This week I caught up with TAYPS, a London-based trio which fuses a dance tempo with ambient electronic sounds to create an unmissable live show. Their songs would sit comfortably in an Urban Outfitters store, yet they still managed to command the movers and shakers of The Comedy, Leicester Square on June 5th.
1. Who are TAYPS?
TAYPS is very much a live band, consisting of Will (bass), Marcus (guitar) and Charlie (keys). We are school friends from Surrey and have been making our own music respectively for the last few years. TAYPS is a fairly recent creation, starting just before the start of 2015. We formed when Charlie asked Will to play bass on a few of his tracks. This then snowballed and the two of them began writing together. Marcus was then called in to add the final piece to the jigsaw, helping us create a sound which we think is fairly unique!
2. What influences your music?
We are influenced by all sorts of things. From our surroundings to our mates, from what we've been doing to what we hope to do. In terms of music, we all bring our own influences to the table which helps us create the TAYPS sound. Charlie is very much influenced by dance, hip hop and jazz. Will leans more on the acoustic/folk end of the spectrum. Marcus bridges the gap with a love for the blues and traditional acoustic flavours.
3. What made you want to start a band?
Charlie has never played with other people and was really keen to start playing in a band. As he began to employ the services of Will and his bass, they began wondering how to recreate their music live. This is when Marcus arrived; transforming the recorded ideas into live jams. We play our songs with flexibility and a sense of improvisation which makes playing in a band even more exciting!
4. What are you listening to right now?
Listening to a lot of D'Angelo - also watching a lot of his live sets (after seeing him perform in February) - the way he plays with his band is a massive influence. Charlie's been listening to a lot of Miles, Sun Ra and German beat makers. For Marcus its been Blake Mills and Bahamas. Will's ears have been filled with Toro Y Moi and Beach House. We all have very distinct tastes that somehow come together in our tunes!
5. What's next for TAYPS?
We want to continue to perform live. Whilst we like what we do and create in the studio, playing live is where we feel the band is strongest. We have a couple things lined up in terms of releases and remixes which will hopefully appear in the next few months. Other than that we need to write more, practice more and keep pushing the name.
Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/taypsmusic
