MAKO are an electronic candy-step duo comprised of DJ Logan Light on knobs, and Alex Seaver, a Julliard-pedigreed singer and pianist, playing MacBook. Each are masters of the digital tabletop and living the vampire life in LA studios — working with powerhouse European producers like Avicii and basically the entire Dutch progressive dance scene, among others. The fellas rock sets at Electric Daisy Carnival and the Coachella Sahara Tent with anthemic jams that kick you right in the synapses.

In a drastic change of pace, the duo unplugs for the first time ever this month. Light and Seaver are showcasing their analog instrumental prowess at club shows in LA, NYC and San Francisco next week, performing tunes from their debut LP Hourglass, which drops December 9. They checked in from the rehearsal room and shared a fresh cut from the record.

Hometown: San Diego, California (Alex); Los Angeles, California (Logan)

Homebase: Los Angeles

You guys know each other from way back in the day, right?

Logan: We actually met through our fathers who were college roommates at Syracuse (Go Orange!) in the mid ‘70s. They were having a dinner when Alex was moving to LA in 2012, and I happened to tag along and then it grew from there. Apparently there is photo evidence that we met once when were three, but unfortunately don't remember it.

Is ‘70s dad-rock what turned you onto music?

Alex: Not really! We had an old piano of my grandmother's lying around that I become curious about in high school, but other than that it was sort of miraculous that I ended up making music.

How did you discover music and realize you wanted to make music for a living?

Alex: It all started in middle school band here [in LA]. The thought to take it seriously really popped in when considering college. Since I attended an arts-only school, I was locked into doing music as a career but at that point I knew it was the only thing I ever wanted to do.

Hourglass is a huge departure for you. Can you point to specific influences that helped it come together?

Alex: There might not be one artist more than any other--but we were listening to a lot of alternative and indie electronic music throughout the whole experience... mixed in with pop for good measure. Artists like Radiohead, One Republic, M83, Coldplay... I have no idea if what we created sounds at all like those artists, but they kept us inspired and creative in all the right ways while we ventured for our first steps away from Electronic Dance Music.

What does ‘Mako’ mean?

Logan: So I am certainly quite a nerd at heart. As a child (and still to this day) my favorite video game was Final Fantasy VII. When we were deciding on a name for the group we wanted it to be something from our youth that meant something to us. Mako comes from the game and is the life force that flows through and heals the planet. If you haven't played it, I highly recommend it.

So, besides hot women and awesome drugs why did you get into EDM?

Alex: I became absolutely infatuated with it but not until I spent most of my life listening exclusively to classical music. Ironically I don't own a single analog instrument, but I love the endless possibility of it. You are literally creating your own instruments that no one ever yet created. You are stacking, layering, fusing noises together and there are no limits beyond your imagination. In a lot of ways it reminds me of writing for Orchestra because of how much depth and color you can draw out of it the better experienced you become.

Who is in your dream collab project?

Logan: Radiohead is my favorite band of all time so I would say them but I would be too intimidated, nor do i want to ruin any sort of flow with their creative process--they are a once in a lifetime act. In terms of contemporaries we both love Porter Robinson and Madeon so would love to work with them if we could.

When you’re not making music what are you doing?

Logan: I love sports--especially my Denver Broncos. I enjoy golfing (especially mini golf) and running quite a bit too. I don't know, I'm really up for anything except hot air balloons.

Oh? Bad experience?

Logan: It was terrifying.

Were you in other bands before? What were they like?

Alex: Just orchestras! And I miss them! That experience of playing live breathing music in a room together is a fix I don't ever get in electronic music. Which is one of the reasons were pushing everything towards our new live band setup.

Say I never heard a Mako song. Tell me what it sounds like.

Alex: It's been fun working on all this new material for Hourglass mostly because I fumble a lot with the right words to describe it, really keen to find out what our audience starts calling it. It definitely fits under electronic, alternative, pop -- but it flies off into some pretty bizarre cinematic places. I always try really hard to make something beautiful, inspiring and impactful. With whatever instruments and noises I can to help achieve that.

What's the craziest thing a fan has ever done for you?

Logan: Haha. I'm not really too sure.

Wow, it must be good...

Logan: Nothing crazy at all really. All the fans are so nice and caring, no one is that crazy. We just love to meet and interact with anyone who connects with and enjoys our music.

What about connecting in a songwriting sense, how does that come about for you guys?

Alex: I've been trying to mix up the process lately to stumble into some different end results, but on Hourglass it almost always started with a title and an idea. The integrity of the storytelling is huge for me, so when I've landed on a story I want to tell then its about spreading those ideas across melodies and recording. I am in love with those songwriters that maintain a real beautiful sense of storytelling but also are so artful at writing melodies that appeal across the board. Ed Sheeran and Ryan Tedder are phenomenal at this. I love the personality of James Bay, and I'm even very inspired by the 'sing-about-anything-you-want' feeling I get when I listen to Twenty One Pilots.

Twitter is about to die, so one last chance to give yourself a hashtag--what is it?

Logan: We do have a friend on every post we make (and at shows comes with a flag) that just a giant hashtag that says #2HotGuyz--so Jared, wherever you are, we are still embarrassed. If we had to choose it may be something like #OurDogsAreCoolerThanUs

Are there any year-end goals you haven’t yet hit for 2016?

Alex: GET THIS ALBUM UP! We asked our fans to be so patient with us and we really want to get this music straight into their hands.

For more profiles on up-and-coming artists, visit our Artist of the Day page.