Franc Moody’s Into the Ether is a work of art. Inspired by Spaghetti Westerns and legendary thematic scores, the UK electro-funk group wields a kaleidoscope of atmospheric layers, pulling from disco, house, funk, and a heavy dose of sonic magic. Fronted by co-vocalists & producers Ned & Jon, Franc Moody released their debut album Dream In Colour at the beginning of the lockdown, and have since gone on to participate in projects like the Music Venues Trust fundraiser, the release of a wholly sustainable merch line, hosting online parties and performances such as the Live In The Lift livestream, and the release their House Of FM EP. They’ve amassed over 175 million streams and have garnered support from legends like Nile Rodgers and Skream.
“Writing Into The Ether began literally the week after we released our debut album, Dream in Colour, when instead of touring the record we were forced to descend to our makeshift bedroom studio setups as a result of the pandemic. It was during those months our longing to be out on the road with the band playing live shows developed into a delirious, dreamlike state, conjuring up imagery of us and the band traveling through the desert on a journey to find whatever it was that we were craving. A surreal, craggy, tin can tourbus, deserted petrol station version of The Odyssey if you like.”
-Franc Moody
If you want to round out your 2022 with some epic Franc Moody vibes, they’ll be performing two DJ sets at Holy Ship! Wrecked – a four night all-in stay at Hard Rock Riviera Maya, Mexico from December 13-17. Catch them at 12am on Wednesday 12/14 and 1:15am on Friday 12/16. The lineup also features electronic royalty Chris Lake, Dom Dolla, Jai Wolf (DJ Set), John Summit, Lane 8, Louis The Child, Nicole Moudaber, SG Lewis (DJ Set), SLANDER, Armand Van Helden, TSHA, and more. Holy Ship! Wrecked is put on by the crew at Beats at Sea, a coast to coast partnership between HARD/Insomniac, Cloud 9 Adventures, and The Bowery Presents, so it should be going off.
We connected with Franc Moody to talk about their roots in the Tottenham warehouse scene, their eclectic influences, how they’re impacting music, what’s up next for them, and much more. Stream Into the Ether here and check out Franc Moody’s SET below. Want more SETS? Head over to SPIN TV to keep up with all the latest and greatest DJ’s/producers pushing the boundaries of electronic music.
1. Who is Franc Moody and what do you stand for?
Franc Moody was initially formed by us (being Ned Franc and Jon Moody) out of the ashes of a Tottenham warehouse scene that we’d been deeply involved in. We’d put on nights showcasing soul, funk, r n’ b, swamp pop (and loads more besides) in a bid to pay our rent and to fund a Daptone-inspired recording studio…eventually the dream petered out and we moved on to newer pastures but that ethos of putting on wild, raucous and intimate nights never left us. That quest for a live experience that is both inclusive and life affirming is something we strive for and very much at the core of Franc Moody.
2. Tell us about your sound – where does your style originate from and what have been your biggest visual, social, and sonic influences?
So many to mention here. Jon comes from a classical background, both his mother and sister are professional violinists and cellists respectively whilst my early influences were inspired by my parents’ obsessive music listening, especially early rock n roll and blues. Both of us have drawn extensively on these early musical impressions and added to the pot over the years. Before Franc Moody we’d both been in funk, soul and rock n’ roll bands with horn sections, percussionists, etc. where getting folks onto the dance floor was key. That ethos 100% stayed at the core of what we wanted to do with Franc Moody. Other huge influences that we cite are the likes of James Brown, Daft Punk, Jamiroquai, LCD Soundsystem, Lil Bob & The Lollipops, The MC5, Parliament Funkadelic and many, many more. Visually acts like Parliament inspired us greatly, so too the vibrancy of acts like Sly & The Family Stone. Socially speaking there are so many deeply inspiring acts, I think it’s key as an act where you have the fortune of bringing people together that you endeavour to make a positive contribution in any way you can.
3. Was there a definitive turning point to your success?
I’m not sure we’d call ourselves successful quite yet but a huge moment for us in terms of us realising we had something to put out that wasn’t completely awful was when we’d written “Dopamine.” It was like a coming-together of all the disparate parts that we’d wanted to mould but couldn’t quite work out how, a bit of a final piece of the jigsaw moment if you will.
4. When did you realize the magnitude of your impact within the industry/community?
Again not sure we’re quite worthy of words like “magnitude” just yet, more a ripple on a village pond. But I think you realise you’re making a bit of an impact when fans come up and tell you that a certain song has helped them in some way, be it through a tricky time or just soundtracking special moments in their life. That’s an incredibly powerful thing to be told.
5. Where do you want to go next with your music and what can your fans expect from future releases?
Jon and I have never really talked about exactly where we want to go next sonically speaking. Into The Ether was very conceptual, and we planned and meticulously discussed its sonic personality and concepts a lot before we sat down to write. The future for Franc Moody looks markedly different though. In fact one of the things we’re most looking forward to doing is to release more frequently, and to write with no agenda sonically speaking. That is to say if we want to write a musical about boiled eggs we can, or indeed if we want to write an Alpine Horn themed album where nothing dips below 200bpm, again we can. That freedom is the key. Expect “Hard Boiled: The Musical” in the west end soon, and “Lonely Goat ft. Roni Size” to follow thereafter.
6. Where have you not performed yet that you want to perform?
Paradiso, Amsterdam. Finally happening in March ’22. Big bucket list moment for us!
7. In what ways have you pushed yourself beyond existing self-imposed limitations?
In so many ways. Perseverance is the key. We constantly try to push ourselves, to create a better live experience for fans, to write bigger, bolder, more ambitious music. Resting on our laurels isn’t an option.
8. What’s next for Franc Moody?
Next year we’ve got a UK/EU tour early in the year followed by a summer jam packed with festivals then heading back to America at the end of the year. Hopefully also a trip to Australia is in the offing at some point! Other than the touring schedule, back to the drawing board to write and release regularly!
9. What do you wish for the future of electronic music? In what ways would you like to see it evolve?
I mean I think it’s going in the right direction. There are hordes of young bedroom producers and songwriters, DJs, etc. that have so much talent. I just hope there are always platforms and ways into the industry for their work to get the full attention it deserves. I think evolution musically is all about inclusivity, the talent is out there, it’s about making it accessible for all.
10. Any last words for the SPIN universe?
Thank you for having us and hope to see you all at a show or two down the line!
