Automatic - In Conversation
Interview & foreword by Beau Croxton
Automatic by Erica Snyder
For our new cover story and seventh installment of In Conversation, we are thrilled to have an interview with Automatic.
Automatic has been the coolest band out of Los Angeles for a minute. Consisting of Izzy Glaudini (synths, vocals), Halle Saxon (bass, vocals), and Lola Dompé (drums, vocals) — the band has a sleek, synth-centered, trademark post-punk sound that can effortlessly shift ever-so-slightly towards different aspects of new-wave, punk, pop, goth, and beyond.
While their additional sub-genres vary, depending on the mood, their core-sound combines snappy, ESG-style rhythms with sci-fi synth tones, similar to Gary Numan and Suicide. The band always carries an amazing pop sensibility with melody, and they combine their ultra-catchy melodies with a sharp, punk attitude. After the success of their 2022 album Excess, the band toured with Tame Impala, The Marias and IDLES.
This Friday, the band releases their incredible third album Is It Now?, and it may be the band’s finest recipe to date. It expands their sonic universe just enough to make things extra exciting, while retaining just enough of the irresistible elements of their core sound. For Is It Now?, Automatic teamed up with producer Loren Humphrey, who has worked artists such as Arctic Monkeys, Adam Green and Cults— very recently, he recently produced Cameron Winter’s excellent solo LP, Heavy Metal.
With Is It Now?, Automatic urges the listener to examine the world’s oppressive structures, but they do it with a pep in their step; while the tunes tend to center around heavy themes, they are set to killer backbeats. This record often proves that rump-shakers and heavy topics can go hand in hand, and it's never sounded better.
The punchy title track “Is It Now?” confronts hyper-consumerism, “mq9” addresses automated warfare to an infectious club beat, and the closing track “Terminal” is a statement on genocide set to dark breakbeats. However, it's not entirely about facing society’s pitfalls– “Country” is a playful number about escaping the city, and “Lazy” is an (anti) love tune with a totally irresistible melody.
The band plays here in Brooklyn this Thursday the 25th at Warsaw with Sextile, So grab your tickets here!
Last month, I caught up with Automatic’s Lola Dompé (drums/vocals) and Halle Saxon(bass/synth/vocals) for an interview via Zoom, and we spoke about Is It Now? and many other important things like touring, Minecraft, and very small doggies.
Check it out below
Automatic by Erica Snyder ( left to right, Halle Saxon, Izzy Glaudini, Lola Dompé)
BEAU: So, your new record Is It Now? is incredible, and it's dropping very soon! How are we all feeling about releasing the full record out into the world?
HALLE: I'm so excited for it to be available for everyone to listen to in its entirety!
LOLA: Yeah. It's really fun hearing in interviews that people have listened to it. I'm still not used to that yet– people hearing the record!... So it's fun– It's just starting.
BEAU: Well, all the singles have been making splashes for sure! I read that you all were tracking the tape and doing a little bit of a DIY thing for the album– then you decided to work with Loren Humphrey as a producer in separate sessions. I would love to hear how things progressed with Loren…?
LOLA: I mean, we're just like not educated in engineering an album. So it was just a big learning curve that we couldn't really take on (laughs) It was good having someone who knows how to use all the gear and he directed us in a good way. He wanted us to do everything live, which we're not super used to. We kind of usually do a bit of both– cutting up stuff, and looping stuff– to kind of get it to feel a little more electronic and sampled.
But with this one, he was really adamant about doing it live. So, I feel like it has a nice feel because of that–you know?
BEAU: Absolutely. What was your favorite thing that Loren kind of brought to the table or added ?
LOLA: He had a big part in adding a lot of percussion elements, like the bongos…congas. That adds a lot.
HALLE: Yeah– he's a drummer. So he had a lot of fun drumming ideas to bring to the table. Whereas the last producer is more of a synth guy. So like he brought more synth ideas. So it's fun working with different people for that reason.
BEAU: Yes– did I hear some roto-toms on “mq9” or something? I hear some fretless bass in there too.
HALLE: It's all fretless bass all the time, baby!
BEAU: Sick! It adds so much character. Speaking of the instrumentals... I'd love to talk about “Mercury”-- that song is a huge banger. There's a wild strip of sounds on there. The trip-hop break-beats that unexpectedly float in kind of threw me through a loop (in the best way) when I first heard it.
I'd love to hear how “Mercury” came together.
HALLE: I'm glad that you picked up on the trip-hop.
