Spark up an electro fuse with a twist of house, blend with a galvanizing slowed down beat, and Peking Duk is served. Catapulting onto the Australian music scene, the Canberra-bred duo of Adam Hyde and Reuben Styles hascaptivated fans across Australia and the world with their distinct flavour of indie electronica and electrifying live sets. Peking Duk got off to a massive start in 2015. They had the honour of having two singles in the top five of Triple J’s Hottest 100 (an amazing feat for their first entry into the countdown), completed a sold-out Peace, Love & Sweatiness regional tour of Australia, won a Rolling Stone Award for Best Video and now ‘Take Me Over’ featuring SAFIA has achieved double platinum sales. This is Peking Duk’s second single to achieve multi-platinum sales, with the ARIAAward winning ‘High’ featuring Nicole Millar recently clocking over to triple platinum!
You guys are by no way new comers to the industry and have been chipping away at the clubs around Australia for many years before touring the world as mainstage festival headliners. We would love to hear about your first few club shows and where they were and how you managed to swindle them?
First set ever was at a cocktail bar. Adam and I hounded them to give us a crack and eventually they let us spin some tunes! We didn’t own decks so it was a great way for us to learn how to DJ and get used to finding rad tunes week in week out. Sadly everyone at the fancy bar had to be seated at all times so when we got people dancing one night – we got the sack. We then aimed at unipub and sent them demo mixes along with press shots and all sorts of gimmicks til they gave us a crack. When we jumped on it went well and we got to play again the next week! It was probably the most exciting thing that’d ever happened to us at the time.
What were the tunes you playing back then? Can you remember 5 tracks that really have stayed in your heads from back then?
We played these 5 songs at our first ever club show and still play them… Djedjotronic – I Am Europe, Fake Blood – Mars, Afrojack – Polkadots, Shakedown (Bass Kleph Remix) & Minimal Female – Joe Maker
Where do you see the current Australian industry heading in the next few years with events like Stereosonic gone and the Sydney lock out laws really playing some key changes in things?
The industry is and always will be changing. As long as everyone stays positive and excited towards music – and continues to fight rubbish laws such as Sydney’s lockout laws – great things will come.
How about the industry in the USA? Its really boomed in the last few years but things are slowly making change up that way to according to everyones social media and the haters of the whole EDM movement?
The USA is into everything, dance music and DJs just recently had an explosion there – but it doesn’t mean they don’t have metal festivals, country festivals and everything under the sun. They were just slower than Europe and Australia to get onto dance music, so when they discovered it everyone went nuts. Now, everyone there knows dance music so it’s just blended into the old mix of what was already there. Trends can go literally any direction, so it’s best to stay away from them.
Is there any new plans for another album with you guys and who will you be collaborating with if so?
Well this album we are working on will be the first. We are a collaborative project so there will be lots of fun collaborations, can’t give away anything yet tho……
How about new tracks we love new music? Anything you can link us up with for our audience?
Anastacia – I’m Outta Love
https://soundcloud.com/pekingduk/peking-duk-high-ft-nicole
What about Gili Islands? Is this the first time you have been out that way? What do you know about the islands and how do you picture them?
My misso just got back from Gili islands recommends sunset at Casa Vintage, riding bikes around the island and snorkelling. I personally can’t wait to climb the volcano. It’s the first time Adam and I have been out there.
We know its the first time you have performed out there? Forgotten island is a very unique event and its going to be a great oppurtunity to catch you guys in such a awesome spot. Is there anything you have specially planned we can tell the punters about ?
We are
Whats Peking Duk’s current top 5?
Our top 5? Tequila, Fernet Branca, Beer, Vodka and reeeeeeed reeed wine
How about a picture of your studio guys? We love studio pictures!
As a duo how do you guys operate in the studio? And how about on the road since thats where we assume you spend most of your time.
We make songs and enjoy it, all with Ableton Live using guitars, bass, and a whole lot of soft synths and drum samples. On the road we play shows and try do a good job and not get too messy!