Art vs Science set for Southbound

Indie-dance outfit Art vs Science have their sights set on Busselton, joining a number of other Australian artists as part of the 2016 Southbound line-up.

Jim Finn, who handles vocals and keyboards, said the band were eager to return to WA, having just played Rottofest last month.

The group had to contend with an enthusiastic crowd at the island gig, taking cover when a sandwich - tuna, from all reports - was hurled at the stage. "It's definitely one of the weirder things we've had on our keyboards," Finn laughed.

Next year's trip south won't be the first time the group have taken to the stage for Southbound, and Finn said the show had evolved since their last outing in Busselton.

He said the synth-heavy outfit seemed to have gone from more gear to less, then back to more for their stage show, and was also drafting more people for lighting and visuals.

Last time Art vs Science played Southbound they made a point of ing time out to explore the South West and Finn said everyone was looking forward to getting back over this way next year.

"Just being back around Busselton, Bunbury, Margaret River, we love that area," he said.

When the _Times _got on the phone with Finn, the band were still reeling from the success of their latest single, Tired of Pretending.

Finn said the trio had received a strong response to the track which comes off their second album, Off the Edge of the Earth and into Forever, Forever, released today.

"Our music has been quite polarising in the past," he said, pointing to 2010's Magic Fountain, which drew a mixed response after airtime on Triple J.

Tired of Pretending's success comes as even more of a pleasant surprise for Finn, who said he hadn't considered the five-minute-plus tune as a single from the album, but was swayed by the group's manager.

"It's one of those big groove songs on the record where it just keeps grooving," he said.

Art vs Science even produced a shortened radio edit, but it has so far been ignored in favour of the original, complete with soaring riff in the latter part of the song.

Finn said Tired of Pretending was brought to the group by fellow member Dan Mac "almost fully formed" and was one of the last songs recorded for the album.

"As soon as I heard it, I realised it wasn't one of your usual dance songs," he said.