Ari “Dick” Rubin formed MINKA in Philadelphia six years ago, and while his band has gone through several incarnations, the city’s native son has been the one constant, serving as the collective’s ringleader and bearded lead vocalist, songwriter and keyboardist – equal parts madcap Hassidic rabbi and whirling dervish holy fool. On February 14th the band will release their new EP, End of the Affair.
The Valentine’s Day release of the intensely felt, post-breakup EP marks the first of three individual MINKA projects planned for 2019, including an EP of upbeat party tunes, and an experimental EP in which the classically trained pianist will interpret several of his favorite orchestral vocal pieces by the likes of Schubert, Schumann, Faure and Strauss and update them in his own words, with a modern pop production.
On End of the Affair, Rubin has forsaken the band collaborations of years past for an approach distinctly his own, turning to his love of ‘80s R&B/soul, a genre an ex-bandmate dubbed, “nostalgiacore,” though the term doesn’t quite capture the new songs’ emotional directness and thoroughly modern thump. Rubin has studiously avoided writing love songs up until now, but End of the Affair found him reeling after the demise of a year-long relationship. “I’ve never used music as a therapeutic device before, either,” he admits. “But what ended up coming out was slightly sad and kind of sexual because they reflect the state of mind I was in at that moment.”
Today Glide is excited to premiere the tune “Sentimental Girl”, a delectably catchy ear morsel of pure Philly soul that oozes sensuality. The thick synth along with a drum machine give the song an intimate, neon-lit lounge vibe, slinking along as a perfect soundtrack for MINKA’s one-of-a-kind falsetto. It’s easy to hear influences like Hall & Oates and Todd Rundgren along with old school Philly soul outfits like Gamble & Huff and The Stylistics. Throughout the track its singer proves himself to be a charismatic musical force while also showing the right amount of vulnerability, much like Prince accomplished with his own form of funky soul music.
Listen to “Sentimental Girl” and read our chat with MINKA below…
Your new EP expresses your love of ‘80s R&B/soul, and the end result is legit. Is this your first foray into soul music and why now?
some of the first music i ever heard was soul. my babysitter would leave me in the car while she returned items to TJ Maxx (she was, and probably still is, the layaway queen).
in those moments, the radio was tuned to Sade, Luther Vandross, and Chaka Khan. it was only a matter of time before those sounds started to sneak into my songwriting.
You avoid taking yourself too seriously, but musically you’re very in the pocket- how easy or difficult is it to maintain that balance?
i’ve learned a lot from the musicians i’ve played with over the years. regardless of genre, the constant theme they’ve stressed has been: rhythmic pocket is everything. so i’ve spent more time working on that than anything else.
i need to feel comfortable dancing to a groove before i begin to have fun with vocal delivery. once i can confidently move my feet, i’ll get as wild, sensitive, or outrageous as the tune calls for.
Artists like Mac Demarco and Chromeo have successfully reinterpreted similar sounds to commercial acclaim, while others have been largely ignored. What do you think makes a standout listen or songs that was coined in your bio as “nostalgiacore”?
as crucial as groove and texture are to a track, you’re nowhere if you don’t have a compelling melody.
and emotionally resonant subject matter.
and swag.
so i guess a lot goes into it 😉
What has Philly done for you as an artist and have other creative soul acts like Low Cut Connie been a support for you or have any particular venues?
the philly basement DIY scene has been amazingly supportive. we’ve played with acts ranging from hardcore to folk to hiphop, and vibes are always strong.
also, Lotus was gracious enough to have us open for them at Union Transfer last year. it put a smile on my face to see the jam crowd getting down to our brand of sensuality.
What is your favorite hometown show to date and why?
we used to have a monthly residency at the Barbary, and things would get pretty saucy. at a show for my 30th birthday, i jumped out of a cake naked. and no one batted an eye.
well maybe they batted an eye, but at least i didn’t get arrested.
End of the Affair marks the first three MINKA projects planned for 2019 – what can you tell us about the others?
the 2nd EP we’re putting out is more feel-good, party music. we’ve teamed up with my buddy Harry Zelnick, who’s produced beats for the likes of Miguel and Ludacris. so it’s got a little bit more of a hiphop flavor.
don’t worry, though, i’m not rapping. not yet.
the 3rd EP is more experimental. i’ve spent the last few years exploring the world of classical German lieder. some of that material is stunningly beautiful, and yet remains unknown to our audience. i felt compelled to find a way to integrate Schubert and Strauss into what we do with MINKA.
so i’ve borrowed some of my favorite melodies, written my own words, and situated them into a modern pop context. i think the results are going to be pretty interesting.
Is there anything you can share with the listeners about the meaning of the name “MINKA”?
i’m sorry, but that’s privileged information. what i can say is, it sure is a happy coincidence that we share our name with a certain Korean adult actress / semi-professional tennis player.
Photo by Kara Khan
