Photo courtesy of AdvaetaIt seems like we only hear about upstarts or underdogs in the music industry. Conditioned to fawn over unsung freaks and gifted teens, we rarely get stories about dedicated, consistent artists who’ve long believed not only in their vision, but also in the necessity of paying dues. Enter Advaeta, one of New York City’s most hardworking bands. These three women been at it for six and a half years now, and their steadfastness through the virulent ebb and flow of scene and city politics is finally paying off with a fresh record, Death and the Internet, out 4/28 on Fire Talk and month-long tour.Noisey had a chance to chat with them about the thick and the thin after their sold-out show directly supporting Moon Duo at Rough Trade in New York City on March 9; read our interview below, scope their single “Hazel/Blue Eyes,” and catch one of their dates. We love you, Advaeta!
Sara: We're didn’t start with a clear vision. Years ago we just wanted to play loud, experimental, emotionally honest music but didn't exactly know how to see that through. Over the years, our experiences, ideas, and reactions to one another have molded our collective process. Fuck, we've been together almost our entire twenties! I don't know where I end and where Advaeta begins, but I think that's what defines us, what defines our sound: it’s that we’ve matured creatively (and as people) and grown roots around one another. We’re committed to each other and we all totally believe in this project. Buzz has never mattered to us.In the time you've been together there's been quite a bit of flux in the NYC scene. What things have changed most drastically and how have you guys adapted to the changes?
Sara: What's changed is what always changes around here: people, locations, tastes. It's not hard for any of us to adapt because we’re lifelong New Yorkers. Sometimes the changes can be hard to weather but really it's just nature in your face. You witness everything crumbling around you (like your favorite venues, bands, relationships, living situations, practice spaces) and you use that chaos to reinforce your singular vison. The trick is to remember that definition comes from within, not what you surround yourself with.
Amanda: The biggest changes are the most New York. It’s mostly always locations and people. We've all been here our whole lives and been a part of different scenes so we’re familiar with constant flux. I remember East Brooklyn in middle school when Williamsburg was still dangerous and no one even touched Bushwick. Back the,n I went to the very last punk parties in the East Village when Tompkins Square Park was still full of heroin addicts. Everything DIY shuts down eventually: Showpaper, Market Hotel, 285 Kent, Big Snow—and once those places close, people pick up the pieces and move somewhere else in order to keep the passion alive. If you want live in New York, you have no choice but to adapt.
Lani: Growing up in NYC, you have to acclimate to whatever is thrown your way. When I was 14, I used to go to these punk shows thrown at a temple in Sheepshead Bay. One day, Leftover Crack played there and it got shut down forever. That night my friends and I were like, "okay what next?" and we moved on and from there found other spaces and other scenes. Then I started booking shows via Showpaper, and now that’s over.What inspires your sound?
Sara: This is a tricky question to answer, because what I’m inspired by feels very private. I’m driven by extreme shit and gut-wrenching things: high highs and low lows. The weirdest, the sexiest, the angriest, the most confused shit of life. I feel like I'm just making what needs to come out of me.
Amanda: For me it's noise a la Les Rallizes Denudes, kraut—specifically Can, the lushness of Spacemen 3, and the psych of The Electronic Hole, but really we've sort of morphed into our own thing and at this point are just feeding off of each other keeping the focus creating and letting things come about naturally.
Lani: Since both Sara and Amanda play guitar, I've compensated for the low end by slamming the hell out of my kick drum and am generally super tom-heavy because of the kick. That keeps me listening to the heavier side of things for inspiration.What's your name mean? Does your band name inform the types of sounds you make?
Sara: It’s the apex of everything. It's the event horizon of the self and the all, the individuation and the shared experience. The word "Advaeta" sounds like the act of braiding hair to me, both feminine and subtly aggressive. I don't think it informs our sound, but I do think it's an accurate representation of it.
Amanda: "Advaeta" is the Sanskrit word for convergence of self and the other, meaning non-duality. We were originally going for an Eastern word with a Western bent, so we found "advaita" which fit perfectly and changed the spelling to Advaeta—the "ae" originating from Latin. We each have our own mystical bent and are committed to shattering both the binaries that exist within us as individuals as well as those that exist among our group so, yeah, I’d say the name has become deeply ingrained with the music.
Lani: The three of us meditate together pretty often, use protective crystals and oils and just generally are drawn to the third eye.You've just been signed to Fire Talk; did you self-release prior to this? What would you say the benefit of doing it yourself is, and how does it feel to have the backing of a label?
Amanda: Yes, we self-released a single a year and a half ago and an EP before that. I think the benefit of DIY is understanding everything that goes into putting out your own record (and booking your own tour etc). The feeling of competency really can’t be beat but as far as our label is concerned? Fire Talk is amazing! They’re incredibly supportive and I respect and appreciate them a lot. I feel lucky that we are involved with them.TOUR DATES:3.12 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Silent Barn
3.13 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Gooski's
3.14 - Chicago, IL @ The Observatory
3.15 - Detroit, MI @ New Dodge Lounge
3.16 - Murray, KY @ Dale's Youth Corner
3.17 - Nashville, TN @ The Pussy Palace
3.18 - Little Rock, AR The White Water Tavern
3.19 - Austin, TX - SXSW @ Beerland
3.20 - Austin, TX - SXSW @ Love Goat
3.20 - Austin, TX - SXSW @ Hole In The Wall
3.21 - Austin, TX - SXSW @ Po Boy Place
3.23 - Houston, TX @ Notsuoh
3.24 - New Orleans, LA @ Circle Bar
3.26 - Athens, GA @ The Globe
3.27 - Raleigh, NC @ Slims
3.28 - Baltimore, MD The CrownDeath and the Internet is out 4/28 on Fire Talk.Lindsey Leonard is repping DIY on Twitter - @choderainbow
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Noisey: In a world of two-year buzz-band careers and Best New Music-generated tours, you guys have been plugging along steadily for over six years. What are the benefits of sticking it out and seeing the project through?