LOLA: Oh, that's the first song we did with Loren, I think. So, it was very inspired.
HALLE: I was listening to a lot of trip-hop at the time. And when we were jamming it out in Joshua Tree– I was originally playing the bassline on a bass. That's what I was feeling was just like a really simple, repetitive thing. And then it sort of flowed together with the synths that came in. Once we got in the studio with Lauren, it hit way better with bass-synth instead of bass guitar. So then it became like all synths and drums.
BEAU: I read somewhere that Izzy described “Mercury” as a “dark lullaby”, but I also hear that vibe with “Black Box” as well. It has this mysterious vibe. It's soulful– it kind of feels like a spell in the beginning of the record. It kind of lures you in– just my two cents!
I would love to hear about “Black Box” and how that came together.
HALLE: It's funny that you say “lure”... because Lola said “lures you in” the last time that she was talking about this dark lullaby topic.
LOLA: Yeah, just like… luring you in with the smooth grooves and then giving you some dark content once you're here. (laughs) I think that's what is meant by a dark lullaby.
HALLE: That's one of my favorite songs on the record. I feel like Izzy had a really heavy hand in that song. I guess I wrote the baseline, but I had forgotten about it. She had looped it and then wrote that on top of it. And it was really cool– I was so hyped on it when she brought it!
Automatic by Erica Snyder
BEAU: “Smog Summer” is also a big highlight, with some cool dark vibes. To me, the themes recall the wildfires, global warming and stuff like that. What can you tell me about that track?
LOLA: We were just talking about this. I actually never had the thought of it being connected to the wildfires, but it definitely is– we say “burn it all”. But to me, it kind of feels like you're living in a future…like sci-fi….we're all just living in virtual reality. You kind of miss the small things… like swimming in the water and feeling real emotions. (And that's not really a small thing but) …you know, stuff like watching a movie. And I just think it's cool, Izzy wrote all the lyrics. I just really like how melancholic they feel.
It was kind of a tough song to work out– because I think we kept trying to go back and forth between 80s pop. At first, Izzy and I wanted to have some sort of duet that we kind of do on stage together– that was more reminiscent of 80s pop like “Don't You Want Me, Baby?”... something like that, where we kind of go back and forth. But then, we also wanted it to kind of sound like dark, dancy and more goth. So it was kind of like a tricky thing to figure out.
BEAU: I think it landed in the right way- punky with the gang vocals. “Terminal” is also a really strong ending to the record. What can you tell me about that track? There's another break-beatish vibe on that one too. Is that…Arabic vocals?
LOLA: Yeah. This woman from Georgia– the country.
HALLE: It's kind of about imperialism, which is what we spent a lot of time thinking about as we were writing this. and yeah, the protests to Free Palestine. We were going to a lot of those and…we just felt like we couldn't let this album pass without having something about it on there. It has just been such a huge part of (I feel like) everyone's lives this past year. So it was really great to be able to bring in an artist and like to collaborate.
BEAU: Yeah– good on you, it’s important to have a little sign of the times. So, do you have any personal faves in the discography, or personal faves on the new album?
HALLE: We definitely have our favorites. “Black Box” is one of my favorites and also “Don't Want to Dance” is a favorite of mine. I kind of feel like that one's just this cool… droney…what's the word? I'm trying to not say the word psychedelic…
LOLA: It's kind of… dubbed out?
(dog barks in the background, Beau brings his dog into the room)
BEAU: Sorry! I had to grab my little doggie. She was whining.
LOLA: Oooh!
HALLE: Aw!
LOLA: ......I have one of those.
HALLE: Me too! Here's my little doggie. (Halle reveals a tiny doggie on her lap)
BEAU: Well! We got doggies in the house! “Hidden Zoom Doggies”....that's a new song…
LOLA: That's a new single !
LOLA: (shows her doggie to everyone)
HALLE: Aw! Tuesday!!!!
LOLA: It's like yours, kind of.
BEAU: Is it a little Yorkie?
LOLA: Yeah.
BEAU: Ours is a girl. Her name is “Little”, She's eight years old. Cutie pie.
HALLE: Aw Little!
LOLA: Aw- She’s 8! (points to her dog)
BEAU: Sorry! I was distracted with the dog…Did we all get to answer? (laughs)
HALLE: Yeah so – I like “Don't Want to Dance” because I just feel like it's kind of weird and unusual.
LOLA: I actually really liked “Mercury” from the beginning. I just really like the vibe and the sound of it. It's different from what we've done. And I always love the dark and sultry ones that we do. And I really like ‘Playboi” and the “Country”song, too.
