On The Rise: Twin Syndrome

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Watch out for big things coming in the next year from Twin Syndrome, the electronic music duo consisting of Kevin and Kyle Ursic. Recently graduated from college, the duo is planning on making 2014 their big year to shine!

Twin Syndrome is certainly on their way to the top, opening with their own sets for big names in the industry including Porter Robinson, Datsik, Zedd and Feed Me.

Last Sunday, Empty Lighthouse had the opportunity to sit down and catch up with the twins at Whim Nightclub in Pittsburgh, after they performed a heavy and crowd jumping set before Feed Me took the stage.

Get to know more about Twin Syndrome, how they got where they are and what's in store for the future of the talented twin DJ's!

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: How did you get your start in electronic music?
TWIN SYNDROME: We got our start in electronic music about three years ago. We went to college and had been performing in a metal band for a few years, but found it extremely difficult to form a band being at different colleges. Our friends had already been into electronic music, so we got into mixing hip-hop just for fun.

One night we DJ'ed a house party together and the crowd response from that was enough alone to push what we were doing. At first it was more of a hobby, it wasn't anything serious.

But once we started to play together, it started to materialize.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: Did you go to school together?
TWIN SYNDROME: Kevin went to WVU and I went to Duquesne, and we actually just graduated!

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: Who do you consider your musical influences?
TWIN SYNDROME: We both love Skrillex and a lot of heavy dubstep and drum & bass. We would like to classify ourselves in the more heavier categories.

We do like to go through all the genres, but if I were to say our biggest inspiration, definitely Bassnectar, simply because of how he can improvise.

We only plan out half of our set and improvise from basically what the crowd is doing, so we have a lot of respect for other who improvise in their sets, like Bassnectar and Pretty Lights.

A lot of our musical intuition is very rock and roll based too, but Bassnectar is definitely number one.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: What has been your most memorable experience?
TWIN SYNDROME: Honestly, tonight! Tonight was so much fun and definitely the best show we have done in a while.

We've done shows with Datsik, Zedd and Porter Robinson - but this was definitely the most responsive crowd.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: You guys have an entourage too, I love it!
TWIN SYNDROME: We honestly have the most dedicated friends and fans. We wouldn't be where we are without their support, obviously.

We are so blessed to have friends that will travel from Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York. Most of them all traveled over 300 miles to come to Pittsburgh to see us play.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: If you were to collaborate with anyone, would you choose Bassnectar or would you pick someone else?
TWIN SYNDROME: Definitely Excision, because he comes from a metal background like us, heavy rock and roll influence.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: What three things would you want with you on a stranded island?
TWIN SYNDROME I love this one! The Nervo twins! We could have some fun with those girls. I would love to be on an island with the Nervo girls.

Bassnectar's sound system and lighting system, and all my best friends.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: What advice would you give to other young people trying to get their start in the industry?
TWIN SYNDROME: First thing I would say is to diversify yourself from everyone else, and push that. When you get in the electronic music scene, the first thing you want to push is good music and the second is a good image. Without either of those things, you won't be successful. What I mean by that is when you look at Deadmau5, the first thing you see is his helmet, Skrillex you see his hair, Krewella you see the girls. If they didn't have good music to back them, they wouldn't be anywhere. But once you have the good music and a strong image to push yourself, then comes diversity. You have to ask yourself, what are you doing different that no one is doing, that I love.

What this music is about is that everyone interprets it differently, and there's a personal interaction with the sound and emotional connection with the music. That's what diversifies people. Although we are all here as one, each person individually has a sense of emotion that they are feeling from the music.

That connection is the meaning of what we do. And always keep your head up.

There are so many people in this scene that are willing to help people, but it takes a lot of patience and promoting and hard work.

When you realize it's for something bigger for yourself, that is the moment you realize it's something that's okay to do for the rest of your life.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: So you guys just graduated .. Do you plan on doing this or pursuing other careers?
TWIN SYNDROME: Absolutely. We are planning on going to a school in New York called Dub Spot.

We will be working for my dad for a couple of months, saving up money and then heading to school at Dub Spot. It's electronic recording.

We love this stuff so much but we don't have enough knowledge to produce commercial quality music.

We don't want to put anything out into the public that isn't 100% us, so we're going to go get that knowledge to make that music and put it out.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: Come 2014, what do you guys have in store for more releases and performances?
TWIN SYNDROME: What everyone has seen us do up to this point is strictly DJ'ing, standing behind turn tables. That is about to all change. We both have been playing drums, guitar, keyboard and bass for over 10 years. Us being behind turntables is kind of strange and restricted. We are used to being on stage with instruments.

Once we go to Dub Spot and gain the knowledge of learning how to use everything we need to know, we are going to start using live drums, live keyboards, live bass, live guitars - we might not even have turn tables. It's going to be a whole live performance.

There is such a musical connection between crowds and musicians with instruments. We want our crowds to be able to see us playing instruments.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: And like you said, that will definitely give you guys that sense of diversity you were just talking about.
TWIN SYNDROME: Absolutely. And with the way that electronic music is going, the crowds are going to start demanding a lot more from DJ's.

If you can bring that live component back to the stage, everything and anything is possible. This DJ'ing thing is really about to end, and this is the beginning of what's going to happen.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: Great! I'm so excited to keep up with you guys and follow you through your journey!
TWIN SYNDROME: Thank you, thank you! And side note, we wouldn't be anywhere we are without you guys and our manager.

This man right here has been our guiding light, without him we wouldn't be anywhere.

We look forward to seeing what the twins have to create for fans and to make their big move into the industry. Be sure to stay tuned for more to come from the talented twin duo Twin Syndrome!

[Photo Credit: John Held // www.facebook.com/JHeldPhoto]