Meet Middle Twin and the team that helped transform them

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The last time I spoke with Middle Twin, they were Brain Food, and that name change inspired quite a few changes that have done wonders for this quickly evolving local electronic pop sensation. These guys know what they’re doing, but not without a solid army of contributors.

Most notably of the changes, they’ve swapped out the former drummer Charlie Moffet for Quiet Corral’s Isaac Flynn, and added bass player Jon Fitzgerald (from Paper Buffalo). And with a new incarnation, a new name was born.

To refresh your memory, Brain Food started out years ago as an electronic DJ duo act. Now that it’s evolved into a full band, the name didn’t quite support the vibe they are putting out, and often people would be surprised that they were indie electronic pop, says guitarist and band manager Eric Davis. Maybe it’s EDM? Heavy metal? Math rock?

“I just don’t think it was a good label for our product,” Davis says.

Several excruciating discussions later, they came up with the name Middle Twin, something that couldn’t possibly happen and the words wouldn’t appear together anywhere on the Internet. Heavily influenced by pop and experimental music, the dichotomy is better represented.

Six months later, they have a fresh seven-track EP titled “City of Gold” to get back on the scene as a more mature, developed and arguable brand new band. Get a hold of one at the free EP release party (no excuse not to go) at The Bottleneck on Thursday at 8 p.m., along with locals Forrester, Narkalark and The Phantastics.

Vocalist Demi Renault has completely assumed role as frontman; her captivating stage presence and incredible voice making her the most memorable from each show, Davis says. And with experienced producer Isaac Flynn on drums, his trained ear has helped them develop a cleaner sound with a bigger emphasis on Renault’s melodies and Joel Martin’s beats (pay attention to how he plays MPC pad with one hand and keyboard with the other onstage). They’ve embraced the beauty of open space.

“Back in the day I feel like we were always trying to add more and more to our songs to make them more interesting,” Davis says. “Now I feel like we’re learning it’s better to take away from our songs. We don’t need as much as we thought we needed. The songs carry themselves.”

Davis credits both band newcomers with substantial influences; Flynn with his professionalism, talent and positive energy, and Fitzgerald for being a “music freak” in tune with the music scene on local and national levels.

“[Fitzgerald] has such an appetite for new music, new things and new influences,” Davis says. “He’s got amazing taste.”

The two fit naturally into their unnatural personality as a band, and by that, they will admit to being a bunch of goofballs. Recently released music video for “Savoir Faire” off the new EP flashes scenes of the dancing band mates in various colors, and it captures them well.

“That music video is us,” Davis says.

Directed by Weston Allen (Lawrence native) in the East Lawrence Arts District, he agrees the outlandish video came together in a concept fitting for his clients (really, they’re all good friends): a psychedelic Aesopica about stage diving egg-men. Allen, based out of Chicago, tossed around several ideas –clouds, mannequins, and children playing with paint — that he could quickly gather shots of to edit over the course of two months.

To mirror closely their evolved electronic sound (as opposed to their last video by Allen which was more alt-rock) he worked heavily with computers and scanners. They couldn’t have found a more dedicated, hardworking filmmaker for their team, Davis says, and he fits perfectly into the Middle Twin equation.

“They’re bombastic storytellers not afraid to get their feet wet,” Allen says. “They’re humble mad scientists. They trust me to live up to the standard of their dexterous weirdness, and vice versa.”

Allen wrote and produced a pilot “Bob Contemplates Ending It All” coming this summer, while simultaneously working on such an ambitious “Savoir Faire” music video. Not to mention that he’s illustrating content for the Chicago Reader and had an art show in the Caochangdi arts district of Beijing, China.

“I can’t say enough about him,” Davis says. “The fact that we get to work with someone that talented right now is really cool.”

Special shoutout to band artist Will Willmott who designed the cover for “City of Gold” while listening to the song on repeat until finishing the illustration. And the music engineer Jim Barnes for working with Flynn to record and produce the album.

Middle Twin has an army in place, and they are ready to take over.

“You have to have all of these elements, and all of these people and selecting them is as important as picking the members of the band.” Davis says. “It’s not just the music.”