Dave Einmo may have plied his trade as a guitarist in retro rock band Sushirobo, but now recording under the name Head Like a Kite he’s gone for something completely different, and come up trumps with an album he describes as “being designed to shake bootie”. Wireless Bollinger sat down with the mastermind behind the exciting new act.

There is Loud Laughter Everywhere is quite a festive title. Where did it come from?

During the last few US tours, I brought a field recorder and recorded sounds from each city we played in, and then wove those sounds into the songs as a backdrop for the new album. It became a sort of aural roadtrip. I wanted a title that reflected the theme of travel and also conveyed the upbeat, party vibe of this album.

Your debut album Random Portraits of the Home Movie got some pretty impressive write-ups. How did that make you feel? Does it add pressure to up the ante on this record?

It feels great knowing people responded so well to the first album. I spent two years recording the debut and poured a lot of energy and passion into that album, so it was exciting that people took notice. But I tried not to let that impact my motivation or songwriting. I can see how some musicians might read reviews, and then on the next album focus on the things that writers applauded. But paying too much attention to what others say can get dangerous and make one lose touch with the whole reason you create music in the first place. I think my new album definitely ups the ante. But not because of any added pressure from the press. I was trying to beat my own expectations and create the kind of album that you’d want to put on when you’re having your best friends over for a party. Every song had to be strong enough on its own to stand out as a single, but also fit within the vibe of the record. I had a really strong vision on exactly what I wanted: An upbeat party record that is bold, assertive, and playful. As I was recording, if tempos got too slow or lyrics or chords got too moody, I threw parts away in favor of more upbeat material. The album is designed to shake bootie. Big beats. Big synths. And big anthems both playful and sinister at the same time. I like to smile and HLAK is my medicine to keep that smile.

This is certainly an album you can dance to. You’ve covered a wide variety of genres in your career already. Would you say this is your party record?

Yes! Yes! Yes! And part of that is an extension of how much fun it’s been playing the party anthems live. It was a natural evolution from indie rock to big beats. There are some great dance moments on the debut, too, but this new album (Loud Laughter…) fully embraces the dancefloor. Every tour I wear out a pair of shoes.

You had plenty of toys to play with. Did you go into the recording sessions with the idea of experimenting with a variety of instruments?

Definitely. I love to experiment with sounds to create moods. I’m especially fond of mixing glitched-out electronic gear like 808 drum machines and Moog and Juno synths and Theremins and funky Rhodes keys with more organic instruments like cellos, kotos, guitars, pump organs and live drums. It’s really fun to take those organic instruments and run them through a bed of analog guitar effects and tweak them into crazed textures. I want to create songs that push the envelope sonically and at the same time deliver beats and melodies that stay humming in your head for the rest of the summer. Pop doesn’t have to be boring, right? Let’s mess with it.

'Big FM Radio Hit', as the title suggests, is your most accessible song to date. What came first, the song or the title?

The song came first. Then I started padding it out with trumpets and thick guitars. Then Graig Markel of Animals At Night added vocals. I really liked the direction and jokingly gave it the title 'Big FM Radio Hit' as a placeholder during mixing. I loved how presumptuous it sounded. When it came time for finalizing the title, audacious sounded better than humble.

There is only yourself and Trent Moorman in the band. How would you describe his input into the creative process? Is Head like a Kite a democracy?

I write and record all the songs and play most of the instruments and then invite various guests to come in and record additional parts. Trent and I started playing live together after I finished recording the first album, Random Portraits of the Home Movie. I’m really lucky I met Trent. He does things on one hi-hat that most drummers can’t do with 12 cymbals. Check out the way he opens and closes it during 'Daydream Vacation'. It creates this awesome tension that releases at the choruses.

Are Sushirobo still active? How have you found juggling two bands?

Sushirobo never officially broke up. We just reached the point where we were sort of going through the motions of playing but not really feeling inspired as a band. We are all really good friends and we all saw it happening at the same time, so we decided it would be better to take a break for awhile. I’d love to do some shows again with them. Barry Shaw, the Sushirobo drummer, has played a couple songs on each of the Head Like a Kite albums and Sushirobo bass player, Clay Martin, recorded a few on the first album. I still see those guys often. You just reminded me. I need to call Arthur (Sushirobo’s singer and other guitar player) about doing some guest vocals on the next Head Like a Kite album.

Do you get the opportunity to listen to many new bands in your spare time? What have you been checking out recently?

I really, really like Lymbyc Systym. We toured with them recently and it was really inspiring. They are an instrumental duo (brothers) on keys and drums that create big, thick, epic songs that remind me a bit of Mogwai and The Album Leaf.

So what’s next? With so many commitments you must be a busy man…

We plan to tour a bunch to support the new record and I’m busy recording the next one as we speak. We played with M83 last night and have been juggling live shows with recording. It’s an exciting time.