Experimental synth-pop artist David Speck, who records as Davida Loca, released Spell #6, on Burger Records earlier this month. It’s his 6th album under the moniker Part Time and one of only two Part Time albums recorded in an actual studio, marking a slight departure from his lo-fi, bedroom-recording roots. Part Time will kick off a mini-tour at Paper Tiger on Monday, November 12.
Wolf Robinson conducted an email interview with Davida Loca in anticipation of the show. The following has been edited for clarity and style.
Full disclosure: Wolf is an intern at Paper Tiger.
Wolf Robinson: You seem to have a lot of different musical projects, each with a different focus and under a different name. Can you talk a little bit about how your work as David Speck differs from your process as Davida Loca, or help me understand which projects exist under which name?
Davida Loca: Yes, I’ve recorded under the names Part Time, David Loca, and Davida Loca and the Berkshire Hobbits. I mainly create all the music and songs for each of the projects, with the exception of a few where my friends and my bandmates have helped. David Speck is a mistaken identity.
WR: How does recording in an actual studio instead of in your bedroom affect the way you work?
DL: Spell #6 is my second studio album. PDA, my second album, released through Mexican Summer/Kemado Records, is my first studio album, though there were some songs I fought to keep as my demos on the record. Working in a studio for Spell #6 was a great experience, especially with friends and an engineer I completely clicked with. However, working in a studio can also spoil you.
WR: The album’s third track, “I Can Treat You Better,” features Ariel Pink. Have the two of you collaborated on other projects before, and how did you meet?
DL: Ariel and I met through mutual friends, through enjoying each other’s music, and through both living in L.A. During the recording of Spell #6, I asked my friend Benjamin Brown if he and Ariel could come by and try tracking some ideas on my songs and album. Since then, Ariel and I have been exchanging ideas and songs. I hope to release more collaborations with him in the future.
WR: Which song on Spell #6 is your favorite, and why?
DL: “So Far Away” and “Spell #6” are my favorite songs off the new album, mainly because of the feel and the layers of sounds. They have the feeling you get when you create something that’s almost as perfect as you wanted it.
WR: Part Time started out as a side project for you while you were playing in other bands. What inspired you to break off and start making the kind of synth-focused, ’80s-reminiscent music you make as Part Time? Can you speak a little about that transition?
DL: I’ve been making home recordings since I was around 17 years old. Soon after, I started my own bands, and I wrote and recorded songs in and out of studios. There came a point in my mid-20s where I got sick of all the bands and music going on around me, so I took a break from playing live to completely devote my time to recording my ideas and songs.
WR: You recently released a video for the song “I Didn’t Know.” It’s a little mellower than some of your past videos, such as “Faded Rose (Shattered Love).” Do you enjoy making videos? Do you usually have a vision for the video, or do you leave it up to the director?
DL: Sometimes, I do enjoy making music videos. I would say I enjoyed my older videos the most. I made them and included home footage, cheesy editing and cheesy effects. Nowadays, a little more money and actual directors are involved in my videos, which can be fun, too. For the most part, I direct the videos, with the exception of maybe two of them.
Part Time will play at Paper Tiger on Monday, November 12. Doors are at 7:00pm. Tickets are available online.