FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Music

There Is Nothing Unwholesome About The Internet

They don't like cocaine and they want to wife Katy B.

How cute is this: Odd Future's Syd tha Kyd and Matt Martian are now working on a new project, which they named after the place they first met: The Internet! Too cute, right? I called them up at home in LA to have a chat about it and their upcoming album. VICE: Hey guys. How's LA? Is there much of the city in your music?
Matt: LA definitely has an influence on the music. But I grew up in East Point, Georgia, a small suburb outside of Atlanta. Growing up in an area where all the great southern artists like Goodie Mob, Outkast, T.I., etc started was cool, too, because I got to see a lot of these guys before everyone else in the country knew who they were.
Syd: I wouldn't say there’s much of the city in the music. But if anything, just growing up in LA, I was around a lot of aspiring artists and athletes. Are you planning on coming to the UK anytime soon?
Syd: No. Great. I’ve been to a couple of your Odd Future shows, but The Internet seems to have a different vibe. It doesn't seem as angry or as dirty as Odd Future. It’s quite minimal and electronic and clean.
Syd: Yeah. I'd call it "electronic experimental neo soul".
Matt: It has a lot of 70s funk and soul influences. We were listening to a lot of disco and house at the time, so there are elements of that on the album as well. Who were you listening to?
Matt: Katy B, Georg Levin, Minnie Ripperton. Just a mash-up of really funky shit.
Syd: I've been listening to a lot of the same, plus Silkie, Toro, Boom Clap, Soul 4 Real… All that good stuff. How did this collaboration come about, then?
Matt: Me and Syd always hung the toughest in OF, so it came naturally. Do you guys go way back to before Odd Future started?
Matt: Yeah, we met back in ’07, before she was in OF.
Syd: We met on Myspace. I was a fan. I started asking him for advice and stuff.
Matt: We kind of just talked on and off for a year online until we finally hung out one day. I came to her house for a session with Tyler. And you never left. Who does what?
Syd: We produce together, mostly; and I do the engineering and mixing for the most part.
Matt: Most of the production is a joint effort. Syd does most of the writing but I help with ideas and melodies. How is collaborating together different to how you work in OF? Syd, how’s it different to your experience with recording Goblin? And Matt, you’ve also got The Super 3 going on, right?
Syd: Recording Goblin was done strictly from an engineer’s point of view. Here I'm showcasing all of my talents, old and new.
Matt: The Super 3 is myself and Hal Williams, which is something totally different. That’s also more about production, whereas The Internet can be anything, from singing to art to songwriting… You did the artwork for the cover right? Do you have any background in graphic arts?
Matt: Funny you asked. I do all our artwork but my background in design is kind of shacky; I was kicked out of design school a year ago in Atlanta for having bad grades. Art degrees can be rubbish like that. Is this project about asserting who you guys are at all? Some way of maybe reclaiming your personality within OFWGKTA?
Syd: I'm not reclaiming anything. I haven't changed.
Matt: Same here.

Talk to me about “Cocaine". Are you worried that some people maybe don't get it, and might think you love gak?
Syd: I'm not worried about the people who don't get it. It's only like 10 percent. I was expecting way more controversy to be honest, but it seems to have all shut down early. I'm very pleased with the response. And to be honest, the whole song is metaphorical of the drug itself seducing the victim. It's not me. It's not SYD. It’s not glamourising anything, I’m saying "look at the dangerous position this thing can put you in”. What kind of "dangerous positions" are you talking about? Do you have first-hand experience?
Syd: Cocaine can turn a user into a monster, and can turn anyone touching it into a criminal. It's an overpriced 20-minute high. Good motto. So, any chance of you guys performing anytime soon?
Syd: Ummm…
Matt: I love hearing her answer this.
Syd: I'm not too comfortable with my singing voice at this point. Not comfortable enough to perform live. Why not?
Syd: I've never had any vocal training, and it's obvious if you hear me sing live. Have you thought about ways to overcome it? Cocaine, perhaps?
Syd: I've never tried cocaine, so I wouldn't know, but according to Wikipedia it makes people more confident for like, 20 minutes, I guess. Sounds dumb to me. Any ideological objections to playing live?
Syd: No. We're just producers.
Matt: You never know, though. We get asked about live performances a lot. It’s funny, because we would never have thought that would even be a possibility a few months back. Got any big ambitions for the years ahead?
Syd: Just to continue doing what I'm doing and to live comfortably. That's all.
Matt: I really want to wife Katy B. Sounds like a plan – I hope it works out for you. Thanks a lot, guys. 
Syd: Thank you, miss.