Sebetulnya tentu saja Akira as Astronaughty bukanlah astronot betulan, ia adalah electronicsolo project dari seorang beatmaker, radio announcer, dan penyanyi bernama Dmust Akira yang memilih nama Akira As Astronaughty karena ketertarikannya pada bintang dan luar angkasa. Project yang dimulai tahun 2008 ini telah merilis satu album berjudul Attracted To The Light berisi lagu-lagu electronic dengan influens Justice, Daft Punk dan Knife Party. Dmust yang sering dinominasikan di electronic music awards dalam negeri ini juga kerap me-remix dan memproduseri musisi lain, mulai dari Goodnight Electric, Sandhy Sondoro, Jimi Multhazam sampai Harvey Malaihollo, “Hmm, sebenarnya gue suka dan tertarik nge-remix lagu itu karena memang awalnya penasaran, kalau gue tweak sedikit jadinya seperti apa ya? Jadi gue coba dan cuma mau bikin sedikit beda aja dari versi aslinya. Yang next rencananya sih lagunya Aditya yang ‘Go Away’,” ungkap cowok kelahiran Jakarta 14 Maret 1983 ini. Dari sekian banyak gig yang telah ia lakukan, termasuk menjadi opening act untuk konser Sean Kingston dan Far East Movement, mana yang paling berkesan? “Event paling memorable pastinya masih di Silent Disco, gue main di sana dan setelah gue buka headphones, asli nggak ada suara apa-apa di luar, mereka dance dari bunyi headphone yang mereka pakai, itu sangat unik banget, susah dijelasin sama kata-kata, harus coba sendiri! Hehe,” jawabnya. Sambil menunggu rilisan selanjutnya berupa EP berjudul Double Dare bersama DJ Echa, bulan ini ia meluncurkan single “You Don’t Know Me” via label barunya bernama Audio Expressions dan membuat mixtape bertema space traveling.
Velvetine – The Great Divide (Seven Lions Remix)
No gravity, just floating around, but watch out for the meteors. Love this!
Zedd – Spectrum
If I’m an astronaut, gue akan pasang lagu ini di soundsystemrocket ship gue waktu take off. Well, itu pun kalau ada soundsystem di rocket ship. Prepare to take off with this track!
Labrinth – Last Time (Knife Party Remix)
Star Trek menurut gue terlalu geeky, coba ganti soundtrack-nya deh pakai lagu ini, mungkin akan lebih keren? Hmm…
Caspa & Mr Hudson – Love Never Dies
Lagu ini bisa bikin lo mengkhayal santai, seperti lagi melayang tanpa gravitasi.
Datsik & Kill The Noise – Lightspeed
Jump into light speed with this tune, that’s what we’re gonna do.
Knife Party – Destroy Them With Lazers
Kalau gue lagi space travelling dan terdampar di planet lain, kebetulan di planet itu ada alien, mungkin gue akan pasang lagu ini di headphone and Destroy Them With Lazers!
Daft Punk – Digital Love
This track and the video is perfection of space electronic.
Justice – Audio Video Disco
Genius!
Sigma feat. Ikay Foxrox & Geetox – Night & Day
Time to rush back to earth, let’s jump. Suka banget lagu ini since the first time I hear it, never get bored.
AlunaGeorge maybe only got an EP and few remixes since they formed on 2011, but this London duo that consisted of singer Aluna Francis and beatmaker George Reid seems more than prepared for the new height. Being the most blogged artist in UK for 2012 and snatch the runner-up spot on BBC Sounds of 2013 it’s just beginning of something even greater, which is their debut LP that will be released on the next June. Meanwhile, George Reid, one half of the hip pop twopiece and the brain behind those slick genius beats of their music tell one or two things about this project.
Hi George, what are you doing before answering these questions?
We’re in a photo shoot at the moment for NME Magazine – then I’m heading back to the studio afterwards.
How did you first met Aluna?
Sounds rather tragic but we met over MySpace. I contacted Aluna’s old band offering to do a remix for them. Luckily for me, they liked it we kinda started working together after that moment.
Prior this project, did you belong to any band too?
I had been in a band for about 4 years which was just coming to an end when I contacted Aluna, I was just doing remixes for friends bands trying to learn how to work with vocals properly.
