After a chance meeting at a gig in Los Angeles James Curd (Greenskeepers) and singer Morgan Phalen (Diamond Nights) bonded over sore feet and a love of their craft.

Despite geographical differences; James in Adelaide and Morgan in San Francisco, the pair have managed to create Favored Nations. The name itself references their international interconnectedness.

“When I talk to Morgan on Skype the world really feels like a smaller place,” James says.

Back in Australia, James recruited his friend and multi-instrumentalist Surahn Sidhu (The Swiss, Empire Of The Sun touring band) to create a trio of nu disco, bouncing basslines and warm vocal melodies.

“What happened was we spent maybe a month in LA and then Morgan was in Australia for a month and then all the in-between time Sid and I were in Adelaide. So I guess all of us were probably only in the same room for about a month but Morgan and I have been together a lot and Sid and I have been together a lot.”

Favored Nations are a band that wouldn't have existed even five years ago without the aid of the internet. But James and Morgan love mixing it up through different media and wouldn't have it any other way.

“I think they both work really well but at the end of the day, when Morgan's writing lyrics and stuff, he goes into his own little zone so whether we're together or whether he's at home where he's comfortable writing lyrics in his house, you know, it doesn't make a difference.”

The group’s first EP, 'Blame Game', came together virtually overnight.

“We went together into James' studio,” Morgan says, “and just put together the instrumental track in a few hours, and while he was doing that I was in the kitchen whistling along and I wrote all of the melody while he was working on that. So it takes me a little longer to write lyrics and things like that, but that song was fairly instant.”

‘Blame Game’ is out July 19. Favored Nations plan to tour Australia in January.