Julie Chance, hailing from Dublin, and the Sydney-based Jon Dark met in an old bar in Paris where the former was DJing back in 2010. After a quick swap of records, they were on the way to Berlin where kool thing was born from that impromptu meeting. For the past year, the girls have been spreading their nocturnal, moody, psychedelic sounds across London, Paris, Copenhagen, and all over Germany, in the company of the likes of Maria Minerva, Aerea Negrot, LCMDF, Light Asylum, MEN and Austra.

Merging influences from grunge to new wave, prog and pop, they now fuse their textured atmospheric guitars, ominous synths, vicious beats and layered glacier vocals on their new album, currently in production with Berlin-based team Kaiku (Handsome Furs, K-X-P), to be released in early 2012. Here, we premiere the new video for ‘Light Games’ by director Claire Kurylowski, off the upcoming album and recently released EP of the same name.

WHAT's...
...your secret talent?
Julie Chance: I can't cook for shit but I make amazing pancakes
Jon Dark: Tap dancing

...your worst vice?
Julie Chance: Sleeping with ear plugs for no reason, just addicted
Jon Dark: I put way too much salt on everything.

…the story behind your name?
Kool Thing is a fucking great song and the themes in this song struck a particular chord with us. For us it is a statement about substance over style, feminism and a male dominated music industry.

... your favourite sound?
Julie Chance: I would deffo say our dishwasher
Jon Dark: Sine tone or nylon string guitar

...your worst fashion secret?
Julie Chance: One time I found a pair of shorts in a free clothes trolley and I took them, dyed them black and wore them to death to the point where I was slagged to bits over them by my mates. They were known as 'the trolleys'.
Jon Dark: Ugg boots

...your favourite website?
Julie Chance: We don't have telly in Berlin so we are always streaming shows form Project Free TV.
Jon Dark: Apart from Facie, probs The Guardian

...your favourite label?
Domino! 

...at the top of your hit/shit list?
Shit - Witch House
Hit - Azealia Banks!

...are you listening to now?
Julie Chance: Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow
Jon Dark: I'm in a real Italo Disco phase right now
 
How would you describe your work?
Familiar and accessible but with hidden depths which reveal themselves on repeated listens.

What are you most excited about next?
Australia!

Photos by Emma Haugh