Freecell Are Not in a Scene (Respectfully)

Freecell sit in that slippery middle ground where “alt-rock” still feels like a useful term. The duo make restless, self-interrogative music that’s more about mood and intuition than genre. If you haven’t fallen into the Brooklyn-based duo’s world yet, this Q&A is a good place to start: a candid look at how Freecell think, create, and make sense of themselves through sound.

For those who aren’t yet fans, describe Freecell.

I guess the easiest label is a form of alternative rock, whatever that still means. We’ve been compared to Arctic Monkeys, Radiohead, which is obviously an insane compliment. Music is so over-categorized now that it’s almost impossible to say what we are. We’re basically two cynics who really like making music and trying to figure ourselves out through it.

What are some sources you draw inspiration from?

Lately we’ve been addicted to Charli XCX. She broke our brains. But in general, our inspirations come from everywhere, film we’re watching, literature we’re reading. Sometimes it feels like, as musicians, we’re just trying to catch up with our unconscious mind throwing things at us. You can come in with an idea of where you want to draw inspiration from, but in the end it often feels like you’re just organizing ideas that you weren’t even aware of at the moment of creation.

Do you feel part of a specific scene, or intentionally outside of one?

Yes and no. It’s hard to feel like a part of a scene when you’re not quite sure where you sit stylistically. We’re also not the most social people by nature, which probably doesn’t help haha. That said, we’ve been lucky to meet and play with some amazing artists like Monobloc, Clipping, Astoria, Broom.

How do you approach collaboration - both as a duo and with other artists?

As a duo, it’s very fluid. There’s no strict division of roles, we just follow whatever feels strong in the moment. A lot of it is about being brutally honest with each other. The better idea wins, no egos. With other artists, we try to keep the same mindset. We’re not interested in forcing a feature or a formula. There’s something magical about letting someone into your world, but not to the extent that it dilutes what’s already there.

What’s on the horizon?

Currently, we’re in the middle of making what feels like the best music we’ve ever made, with some really exciting collaborators. We can’t wait to put it out. We’ve also got a few shows lined up for the summer and we’re looking forward to sharing the new tracks on stage.