Sara: We're didn’t start with a clear vision. Years ago we just wanted to play loud, experimental, emotionally honest music but didn't exactly know how to see that through. Over the years, our experiences, ideas, and reactions to one another have molded our collective process. Fuck, we've been together almost our entire twenties! I don't know where I end and where Advaeta begins, but I think that's what defines us, what defines our sound: it’s that we’ve matured creatively (and as people) and grown roots around one another. We’re committed to each other and we all totally believe in this project. Buzz has never mattered to us.In the time you've been together there's been quite a bit of flux in the NYC scene. What things have changed most drastically and how have you guys adapted to the changes?
Sara: What's changed is what always changes around here: people, locations, tastes. It's not hard for any of us to adapt because we’re lifelong New Yorkers. Sometimes the changes can be hard to weather but really it's just nature in your face. You witness everything crumbling around you (like your favorite venues, bands, relationships, living situations, practice spaces) and you use that chaos to reinforce your singular vison. The trick is to remember that definition comes from within, not what you surround yourself with.
Amanda: The biggest changes are the most New York. It’s mostly always locations and people. We've all been here our whole lives and been a part of different scenes so we’re familiar with constant flux. I remember East Brooklyn in middle school when Williamsburg was still dangerous and no one even touched Bushwick. Back the,n I went to the very last punk parties in the East Village when Tompkins Square Park was still full of heroin addicts. Everything DIY shuts down eventually: Showpaper, Market Hotel, 285 Kent, Big Snow—and once those places close, people pick up the pieces and move somewhere else in order to keep the passion alive. If you want live in New York, you have no choice but to adapt.
Lani: Growing up in NYC, you have to acclimate to whatever is thrown your way. When I was 14, I used to go to these punk shows thrown at a temple in Sheepshead Bay. One day, Leftover Crack played there and it got shut down forever. That night my friends and I were like, "okay what next?" and we moved on and from there found other spaces and other scenes. Then I started booking shows via Showpaper, and now that’s over.
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Sara: This is a tricky question to answer, because what I’m inspired by feels very private. I’m driven by extreme shit and gut-wrenching things: high highs and low lows. The weirdest, the sexiest, the angriest, the most confused shit of life. I feel like I'm just making what needs to come out of me.
Amanda: For me it's noise a la Les Rallizes Denudes, kraut—specifically Can, the lushness of Spacemen 3, and the psych of The Electronic Hole, but really we've sort of morphed into our own thing and at this point are just feeding off of each other keeping the focus creating and letting things come about naturally.
Lani: Since both Sara and Amanda play guitar, I've compensated for the low end by slamming the hell out of my kick drum and am generally super tom-heavy because of the kick. That keeps me listening to the heavier side of things for inspiration.What's your name mean? Does your band name inform the types of sounds you make?
Sara: It’s the apex of everything. It's the event horizon of the self and the all, the individuation and the shared experience. The word "Advaeta" sounds like the act of braiding hair to me, both feminine and subtly aggressive. I don't think it informs our sound, but I do think it's an accurate representation of it.
Amanda: "Advaeta" is the Sanskrit word for convergence of self and the other, meaning non-duality. We were originally going for an Eastern word with a Western bent, so we found "advaita" which fit perfectly and changed the spelling to Advaeta—the "ae" originating from Latin. We each have our own mystical bent and are committed to shattering both the binaries that exist within us as individuals as well as those that exist among our group so, yeah, I’d say the name has become deeply ingrained with the music.
Lani: The three of us meditate together pretty often, use protective crystals and oils and just generally are drawn to the third eye.
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Amanda: Yes, we self-released a single a year and a half ago and an EP before that. I think the benefit of DIY is understanding everything that goes into putting out your own record (and booking your own tour etc). The feeling of competency really can’t be beat but as far as our label is concerned? Fire Talk is amazing! They’re incredibly supportive and I respect and appreciate them a lot. I feel lucky that we are involved with them.TOUR DATES:3.12 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Silent Barn
3.13 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Gooski's
3.14 - Chicago, IL @ The Observatory
3.15 - Detroit, MI @ New Dodge Lounge
3.16 - Murray, KY @ Dale's Youth Corner
3.17 - Nashville, TN @ The Pussy Palace
3.18 - Little Rock, AR The White Water Tavern
3.19 - Austin, TX - SXSW @ Beerland
3.20 - Austin, TX - SXSW @ Love Goat
3.20 - Austin, TX - SXSW @ Hole In The Wall
3.21 - Austin, TX - SXSW @ Po Boy Place
3.23 - Houston, TX @ Notsuoh
3.24 - New Orleans, LA @ Circle Bar
3.26 - Athens, GA @ The Globe
3.27 - Raleigh, NC @ Slims
3.28 - Baltimore, MD The CrownDeath and the Internet is out 4/28 on Fire Talk.Lindsey Leonard is repping DIY on Twitter - @choderainbow