Cut Copy likes it both ways

Dan Whitford of Australian trio Cut Copy has a left brain/right brain approach to making albums. But instead of teetering between the creative and the analytical when crafting tracks in his Melbourne bedroom, the former DJ processes more in terms of contrasting genres: specifically, electronic pop (Daft Punk) and jagged alt-rock (Pavement). “We can be quite noisy and chaotic on stage, but then with our new record we’re a bit dancier, with a club energy,” says Whitford.

The band’s latest release, “In Ghost Colours,” utilizes the best of both lobes. “Hearts on Fire” takes a more classic electronica approach (pulsing synth lines, vocal loops), while the single “Lights and Music” relies heavily on arena rock guitar. And “So Haunted” strikes the perfect balance between the two, combining soaring Brit pop with electro sequencing.

From a park in London, where Whitford was sharing pints and swings of the cricket bat with his bandmates, the singer shared his thoughts on Australia’s electro itch and the secret hobbies of fellow Aussie electro-rockers and frequent tourmates, the Presets. Paul Hogan also came up, obviously.

How did Cut Copy come to borrow from two very different genres?
We started as a band that combined the stuff I was producing at home with this really loose ‘90s garage band idea. Our background, in terms of watching music live, is with bands like Pavement and Sonic Youth, acts that maybe don’t have a scholarly grasp of music, but seem to make it work. We threw ourselves into it that way.

With the success of both yourselves and the Presets, it seems that electro pop-rock is huge in Australia now.
It’s a lot more present and you definitely hear it on the radio all the time. It’s like us next to Kanye and Madonna, so it’s really weird. It could be a timing thing that our singles are really hitting in Australia now. Also, the [long-delayed] Avalanches album is just about to drop and people are getting really excited about that.

You spent a lot of last year on the road with the Presets. What’s a fun fact you can share about that band?
Kim [Moyes] is an avid bird watcher. He’s got his bird book and his binoculars and gets out there in the wildlife. He tries to tell us all about it, but none of us are very interested. He’s in a weird bird world.

What do you think of Americans judging Australian culture via “Crocodile Dundee”?
I would hope that the majority of people think that life in Australia is more than wrestling crocs and living in the outback. I think all those weird outdoor shows have more of an effect on people. People think there are all these weird bugs and snakes crawling around the country.

So you don’t pack a 10-inch bowie knife when heading out on tour?
Not usually. Mine is only a bit smaller. Just in case.

You’ve opened for Daft Punk in Australia. What’s that party train like?
They’re sorta heroes of ours. When we first started playing it was a dream of ours to play with them and Sonic Youth. Half [of] that came through. Perhaps in the future the rest can.

What lives behind the Daft Punk helmets? Deformities? Pastiness?
They look like a couple of French dudes. I met them once before in Paris and they were really unassuming characters. Maybe that’s why they have build up the mystique with the masks.