Slowly but surely, genres are blending together right before our ears. That’s what the new Russ Liquid Test album proves, as trumpet/production mastermind Russ Liquid has put together a glorious new EP titled 1984 that fuses the live and electronic elements seamlessly. With NOLA-based guitarist Andrew Block joining Russ for the project, the sky’s the limit for what the Russ Liquid Test can do!

The new album comes out today, November 11th, and the Russ Liquid Test will be out on the road to support this one-of-a-kind creation. Be sure to stream the new EP 1984 below, and read on below to hear about the project from Russ Liquid and Andrew Block.

Russ Liquid

L4LM: How were you inspired to create the Russ Liquid Test?

Russ Liquid: I come from a live music background.. It has always been a goal of mine to have a band again… this is years of hard work coming to fruition.

L4LM: Once you had the idea for the new project, how did you start putting together the band?

RL: First step was moving to NOLA where the musicians are. Second was having a studio to record musicians (Neutral Sound Studio).

L4LM: Tell us about 1984. What was the experience like putting the album together?

RL: This was such a fun EP to work on because unlike most all the music I’ve produced previous, I had other musicians to bounce ideas off of. Getting to work with real drums was such a treat. Also bouncing ideas off of Andrew has proved very useful. Having another opinion that u trust is a blessing.

L4LM: You touch on a number of styles on the record. Was that diversity always the intention for the album?

RL: If you know me then you KNOW that its always my intention to explore all the sonic possibilities. I never want to be boxed into a specific sound or genre. I love that the Russ Liquid fans out there are keen to this and expect nothing less than diversity.

L4LM: Do you see the fusion of live and electronic elements as the future of music?

RL: I’ve SEEN that it is the future. The future is NOW!

L4LM: You have a number of esteemed guests on the album. How did you get to work with Mr. Lif, Erica Falls and more? What was that like?

RL: It was neat to work with really talented musicians… in a world of hyper produced music, it’s necsesary to work with musicians that are experts at their craft.

L4LM: What are your plans for Russ Liquid Test once the album drops?

RL: Make more music… duh!

L4LM: What can fans expect from these tracks in the live setting?

RL: A sonic bath that will wash away the dust of everyday life.

Andrew Block

L4LM: You have an extensive background providing the live element to electronic artists. What is about that fusion that so inspires you?

Andrew Block: There aren’t really any rules in electronic music. People have their minds made up about what jazz and blues and rock are suppose to sound like, but electronic music is like the wild west. As long as you’re creative and going for sounds that are new and unique, you can pretty much do whatever you want.

L4LM: How did you get involved with Russ Liquid?

AB: We met playing with Gramatik and hit it off pretty much from the start. The first day of that first tour we did together, we were staying in a hotel in Slovenia, and started making music together. It was apparent pretty much immediately that we had good chemistry and our different musical backgrounds help us to blend genres in a way that I think is pretty unique.

L4LM: How does your New Orleans background inform your work on 1984?

AB: I moved to New Orleans with the intention of being the best rhythm guitarist I could be. All the other guitarists I knew were moving to Nashville, Austin, and LA, places that they could go be lead guitarists. I play lead to, but what moves me is the pocket, the groove. Coming together with other musicians that create a vibe that forces you to dance because it feels good. So i definitely think Russ and I took that approach when we started working on 1984.

L4LM: What does the future hold for Russ Liquid Test?

AB: I try not to think about the future too much and just focus on making the best music we can make right now. I mean, hopefully world tours and great shows and lots of fans haha. But I think we both recognize that if we just worry about making great music, everything else will take care of itself.


Don’t miss the Russ Liquid Test on December 29th at The Howlin Wolf in New Orleans, LA, bringing their livetronica beats for a pre-New Year’s dance party! The “Russ Liquid Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test” will see Russ and Andrew perform with Alvin Ford Jr., Jason Hodge, Ken Turner, Jubee and Emily Nichols, with support from Marvel Years, Cofresi and Sky Society. You can find tickets here, which go on sale this Monday, November 14th.