The Ting Tings interview: "We've gone disco, but not forever"

As far as productive working environments go, clubbing mecca Ibiza hardly feels like the obvious choice for those wanting to knuckle down with, well, anything other than partying. 

Regardless, it's where Machester duo The Ting Tings decided to set up camp to record their third studio album Super Critical; and the island's influences definitely show. 

With the album out this week, we phoned up Katie White and Jules De Martino to talk about about their new sound, going independent and find out which corner of the world they're headed next.   

Hello Ting Tings! You’re currently in Ibiza, where you’ve been living now for a while now. Apologies if we’re interrupting a party or something…

Katie: “Far from it! We’re actually in the south of Spain at the moment in the middle of nowhere, rehearsing and making music videos. It’s like a big empty house that we’ve filled with our equipment. It’s so hot - too hot to go outside, so I’m still as white as ever.”

Jules: “We had to actually get away from Ibiza for a while as we’re rehearsing for our live shows and there are just too many distractions out there!”

We can believe that there are plenty of distractions in Ibiza. Why did you decide to set up shop out there? Are you essentially on a permanent jolly now?

Katie: “Basically! No - it was definitely a music-based decision. We made the last album whilst living in Berlin where it was minus 20 degrees and miserable. I remember sitting there thinking, ‘I’ve worked my arse off and I’ve chosen to work somewhere colder than the UK!

“Ages ago, we went to Ibiza out of season to a recording studio and loved the vibe. We think it’s important as writers to change your surroundings to keep you inspired. We ended up making a song that we absolutely loved and literally stayed in that windowless studio for a year… we enjoyed every second of it!”

Your new album Super Critical is inspired by disco, but it’s not a complete out-and-out departure of your signature sound. Where the disco influence come from?

Jules: “The location definitely played a part in that, but both Katie and I love all sorts of music. We don’t love one particular genre or album – bar the obvious classics of course – we love individual tracks. I think every record we’ve made sounds so different. We’re already talking about moving to Nashville for album four.”

Katie: “We’re going to hunt down [Fleetwood Mac's] Lindsey Buckingham and force him to work with us! It won’t be an out-and-out country record, but a Ting Tings take on that sound. If we can make five or six albums this way I think we’ll be very happy. We've gone a dancey for this record, but it's natural for us to explore new sounds.”

A Nashville-inspired Ting Tings album would be another huge shift in sound, especially given the general public are still getting used to new sound of your current singles Wrong Club and Do It Again…

Jules: “I think you’ve hit the nail on the head here. Our first record was really successful, but we actually released That’s Not My Name and Great DJ as a double A-side a year and a half before it became a hit. That time is actually the best time for a new band – putting a track out and touring the hell out of it and watching it build it up.

“We obviously couldn’t do that on the second record as we weren’t new anymore, but we’re releasing this new record independently, and it feels like it did when we first started again. It’s challenging, but so exciting, and we can now give people that time they need to get used to whatever sound we’re putting out.”

Given the dancier sound of Super Critical, have you thought about how you’re going to perform it on tour?

Katie: “We actually want to tour this record in a very different way to our previous ones. While we were making the album we did our homework in the clubs and one day saw this picture of Diana Ross performing in a DJ booth. It really inspired us and we said, ‘wouldn’t it be cool if we could incorporate that into our set?’ So rather than perform at the usual venues, we want to do a few gigs that mix DJ-ing with our own live instruments. We’ve already tried it in Ibiza and it really works.”

What’s the best song on the album?

Jules: “My favourite is the new single Do It Again. I love the groove on it, the simpilicty…”

Katie: “Mine is Wrong Club because I love those happy/sad songs and bands like The Smiths, who make those uplifting songs with very sad lyrics. I also love Failure because of how sickly sweet pop it is, with subverted lyrics about being a failure in life.”

Jules: “Failure for me was one of those songs that took a while for me to like. I originally thought it was too pop, but over the course of making the record, it’s now one of my favourites.”

Were you disappointed with how Sounds From Nowheresville performed on the charts? You’re releasing your new album independently, which must be very different compared to being at Sony?

Jules: “Let’s be clear, we’ve got a lot of friends at Sony and we’re eternally grateful for the opportunities they gave us with the first record. We’re definitely not anti-major labels. The thing is the way we want to work – moving around the world, changing up our sound – just doesn’t fit with major labels now. They don’t want to take risks and experimentation. That want the same thing until it’s dead in the water.”

Were either of you ever tempted to call it a day?

Katie: “We never thought about doing that. I remember what happened… we had this song called Hands, and our label sent it out to radio before we’d finished the album. Suddenly we were told we had to go on Jools Holland, which is amazing, but we were not ready for it. Then when the single didn’t perform as well as expected, the money was stopped. We can’t be mad it wasn’t a success because it wasn’t pushed to be a success.

“There was also a lot going on at Sony at the time. A lot of people were getting laid off and we had four product managers before our first single came out, whereas normally you’d only ever have one! It got so bad that we ended up making a video ourselves for a song on the album, sent it to our product manager and didn’t hear anything back for a month. We later found out they’d been sacked as well… it got to a point where the whole situation was hindering any sort of creativity. It’s nobody’s fault though, it’s just what was happening at major labels the time.”

You’re signature song That’s Not My Name is being used on a Coca Cola ad at the moment; do you still look back on it with fond memories?

Katie: “We can’t believe that’s happened… obviously it’s great timing for us! We’re not in the country at the moment… is it being played a lot?”

Yes it is.

Katie: “Because that could be quite annoying. That song is essentially me shouting at you for three minutes!”

The Ting Tings' new album Super Critical is out now. Click here to download the album on iTunes.