L.I.F.T (Love In Future Times) are in the midst of a pretty big year. The band, which describes themselves as “emo hip hop” are signed to DCD2 Records, which is owned by Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy, and have tours with Bishop Briggs and The Warped Tour in support of their debut EP, upcoming. We talked to the band following their most recent gig at Summerfest. Check it out here:

B&E: Welcome to Milwaukee! You guys are in the middle of a long tour. How does it feel to play big stages like Summerfest?

L.I.F.T: We’re roughly half way through our first tour and we feel like we’re adapting to larger crowds and stages every day. Having just ended our tour with Bishop Briggs we feel exhilarated to be able to play to larger groups of people from diverse musical backgrounds and Summerfest is the perfect place to do so. 🙂

B&E: You jump on The Warped Tour right after this for a few dates. What are you looking forward to most about being part of the last cross-country Warped Tour?

L.I.F.T: Having grown up listening to and playing in pop punk and emo bands we’re are most excited to simply be included in the last ever Vans Warped Tour. We see it as a right of passage for the alternative rock and hip hop scene artists. When we found out that 2018 would be the final year we were dismayed by its sudden end, and uplifted in knowing that we would be a part of it. Most of all we’re looking forward to meeting and connecting with some more of our Dead Kid$ across the US and to be able to meet and befriend other artists and bands in our scene.

B&E: The band also is on a label owned by Pete Wentz, and you’ll be touring with Fall Out Boy soon. How did you guys get discovered by Pete?

L.I.F.T: We were introduced to Pete through our agent. We had met with various labels and managers after our agent and random people in the industry began to pass around the music videos we had been making independently. We’d always been reluctant to sign to a label because we are very protective of our band and music; however, Pete’s comprehension of the project desire to expand upon our vision rather than change it opened our minds to working with others. He does music for the right reasons and gets our message.

B&E: Your debut EP is out now. What was the process like making this project?

L.I.F.T: We make all the music ourselves with our producer Cameron Cade. The “AUTOP$Y” EP is a collections of songs we made during our time in London and California. We recorded it in our a studio we built in our house. Because it was created in intense isolation and in our home (the dead 30 house) it sort of sonically documents our period of trying to figure out who we are as a band.

B&E: You’ll be touring all summer. What’s one (non-essential) thing that you have to have with you when you’re on the road?

L.I.F.T: Holden’s pet snake “Bobo” has become an essential part of our touring experience. Our slimy friend has become part of the dead30 family, baring through the toughest highs and lows that are inevitable in a young touring band, Bobo has really come into his stride, proving himself to be a loyal and comforting presence among the band. Bobo… come home.

B&E: Finally, what’s next for L.I.F.T after this round of tour dates?

L.I.F.T: After this tour we are going to focus on perfecting our art and progressing our sound. EP two is going to be about this chapter of our lives just as the “AUTOP$Y” EP was documenting our feelings before and during the conception of the band.