The brothers behind the hushed, soulful music of Los Angeles' Inc., singer/guitarist Andrew Aged and bassist/vocalist Daniel Aged, took up their respective instruments in the late '90s.
At the time, Andrew was 12 and Daniel 11. Playing music together, they say, actually helped them open up to each other as siblings.
"That's where we connect," explains Daniel. "We have trouble communicating, but we can communicate through our music. That's where we communicate."
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-Inc.'s Andrew and Daniel Aged: "We're Trying to Get the Soul Out of the Body"
Later, in their early 20s, both brothers spent time as backing musicians for big-name artists like Elton John, Pharrell, and Beck, among others.
"We were mentored," notes Andrew. "We had some great teachers, and we were always kind of just searching for kind of the root of this music."
But, Daniel adds, "We sort of became a bit frustrated with it. And also, we became inspired, in our own way."
So eventually, Andrew and Daniel drifted back together. And earlier this year, following the release of a seven-inch and an EP, London-based record label 4AD Records dropped the brothers' full-length debut, No World.
They will not deny listening to lots of R&B as children, but the music also has a spooky, dream-pop element that augments the Inc. sound's swinging grooves and Andrew's sensual, breathy vocals. In other words, Lauryn Hill may have been an influence, but so was Slowdive.
"It is an ethereal approach," says Andrew. "It is trying to get to the ether and the bottom of the music and finding what things kind of work together to pull you out of the stasis."
Inc. With Total Freedom. Saturday, July 20. The Stage Miami, 170 NE 38th St., Miami. The show starts at 9:30 p.m., and tickets cost $12 plus fees via flavorus.com. Ages 18 and up. Call 305-576-9577, or visit thestagemiami.com.
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