Altered Zones

[Nick Weiss and Logan Takahashi of Teengirl Fantasy; Photo by Anna Gonick]

By Samantha Cornwell

MP3: Teengirl Fantasy: "Portofino"

MP3: Teengirl Fantasy: "Cheaters"

In a bygone era, the narrative surrounding musicians and higher education was one of antagonism and rebellion. Famously, Tom Verlaine and Richard Hell of Television ran away from boarding school, set a field on fire, moved to New York, started a band, and never gave a thought to continuing ed. For a long time, this type of folklore was common fare in fringe music communities. But at a time when a good chunk of the internet’s most blogged-about indie singles are incubated inside college dormitories, the stereotype of the rock 'n' roll dropout is becoming increasingly obsolete. Logan Takahashi and Nick Weiss of Teengirl Fantasy, both seniors at Ohio’s Oberlin College, don’t let academics stand in the way of their passion for infectious dance music; in fact, by the time they graduate this Spring, the pair will have released an LP on True Panther Sounds, taken their rig to Europe and Asia, and received critical acclaim everywhere from electronic niche magazine XLR8R to Pitchfork.

Contrary to the old dropout cliché, Teengirl's matriculated status might actually be an asset. Takahashi, who attends Oberlin’s prestigious music conservatory, is able to pursue the study of electronic music history and composition in the classroom. The school year at Oberlin also includes include a six-week Winter Break, which allows students to pursue non-academic projects. This year, the dreamy electronic duo has used the time to embark on an international tour with Denver producer Pictureplane.

We met up to discuss their double life when their caravan passed through Los Angeles for Check Yo Ponytail, a weekly dance party at Echo Park nightclub The Echoplex. The crowd of eager photographers and put-together, Los Angeles scenesters was certainly a world away from sleepy Oberlin, OH. But when the band took the stage, they looked perfectly at home in the limelight.

The two 21-year-olds bounced and flailed to a stream of buttery, R&B-infused sounds, punctuated by robust drum machine thumps. According to Takahashi, whose academic work consists mainly of sound and video installation-- but includes courses in music theory, listening skills, piano, and musicology-- the Conservatory has given him a strong foundation in both the electronic and experimental canons. His studies have taken him “from Russolo to Cage to Stockhausen to Reich”-- a knowledge base that has rubbed off on the music he writes for the band. Their economical rhythms may nod just as strongly to the history of experimental minimalism as they do to techno and house, but they’re appealing to just about anyone who loves to dance. Indeed, something bordering on spiritual happened between my body and the music coming from the stage that night. Based on Nick Weiss’s boisterous movements, it seemed that the performers were riding that high too.

One thing that your average college student has in common with your average musician is the ability to work hard and party hard. Takahashi and Weiss, who are products of both worlds, clearly value a good party. “Usually the later into the night the better,” said Takahashi.

Their set wrapped up on a high note. After several chaotic attempts to pin the boys down for an interview, I finally got a hold of Logan Takahashi, who lead me backstage to talk with him and Nick Weiss. The bacchanalian, smoke-filled space was like a backstage scene straight out of Almost Famous. Although our interview got off to a slow, foggy start, the pair eventually gave me some really thoughtful responses.

For one, they told me that their studies recently took them to Amsterdam, where they took classes at a Dutch art school in the daytime, and got a first-hand introduction to the European electronic music scene at night. “It was incredible,” said Nick, recalling their performances in Amsterdam, Bucharest, and London. “It was our first exposure to how club culture is more mainstream-feeling in Europe. I think our music was more instantly accessible for people there.” “Being in an electronic band in Europe is so different,” said Logan. “I think people are much more ready to receive that type of thing there than they are here. But people are starting to get more into it in the States.”

They described Oberlin as a hotbed of musical activity-- both inside the classroom and out. Although the college is located in rural Ohio, it is not unusual for acts like Ducktails and James Ferraro to pass through on tour, which they did this past November. This lively, after-hours environment gives students a taste of the vibrant DIY scenes that are peppered all throughout the US-- and fosters professional connections that might prove invaluable later on. Oberlin has also produced some other notable musicians. Weiss and Takahashi are friends with Blondes and Future Shuttle, two other Oberlin-educated electronic acts. “We weren’t there at the same time, so maybe it’s just a coincidence,” Weiss tells me. Whether it is a coincidence or not, both boys point to the enthusiasm for electronic music amongst their peers.

Still, there is nothing that the duo love more than a good pop song. On their album 7 AM, they recorded a track with Light Asylum vocalist Shannon Funchess called “Dancing in Slow Motion”. “I think vocals instantly make a track more pop,” said Weiss. “That’s why we really liked working with the live vocalist. It’s like a song you can sing along to; it has lyrics. It could be fun to do that more.”  As far as producing music for an R&B vocalist goes, they consider Sade to be the Holy Grail. Considering the roll these boys are on, this dream could come true.

Much like the figure of the gentleman-athlete in the sports world, Takahashi and Weiss represent an emerging figure in the independent music world: the Scholar-Musician. It is interesting to note that the members of Teengirl Fantasy are students in an age where the academic world has softened towards popular culture, and a thesis on Grand Theft Auto is valued as much as one on Goethe. Rather than flee the academy like Verlaine and Hell, Takahashi and Weiss use it as a space to pursue their creative projects; they navigate their studies and their social lives alike with an eye toward their future as professional musicians. "When I’d asked the boys where they planned on going after college, their response, which was in semi-unison, reflected both the optimism and uncertainty of their young years: “Everywhere.” Teengirl Fantasy might not know where they are going after college, but right now they are having the best Winter Break ever.

7 AM is out now on True Panther Sounds. Check here for remaining tour dates