Trayer Tryon plays Electribe, Akai controllers, bass, guitar in the band Hundred Waters. We caught up with him while the band was on a break from touring. He talked to us about being on the Full Flex tour, working with OWSLA, and traveling the country fueled by Vegetable Oil. Their album is now out on OWSLA.

CB: For a band that is relatively new, you guys have been really touring quite a bit over the past few months. I was really curious about the Full Flex Express Tour.

TT: Yes, we have done quite a few shows. We just got back from CMJ, we barely made it out before the storms hit. We were really lucky. The Flex tour was really an amazing experience. We were on it with Skrillex, Diplo, Grimes, Pretty Lights. We all took the train across Canada from Ottawa to Vancouver. The scenery was incredible, riding through the mountains with the train door open, it was really great.The whole thing was inspired by that Festival Express with The Grateful Dead in the 70s. Skrillex rented a train and we went East To West, all the way across the country.

CB: Tell me about the new video for ‘Hydrodictyon’, all the hang gliders, they make the clip have an early eighties vibe to it. You all seem so happy as well, despite you guys standing around a broken down bus.

TT: That was shot while we were on our first tour in May. That bus you see in the video, Was a school bus that our friend converted to like a home on wheels. We helped as well, we took out all the seats and put in beds and couches. The interior is beautiful, on an old ass School Bus he bought for Twelve Hundred Dollars. It maiden voyage almost didn’t make it, we had to refit the engine, so it could run on vegetable oil. Much cheaper, considering the thousands of miles we drive. We circled the whole U.S. In it, it was breaking down constantly, it wouldn’t go over fifty mph on a flat surface (lol) we’d be doing like fifteen mph through the Rockies, people were just blowing right by us (lol). All that Hang Gliding stuff was shot in this area of San Diego. The whole thing just came together and really worked. Were really happy with the vibe of it and the way it turned out.

CB: The band has a real English Folk influence combined with quite a bit of electronica. What did you guys bond on in the beginning?

TT: A few of us have played together since we were twelve. We met Nicole later and she comes from a singer-songwriter background, she writes on guitar and piano. All of are influences have just really kind of came together through playing so much together. Are bandmate that left for Central America left a real English Folk sound on the album, strangely enough his influence comes from that area and that’s what influences him.

CB: The music changes directions on ‘Hundred Waters’ quite frequently between instruments and machines, which makes it a bit challenging for the listener, but in a good way. What was the experience like recording the album?

TT: The band all lives together. We recorded everything before we even played any of it live. We were always making music. We finally added a singer and were able to put words to all this music. At the time we didn’t have any label support, we were doing it all on our laptops. We even had to borrow a microphone. We spent quite a bit of time mixing it, and finally learnt how to play it. That was a whole other beast, we didn’t have all the instruments we needed. So ya, we learn’t how to play everything and hit the road. This time were writing everything on the road, I really like it better. When your on the road, there are so many more experiences, it’s much more interesting than being in a room.

CB: Owsla is a bit of a different label then where I’d expect to find you guys, what drew you to them?

TT: Funny enough, the whole thing is quite hazy. Skrillex’s manager Tim, who is an awesome dude. We met him at a show we played at SXSW. We talked to him after the show, and it turns out he’s from Gainesville, and so is Skrillex. They are totally about Florida, so we talked alot about it. We met all the people involved with the label, they are all really great and straightforward. They asked us to put the record out, we did have other offers, but they definitely had the freshest and most interesting ways in working with us. Other labels that were interested seemed to be really structured, in terms of how they wanted to develop us, it seemed way to corporate. OWSLA were really out there with their ideas compared to regular labels. They have great ideas. Were also the first album they’ve released, so were happy that we are kind of defining them as well. Skrillex is one of the nicest dudes in the world, totally down to earth as well.

CB: Are you a little frustrated when writers describe your music as ‘Digital Folk’, you all know how to play your instruments pretty well and Nicole really knows how to sing.

TT: It’s weird, I’ve never really listened to folk or have a great knowledge of it. I’m told that folk songs are based on other people’s stories and passed on. We do write on acoustic guitars, but I think putting a label like that on us is kind of an easy way out. I think it’s a pretty weird way of describing us, and you can tell that it’s weird, because your asking about it. I mean the digital part is true, we use the computer all over the fucking record. We definitely use computers in composing and production, the folk thing, i’m still not to sure.

CB: You had the song ‘Thistle’ remixed quite a few times. How fascinating is it to hear different interpretations of your music? Is their a favourite?

TT: It’s so cool, I was so excited. To even think that AraabMuzik would even listen to our music. We saw him play live about a year ago, man we were so blown away. All of a sudden the guy is listening to our music and remixing it, that’s totally cool. My favourite one is by Different Sleep, I’d never heard of him. He sent us a remix and we were blown away. He’s gonna fly out from Chicago and do some shows with us, we’ve really become big fans of his.

CB: Which five albums always come on the road with you guys?

TT:Omar Rodriguez Lopez – Se Dice Bisonte. No Buffalo

Radiohead – In Rainbows

Aphex Twin – Drukqs

Four Tet – Rounds

Bone Thugs In Harmony – E. 1999 Eternal

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www.owsla.com/artists/hundred-waters