Android Lust is the singular vision of Bangladeshi born and New York City resident Shikhee, and draws elements from a variety of musical and artistic influences to create a sophisticated industrial rock sound. Experiencing mainstream success with international airplay of the video for “Stained” from 2003’s The Dividing and with the inclusion of “Hole Solution” from 2006’s Devour, Rise, and Take Flight on CBS’ NCIS soundtrack, Android Lust is back after a four year break. Stronger than ever, the new album The Human Animal sees Shikhee recording and writing for the first time with a full band, and together they kick off their US tour August 12th.
photographer : Ron Douglas
interview : Mike Kieffer and Jennifer Link
It’s been four years since your last studio album Devour, Rise, and Take Flight, why the long break?
Shikhee : I was really burnt out for a while. During the latter part of writing for Devour, I was having problems with my label and I was also juggling a day job and music. While mixing Devour it got particularly bad. I was coming home from my job around 9 or 10, and then mixing til 2 or 3, only to get back up and get to work at 9 again. This went on for a couple of months. I was barely sleeping and losing weight like mad. It was a very trying period and one that really tainted Android Lust for a while. It took until late 2007 to get back to writing. I never want to let it get that bad again.
Your new album, The Human Animal, has a more organic and complex feel than previous albums such as The Dividing which seemed more simple yet epic. What influenced the move in this direction?
S : I suppose playing with a full live band for a couple of years, and also going back to my rock n roll roots. I was also tired of working alone in the studio all the time. It wasn’t exciting anymore. I wasn’t going to grow as a writer if I kept doing what I already knew and was comfortable with. I was playing with these incredible musicians and I wanted to bring that in. So I started writing parts that I could never play, and also producing with an ear for sounds that was outside of what was familiar. Also, I tried to sonically bring my world in my music. Not just in themes and lyrics, but the sounds I hear everyday around the city. I got a portable recorder and just collected sounds, whatever appealed to me. A lot of that made it to the record as rhythmic or melodic elements.
read the full interview in the August/September 2010 Issue
