Miami resident and one-third of RÜFÜS DU SOL James Hunt shares the creative process behind the brand’s fifth studio album, Inhale / Exhale.

The Australian trio is made up of James Hunt, Tyrone Lindqvist and Jon George.

Creating an album is a collaborative process, and few bands understand that journey like Grammy-winning RÜFÜS DU SOL (@rufusdusol), the Australian electronic trio of James Hunt, Tyrone Lindqvist and Jon George.

Before releasing their fifth studio album, Inhale / Exhale, the trio, whose music has crossed the boundaries of electronic and indie while conquering the live music experience, embarked on an emotional and transformative journey to encapsulate their creative process and better understand one another.

“After being in a band for 15 years, you know, things built up, and then... we were touring in an unsustainable way,” said James Hunt, one of the band’s members. To counteract the pressures of their career, the group adopted various well-being practices, including breath work, ice baths and even group therapy. This shift helped them grow as individuals and enhanced their time within the studio.

Offering a dynamic exploration of sound signifying a new era of the visionary group, Inhale / Exhale showcases a shift within their work. Hunt explains the album in an evolution, highlighting the band’s newfound joy and clarity in their collaborative efforts. At 15 tracks, the album is the longest the trio has released, a departure from their previous works, which ranged from nine to eleven tracks. Stemming from their desire to keep things exciting for them and their listeners, Hunt explains this was the first time the band members had lived apart—with him and George in Miami and Lindqvist in San Diego.

PHOTO BY RIC LIPSON

“We were looking to see what was fresh for us because the first four records we put out have a similar arc to them, going from starting with a lighter tone and then sort of dissolving into some darker textures toward the back end of the record,” he shares. “Those arcs seemed to work for us for the first four records, and we were looking to mix them up for our fans to make them fresh.”

Hunt shares that he initially feared the album would lack the substance they were looking for, with everyone living apart from each other, but the opposite happened. “We get in the room together during these two-week writing blocks, and I think the sense of time and pressure was healthy and resulted in us being way more prolific, forcing us to finish ideas,” he says. “We had all this material, and we were like, ‘Well, why don’t we just do something longer that has two arcs to it instead of one,’ that sense of duality bled into the title as a dual Inhale / Exhale.”

Recording in historic studios like Village and Arlyn, the trio found themselves drawn toward the 90s and early 2000s music inspired by a hint of nostalgia.

PHOTO BY BOAZ KROON

“We were looking to see what was fresh for us because the first four records we put out have a similar arc to them, going from starting with a lighter tone and then sort of dissolving into some darker textures toward the back end of the record.”–JAMES HUNT

Evident by anyone who has seen RÜFÜS DU SOL perform— they sold out shows at Red Rocks, headlined Osheaga—is that a key to their success is the group’s collaborative nature. Rather than relying solely on individual contributions, the band found that their strongest material came while working in the studio together. “We quickly discovered that there’s a magic to us three, being in the room together. The material that we all were connected to most was when the material that we generated in the room together,” James shared. This collaborative spirit allowed the trio to blend their distinct strengths, resulting in a more unified sound.

The album also embraced imperfections, paralleling the spontaneity of live performance. Hunt notes that they learned to let tracks “breathe” rather than over-polishing them. During their live shows, when the moment’s energy can lead to unexpected outcomes, Hunt emphasized the importance of humanity in music. “What we love about our live show is we’re playing instruments up there,” he shares. “Things that are human and played instrumentally, and mistakes might happen, but that makes it more engaging, just the aspect of it being live and being slightly different from night to night because of how you play it.”

Similar to past albums, which have an overarching theme, Inhale / Exhale explores a floral thematic choice, with each song given its own identity while allowing the band to explore a visual representation of their music. Inspired by diffused images of flowers, the cover art complements the album’s reflective qualities. “We were wrapping up the record during one of our last LA sessions, and we had a team shoot the album cover in the studio,” he shares. “There were heaps of floral arrangements of different bouquets and many options, and we found one we all connected with and went with it.”

PHOTO BY BOAZ KROON

On the heels of their next tour, it is fitting the group focused on breathwork only for this album to symbolize the cycle of breath. “We designed the album as a whole, and we love the process of making albums,” Hunt shares. “We put a lot of care into the way songs transition; the cycle of the album is cyclical, ‘Inhale’ being the first track, and ‘Exhale’ being the last track. There are references to breath and fire and air and creating a whole world.”

Serving as a timestamp of the band’s journey and an invitation for listeners to connect with their own experience, Inhale / Exhale marks a new landscape for the band’s catalog, with audience members finding their connections.

“It’s cool hearing stories from fans about how our music’s impacted them during different points in their lives. If anyone can just draw resonance to any of the songs or the body of work itself, and if it helps them cope with a darker point in their life, our ultimate principle—if it moves us, then it will probably move someone else.”

PHOTO BY RIC LIPSON

“WE PUT A LOT OF CARE INTO THE WAY SONGS TRANSITION; THE CYCLE OF THE ALBUM IS CYCLICAL.” –JAMES HUNT

James Hunt’s Miami Favorites

Favorite place to be in for a night out?

Lagniappe

Favorite restaurant?

Mandolin

Favorite place to be when you’re not working?

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