- Josh Eustis tells us why he's bringing back his beloved project.
- Josh Eustis's story is characterised by remarkable up and downs. Raised in New Orleans, Eustis and his childhood friend Charles Cooper had ambitions that stretched far beyond the Deep South. As Telefon Tel Aviv, they painstakingly crafted a heady, pastoral sound that drew from forbears like Autechre and Aphex Twin as well as bounce rap and R&B. In 2001, they released their landmark debut, Fahrenheit Fair Enough, a record that married bittersweet melodicism with virtuosic, forward-thinking production. Cooper and Eustis also moved to Chicago, their innovative sound breathing life into an IDM community they had previously observed from afar as avid fans. Tours of Europe, high-profile remixes and another album followed, but then, between the German and US release of their 2009 LP, Immolate Yourself, Cooper died after accidentally ingesting a mix of sleeping pills and alcohol. The years between then and now can be described as an adrift period for Eustis, albeit a prolific one. He continued to work with Nine Inch Nails, made an album as Sons Of Magdalene, contributed to Camella Lobo's spare post-punk project Tropic Of Cancer and dove back into glitchy drums with his Second Woman duo. This year, Eustis announced he'd carry on with Telefon Tel Aviv solo.
In this week's RA Exchange, Eustis runs over his history as a producer and fan of electronic music before candidly addressing his choice to curtail the grieving process and return as Telefon Tel Aviv. Ghostly International will re-release Fahrenheit Fair Enough in December, following a recent tour with Moderat.
Special thanks to /
Dennis Cao
TracklistTelefon Tel Aviv - Fairenheit Fair Enough
Telefon Tel Aviv - The Birds