BEAU: I'm actually heading out to the country tonight, (and have been a lot this summer), so “Country” has been resonating with me a lot. Speaking of getting out of the city, I saw you in Desert Daze in 2022. I love seeing Automatic on a beach stage. It was pretty awesome– because the music was dark and gothy and then it's on the beach. So that was kind of fun.
HALLE: …Beach Goth.
BEAU: Yep! Do you have any favorite shows or favorite places you've played that come to mind?
HALLE: One of my favorite shows was downstairs in this basement in Paris, and it was so hot and steamy and it was absolutely packed. And the crowd is always really, really hyped in Paris. So it's always really good energy. It's always surprising, like, “Wow, why are they so into this?” But they are, and it's great. And I just remember being so hot that some tiny breeze came and gave me goosebumps, and I remember it feeling really good. And just that whole experience was great– it jumped out in my mind.
LOLA: That's probably my favorite show, too. It was so fun. But now that you say Desert Daze, I feel like both Desert Daze shows we've played have been really good. There was a surprisingly good reaction from the audience. And just like it feels like a very local festival with all our friends’ bands and stuff. So it's always a good time.
BEAU: So you're touring with Sextile. I know Brady and Melissa, I played in a band with Brady in New York in 2012…. 2011… we goy way back. That tour is coming up pretty soon! Excited for the Warsaw show? I'll have to come through.
LOLA: I like that venue a lot. That'll be fun. And Sextile is just such a hardworking band and they're really. Their life show is just so inspiring and it'll be cool to go on tour with them.
BEAU: Yeah! There's a great duality. Are you going to kind of swap set times or?
LOLA: No, I think we're going to go first just because they're a little more high energy. It kind of just makes sense to build it up like that. I hope we're dancey enough for everyone.
BEAU: I mean, “Mercury” is totally going to get people going (among others). So speaking of tours, what about you shows with Tame Impala, The Marias, IDLES– how did you enjoy that? It must have been incredible. What were your main takeaways from those tours?
LOLA: Tame Impala was a really fun show, too, because it was like literally 20,000 teenagers and they were all just like so into it and happy and positive.
HALLE: Even though they probably didn't know us, they were so sweet.
LOLA: They were waving their hands back and forth… and it was raining. It was just one of those magical moments– really cool.
HALLE: And The Marias are so sweet and fun. It was really fun touring with them, and getting to know them a little bit. Every single member of that band is just like an angel.
LOLA: Yeah IDLES– we didn't really get to know them very well.
HALLE: And we were chasing their bus around. So that was a very trying experience.
LOLA: It’s hard work– driving a little van chasing a big bus around. Because, you know, they drive through the night.
BEAU: Well– Congrats on the record! It's really great and we are excited for the Warsaw show. Are you excited for the tour? Do you have any goals, or anything else you're looking forward to?
HALLE: Goals…..My goal always on tours to stay healthy and mentally fit. It's really hard.
LOLA: Yeah, I'm going to try to enjoy it and be in the moment. You really got to hype yourself up on tour. (laughs) Maybe I'll bring back minecraft, which wouldn't really be good for achieving my goals but…
HALLE: Minecraft ? You're getting into minecraft?!
LOLA: Remember when we got into minecraft in 2020?
HALLE: I remember when I got into it, I didn't know you were playing it.
LOLA: I had it too! You were more into it. But yeah, an 8-year-old got me back into it last week…So I might get into it again.
HALLE: What are you playing it on?
LOLA: iPad.
HALLE: I'm bringing a switch to this tour.
LOLA: Oh, that's cool.
HALLE: That will help.
LOLA: …So… we're just going to be on our screens, actually….
HALLE: We're gonna be gamin’! (laughs)
BEAU: (laughs) I mean, listen, whatever you gotta do to get from place to place, and then you get to perform!
HALLE: It's better than just drinking literally the entire time…
LOLA: It is better.
BEAU: I've been sober 9 years– So I hear you! Well, it's been so nice to talk to you and meet you! We'll catch you soon! Congrats on the record.
HALLE & LOLA: You too Thanks, bye !
The new album —Is It Now? by Automatic— is out this Friday September 26th , via Stones Throw.
Automatic and Sextile play Warsaw in Brooklyn This Friday— get your tickets here.
You can pre order their Is It Now? vinyl (in Black/Blue) and directly support them here on bandcamp
You can check all their tour dates/ show here.
You can check out all of their music videos here.
And you can listen directly below!