When I arrived at the club on a Thursday night when NYC really starts to party, I felt like I was finally in the city (or maybe abroad) as the bottom floor of Output does have a very dark Euro feel to it. As I walked up the stairs I entered a different world, still with red lighting but way less smoky and ominous. There was a winding staircase up to the roof, where late night club goers inhaled on cigarettes and a glittery chandelier hanging over the dance floor in The Panther Room, that I took to be more of the "upper echelon" of the club itself.
When I interviewed popular electronic artist Le Youth over the booming bass I found him to be very laid back about the direction that his new single "Real,"would take and as someone told me later that's "Just the Cali in him." As I danced to his set I noticed that he has a knack for playing the right beat at the exact right moment to keep the crowd going until the NYC standard of 4am.
EARMILK: So you had a good time playing Output?
Le Youth: I always have a good time playing NYC. It's my favorite place to do live sets.
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EM: It's probably a big change of pace from LA, right?
LY: I feel like there's a more mature type of energy that you can just feel. For some reason you always feel "cooler" in New York than you do anywhere else.
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EM: What do you think the difference is between playing NYC and LA?
LY: I've actually played New York more than LA, which is interesting but it always feels like there is more of a younger scene here than the NYC crowd. And New York always stays open two hours later than LA does. They're definitely very different.
EM: But LA is your home base?
LY: What is funny is that I go out a lot more in New York than I do here. In LA I stay in my studio more and work on music. There are a lot of cool artistic scenes in places like West Hollywood though, and the city itself is really only "plastic-y" if you're looking for that. There are a lot of people who come here wanting to be in Hollywood and realistically about two percent of them are successful. So that goes along with the plastic reputation and training yourself to be something that you may not be. It seems like when people go to New York it's for a real purpose, to work and be involved in a different type of world than you would here.
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EM: And people are more upfront about what they're doing?
LY: I think so. There are definitely a lot more transients out here and people aren't always sure of which direction to take. They come with a suitcase to chase this dream and it can last for a month to ten years. So you can make friends with someone who won't be here a year later. That being said, I love living here and there are a lot of great things, it just feels less permanent. I've lived in a bunch of neighborhoods and have made friends in every one.
EM: Where did you first live?
LY: I moved to Highland Park, then to downtown, then to West Hollywood, then to Hollywood and now I'm living in Venice Beach.
EM: Which one have you enjoyed the most?
LY: Venice, definitely Venice Beach for sure. I did really like West Hollywood though, it was a great neighborhood, safe, clean, fun.
EM: But I'm assuming that there's no place better than living on a beach?
LY: Definitely, I'm about four blocks away and in one of the coolest and most eccentric neighborhoods.
EM: So your new single "Real" is coming out Monday, what are your hopes for it's release?
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LY: It's funny but usually by the times that the tracks come out I've already mentally moved on to the next thing. I'm hoping for radio plays in the UK, like what happened with "Cool" and for it to just be well received. Other than that, I just try not to think about it so much and just focus on new music.
EM: I've actually heard that a lot from artists, that by the time that a track is released they've already moved on in a way.
LY: Yeah exactly, I made real over a year ago.
EM: That's probably a good way to feel about it though, because as an artist you're putting so much of yourself out there.
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LY: It's also a reality these days that you have to constantly watch the number of plays you're getting on your Soundcloud and such, which is an interesting way of making art.
EM: How do you think that the Internet success of "Cool" shaped your development as an artist? And having it take off so quickly?
LY: Well, I've been making music my whole life so it wasn't anything new, but I could start it as the beginning of a new project for me. But as far as the music industry I have been a musician for a long time.
EM: So is that when it felt like it came to fruition?
LY: Yeah definitely. It finally felt like I could tell my Mom and Dad that I had been successful.
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"Real" is available for pre-order on iTunes.
