There’s enigmatic and then there’s Lansing-Dreiden, the anonymous art collective that’s been stealthily conquering the airwaves with its raddled brand of pop. Recent album The Dividing Island is a monster of early 80s MTV pop, death metal and new wave, which isn’t really surprising given the group met in Miami, home of 80s cool. “We were all born around that time, and it has definitely affected the way we make our music,” they explain. “What’s interesting about the 80s is that the decade gave us the first instance of digital synthesis in popular music – sampled drums, digitised strings and pads.” The group’s moniker was suggested by a family friend. “The original Lansing-Dreiden were little-known propagandists who made nice-looking pamphlets in 50s South America,” and the decision to adopt the title was a way of “endowing ourselves with instant history”. It is just one of many subtle methods that they use to keep their individual identities under wraps. “We don’t want to disrupt the brand image we’re building with our work by linking it to any specific names or faces.” So far, the brand incorporates animated films, logos, ring tones,
product design, music, art and a free magazine called Death Notice. Their most recent exhibition is inspired by their new album: “One is not necessary in order to enjoy the other – we try to make music and art that stands on its own, but can also provide a deeper understanding of its counter-parts...” The result is a collection of photographs, drawings and makeshift sculptures fabricated from plywood that
evoke the story of The Dividing Island’s two-year conception. With a slew of other products, it looks like the collective are preparing to go global. But they say, for now, their ambitions are more modest: “We just want our project to be able to evolve and to remain self-sufficient.” Text Jessica Lack
Images courtesy Rivington Arms Gallery, New York
With Walkmans And 80s Cool On Their Minds, Miami Art Collective LansingDreiden Go In Search Of Global Domination
What Was Once One – II (cascading), 2006
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