WE ARE STANDARD

After 8 months on the hop between London, Madrid and their native Basque Country, We Are Standard’s debut album under their new name, is finally
ready for release. Here in the office, we were wondering exactly how come it took so long. So we came up with a list of possible reasons:
1. They really like London
2. Everyone involved has worked as hard as they could to get this record sounding like it should
3. They want to force their record label into bankruptcy.
4. Other
Let’s settle on option 2.
The idea behind getting Gang of Four’s Andy Gill at the controls, was to give the band a more minimal sound. We figured he’d strip down the recording,
take out some instruments, and give the songs space to breathe. We were expecting something like an electro version of Entertainment!
What we didn’t expect, but were equally thrilled to find, was a producer and a band testing the limits of studio production. At every stage, the
workload has been full on with producer and band dedicating themselves to getting the best possible sound for the definitive dance rock record of
2008. Each kick drum, each backing vocal, every single fucking chime of a cowbell on this record is the result of at least ½ an hour of negotiation. A
monumental number of tracks and takes, resulted in 8 months of constant reworking. An early indicator could have been when the drums started
getting recorded separately. And we’re not talking about a normal overdub here. We mean, each snare, cymbal, and kick recorded separately for every
track, and then put back together in the mix. (It goes without saying that each track has at least 5 different snare sounds)
Guitars of every shape and colour, 18 vocal takes for each track, and instructions from the booth along the lines of “A bit more Soul please Deu”, or “Can
you do that exactly the same but with 5% less volume”…resulted in brains stretched to the point where they threatened to trickle out of Basque ears.
And not just brains but stomachs too. (do you follow?)
Over 8 months Standard managed to notch up 200 kebabs between the 5 of them, and claim to have sampled 18 new types of beer (with Newcastle
brown ale a clear favourite). Not to mention about 500 trips on the tube.
But enough of the music talk. What about the sessions outside of the studio?
Well they’ve had a few adventures. Standing out from the usual background noise of drunkenness, fights, and bickering, was a memorable party in
the pilates gym used by members of the royal family. And you can trust us when we say that it wasn’t half as dignified as all that implies.
This obviously isn’t a normal press release. But we want you to understand that We Are Standard is not a normal record. 8 months of studio time, down
time (and up time), has given birth to a record that grabs you where it hurts and pulls you onto the dancefloor. This hasn’t been a rush job - getting it
down on acetate and onto itunes to catch the hype. Each saturated track is testament to the work they’ve put into it, and a repudiation of what they
set out to achieve. This is a record to let yourself go to, not to sit around stroking your chin and analysing.
Right now, Standard are the band with the golden ticket to the chocolate factory of success. With festival performances in Germany’s Popkomm,
dates in Holland France and Belgium, and a sold out Austin show at SXSW, not only are they adapting their studio sound into a live onslaught, but
they’re also leaving diverse and international crowds raving about one thing. How they couldn’t stop dancing.
125 shows in support of last years record under their previous incarnation of Standard, have prepared them for this record. A record that so far
eclipses the first in terms of sound, ambition and direction that it’s almost like they’re a new band. With remixes by contemporaries such as Bonde Do
Role and The Cazals, and by classic dance producer Arthur Baker set for release, We Are Standard sees them plant their flag firmly in new
territory…and claim it for their own.