Deap Vally promise “hugeness, epicness, and darkness” on their new album

Californian garage-rock powerhouses Deap Vally release their second record later this year, and they’ve promised “hugeness, epicness, and darkness.”

Speaking to DIY, the band’s drummer Julie Edwards gave us an update on progress towards the follow-up to ‘SISTRIONIX.’ Though Deap Vally used the same song-writing processes, she says that this new album takes them further. “We just continued our journey of jamming and finding moments that felt cathartic, and building them into songs,” she says. “The result of that exploration is sometimes a real departure from the ‘SISTRIONIX zone’. We are really excited. This record has ended up being both darker and lighter than our debut.”

Deap Vally worked with Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ guitarist Nick Zinner - who has previously collaborated with the likes of TV On The Radio, The Horrors, and Bright Eyes - on their new album. “It’s impossible to quantify anyone’s contribution to a creative endeavour,” Julie starts, “but any moment he was in the room, he was affecting what was happening. In general, he has great taste, great ideas, and he’s a guitar tone genius, so that helps! He would sit in on free jams (he is brave…) and then if he had some favourites, he would let us know. Sometimes those would be developed into complete songs, or else he would oversee the recording of songs that were already completed. The process was very democratic and organic.”

This new record has been in the works for a couple of years, Julie reveals, and their work with Zinner stretches back that far, too. “We started recording this album with Nick at Sonic Ranch in El Paso, Texas back in January of 2013,” she explains. “It’s been a long time coming. We would fit studio time in between tours and between planning Desert Daze and Moon Block Party out in Southern California, which is another thing we do in our ‘free’ time…”

Not that Deap Vally have much free time to speak of at the moment. The band have been supporting Marilyn Manson on tour, and apparently loving every minute. “They’re great!” says Julie of the shows. “His fans have been really receptive to us. They love the heavy dark shit just like we do, so it’s a great match. Plus, watching Manson every night is inspiring - he is truly a master at communicating with thousands of people all at once.”

Looking forward, both Julie Edwards and bandmate Lindsey Troy are off to moonlight in other bands; playing bass for White Lung and JJUUJJUU. Then, attention turns firmly back to Deap Vally - “then it’s back on tour as the record comes out in the fall…”

Deap Vally’s second album is due later this year.