BIO

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A rural barn in Sweden may seem like an unlikely birthplace for the electronic dance anthems that fuel Daydream Vacation. However it was in the fields of Scandinavia that Asya of Chaos Chaos, Smoosh recorded vocal ideas while Head Like a Kite mastermind, David Einmo, created the beats thousands of miles away in Seattle. Skyping the ideas back and forth over the Atlantic via the Internet, the duo crafted the electronic dance party that became Daydream Vacation with Asya on vocals and David laying down the beats and acting as producer/mad scientist.


The idea for the band originated while David was working on a new HLAK album and invited Asya to guest on a couple of tracks, as she has done on previous HLAK releases. The duo had so fun much working together that they decided to create a whole new project. Combining Head Like a Kite’s genre-bending-electro-party with Asya’s indie-dream-pop vocals, Daydream Vacation self-released their debut album, Dare Seize the Fire, on June 19. They chose the name Daydream Vacation based on the title of one of the first HLAK songs they wrote together in 2006.


The duo met when David released the first Smoosh album She Like Electric on his small record label, Pattern 25, in 2004 before Smoosh moved over to Barsuk (when Asya was only 14). Asya has appeared on tracks from multiple HLAK releases, and made rare live appearances. Combined, their projects (Head Like a Kite and Smoosh) have received praise from Rolling Stone, MTV, LA Times, Pitchfork, Spin, Magnet and many more. Their previous bands have appeared on Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, and toured with and opened for Death Cab for Cutie, TV On the Radio, Pearl Jam, Neon Trees, Dresden Dolls, The Eels, Tokyo Police Club, Cat Power, Sufjan Stevens, Jimmy Eat World, among others.


After performing together at the Sasquatch Music Festival, Asya and David took the new song ideas into David’s home studio in Seattle, where they tracked the final songs for Dare Seize the Fire.


“We wanted it to sound live, so we used all live instruments and then cut them up and sampled them," says David. "I approached it like a DJ except, rather than sampling other people's beats, I created loops of us playing the live instruments. We invited several friends to join the party on drums, trumpet, sax, and gang vocals.”


The nine tracks on Dare Seize The Fire are full of sunny dance beats, meaty analog synths, mischievous guitars, and anthemic vocal hooks. Throughout the record David and Asya encourage listeners to seize the day - to live your life to its fullest rather than being submissive and passively sleep walking through life. Take chances in life and celebrate the moment.


Asya and Dave are joined live by drummer Nat Damm (of Akimbo, Sandrider).

WHAT’S THE PRESS SAYING?

“A slice of electronic pop heaven." - Nylon


"Contagiously foot-tapping tunes destined to be go-to songs for DJs looking to crowd the dance floor." - IFC


"The slickest party album since LCD Soundsystem's 'Sound of Silver'." - Verbicide


"A Colorfully projected 4/4 pulse of perpetual pop perfection." - Performer Magazine


"The pop aesthetic of Matt & Kim and the bombast and energy of Andrew W. K." - Pop Matters