Julian Hamilton of The Presets and I chatted via phone from his hotel room in North Carolina on Tuesday before their gig that night at Cat’s Cradle. The Presets are starting to wind down from their whirlwind tour of 2008′s electro-dream album Apocalypso. Enjoy the interview below in which Julian discusses Adele, the electronica movement, and the simple things in life. Catch the band tonight at Webster Hall if you’re in New York. We’ll see you on the dancefloor!

> Hi Julian, how are you liking North Carolina? Have you done anything fun there?
J: Not really. Went for a run, had some lunch. Everyday stuff.

> What have been the most receptive cities this time around? What are your favorite cities to play?
J: So far, we’ve only had 4 shows this time around. We played Florida and Atlanta last night. We have a lot of fun at places such as New York, Montreal and Vancouver, really.

> You’ve been grouped with bands such as Midnight Juggernauts, Architecture in Helsinki and Cut Copy. How do you feel about that and what do you think differentiates you?
J: Our music is really different sounding. We don’t know Architecture in Helsinki too well, but Cut Copy and Midnight Juggernauts are good friends of ours. We make fun electro music and people like what we do, so we get grouped together because we’re from Australia.

> Apocalypso has quite a heavy and at times a dark techno sound. It’s also got a sense of urgency, where did this come from?

Julian Hamilton at Sound Relief in Syndney Australia, March 2009

J: I don’t know. When we’re creating sounds or music we just turn on the machines and play what we feel that day. Some of the lyrical content of the album has hints of political themes that were happening in Australia. But overall it’s a party record.

> The Presets were honored with the Australian Record Industry Award (ARIA) for Best Dance Release, Best Group,  and most importantly Album of the Year for Apocalypso. What was that like?
J: Crazy, we were thrilled! It was the first time an electronic record won ‘Best Record.’ Dance music has taken off in Australia. We had trouble booking our own shows early on because of bands like Jet and the whole rock revival.

> You’ve seen the scene change from indie rock to more electronica…
J: Dance and electronic music has become pop culture. Dance festivals are huge but I don’t really see the same thing in America. Nobody talks about Derrick May or Kevin Saunderson, it’s a small scene.

> Do you mean America as a whole or do you see the same thing in New York?
J: Well, New York’s got bands like LCD Soundsystem. I mean I don’t see it on a country scale, it’s not as big in [America.]

> I’m a really huge Daft Punk fan and saw them in Brooklyn during the 2007 Alive tour. You supported them later on that year, can you tell me a bit about that experience?
J: Yeah we toured with them all over Australia…it was incredible. They’re idols of ours. It was great to open for them in itself, but it was also incredible just to watch the show!

> Definitely one of the best shows I’ve been to! Like Daft Punk, The Presets have a notable visual presence: artwork, music videos, light shows and most importantly fashion. What is your inspiration with photo shoots and how important do you think it is to the final product?
J: I don’t think its as important as the music. It definitely helps reinforce the feeling. In photo shoots we wear stupid clothes and act up a bit. The otherworldly visual experience hopefully reinforces the music. There are so many photo shoots, so we have to keep the aesthetic to keep it true. Artists like Daft Punk have so much control over their look.

The Presets Win 4 ARIA Awards including Best Album, October 2008

> So it’s not your everyday attire…
J: (Laughs) I definitely have clothes for onstage, artwork and film clips. For the My People clip we had on the same outfits as the artwork [for Apocalypso.] But with different directors, we’ve gone in other directions. The outer space theme can get a bit old.

> Who are some new and/or current artists you’re listening to?
J: I always mean to write that down. I watched Adele on Letterman and she blew me away. We don’t get too excited about bands we play with and acts in electronic music because we hear it all the time. I have to separate quality from art., stuff we don’t create. With the Presets’ music, we  love to create it but I prefer not to listen to it when I’m making dinner. I don’t really listen to electronic music unless I go out dancing, which is hardly ever (laughs.)

> I take it you won’t be going in a different musical direction on the next album…?
J: With the music we love to make, it comes out naturally and honestly. If I were ever to choose to do something solo it would be different and chilled out.

> What are you looking forward to in the second half of 2009?
J: The end of the tour and the last big show in Australia. It’s sold out and going to be crazy! I’m also looking forward to time off, we’ve been touring non-stop since the release of the album. I’m also looking forward to a bit of time growing tomatoes.

> I’ve heard about the garden…
J: Yeah getting my hands a bit dirty.

> Thanks for speaking to me. We’ll be at the New York Show at Webster Hall on Friday. What can a person who hasn’t seen a Presets live show expect?
J: It’s like our music but with a live sound. More drums and you get to see me running around playing keyboards. We have Daft Punk’s tour lighting engineer so it’s pretty cool and makes us feel important. I hope you enjoy the show!

MP3: The Presets – My People (D.I.M Remix) or zShare

MP3: The Presets – If I Know You (Tania & Jori Version) or zShare