Vancouver duo Data Romance (a.k.a. Ajay Bhattacharyya and Amy Kirkpatrick) are a band whose music is near impossible to describe; a mix of dreamy vocals, sexy electronica, and haunting undertones that layer perfectly. Drawing comparisons to Lykke Li and Nine Inch Nails, their debut album Bones was released November 15 and the hype surrounding them has been steadily growing. Naturally, we wanted to get to know the duo a little better! 

How did each of your musical paths begin and how did they eventually merge together?

Amy: I was forced into piano lessons around the age of five by my parents. (Yes, I now thank them for it.) I remember begging to quit about seven years later, and my mom offered me a trip to Disneyland just to stay in piano lessons. I never went to Disneyland. Jay and I met through mutual friends in high school and I had needed a drummer around that time. We played some shows on and off, but one day he started sending me electronic tracks that needed vocals. That’s when this band really started.

Ajay: I started playing the drums when a friend of mine got a guitar for his birthday and i was jealous. Before that I was sure I’d be a comic book artist, but music was infectious and it started taking over my life.

What’s the music scene like in Victoria?

Ajay: It’s almost too cool. There’s definitely a lot of support in the city but there’s a core musical fan base that is one of the most savvy and taste maker bunch of people I know. If you’re cool in Vic, you know you’re cool. That’s not to say we’re cool there though ;).

Where did the name Data Romance come from?

Amy: We originally went under the name ‘Names’ but eventually found it impossible to have normal conversations about our band, let alone have people find us on the internet. Data Romance just fit our sound, our personalities, and our vibe. Jay’s the data, I’m the romance (apparently) ha ha. I think I got the better end of that deal.

Who’s your favourite musical duo, past or present?

Amy: Tegan and Sara. Hands down. Love their music, love their live shows, and they’re just so damn cute! They’re strong, smart, hard working business women, along with writing amazing music. They’ve always been a huge inspiration to me in how to deal with being a female in this industry. They make it look easy, which it definitely at times isn’t.

How do you settle creative differences (…that is, if you ever have any)?

Amy: Well I have to say they’re easier to settle with just two people.  Jay and I can both be stubborn, but we also only ever want what’s best for the music. We share pretty similar taste in what we like, and differences are usually small when it comes to writing songs. I think we work so well because we don’t tip-toe around each other’s feelings. Lyrics aren’t working, he tells me. I’m not liking a beat so much, I tell him. Done and done. We move on.

Your EP Bones has been getting a lot of hype! What are the themes and inspirations behind it?

Amy: Bones was a song we wrote in the summer actually. That song sat on the shelf for quite a while because we wanted to release it in the right context. The EP features three amazing remixes, as well as a softer song called Warrior, and a self remix of our song Frozen. We wanted to give people a taste of who we were before ever releasing a full length album. Bones gives you an idea of our style, and the video that goes along with it shows bits of our personality. As for the inspiration for the song itself, well that was just something I was going through at the time. Having to metaphorically “divide my heart from my bones”. Meaning, I have a hard time separating my actions from what my heart wants. How much longer do I have in this therapy session?

How did you come up with the ‘Pay With A Tweet’ initiative?

Jay: It was brought to our attention by a friend at a publicity company called The MuseBox (who are great people by the way). It just seemed like the best option for a band at our level where we’re more interested in people hearing about us than making a few bucks.

What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘romance’?

Amy: Don’t ask me why, but the first words that popped into my head were ‘Johnny Depp’. Actually when I think of romance I think beach, candles, someone you can’t stop thinking about. It’s in the little things. I truly believe the less money spent on trying to achieve ‘romance’, the more romantic something is. Going above and beyond just to make someone smile is so much more romantic than going and buying a $5,000 purse. But that’s just me. 

Check out Data Romance’s website at www.dataromance.ca and download their Bones EP by paying with a tweet.  

Photo credit: The MuseBox 

~ Caitlyn Holroyd