February 11th, 2012 
Brian Leak 
Lymbyc Systym is an experimentally, ambient instrumental duo from Tempe, Arizona consisting of brothers Jared and Michael Bell. Touring with bands such as The Album Leaf and Crystal Castles, Lymbyc Systym have been in the top ranks of the genre with their well-received releases and organic, original sound.
UTG spoke with Jared Bell about the foundation of the band, their influences, and what they have in store for us this year. Please read on and enjoy some time with Lymbyc Systym!
How did you and your brother decide to start Lymbyc Systym?
My brother and I have played music together in one form or another since we were little. It was always a very genuine experience and our musical ideas seemed to align pretty effortlessly. So, Lymbyc Systym was just a natural extension of that relationship.
What are some of the biggest influences that go into your writing process?
Our influences come from all over, and I am not sure I can pinpoint which ones are the most dominant. I might be listening to Eric Satie, Jean Ferrat and Black Moth Super Rainbow while working on a song that sounds nothing like any of them. To be honest, I am not really sure how my process works, so it’s difficult to say.
Any plans of a release this year?
Yes. We are currently finishing up the final mixes for our next full-length record. We’re still working out the release details, but it seems likely that it will be available sometime this year.
Ever considered guest vocals on any tracks?
When we’re working on a record, all ideas are on the table. So, yes. It’s definitely something we’ve considered, but so far, we haven’t chosen to go that route. In fact, we have toyed around a lot with doing our own vocals, but we haven’t quite found the appropriate application for that either. Our writing process is a very organic approach that evolves from the strengths and intricacies of the melodic and rhythmic foundation. Anything that acts as a complimentary extension of the original idea we use to build on that foundation, and anything superfluous gets tossed. In other words, we wouldn’t want to use vocals just for the sake of it or for stylistic purposes.
The remixed version of “Selamat Pagi” by American Analog Set features Andrew Kenny’s beautifully understated voice. That might give you an idea of what we’d sound like with vocals.
How do you feel about fans downloading your music illegally?
Well, it seems to be such an unstoppable force at this point that I don’t feel it warrants lamenting anymore. I am disheartened by the strong sense of entitlement it has created. People expect to get music for free and they have become completely removed from the realities of the artistic process. On the other hand, illegal downloading has become a sort of free distribution channel. It allows music to spread across the globe in a rather democratic and effortless fashion to anyone with internet access.
I think we just need to develop a new model that allows artists to be compensated appropriately. I would love to see an affordable large-scale streaming music site, like Spotify, that has has a clear, transparent and fair model for artist compensation. People should know where there money is going.
How did you come up with the band name?
My brother became interested in the name during his intro Psychology class. He doodled it on a piece of paper, replacing the original vowels with “y”s. Something in the aesthetic and syllabic symmetry just stuck with us. The limbic system is the part of the brain responsible for emotion and long-term memory, which has always seemed analogous to our music.
How would you describe a Lymbyc Systym live show?
Two guys who sound like ten.
What are you looking forward to the most on your European Tour in March?
Our last European tour was over three years ago. We are just looking forward to getting back over there and playing some music. This will be also be our first time in Russia, which is where our family’s pre-war roots are grounded. We’re pretty excited to have the opportunity to play there.
What’s the next big goal for the band?
Right now, we are completely focused on finishing up our new record, and putting it out into the world. We are really happy with the writing on this album. It’s more thoughtful, upbeat and melodically potent than our previous endeavors, and we’re excited to see how our listeners respond.
Written and conducted by: Brian Leak
- UTG PREMIERE: Hymn – ‘Mouth’ EP - June 10, 2016
- SakkieFTW snaps you out of it with new EP, ‘Experiment 1.3.2’ - June 6, 2016
- The Lost Poets’ ‘Insubordia pt II’ is dark and gritty - June 3, 2016
Posted in 
Tags: 