Who and what influence your music, respectively?
When I was first getting into production I was listening to a lot of Aphex Twin, Prefuse 73, Chris Clark. That really beat heavy music. Then on the more songwriting side of things producers like Rodney Jerkins and The Neptunes. The idea of creating a whole song around a couple of simple ideas still amazes me when its done well.
How you do describe your music?
Electronic beats and grooves with songs over the top.
How was your first gig?
Surprisingly good. We’ve come a long way with our live show in terms of set up and such. It’s been a challenge kinda having a finished song which has been made on a computer and then making it work live but I think we’ve hit upon a nice balance between live instrumentation and staying true to the sound of the songs.
It seems you just in the beginning of something even bigger, how do you feel these days with more recognition and attention coming from press and music listener in general?
It’s great. We spent a long time with the music just to ourselves wondering how people would react to it if at all. So its been really nice seeing the positive responses we’ve had so far. So thanks to everybody that’s listened.
Tell me about the creative process of your You Know You Like It EP? When and where you record it?
Some of it was done in my bedroom and some was done in our new studio. The normal creative process is either Aluna will bring a melodic idea along and we’ll start from there or I’ll have a beat and let Aluna pick out some melodies to go on it then we generally just bounce ideas of each other to make the song.
What’s next? How about your debut full album?
We’re writing the album at the moment and I think it’s nearly there, just a case of finalizing all the songs and checking they work together as a complete album.
Bicara tentang dubstep, tidak usah jauh-jauh membahas Skrillex atau album baru Muse yang terinfluens genre asal Inggris ini, karena nyatanya Indonesia pun memiliki pengusung dubstep keren tersendiri yang salah satunya adalah Hazen Mardial, seorang beatmaker/producer Electronic Dance Music (EDM) asal Jakarta. Mardial yang awalnya tergabung sebagai vokalis di band modern rock bernama Tales Of Science mulai aktif di forum EDM Indonesia, khususnya Ableton Indo yang bermarkas di Kaskus, saat band tersebut bubar. Dia yang memang sudah tertarik membuat musik elektronik sejak SMA akhirnya mulai memproduksi track sendiri dari kamarnya, yang disebutnya sebagai JKT Bass. Dengan influens meliputi Radiohead yang diakuinya sebagai band favoritnya sepanjang masa, DJ dari Circus Records UK, dan producer dalam negeri seperti Bima G, DTX, Billy Kurniadi, Gizky Hary, musik racikan Mardial mulai dikenal publik, terutama berkat single “Yosohot” yang tergabung dalam album kompilasi Ableton Live Indonesia dan hasil remix-nya untuk Homogenic, C’mon Lennon, Yacko dan banyak lagi.
Hi Mardial! Boleh cerita sedikit tentang diri lo dan apa yang lo kerjakan?
Kalau ditanya gue siapa, gue mahasiswa tingkat akhir, pecandu musik, electronic music producer, aktivis Ableton Indonesia (digital audio workstation/software). Kalau ditanya sekarang gue lagi ngerjain apa, gue lagi merampungkan beberapa Album EP (digital release) dan performing gigs to gigs. Dan tentunya sedang ingin menyelesaikan kuliah.
Dari sekian banyak cabang electro, kenapa memilih konsen di dubstep?
Jujur gue belum lama mengenal musik ini, gue dengerin berbagai macam musik dan di dubstep ini gue temuin sebuah unsur yang menurut gue bisa mewakili sedikit musikalitas gue yang boleh dibilang memberontak, yang gue bicarakan di sini adalah musik dubstep era 2009 ke atas di mana segala macam unsur EDM mulai bertubrukan secara liar namun tetap kreatif dan enjoyable. Intinya gue sangat suka bereksperimen dengan berbagai macam unsur genre, dan di dubstep ini yang menurut gue tepat buat menyalurkan ide-ide liar gue. Mohon maaf buat pionir dubstep atas kelancangan gue.
Band/album musik apa saja yang paling berpengaruh dalam karier bermusikmu?
