by John Wisniewski for MK ULTRA Magazine
In a storied career that began in New York City in 1993, INTERFACE just added their seventh studio album entitled “Zero-Sum Equation,” to their impressive discography. With an introspective view of personal accountability and a scathing socio-political polemic, “Zero-Sum Equation” adds a triumphant message to the band’s electronic legacy. Founded and led by programmer/keyboardist and vocalist Eric Eldredge, INTERFACE combines the sonic edge of industrial, the club energy of trance, and a melodic sensibility for a unique experience. Eric had a lot to say, and we did our best to hear him out for this rare interview that offers some insight into Interface.
Bandcamp:
https://interfaceny.bandcamp.com/album/zero-sum-equation
John Wisniewski: “Zero-Sum Equation,” appears to be a conceptual album. What issues are brought to the surface and was there anything different about the recording process of this album?
Eric Eldredge: It certainly is! It’s a combination of socio-political commentary and a look into personal accountability. I was deeply affected by a lot of things over the last few years – a bad series of personal struggles, the Covid-19 pandemic, the US political landscape, and other social woes like cancel-culture or online conflicts. I tried to be more “straightforward” in my recording process. Like, I did all of the vocal recording over the span of a single weekend to try and get them to sound fairly consistent.
JW: What has the reception been like for the new album “Zero-Sum Equation,” from fans, DJs and zines?
Eric Eldredge: I’m somehow not surprised at “(Living In The) 21st Century” really resonating with the music world, that’s for sure. I know that one really hit home for a lot of listeners just as it did me when I wrote it.
JW: Where do you find inspiration to write your music?
Eric Eldredge: All over the place! I find all facets of the human condition as inspiration for my music and my creativity.
JW: Can you tell our gear loving audience about some of your favorite musical gear and electronics that you like using.
Eric Eldredge: Well, I’m still using Cubase Pro as my main studio workstation. My hardware is a UAD Apollo system – I really can’t live without those plugins to make my music come through! I’ve still been a huge fan of the VPS Avenger synth, plus some of the Roland Cloud. I’ve also been faithfully using my NI Komplete. As far as hardware goes, I’d picked up a few things for the sessions: a Prophet 08 was used a few times on the record.
JW: Are there any emerging music artists you are listening to these days?
Eric Eldredge: I’ve been sort of all over the place lately. I’ve still been really into some of the stuff from Rue Oberkampf, “laser disco” like Pablo Bozzi or Dorothy’s Fortress, andneo-post punk or darkwave. My streaming playlists range far and wide!
JW: Remarkably, Interface has been active since 1993, what has kept Interface going all these years?
Eric Eldredge: It may sound cliché, but you’ve got to stick to your own thing and not worry about others. That’s gotten harder in recent years after so many albums and songs, people begin to expect a certain level of creation from you.
JW: New York City has always had a revolving ever changing scene, is there a thriving Industrial/Trance scene in New York currently?
Eric Eldredge: Always, despite venues coming and going. Nights like Svmmon in Brooklyn or Defcon in NYC are always keeping the faith!
JW: Could you name some artists who have influenced the Interface sound over the years?
Eric Eldredge: There are some obvious ones for sure: Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, and New Order are my holy trinity. Beyond that, some of the stalwarts: 242, FLA, Nitzer Ebb… Then there are the lesser expected ones like Alan Parsons or Tears For Fears, or Pink Floyd. I’ve found a little something in lots of odd places.
JW: Many bands complain about their record labels, while many independently released artists complain about being independent. How is your relationship with Distortion Productions? Where do you stand on the “signed vs independent” conversation?
Eric Eldredge: We’re thrilled to be on Distortion. We’ve had our fair share of label issues over the years, but the band’s friendship with Jim Semonik has really been the driving force in this current success. Between his support of our music, the ongoing Electronic Saviors compilation project, and the community he’s built up, it’s the best of all worlds.
JW: Any future plans, live shows and projects for Interface?
Eric Eldredge: We hope so! It’s been harder to get out and perform live these days. We’re finding venues booked out more heavily than before, and with the members being older and having families, it gets harder to find the time to be out there. I’ll be returning to the studio in the meantime, to start some other non-Interface projects that I can hopefully share soon.