“Music is the only thing that lasts forever,” Hard To Tell reflects, capturing their belief in the timeless nature of their art. This perspective shines through in their latest EP ‘Love Pedal,’ a 3 track collection that defies the conventional boundaries of electronic music. Drawing inspiration from the classic sounds of Detroit House and Techno, the duo infuses these styles with their own originality to create something truly distinctive.
“We love it when people can feel both emotions in our music,” they explain, pointing to their talent for blending melancholy with uplifting beats. While the duo, comprised of the Israeli talents Roy Leibovitz and Roi Zarhi, originally set out to deliver something other than “a typical dance floor tune,” the ‘Love Pedal‘ EP emerges as an undeniable crowd-pleaser. Each track captivates with its rhythmic allure and intricate percussion, making it impossible not to feel the urge to dance.
In our interview, we delve into the creative dynamics of Hard To Tell, explore how their partnership thrives amidst the music industry’s demands, and uncover how they stay true to their artistic vision while embracing fan feedback and evolving trends.
Congratulations on your new releases. Can you tell us more about the creative process behind ‘Last Forever’? What inspired its sound?
Thanks a lot for kind words. (smiles) We draw a lot of inspiration from the old school sounds of Detroit House and Techno, which we both love. In this latest tune, Last Forever, we tried to put our new original take on these old sounds to create something totally fresh and unique.
The title of your track is ‘Last Forever’, yet there’s a common saying that ‘nothing lasts forever.’ (smiles) How does this track explore or play with the contradiction between its title and this timeless adage?
For us, music is the only thing that lasts forever. That’s the reason we named the track like this. (smiles)
Let’s talk about your EP ‘Love Pedal’. The title track ‘Love Pedal’ has a unique rhythm and an air of lasciviousness. How have you achieved its distinctive sound?
So, Love Pedal is our debut release on the Adana Twins’ TAU imprint. It’s a big moment in our career and something we’re very proud of. When we worked on this title track we knew we wanted it to be something different and not a “dance floor” tune. We used a lot of live percussion recordings and also a lot of sounds that we don’t usually use (like the trumpet sound for example) that we feel make it special.
In ‘Be Waiting’, there’s a blend of melancholy and uplifting sounds. Was it difficult balancing these contrasting emotions in the track?
Actually, we really love to make the balance between melancholy sound and uplifting sound so it was not difficult at all. We love it when people can feel both emotions in our music.
“For us, music is the only thing that lasts forever. That’s the reason we named the track like this.”
How did the collaboration with Yet More come about for the track ‘I Didn’t’, and how did this partnership influence the final sound?
After releasing together on Innervisions’s Secret Weapons, we connected with Teymour (we like to call him broski) because we loved his music. We met in Paris and loved his personality too. We worked on two tracks.
The first one, ‘I Didn’t’ just came out on our Love Pedal EP on TAU. It blends our trademark Detroit groove with his distinctive vocal sampling. The second one, ‘Voilà’, will be released as part of the upcoming VA on TAU as well. We can’t wait to share these tunes with the world!
Are there any artists or producers you are keen to collaborate with in the future?
There are so many amazing artists and producers we’d love to work with and we are always looking for new artists to collaborate with. We have some big collaborations in the pipeline for 2024 that we can’t mention right now, but stay tuned!
You have been returning to the Innervisions label. What makes this label particularly significant for you as artists?
We love the unique sound of each release on the label. From when they started out until now, they always put out top quality releases that are different from the rest of the labels out there. For us as artists it’s an honor to keep releasing our music on Innervisions and get full support from artists who like them and their lovely fans. We also really appreciate the music taste of label bosses Ame & Dixon; they have inspired us a lot with their sets over the years.
“In a moment of disagreement we know how to put the ego aside and move on because we both want it to be good in the end.”
What should artists think about when choosing a label?
They should think about if their music will fit with what the label is releasing at that moment.
How do you manage the creative process when working as a duo?
Each one of us makes what the other one is doing better. That’s what makes the partnerships so good. We also have been really good friends for a while now, so everything feels natural.
What do you like most about each other?
It’s a good question. We like that we are opposites in a lot of ways. That’s what makes us bring out the best in each other and stay together .
How do you handle creative differences or disagreements that arise during the production process?
We respect each other very much and trust each other. In a moment of disagreement we know how to put the ego aside and move on because we both want it to be good in the end.
“We try to focus only on ourselves, think positively, and do more things that make us happy and peaceful.”
With all the rapid changes, the vast number of artists, and the demanding nature of the music industry, how do you cope with stress and prioritize mental health?
We try to focus only on ourselves, think positively, and do more things that make us happy and peaceful. Health is more important than anything!
Does feedback from your fans influence your music production?
We greatly appreciate and respect our fans’ opinions and try to respond to everyone. If we hear something that we think is true and understand we can do better then we will do it. We believe that all of us can learn something new.
Apart from music, what are some non-musical influences that inspire your creativity?
Any kind of art can inspire us. Also to see new places and new cultures, the weather and the times. It all plays a part.
Where do you see yourselves both personally and professionally in the next five years?
We just want to keep making a lot of good music and travel all over the world.
See you guys soon and all the best, HTT.
Thank you so much for your time!
Follow Hard To Tell for more:
www.instagram.com/_hardtotell_
www.facebook.com/HardToTell.Music
