Rüfüs Du Sol Returns to Miami for a Victory Lap at the Fillmore and Space

A crucial part of Rüfüs Du Sol’s charm is the uplifting quality of the music. Since the release of the Australian electronic trio's first full-length album, Atlas, in 2014, it has forged ahead with a sound that’s as sweeping in emotion as in scope, enveloping listeners and concertgoers in immaculately produced soundscapes and dreamy vocals courtesy of guitarist Tyrone Lindqvist.

It’s not difficult to understand why the band has grown so popular so quickly. In Miami, its debut appearance at the 2017 edition of III Points wound up being one of the most crowded sets of the weekend. Less than a year later, the band will return for a sold-out show at the Fillmore Miami Beach Saturday, June 16. According to Rüfüs’ keyboardist and all-around synth enthusiast, Jon George, the appreciation is mutual.

“I really like Miami personally. I've spent two weeks up there — like one week on one occasion and one week on another occasion — with my girlfriend because we love it so much,” George tells New Times. “There's something pretty novel about being on South Beach and walking around that area. As long as it's not thunder-storming like it was the last time we were here, then I'll be happy.”

Inconvenient storms aside, George and the rest of Rüfüs Du Sol have several reasons to be cheerful these days. In addition to performing on their current tour, they recently wrapped up recording sessions for a yet-to-be-named third LP. As on the previous album, the Berlin-recorded Bloom, Rüfüs sought to situate the recording process in a location that would be simultaneously unfamiliar and inspiring. In this instance, it happened to be  Los Angeles' scenic Venice neighborhood. If last month’s “No Place” — the first single off the forthcoming album — was any indication, the views may well have done the group some good.

“I think we make the decision to write [Rüfüs Du Sol records] in new places every time consciously,” George says. “We find it really productive to... isolate ourselves so that there are fewer distractions and we can focus on things.”

Over the course of their months-long stay, George, Lindqvist, and drummer James Hunt came to love L.A., finding that its mood and inhabitants were ideally suited to their creative inclinations. The bandmate were also able to catch a few of their own favorite artists in concert.

“I remember after a Moderat show, we were so inspired. We got home at like 3 a.m. with a big bunch of people, and we just sort of separated from them,” George recounts. “The three of us went into the studio by ourselves and kept writing all night just off the back of that.”
George still regrets not catching the Belgian dance maestros of Soulwax and their absurd new live show in California earlier this year. ("We missed a couple of opportunities to make that happen; I'm pretty devastated because I heard such good stuff. How many drummers do they have going around? Three? It's fucking ridiculous.")

While fans wait with bated breath to hear the followup to Bloom, the members of Rüfüs Du Sol are seemingly doing everything in their power to both keep themselves busy and their listeners sated. Even as the bandmates rehearse new material for their eventual live debut, they’re still overseeing mixing of the record itself. What’s more, they still somehow find the time for DJ sets such as the one taking place at Space following tomorrow’s live show.

“We've all been digging up some new material to play,” George says. “I think that's the most fun, showing different influences and making the journey together [with the audience] and playing some of our own stuff here and there.”

As evidenced by critical and commercial accolades, as well as the band's seemingly inexhaustible capacity to stay busy, Rüfüs Du Sol has more than earned a place in the lineage of great Australian electronic artists. And the bandmates seem to be coming around to the idea that they’re as adored as their heroes.

“I'm super proud of it,” George says. “I think that there is this really positive camaraderie between artists in Australia. Whenever we come home or if we see them abroad, there's this mentoring thing that goes on between all of us, just trying to push each other more, share tracks, learn more about what we're doing. I like that, we're a part of that... carrying of the torch.”

Rüfüs Du Sol. 7 p.m. Saturday, June 16, at the Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; 305-673-7300; fillmoremb.com. Tickets are sold out.

Rüfüs Du Sol DJ Set. With Thunderpony, Thomas Jack, Lee Foss, and Danyelino. 2 a.m. Sunday, June 17, at Club Space, 34 NE 11th St., Miami; 305-375-0001; clubspace.com. Tickets cost $10 to $30 via ticketfly.com.