Meet Captains of Entropy: LA’s Band That Turns a Flea Infestation Into High Art

With their debut single and music video “The Flea,” Captains of Entropy aren’t just making music; they’re building entire worlds. What started as a random jam session in West LA during the pandemic turned into something way more intentional: a groovy, cinematic instrumental project with serious creative vision.

The trio, Mike Kanon (keys), Reilly Wareham (bass), and Jason Young (drums, also known for his project Heartour and work with The Ruse), brings serious chemistry to the table. Their sound mixes funky rhythms, dreamy textures, and a whole lot of imagination.

Inspired by a real flea infestation in Mike’s home studio, “The Flea” takes that weird little moment and turns it into a full-blown sci-fi adventure. The music video, directed by Ryan J. Reynolds and produced by Matthew Mourgides, plays out like a retro monster movie meets trippy desert fever dream. The band goes from sketchy businessmen to wandering musicians, guided by a mysterious flea guru, of course.

Musically, it’s tight and unpredictable in the best way. Jason’s drums keep things grounded but exciting, Mike’s keys float in and out of spacey and melodic, and Reilly absolutely goes off on the bass solo. Even without lyrics, “The Flea” tells a story, one that ends with a surprise dance scene under the stars.

Recorded at Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood, this single is just the beginning. The band’s upcoming debut LP is expected to be full of boundary-pushing, genre-defying tracks that hit just as hard.

The Flea may have started as a joke, but Captains of Entropy are clearly not playing around.

The Flea is such a unique concept for a debut video. How did the idea evolve from a minor studio infestation into a full sci-fi narrative?

Mike: Luckily, the studio escaped unharmed, and the fleas were only present in my apartment. They have long since been eradicated, but the memory lives on forever.

The concept for the video was really all credit to our friends Matthew Mourgides and Ryan J Reynolds, who produced and directed. We reached out to them with the idea to make a music video, and then they went off to brainstorm. We encouraged Ryan to make use of his experience in special effects, and the idea of the oversized flea was born.

The initial pitch meeting was a whirlwind. What I remember most was how enthusiastic and excited they both were in presenting the concept, enough so that we had no choice but to go along with them on this wild western ride. After an incredibly enjoyable and wacky experience with a gangbusters crew, we undeniably put our faith in the right people.

The video blends humor with some impressive musicianship. Was it challenging to balance the fun, theatrical elements with the serious musical work behind the scenes?

Reilly: Blending in some humor with the video while staying pretty serious about the music actually wasn’t as challenging as you might think. There’s definitely a precedent of silly theatrics in our lineage of musical influences, going way back to vaudeville, really, but people like Frank Zappa and George Clinton are definitely serious musicians who brought it to a whole new level in the 70s. Bands like Phish keep up the tradition to this day. We also wanted to pay homage to some of our heroes from the MTV era, like Beck and the Beastie Boys, who always brought a little something extra special to the small screen - those old Spike Jones music videos are so fun, visually and musically. But to be completely honest, all the hard work of writing and rehearsing and recording The Flea was long behind us by the time we got around to filming the video - we really just wanted to let loose and get silly. And I think we were successful in doing so!

Your sound mixes improvisation with structured grooves. How do you approach writing songs as a trio while leaving room for experimentation?

Mike: Our songwriting process has many forms. Oftentimes, one of us will come up with the framework of a tune that we will then rehearse and workshop until new parts/melodies/sections emerge. This is how “The Flea” was born. Improvisation is used as a way of exploring and expanding on the initial riff or progression. In rehearsal, sometimes a mistake or a wrong note is the perfect way of discovering or entering a cool new zone or vibe. We usually leave space within whatever structure is developed for exploration on top. But sometimes new songs will emerge out of free form jams with no structure whatsoever, as was the case with our first single, Tom’s

What was it like recording at Sunset Sound Studios, a place with so much music history? Did it influence how you approached the album?

Jason: We worked in Studio One at Sunset Sound, which is the oldest of the three studios. So many musical milestones were created in this room, soundtracks to some of the most cherished ’60s Disney films, classic albums from The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and Van Halen. It felt like working in a sacred space. We just tried to stay present, and hopefully some of that magic came through in the music we recorded there.

The video ends on a high-energy dance note. Can fans expect more theatrical or narrative-driven visuals in future releases?

Jason: Making this video was a first for our band, and I think we surprised ourselves a little bit with how much we enjoyed the process and the finished video. I know we would love to make another video someday. It’s just a matter of time, and whatever direction it takes will be a result of following the creative process. Right now, it’s a blank page with endless possibilities, and we can’t wait to begin again.