How was the recording and writing process? JR: We basically just send the guys production that we thought they ' d sound dope on. However, many records were a real collaboration with them editing our beats and giving input on where a song could also go musically. We didn ' t have any recording sessions together in the studio with them though, basically because we live on different continents. However, we have visited Jersey a few times and got to know St. Joe Louis. They really became friends, which made things easy. So although we weren ' t in the lab together we were still on the same wavelength throughout the creation of the album.
MC: JR & PH7 have a great ear for the timbre of our individual voices so we trust in the process. It ' s a truly collaborative project that despite oceans away feels very close knit. Over the course of two years we recorded Coral Cadavers and some deeply personal moments are wrapped behind these seemingly metaphorical records.
Is it the woman in the story based on a particular person or idea? MC: Is she a woman? Is she really just many different women or is she just a concept is up to the audience. We tried to leave room for the audience to develop a personal view of the songs.
What role did LA play on the writing? MC: We recorded sections in LA and in NJ. Elete currently lives in LA so I would say it ' s not just a casual backdrop in the story. Being in an environment with consistently beautiful weather might bring out the ugliest sides of human nature.
JR: I still wouldn ' t mind some better weather than we usually have overhere in Germany, even if that means trouble.
What aspect of the neo noir genre did you get to explore on this record? MC: We liked the idea of exploring lots of concepts as neo noir isn ' t just one thing. Noir is French for Black so the idea of neo noir is new black. It ' s fertile ground for creating a nonlinear story with more than one antagonist. If you get in your own way can you be considered the villain in your own story? We tried to tackle these ideas abstractly over the course of the album.
Any plans to hit the road? JR: We hope to put together a small European tour for this record together with Below System Records later this year. Crossing fingers it will happen!
What else is happening next in St Joe Louis X JR & PH7 ' s world? MC: We have the follow up to Coral Cadavers titled More Cadavers on the way.
JR: that ' s just a small EP but we also hope to do another full length with St. Joe Louis.