After delighting us with a wave of shimmering releases these last few years, LA-based artist Jangus Kangus is back once again to deliver her wondrous new single 'You Only Love Me When’.
Marking her first piece of new material in two years, ‘You Only Love Me When’ makes for an incredibly warm and inviting listen. With its broad and breezy country-inspired production perfectly elevating her soaring vocal performance throughout, she is returning to us with one of her most passionate efforts to date here.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with her to find out more about her origins and what has been inspiring her most lately.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
My uncle is a wonderful guitar player; he gifted me an acoustic guitar when I was 13 and I loved its sound. My brother who is two years older was already a pretty accomplished classical piano player by that point, and I think part of me envied that he had something he could express himself with musically. So as sort of an afterthought I had a few months of guitar lessons, then became self-taught after that. I did beg my mom for this cherry red Epiphone SG when I was 16. It was gorgeous, but the neck was heavy!
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
My mom told me she learned English when she emigrated from Vietnam to the US by listening to The Beach Boys. I have a lot of early memories of listening to Oldies Radio in the car. A lot of soul music, The Beatles, old fashioned country like Woody Guthrie and Hank Williams. I also loved all the religious Indian music I would hear in temple and at my dance recitals. In high school I gravitated toward indie. I ripped so many Death Cab, Radiohead, etc albums from my small town's library. And from several other libraries in neighboring towns.
What was the first album you remember owning?
My dad took me to bookstores a lot when I was younger because he was always having to track down these technical books for his job. Eventually I memorized all the books in the YA section of the bookstore and ended up wandering the CDs. I saw Dido's Life for Rent and only recognized the song "White Flag" on the back. I remembered the song coming on at the grocery store and feeling transported, time slowing while riding around the bakery section using a shopping cart as a skateboard. Life for Rent is genius, no skips.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
"Dancing in the Dark" by Springsteen comes to mind. It's simple and perfect; it rips. It contains, as Francis Ford Coppola once said, Captial A "Answers." Isn't life just the chaos of billions of individuals all dancing in the dark?
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Generally I will think about what I want to write about, figure out what that sounds like musically, then play that phrase obsessively until the right words show up. Sometimes I'll write when I'm doing something repetitive, like walking fast or swimming.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I've been revisiting this LA band called Superhumanoids. I love everything they've ever done. Wet Leg and The Beths came out with some no-skips albums I've been enjoying lately. Also some deep dives revisiting The Black Keys and Devo.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
When I first heard Courtney Barnett's music, I thought, hey she writes like me! I've seen her live a few times and I'm in awe of her guitar playing. I'd love to open for her.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Other than (relative) sanity, it's when people approach you cause they just came off the street following the music, and they tell you how much your band just made their night. It's the random and surprising connections you make with people.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Having patience with the process. And cables. Oof.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Demonstrate everything. --Rick Rubin
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Jangus Kangus' new single 'You Only Love Me When' is out now. Check it out in the player below.