RÜFÜS DU SOL Had to Find the Rock in EDM

RÜFÜS DU SOL’s lead singer Tyrone Lindqvist didn’t like electronic music at first.

As a musician and singer coming from a love for metal and rock music, Lindqvist was a little shy when it came to the world of underground electronic music.

“I couldn’t really connect with it,” he says.

It wasn't until the band’s keyboardist Jon George, who was a DJ at the time, guided him through the genre that his interest was piqued. They, along with drummer James Hunt, created the band RÜFÜS in 2010 but changed it to RÜFÜS DU SOL in 2018 because the name was already taken.

Unlike most EDM bands, RÜFÜS DU SOL perform with an instrumental setup. Lindqvist says that was always the intention.

“There were Australian bands called The Presets and Cut Copy, and they have live drum kits on the stage, and it just changed the whole atmosphere," he says. "It’s like I was really able to hear the rock influence in electronic music.”

Phoenix New Times chatted with Lindqvist to talk about the band’s album Solace, their relocation to L.A., and their influences. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.


Phoenix New Times: The band have talked a lot about having equal contribution to the albums.

Tyrone Lindqvist: We all have our strengths. It’s not like we are all just in there focusing on the exact same thing. The guys are much more efficient at production. I love songwriting, and I like exploring lyrics and vocal melodies and finding the identity of the song. We all write the melodies and come to the table with different ideas until we all agree on loving something and decide to move forward with it.

What was the inspiration for your recent album Solace?

It’s a reflection of where we’re at really. We moved to L.A. when we wrote the last record, and we moved away from our families into a very exciting place with a lot of opportunities. L.A. has a way of offering a lot of opportunities, and also a lot of distractions.

I feel like it’s easy to get swept up in the washing machine of that city. I feel like I lost myself and am still really trying to find myself. I imagine the guys are in a similar ballpark. We usually sit a year after the record has come out to look back on it and just say, “Wow, that makes so much sense."

Why did the band decide to relocate from Australia to L.A.?

We moved to L.A. three years ago. It was for the start of a writing process for the record Solace. We all have a love for California, and things were beginning to go a little better for us there. It was the right fit. We really wanted a change. It’s a real creative hub in L.A. as much as I say it’s a washing machine. We got the opportunity to collaborate and get in the studio with other people. Up until that point, we’d only worked with each other.

What bands or music really influence the band?

We’ve loved electronic music. That’s our initial bond. Booka Shade, Moby, and The Chemical Brothers were our influences. I used to play in rock bands and more folky music. I love pop, basically. That influences me a lot. The guys are definitely more excited about the underground electronic world and more obscure production and original music. They have more stylish tastes. But I like things that I connect with. It could be like lyrics, or it could be a melody.

What are the band’s plans for the next album?

For our next album, I think we will be trying things we’ve never done before. But I think the skeleton of the band is just the three of us. I don’t think that will change too much. We’ll change the way we walk, talk, and move, but the skeleton will be the same. But I’m excited to see what new music comes from us.

RÜFÜS DU SOL are scheduled to perform on Saturday, March 7, at the M3F Festival at Margaret T. Hance Park. Tickets are $85 to $190 and can on the event's website.