10.07.20
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100 Gecs specialise in smashing together styles of music that, on paper, have no business co-existing. Last year, Laura Les and Dylan Brady brought together their greatest musicals loves – nightcore, emo, dubstep and *checks notes* ska-punk – on the breakout record of 2019, 1000 Gecs, offering a meme-adjacent view of the future of pop.

Today the pair release their long-awaited remix album 1000 Gecs and the Tree of Clues. A warped reimagining of the duo’s internet-breaking debut, Tree of Clues sees Les and Brady team up with the likes of A. G. Cook, Fall Out Boy, Hannah Diamond, Charli XCX and many more.

It’s hard to describe exactly how Gecs have managed to amp up the chaos surrounding their debut album, but safe to say they have, and Tree of Clues is going to be flooding your timeline just as much as its source material. In honour of the album’s release, we spoke to Hannah Diamond, Tommy Cash, A. G. Cook and Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump about the mania of 100 Gecs.

A. G. Cook

Why did you want to get involved in the remix album?
I didn’t have a choice.

Why did you pick the track you worked on?
I really like the two individual words ‘money’ and ‘machine’. A bunch of my tracks have actual coin or machine sounds, or synthesised versions of those objects.

Did Dylan and Laura give you much direction on the remix?
None at all, though I really enjoyed keeping the song structure pretty much the same, and just emphasising every single thing that happens. Became a kinda mission to take every idea that Gecs put into the original and max it out.

If 100 Gecs were going to remix one of your songs, which would you pick? Why?
Dylan and Laura have been working round the clock on a remix of one of my upcoming singles. They said they won’t write or work on any more songs until they have it done.

What should people do while listening to your remix for the first time?
I think everyone’s first time should be a unique and personal experience, but I wouldn’t recommend listening past 2:01 unless you’re really committed.

Hannah Diamond

When did you first hear 100 Gecs’ music? What did you think?
When they put out 1000 Gecs and I thought “wtf this goes hard!!”

Why did you want to get involved in the remix album? Why did you pick xXXi_wud_nvrstøp_ÜXXx?
I’m super into what Dylan and Laura are doing, it’s super exciting. I feel like they approach making music with a similar energy to the stuff we were doing with PC Music back in the beginning. You can tell that they have so much fun making it! Dylan and Laura actually picked xXXi_wud_nvrstøp_ÜXXx for me. It’s my favourite song on their album, maybe they secretly knew!!

Did Dylan and Laura give you much direction on the remix?
No! I got sent stems and I went off and did my thing, I knew they trusted me to do what felt right for me. But also I was nervous when I sent it to them because I wanted them to be into it!

If 100 Gecs were going to remix one of your songs, which would you pick? Why?
Well, Dylan already did a remix of my song Invisible from my album. But if Dylan and Laura remixed Pink and Blue that would actually be so crazy!

What should people do while listening to your remix for the first time?
Backwards roller skating.

Patrick Stump

Why did you want to get involved in the remix album?
I was just really pleased to hear something new. Their music is so strange and unique to me in a really good way. They sound kind of fearless and there’s also this feeling of discovery in their music.

Why did you pick hand crushed by a mallet?
I’d love to give some deeper answer, but I just liked the song. Really exactly that complicated haha.

Did Dylan and Laura give you much direction on the remix?
Not really. Frankly, I didn’t want to touch much. The song seemed pretty great to me as it was, but they were kind enough to ask and I was grateful to be involved.

If 100 gecs were going to remix one of your songs, which would you pick? Why?
That’s impossible but I have to come up with something. Maybe Dance Dance? I did a really weird remix of it back when it came out and I don’t remember if it’s aged well haha. Perhaps they would do better than I did.

What should people do while listening to your remix for the first time?
Just enjoy it man. I know the world is so scary and weird right now. That’s the great thing about art and music, is that it’s something we can do while we’re all freaking out together.

Tommy Cash

When did you first hear 100 Gecs’ music?
When I was in the US touring. I heard it through my friends in New York who are also musicians; A.G. Cook and everyone.

What did you think?
I thought it was really nice. I liked how it was inspired by so many things and how free it was.

Why did you want to get involved in the remix album? Why did you pick xXXi_wud_nvrstøp_ÜXXx?
I fucked with the song and Dylan asked me to do the remix. So I did it a few months ago while I was on tour, I did it through my phone. At first, it was only me and then they wanted Hannah on it.

I haven’t heard the last version. I don’t know how it sounds. Does it still sound happy hardcore? We wanted it to sound happy hardcore.

Did they give you much direction?
No, they just gave me stems. The sample is already so happy hardcore, it reminded me of Scooter.

If you were going to get Gecs to remix one of your songs, which would you pick?
I would make them remix Little Molly. I’d like to see how they took on a rap or trap track. It would be fun to see what they could make of it.

What should people do while listening to your remix?
I mean, you know, they should go to some eastern European rave.

1000 Gecs and the Tree of Clues is out now via Big Beat/Atlantic Records.