The Ting Tings know that creativity always comes at the most unexpected moments. After their second record which appeared in the form of forced inspiration, an adventure to Ibiza in 2012 drew out the life blood of dance. “We knew something would happen, but we didn’t know what,” explains Katie White. They toured dance clubs all over the EDM capital of Europe, going from poor sounds to poor experiences until they discovered the allusion of parties akin to CBGBs and Studio54. The most defining moment was meeting Andy Taylor of Duran Duran. Taylor’s wisdom and experience is what cemented the sound of their new album, Super Critical, making this record a force to be reckoned with.
Songs from the album like, “Wrong Club” are described by the duo as “more smooth…making this record much more warm and something you can dance to,” White explains. But don’t let that fool you! For their live performance, White proudly reports that fans shouldn’t expect to see a polished pop show. The live experience should feel like “organized chaos and quite upbeat.”
The Ting Tings are also fans of the LGBTQ scene. When they first started out in Manchester they lived on an inventive avenue. Constantly surrounded by artists and their work spaces, there were many club nights that incorporated LGBTQ events. “That’s where I first heard a lot of good music—that community has the best taste,” says White.
Their past collaborations and their partnership with Taylor is leading to enterprises in the future. While previous records were isolated to the band, you can be sure to see more artists working with the Ting Tings in the coming years. In addition, White is also building relationships to develop a clothing line and personally designed merchandise. The most important thing to know, however, is that they are finally at a place where they truly love what they’re doing. They’ll be sharing this love all year on their tour.
The Ting Tings will be live in Washington, D.C. on April 11 at the 9:30 Club. Doors open at 6 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.930.com/concerts/.
