Step inside the iconic halls of Robert Lang Studios, and you’re entering more than just a studio—you’re walking into a piece of music history. Perched just outside of Seattle, this legendary recording sanctuary has echoed with the raw genius of Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and countless others who have carved their sound into the fabric of rock ‘n’ roll. But today, those hallowed halls are resonating with something fresh—something fiercely unique. Enter A PRIORI, an independent duo whose sonic vision and fearless creativity have found both a home and a heartbeat within Robert Lang’s world.
At the center of it all is Robert Lang, a man whose passion for music and unrelenting belief in artist potential has fostered careers and fueled dreams. For A PRIORI, Lang has been more than a studio owner—he’s been a mentor, a supporter, and an integral part of their journey from bold experimentation to international acclaim.
In this interview, we sit down with Robert Lang and A PRIORI for an intimate conversation on legacy, innovation, and the magic that happens when artistry and authenticity collide. From the first time they walked through Lang’s doors to the transformative sessions that helped define their sound, this is a story of trust, mutual respect, and the power of believing in the magic of creativity.
Q: What’s it like for you being able to see A PRIORI’s growth?
Robert Lang: Over the course of my career as a studio owner, I have watched countless artists grow and improve their art. Whether the session was for a young songwriter or the Foo Fighters, I have always loved seeing my studio be used to its full capacity to help artists create amazing music. Watching Alex and Joey grow over the past four years has been amazing – I am glad to have played a part in their journey, and am excited to see what they do next!
Q: Was there a moment that you knew that A PRIORI was destined to do great things in electronic music?
Robert Lang: I wouldn’t say there was one specific moment. I really started to see Alex’s potential as a producer when, towards the end of his time as a student of our academy, he spent the better part of a month sitting in Studio B alone teaching himself to use the equipment at a professional level. This dedication to the craft of music production and audio engineering was what spurred me to hire him as a staff engineer at the studio, as well as an instructor for our academy.
Q: What was your reaction to hearing that A PRIORI signed their single “Bye Bye Bye” to such a respected dance label?
Robert Lang: I am always excited to learn when a song produced at Robert Lang Studios succeeds! We have tracked everybody from Nirvana to Macklemore, and each time an artist uses our space to make a hit I am reminded of how grateful I am to have been able to build a studio which can help them in their journeys.
Q: Many duo’s have a ‘yin and yang’ approach. How do your individual strengths and weaknesses complement each other within A PRIORI, both in the studio and on stage?
A PRIORI: Our Yin and Yang functions like ‘Spy vs. Spy’ from Mad Magazine, i.e. we are constantly at war with each other. Individually, we have vastly different tastes in music, skillsets, and personalities. But those contrasts benefit our creativity and function in an ‘opposites attract’ kind of way.
We have been best friends since our college days and our first ever collaboration was on our school’s debate team. Joey would make beer runs for Alex and his underage dorm mates, and both of us would spend many a night arguing about current events, politics, and philosophy. Ultimately, this led to years of experience arguing with each other before we ever decided to start producing EDM. When we did eventually form our duo, our mantra was ‘friends first,’ meaning that our friendship was more important to us than any financial or commercial success. To this day, that is our founding principle, which has served us well over the years.
The strength of our friendship begets our ability to speak honestly with each other, allowing for both of us to have our individual stamps on various aspects of the project. Over time, however, we learned that delegation was fundamental to our productivity. Alex primarily handles everything to do with the music, serving as the songwriter, singer, and general creative head of the group. Joey focuses on live performances and manages the business side – communications, social media, and administrative functions. That said, we overlap responsibilities more than other duos. Joey co-produces on every track and Alex co-produces every live set. Having that overlap has been key to developing our signature sound and performance style.
Q: Your sound design clearly stands out. Can you share specific techniques or unconventional approaches you employ to create your signature textures and soundscapes?
A PRIORI: When designing sounds, we try to implement horrible ideas as much as we can – one of our recent compositions, for example, contains a lead synth sound that is composed of heavily resampled and effected whale mating calls. From there, we usually continue by adding layers and additional processing to create the full, wall-of-sound effect that has become our standard bread and butter sound. We very often find that the biggest challenge with sound design is less about what sounds to add, but what sounds to remove – our projects typically become overly complex within the first fifteen minutes of composition, and a lot of the work becomes about selectively (or aggressively) removing elements that are detracting from the overall soundscape.
Q: Drum & Bass is constantly evolving. Where do you see the genre heading, and how do you see A PRIORI contributing to its future direction?
A PRIORI: We’re eagerly waiting to see DnB hit the mainstream in the United States. It’s making huge strides thanks to artists like Reaper and Kumarion, who have so masterfully infused the genre with the heavy synths that American crowds love. In our conversations with artists in the know, the dance music industry at large is still holding its breath to see if and when DnB finally takes root in the states. We’re working to make it accessible to U.S. audiences by fusing it with staple American genres like Pop Punk and Grunge. More vocalists, more attitude, more frontman-style performance.
Q: Collaboration seems crucial to your music. What qualities do you look for in potential collaborators, and how do you ensure a synergistic creative process?
A PRIORI: Working together for so long has given us a model for what to look for in other collaborators. The #1 criteria is being easy to work with. We take producing seriously, but we want it to be a good time for all parties involved, creating a conducive environment for creative ideas. Creative chemistry between people varies quite a bit, but we really prioritize mutual understanding of workflow and styles, because that allows us to create the most interesting music!
Q: Can you describe a time when you faced a significant creative block, and what strategies did you use to overcome it?
A PRIORI: Being an artist means one constantly doubts their own capabilities, especially early in one’s career as one experiences three failures for every tiny victory. From the beginning, our mindset towards self-doubt and burnout has been a simple one – just keep going. We have always anticipated that it would take about ten years from when we started this journey for us to achieve any kind of success or recognition in our career, and likely even longer than that; we are in this for the long haul, and through all our failures and struggles we have continued to remind ourselves that every faceplant was an opportunity to stand back up. We committed to the process of becoming producers and sharing our music with the world, so eventually self-doubt became a non-issue; we are going to make this work or die trying, so we might as well just press forward.
To deal with creative burnout, we adopt two strategies. First, never stop creating. Alex makes a point of opening the DAW every single day, even if for just five or ten minutes to tweak a mix or make a new synth patch. For us, the ideas only really dry up when we take extended breaks from songwriting; as long as we stay in the mindset of producing every day (even when our ideas are terrible), we don’t stay burned out for long. Second, try something new. Often when we make a track in a new genre, it started because Alex felt he was in a creative rut and wanted to see what would happen if he started a song by sampling the sound of his dishwasher or modulating a recording of himself singing dubstep sounds to a voice memo on his phone while weaving traffic on the interstate. One of the reasons we have almost 100 synthesizer plugins is because Alex always buys a new one when he feels like he can’t get a good idea going – creative innovation sometimes requires poor financial decisions. Ultimately, we break through creative roadblocks by keeping the ideas flowing and constantly trying new things.
Thank you for your answers! A PRIORI’s journey is a testament to the power of passion, persistence, and partnership. Their relentless drive to innovate and their willingness to embrace the unconventional have not only defined their sound but also helped push the boundaries of electronic music. From humble beginnings to signing with major dance labels and crafting their songs in legendary studios, Alex and Joey continue to carve a path that’s unapologetically their own.
As Robert Lang himself noted, their story is just getting started—and if the past is any indication, the future promises even greater things. Want to hear what all the buzz is about? You can dive into A PRIORI’s world and experience their unique soundscape for yourself on Spotify right here.
Plug in, press play, and prepare to be transported.
