The duo known as S P A C E come from backgrounds in art, design, film, and photography. Their first single “Fucking Great” takes these influences and weaves together complex landscapes of sound under the manicured facade of catchy melody. At first listen, their songs seem familiar and deceivingly simple. Simple, that is, until you pull at the thread of an interesting tone to find it unravels into a curated menagerie of disco, house, deep bass, anthemic rock, afrobeat, driving synth and ambience that reward multiple listens.
It’s the sort of music you’d expect to hear during a summertime pool party on the rooftop of some chic downtown LA club, but also while laying on your back on a cool desert night watching the stars spin on the vinyl turntables of the cosmos.
“Fucking Great,” is a quintessential example of everything Neff and Tuzin do well. Soulful fragmented female choir samples coupled with funky guitar riffs, and a moody bass, the song grooves like an indie rock hit with a dash of EDM. An homage to all the times anyone has ever been on the dance floor and too shy to do anything about it.
“The lyrics were born at a DJ gig in Tijuana. All the women at the club wore jeans and tennis shoes, not dresses and heels. They were there to dance not be seen,” says Tuzin. “There’s something so sexy and intimidating about giving in to the music and dancing like no one’s watching.”
Tuzin’s buoyant vocals paint the picture of an intimidatingly beautiful woman lost in her groove. He sings, “If I want to dance, I have to go to you.” Leading to the chorus of, “I feel great / I feel fucking great!” Which reverberates with the elation of going out on a limb and emerging triumphant.
S P A C E is a dichotomy that alternates between vibey uplifting jams and moody dark soul. They are fascinated by the science of S P A C E and wrap galactic exploration into all their work. They perform in masks, not to hide their identities, but to make the show an immersive interstellar adventure where there are no individuals. They are not the important element, everyone is. They suggest that audience members also wear masks and join them in S P A C E.