RÜFÜS DU SOL is Pushing the Boundaries of Electronic Music

In a genre of music that is stacked with high-energy performers and over-the-top spectacles, RÜFÜS DU SOL stands out from the rest with their soothing vocals and live instrumentation.

The Australian electronic dance group, consisting of Jon George, Tyrone Lindqvist and James Hunt, have been together for six years now, and have since carved out their own niche for their emotive and sultry output. Their debut album Atlas peaked at number one in their home country and three years later, the trio has followed it up with the release of Bloom.

With their melodic blend of drums, keyboard, guitar and vocals, RÜFÜS DU SOL’s live performances are a breath of fresh air in a genre that is increasingly filled with one-dimensional acts. The audience can’t help but to fall into a trance-like state, consumed by the light and airy mood that comes when the three Aussies hit the stage.

“When we approach the live show, I think a really exciting thing for us is to re-imagine the songs and try to bring a new dimension and new journey to our music,” James Hunt told LYFSTYL. While Jon masterfully operates the synths and Hunt animatedly strikes the drums, Lindqvist’s velvety voice is hypnotizing. Giving the audience an unmatched musical experience that is fluid, polished and pure bliss.

While the trio does have their own designated on-stage roles, in the studio, there’s more free reign–three long-time friends having fun doing what they love together. It’s apparent that this chemistry carries over to the stage, as the trio is seemingly lost in the music and is simply enjoying the moment.

“When we are all smiling at each other and feeling that collective vibe on the stage of just really enjoying playing music between each other, there is nothing that can beat it,” Hunt explained. It almost feels as though the trio operates with a single brain when they are performing on stage, their individual talents serving to complement each other to the fullest. While their musical talents are undoubtedly on display, their cohesiveness, passion and strength as a unit are what separates them from the rest of their live electronic music counterparts.

The future is bright for RÜFÜS DU SOL, as the group has seemingly begun to hit their stride with their first large-scale North American tour kicking off this fall and now the successful release of their sophomore album Bloom, which has debuted atop the Australian charts.

Bloom delicately balances an eclectic mix of moody and progressive tunes to endless summer sing-alongs. Following the debut success of Atlas in 2013, the three have been on the road for months, which, as a new experience for the young band, played a large influence in the creation and production of Bloom.

Their time spent outside of Australia eventually led them to Berlin, which had a large impact on the final sound of the product. The dance trio claim that they have always drawn a lot of inspiration from the environment they are in and collectively fell in love with the city. So much so, that for two months, the trio set-up a simple studio in their Airbnb and focused on creating music.

“Anytime that we got stuck for writing we could just pop out anywhere at any time of the day or night and catch a DJ, or someone we really loved playing,” Hunt said. “It’s a very engaging and interactive city like that; so much to offer if you’re willing to explore.”

The aquatic sounds of Bloom represent a clear maturation from their debut album, which was written from the sandy beaches of Australia. Indeed, tracks like the nine-and-a-half minute “Innerbloom” and “Hypnotised” showcase the increased complexity and further refined approach for the trio. Whereas, “Brighter” and “You Were Right” have already garnered international attention as sure-fire slow jam summer hits.

While the three young men have made it this far, they all collectively understand that their musical journey is a continuous process and there’s still much work left. Getting to this point took a lot of experimentation inside and outside of the studio, but as a trio, they want to continue to grow together. “There is a lot more trial and error to come, but we have definitely come to know our places and be comfortable within that pocket of performing,” Hunt concluded.

With the early success of Atlas and now Bloom, and having performed now at many major music festivals such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, NSW Bluesfest and Splendour in the Grass, it’s safe to say that RÜFÜS DU SOL is now in full bloom.

Words by Braeden Alexander – Interviewer Moe Topping