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. The song is in English, with a few verses in French...
" (2008) - Cansei De Ser Sexy: "Left BehindLeft Behind (CSS song)"Left Behind" is a single by Brazilian band CSS. It was released in July, 14th as the second single and first to have a physical release from their second album, Donkey...
" (2008) - Cut CopyCut CopyCut Copy are an Australian electronic band formed in 2001 by Dan Whitford on vocals, keyboard and guitar. Other members are Tim Hoey on guitar and sampler, Ben Browning on bass guitar and Mitchell Scott on drums. Their second album, In Ghost Colours peaked at number-one on the ARIA Albums Chart in...
: "Hearts on Fire" (2008) - Johnny CashJohnny CashJohn R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
: "Port of Lonely Hearts" (2008)