Interview || Summer Of Love With Ennui

Speaking Telepathic Beat With Jim Doutrich Of Ennui

Ennui is the brainchild of renowned Pittsburgh-based musician and producer Jim Doutrich, and has been around in various incarnations since 2004.

The songs that comprise Telepathic Beat stand out in style and substance, as roller-beats immersed in a bath of shimmering neo-shoegaze, creating a widescreen backdrop to act as home for brain-embedding melodies and subtly haunting lyrics.

With its sun-drenched feel, the album plays as the soundtrack to a summer spent balancing a narcotic life in clubs, with the possibilities that await when you skip work and head to the beach. It's destined to be the album to reach for when you don't want to admit that summer is over. 

Telepathic Beat is Ennui's debut for Mush Records and is nothing short of a rebirth for the band, with mastermind Jim Doutrich honing his infectious brand of synth-pop. The playfully yearning vocals, syncopated synth patterns, and distorted Euro-dance grooves bring to mind both '80s new wave pop, and the youthful nostalgia of recent releases by glo-fi re-originators. 

How are you doing and how has your summer been treating you?

Pretty good. I wish it was longer.

We are from South Africa and we ask every one of our guests this, what’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear South Africa? 

I just watched Shark Week so probably great white sharks

Can you tell us a little more about who Ennui is, where you grew up, where you live now and any stand out childhood memories? 

Ennui is a musical project that sort of keeps on going and evolving. I grew up near Philadelphia and now have lived in Pittsburgh for the past 10 years. 

How did you find yourself following a career in music is it something you always saw yourself doing? 

When I was kid I used to pretend that I was a singer/pop star and make up all kinds of different songs. I eventually started playing guitar and piano and the older I got the more I realized music would always be the center of my life.

Your musical genres are described as pop, ambient and electronic, what about these genres stand out to you or appealed to you? 

I like the obsessiveness of pop music. There are some songs that you just listen to over and over again. Ambient music has always been sort of cerebral and a way to relax for me. 

How would you describe your sound? 

Probably something close to synth pop

You are about to release your new album titled Telepathic Beat out 9/23 via Mush Records the album is filled with massive syntns and has summer vibes to it, what inspired the album? 

Summer may have been one of biggest influences for the album but I can be inspired by almost anything. 

Making an album is no easy task when did you know you were completely satisfied with the album and that it was ready? I knew it was ready but I don't think I'm ever completely satisfied. I'm one of the worst people when it comes to allowing something to be finished.

The Title track is Telepathic Beat is very reminiscent of 90’s disco in fact the entire album is giving it a timeless  feeling, do you think it’s an album that will be listened to for years and years? 

That would be amazing

As with everything we always have one favorite which track of the album has the most meaning to you and why? 

"Summer of Love" means the most to me because it was the first song that I wrote for the album. I felt it signified a new direction which was exciting and motivating.

You are known for your own brand of synth-pop, please explain what synth pop is? 

I would say any style of music that has a pop structure and utilizes mostly synthesizers as instruments.

Do you have any musical training? And how did you master your craft, would you say you have mastered it? 

I do have some musical training and I went to school for music. I don't think anyone ever masters their craft.

You not only produce you sing on the tracks as well, when did you realize you had a voice for singing and have you considered doing any vocal tracks in electronic dance music?

I've always wrote and sang my own songs. I love singing. I"m hoping to record some vocals for people in the near future.

Since your sound is very electronic based do you have any electronic producers you look up to? 

For sure, I'd say Brian Eno, Giorgio Moroder, Aphex Twin, Harold Faltermeyer, Tim Friese-Green, Tim Goldsworthy

Who would you love to collaborate with? 

Mark Pritchard, Chrome Sparks, and Ariel Rechtshaid

What’s next for Ennui?

I"m currently rehearsing for live shows.

If you had to sell the album using three tracks off the album in a creative manner which tracks would they be and what would be your angle and your marketing strategy.  

"Intro", "Telepathic Beat", "Outro"  as the soundtrack to a new version of the Nintendo game T&C Surf Design. You just surf for 10 mins while the songs play. Pay what you want

Any Last Messages for your fans… 

Thanks for listening