Stand up: The Correspondents

Masks, music and St Mary’s quad. The Masquerade is back and has changed its key. This year the focus is more on the music. With eccentric, electro-swing duo, ‘The Correspondents’ headlining, there will be little room for disappointment. The Stand pulled up a chair with one of the fastest growing bands in the UK to find out more about playing at Bestival, bedroom Hip Hop and their jazzy influences:

How did you form your group? Where did you meet?

Well we are both old friends from growing up in London, but it wasn’t really until after Uni that we both moved back and started making a few tracks, playing a few mates house parties etc… Chucks was a kinda bedroom Hip Hop producer and Mr Bruce did a lot of mcing/comparing up Edinburgh, so it kinda fell into place that we should start making music together.

Did you always see yourself becoming musicians?

Not at all really, we more just fell into it. Supply and demand! Mr Bruce was and still is a successful artist and Chucks was doing the 9-5 thing.

Which gig has been the most fun to play at?

It varies for both of us, but for Chucks the first time we did a set on Main Stage at Secret Garden Party was pretty spine tingly. Mr Bruce is a big fan of the daytime set we did in the Bestival Big Top because it was just a completely brilliant surprise how busy it was and had a great response.

Who/what influences your music?

Hard to not be cliched with this, but everything really. Production wise there’s a lot of Jazz, Soul/Funk and the love of a good break in there. Lyrically it can be anything, love, loss, having a good time, a few little snippets of some political opinion, haha.

Who taught you how to dance?

No-one! Completely self taught!

If you could describe your style of music in three words, what would they be?

Multi-genre dance.

Where do you see yourself in five years time?

Still with our wits about us and hopefully still doing this as a career!

Hold on to your … masks? The evening kicks off with gritty jazz-rock group, The Blueswater Collective followed by student DJs Calum Bryant and Theo Borgvin-Weiss who will be bringing the event back, and with a twist. With raising money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust still at its heart, this year’s Masquerade is set to be the best one yet.

Ticket sales are on March 21st. In the meantime, don’t forget to have a listen to their sound cloud. To win two tickets to this incredible event, click here!