Exclusive Stream: Listen to Fuzzy Logic’s “Just Friends”
Slow Down Clown drummer Arfaaz Kagalwala releases electro-pop single under Fuzzy Logic moniker
Arfaaz Kagalwala, drummer with Slow Down Clown has released “Just Friends,” a soaring electro-pop love song as part of his Fuzzy Logic electronic project. Stream the single here and read our chat with the drummer and producer:
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m known to most as Fuzz. You might understand why if you met me. I began my musical adventure at the tender age of three, when I was gripped by an overwhelming urge to determine the mysterious source of music emanating from my dad’s wall cabinet. A tremendous fall, (cushioned only by the thick tuft of fuzz on my head) rewired my neuro-impulses causing an undying love for music and a warped
approach to sound that I like to call ”˜Fuzzy Logic’.
I decided I wanted to play the drums when I realised I was having too much fun banging on tables and elevator walls. I formed my first band Zebediah Plush in Bangalore in 1999. We played our brand of psychedelic prog rock, released an album called Afterlaughs and split in 2005. After that I played drums for Galeej Gurus for a few years. During this time I began experimenting with electronica and formed an electro band called Tempo Tantrick in 2008.
In the autumn of 2010, I met Tek [Vitek Goyel, of Slow Down Clown], tracked drums in the studio for some of his songs, got addicted and began playing for Slow Down Clown. I’ve been working in Bombay as a full time musician and composer for the past 2 years.
Arfaaz/Fuzzy Logic
What’s Fuzzy Logic about exactly?
Fuzzy Logic is basically my own space where I can do whatever the f**k I want. Whatever I like and am inspired by – music, people, places – comes out in my own fuzzed up way through Fuzzy Logic. There are songs with words and feelings and then there are glitchy electro tracks with wobbly basslines and samples I’ve collected from all over. It’s mostly electronically produced”¦so far.
Tell us about “Just Friends”, your new release.
This song was inspired by the music of Little Dragon, the Swedish electronica band. I just love their simplistic, child-like arpeggiated sounds that are so reminiscent of old- school videogames and of course, the lead singer’s voice and lyrical themes. So I set about one night to make a song that would make me feel like I feel when I listen to Little Dragon.
Being a drummer, the first thing to do was lay down some beats. Followed by bass, synth arpeggios and a few atmospheres and the idea started taking shape. Next, lyrics. I’ve been thinking lately of how upset I used to get when I first began falling for my girl ”˜friends’ and how frustrating it was to not be able to speak of it because it might jeopardise the friendship and all that blah. I realised that’s probably something each and every one of us has probably experienced at least once in our lives. I’ll admit, I’ve never been good with words. But I like to get the point across.
Everything was done with Ableton Live, Reason and a MacBook Pro in my living room in about a night. The next day, I waited for my girlfriend to leave the house, laid down vocals on an SM-58 mic, tweaked around sounds, changed arrangements here and there,
worked on the mix and the day after I uploaded it on SoundCloud.
What’s the plan for the future? More releases, shows?
The plan is to do a lot more gigs. I’ve just done a couple of shows last month. One in Delhi for the Escape to Zorba Festival with Ox7gen and Mental Martians and the last one at the Blue Frog where I collaborated with Something Relevant saxophonist Ryan Sadri
for a live electro-hip-hop-house-dubstep jam set. Now that was really fun!
I want to collaborate with various instrumentalists and make electronic music more personal. That way, people can go uninhibited to an electro gig and not worry about not being able to dance because there’s no DJ spinning. So that’s what I’m gonna do. I’ll definitely keep putting out new stuff as and when inspiration strikes.
About a Fuzzy Logic album, I can’t say it’s on my list of priorities right now, but every song I put up is material that could go an album some day. Slow Down Clown though, is working on an album and that’s a priority.
