Through the Golden Door

We follow The Golden Filter to learn more about their glittering synth-electro before they release their new single 'Thunderbird'

The Golden Filter are the otherworldly synthy musical duo from New York, back with their new single 'Thunderbird', a disco-infused pop number. The dream-like artwork for their first single 'Solid Gold' released on Dummy Records caught the eye of bloggers and the like, gaining them widespread online acclaim. Citing The Human League, Pink Floyd, and The Cure as influences, the duo have remixed the likes of Empire of the Sun, Little Boots, and Modular's Cut Copy.

What's the story behind the new single? Any relation to the TV shows? A Pokemon, maybe?
The Golden Filter: Both Thunderbirds, the TV show and The Golden Filter have a Penelope. Other than that, no. Our Thunderbird is a purification / healing ceremony derived from a Navajo Night Chant, though we do gain power when struck by lightning bolts, like the Pokemon.

What inspires you?
The Golden Filter: Bizarre landscapes, the 60s, old found photos, good energy, colour, volcanic activity beneath our feet, 1981.

What song do you wish you'd made?
The Golden Filter: "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out"

What are you listening to now?
The Golden Filter: The "Where the Wild Things Are" soundtrack.

What direction do you think your music will head?
The Golden Filter: We generally leave it up to fate in that we really don't think about where our music will take us, unaware of how it might end. However, we can say that our full-length is much less dancey disco than people might expect, and chances are we will veer further off the dancefloor, but we really don't know what we'll be feeling tomorrow, much less months from now.

If you weren't making music, what would you be doing?
The Golden Filter: We'd probably join a team of geologists that explore deep caves and violently beautiful earthly activity. We've been completely enamoured with places with lots of volcanic movement.

What dream did you have last night?
Penelope: I was in this house where I could feel the presence of ghosts and when I went to talk to my friend my voice wouldn't come out because there was a ghost strangling me. After an intial panic to break free of the grasp, I calmed down and turned to the ghost and told them they were beautiful. They then relaxed their tight grip and floated up to the chandelier above us, sat on it and finally rested in peace.
Stephen: I dreamt that we had a show at a festival that got taken over by hoodlums so we didn't play... then heard gunshots as we were leaving. Quite scary.

Where will you be in ten years?
The Golden Filter: In the south of France taking photos of field animals.

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