Born out of lockdown, Django Django‘s Off Planet is a sprawling 21-song double album featuring their widest variety of styles to date. The group adopted a “don’t say no to anything” ethos, exploring any idea and inviting friends to collaborate, while the title came from filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky’s infamous failed attempt at adapting Frank Herbert’s Dune, where he wanted a different band to soundtrack the different planets. Each of the album’s four “Planets” (aka the sides of the double vinyl) were to have their own themes, though as the album progressed they abandoned that idea but kept the title. Guests include Rebecca “Self Esteem” Taylor, Jack Penate, Stealing Sheep and more. It’s a lot to take in but is worth it — Off Planet is the Djangos’ best album since their debut. Listen to it below.
We traded a few emails with bandleader David Maclean about the album, dream collaborators, how the album was made and more. Read our conversation below.
Who was the first artist you asked to collaborate?
David Maclean: It was Rebecca, ‘Self Esteem’. I’d made the backing track for ‘Complete Me’ in lock down one night after a few glasses of wine and I was looping a load of old dj breaks records and sampling them. She got the idea straight away and delivered a banging top line vocal very quickly. It was the exact vibe I imagined for it.
Which collaboration surprised you the most?
I think Jack Penate because he delivered his top line in about 20 mins after I sent the beat! I think he was already in the studio, and he bashed it out, but it didn’t change much from that first take, there was an energy there that we wanted to a keep hold of.
Three dream collaborators living or dead (not on this album) — go!
Ok off the top of my head:
Moondog
Roy Ayers
Andre 3000
This is not a question exactly, but with the wide array of styles on the album it reminded me of the Midnight Maxi Mix series you did back when Django Django started out.
Ah yes! I did them when I was just out of art college and was kicking around a bit bored. I wanted to do something that paid homage to my love of 12” extended versions hence the Maxi Mix thing. My DJing was, and still is, very influenced by Ron Hardy and it was kind of trying to capture that eclectic energy of the Music Box or the Loft sets. Yes I’d say this LP is defo in that world and trying to capture some of that magic.
You released each side as a “Planet” — does each one have its own theme?
Well …. We did talk about the shelved ‘Dune’ movie that Jodorowsky was trying to make before they handed it to Lynch. He had this idea of each planet or ‘house’ being soundtracked by a different band and we’ve always loved that idea. The reality was that we realised that it’s the unexpected juxtapositions in our records that get us excited and so they ended up all being mixed up a bit but yeah that was the original concept.
The album feels like “How are we going to play this live?” was never a question (not a criticism), but how are you going to play it live?
Well we just didn’t worry about it – partly because the world had shut down due to covid so we didn’t feel the pressure to tour any time soon and party because so many albums we love are made in such a way that they’re really tough to play live so we’ve just picked the tracks we can play and actually there’s a fair few !
Your debut album turned 10 last year, which was also the 10th anniversary of your first US shows in NYC which BrooklynVegan presented: Glasslands, and then Santos Party House where Charli XCX opened. What do you remember about those shows?
I remember bits about that – I’m a massive fan of Charlie XCX and would love to do a track with her or something sometime but yeah she went on to big big things! I remember we were super excited to be in New York and I remember we’d been thrown in at the deep end and we’re still trying to find our feet but we had a blast!
Anything else we need to know?
Come and see us live or DJing if you can and I hope you enjoy the LP!
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Speaking of seeing them live, Django Django have UK dates this summer, and will be in Australia this fall:
Django Django – 2023 Tour Dates
16/06 – London, UK @ Rough Trade East – instore – SOLD OUT
17/06 – London, UK @ Paper Dress Vintage – SOLD OUT
19/06 – Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade Records – instore – SOLD OUT
20/06 – Liverpool, UK @ Jacaranda Records Phase One – instore
21/06 – Nottingham, UK @ Rough Trade Records – instore
22/06 – Banquet Records, UK @ Pryzm Kingston – instore
21/07 – Bluedot Festival, UK @ Jodrell Bank
22/07 – Standon, UK @ Standon Calling
29/07 – Low Festival, Spain
30/09 – Pambula Beach, AUS @ Wanderer Festival
01/10 – Sydney, AUS @ Factory Theatre
04/10 – Brisbane, AUS @ The Triffid
06/10 – Melbourne, AUS @ Corner Hotel