Exray's presents a powerful new sound in a world of blended sounds, effortlessly blending experimental melodic pop songs with punchy up-tempo beats. Perhaps its because of their different backgrounds--Michael Falsetto-Mapp came from a DJ/Producer background, while Jon Bernson came from a songwriter background. Whatever the case, They'll' have you reconstructing your idea of electronica and pop, by their creative bold infusion of all genres.

While Bernson's interview is sometimes mysterious and cryptic, and searching for information on them online may yield a frustrating response, when you are able to finally pull some sound up on them, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

For instance, their track, "Hesitation", a dreamy, nearly grating landscape filled with haunting melodic overtones, is like a hybrid between Jim Morrison's poetry and Trent Reznor's intensity. While the discordant sounds may seem like odd juxtapositions, Exray's manages to make something completely palatable out of the concoction. Just don't take acid and listen to this track.

There are a few gems on their debut release and we are anxious to here more from them.

antiMusic caught up with the fledgling band just after they released their debut EP cassette, "Ammunition Teeth." Yep, you read correctly. Cassette. As you'll read below, Exray wanted to in essence, ‘make it harder for people to steal music.' What a brilliant idea.

Also, keep an ear out for Exray's LP early next year.

antiMusic: What's your story? Why is it so hard to find anything about you online?

Jon Bernson: Michael and I have been collaborating for years but Exray's is a new band. We came out with our debut EP a month ago. Our LP comes out 1.25.11. Googling our name brings up a lot of edgy medical info. How about starting here?

Pitchfork Forkast

Hippies Are Dead

Signal and Noise
antiMusic: Where did you meet?

Jon Bernson We met at Amoeba Music in San Francisco.

antiMusic: What was the music scene like growing up?

Jon Bernson: Recording fake commercials and jingles with my brother in my mother's closet. Strong first memories of a home recording I heard on a college radio station; hearing music that had more of an everyday vibe and fidelity. It reminded me of my early family recordings. It seemed so much more authentic than the pop music I was used to hearing in elevators and supermarkets. Now anyone can record. People can chart their own course. A new world of sound and expression is opening up.

antiMusic: What or who was the most influential thing/person in your life?

Jon Bernson: My family. Past. Present. Future.

antiMusic: Who do you write about?

Jon Bernson: My emotional stalemates.

antiMusic: At what point in your lives did you say, I want to be a rock and roll star?

Jon Bernson: I'm glad you asked this question. That role comes up a lot and I never know what to say. Becoming a rock star is something I have trouble picturing for myself. It's always seems like a life with a small shelf life. I want to make lots of different records for a long time. The rock star conversation is a common way to talk about someone's ambition as a musical artist, but where does that leave me? In a lot of awkward situations when I talk to people. How can I communicate that I'm ambitious, but don't identify? I became conscious of a true love for music when I was 13. I committed myself wholeheartedly when I was 20.

antiMusic: Talk about touring as a duo. Where have you played? Has the audience and circuit been accepting?

Jon Bernson: We have toured, but not as Exray's. We can't wait to get into the van and watch the towns go by. Joining the circus is out of our reach, but touring is not.

antiMusic: What are some challenges you face? What opportunities do you think you have because there are only two of you?

Jon Bernson: Music is the part that makes sense to us. Dealing with bills, traffic, vampires, sleep deprivation and a fear of death is another story. Being a duo has a simplicity we like.

antiMusic: What is the best part of this journey?

Jon Bernson: The feeling we get when the music is working.

antiMusic: Talk about your debut cassette EP, Ammunition Teeth. You worked with a number of people on the album. What was it like having all those creatives influence your sound?

Jon Bernson: We've been fortunate to collaborate with really great artists. All are magicians who brought singular talents to the EP and LP. That said, Michael and I have a focused aesthetic that's been able to hear all these voices without being thrown off course.

antiMusic: How would you describe your sound? What makes you unique?

Jon Bernson: A balancing act between everyday and unusual fidelity. Making sounds that keep our ears alive. Writing songs that don't drive us insane.

antiMusic: Why did you choose to release on a cassette instead of the industry standard?

Jon Bernson: We've always loved tapes. Plus, we want people who steal our music to work harder.

antiMusic: How much are you relying on social media to garner grassroots fans?

Jon Bernson: We try to let people know what's happening without giving them updates from our kitchen and bathroom. I really like the internet. Seeing people in person is rewarding as well.

antiMusic: Why does your myspace page proclaim, "We sound different live?"

Jon Bernson: Our records are like Rome: cities built on top of cities on top of cities. Our live show is more like a two headed exorcism.

antiMusic: Talk about the track, 'Hesitation' and how it came to be that director David
Fincher chose to use it in 'The Social Network?

Jon Bernson: I gave Ren Klyce (Sound Designer for David Fincher) an early version of the Exray's LP about six months ago. He dug it and passed it onto David Fincher. The rest is mystery.

antiMusic: What track did Secret Seven Records use for their 'In a Cloud' compilation?

Jon Bernson: Everything Goes. Made into a video by Pixar's Jeanne Applegate:
view it hereBig props to Secret Seven's Greg Gardener for putting together a really great compilation of Bay Area bands.

antiMusic: What is your favorite track?

Jon Bernson: We love all our children equally. Songs we don't love are salvaged for scrap metal.

antiMusic: Talk about your upcoming full-length. Who did you work with? Who is producing your efforts?

Jon Bernson: The EP and LP were from a larger batch of songs recorded during the same general time period. Some of the songs drifted toward one pole. Others to the other. We record and mix our own music, but did get valuable help from Eli Crews and Jeff Stuart Saltzman. Eli mastered both records as well.

antiMusic: Talk about what influences you when you write/create?

Jon Bernson: Personal situations force their way into songs because there's nowhere else for them to go.

antiMusic: Who are your musical role models and why?