100 gecs never expected to get this far. When Dylan Brady and Laura Les put their debut album, 1000 gecs, on Bandcamp last May, they thought the release would be totally slept-on. Instead, it exploded – and it’s not hard to hear why. 1000 gecs is one of the most inventive and unique records to have come out in years – a delirious mash-up of just about every mainstream and underground style of music to have emerged over the past decade, terraformed into their own unique style of recombinant, maximalist pop. Basically, it’s completely mad. That has led some critics to dismiss it, and others to intellectualise it. The reality is, the music is just plain fun. “We want to make bangers and spread love,” Laura Les says.

Brady and Les would not have become more than a cult concern without their extremely attentive fanbase. 100 gecs memes litter social media, and some of their most dedicated stans have even made the pilgrimage to the unremarkable suburb of Des Plaines, Illinois, to recreate the 1000 gecs album artwork – the tree that features on the album sleeve is now marked as a ‘historical landmark’ on Google Maps, too. Following a tour supporting BROCKHAMPTON and a string of sold-out dates of their own, 100 gecs are now planning to release a remixed version of their debut album, featuring A. G. Cook (whose PC Music label was a precursor to the gecs sound), Charli XCX, and Rico Nasty.

In one sentence, what is your creative manifesto?

Laura Les: We do the same things every other musician does, we just do them wayyyy doper.

Dylan Brady: Beat bop zooty zoot zoot.

What issues or causes are you passionate about and why?

100 gecs: Feeding people in need, protecting the earth, protecting trans people – these are issues that we think are important and could use more attention. When people need help, we think that the right thing to do is try to help them.

How do you want to influence the future?

100 gecs: Make music accessible, take care of the earth, be kind. We also have a long-term goal of ending the death penalty. We just want to use some of our energy to help make other people’s lives better.

What creative or philanthropic project would you work on with a grant from the Dazed 100 Ideas Fund?

100 gecs: Feeding America. We would love to see some money go towards Feeding America, a charity to help put food in the mouths of underprivileged people. It is stupid that in a country of this wealth people are struggling for resources. Everyone should be allowed basic needs. Feeding America hopes to help towards that end, and we would like to support that.