Kalau lo tanya ke temen-temen dekat gue, mereka pasti akan menjawab Radiohead. Memang tidak ada hubungannya dengan musik yang gue mainkan, tapi menurut gue Thom Yorke dan kawan-kawan adalah sebuah icon pemberontakan pengotak-kotakkan musik. Dan OK Computer tetap menjadi album Radiohead terbaik sepanjang masa versi gue (They used electronic music too). Kebanyakan gue suka sama band-band Indie seperti The Drums, Vampire Weekend, The Strokes. Gue juga tumbuh dengan musik-musik cadas seperti kebanyakan anak muda Ibu Kota lainnya dan gue juga suka banget sama band lokal Efek Rumah Kaca, The Upstairs, WSATCC, Zeke and the Popo, Homogenic, Seringai dan banyak sekali. Buat dubstep sendiri influence utama gue adalah DJ/producer keluaran Circus Records UK seperti Doctor P, Roksonix, dll. Gue juga dapet banyak pengaruh dari 16bit, Rusko, Caspa, Skream, Dream, Culprate, Nero, Delta Heavy, Savant, dan masih banyak lagi
Boleh cerita tentang JKT Bass yang lo usung?
Hahaha.. JKT Bass adalah sebuah parodi, awal penggunaan kata JKT Bass adalah di saat gue tidak mau menyinggung scene Dubstep yang sudah ada atas karya-karya gue yang sedikit melenceng dari dubstep itu sendiri, mungkin orang mengenal JKT Bass dari label genre di Soundcloud.com/mardial dan gue gak nyangka banyak juga temen-temen producer yang menggunakan label “JKT Bass”. intinya kalau di UK ada “UK Bass” di Jakarta gue juga pengen ada “JKT Bass” mungkin habis ini gue bakal dicaci sama “Music Genre Police”.
Brazil punya favela, Inggris punya dub yang sifatnya lebih merakyat, tapi kalau di Indonesia, gue melihat kultur musik elektronik sendiri masih milik kalangan menengah ke atas, kalau dilihat dari DJ school yang mahal, charge di club/event yang mahal (dan dresscode overdressed yang sucks), gue pikir sudah seharusnya musik electronic bisa lebih merakyat, kalau menurut lo sendiri gimana?
That’s the point! Kalau lo pecinta musik seharusnya lo datang buat musik, bukan cuma buat gaya-gayaan dengan high heels. Gue punya banyak banget temen yang memang cinta sama musik dan bagusnya di scene Bass Music (Drum and Bass, Dubstep, Dub, Grime, etc) kulturnya memang lebih merakyat dan yang masih menjadi penghalang adalah Club/venue Policy itu sendiri. Club/Venue jelas mencari pendapatan dan mereka pastinya punya kebijakan agar crowd-nya tidak kebablasan dan dandan seenaknya, jadinya untuk di Indonesia venue harus bisa lebih paham bahwa Electronic Music bukan cuma gemerlap malam dan keglamoran. Namun ada juga scene lain yang lebih “apa adanya”. Big ups for Indonesian Bass Music Label/EO yang sampai sekarang masih menerapkan event yang tidak menuntut crowd-nya macam-macam.
Siapa beatmaker/DJ/Producer Indonesia idola lo dan kenapa? Skill apa aja yang penting untuk jadi seorang beatmaker?
Di Indonesia banyak sekali producer yang menginspirasi gue seperti Bima G, DTX, Billy Kurniadi, Gizky Hary dll. Bicara soal skill yang sangat dibutuhkan oleh beatmaker/producer adalah musikalitas itu sendiri, perbanyak referensi, dan jangan pernah berhenti untuk belajar. Yang gue perhatikan saat ini banyak sekali producer muda berbakat yang lebih mementingkan teknik ketimbang musikalitas, sedangkan menurut gue setinggi apapun skill producing kita, kalau kita tidak bisa membuat nada yang catchy akan sia-sia, mungkin secara batin producer tersebut akan puas, namun pendengar akan malas untuk mendengarkan karya kita lagi apabila lagu tersebut bersifat egois. Jujur gue bukan pribadi yang idealis, gue lebih dinamis dan sangat menerima masukan. Because life is learning.
At the Djakarta Warehouse Project 2012 few weeks ago, I got a chance to interviewing one of the main lineups of that Jakarta’s massive dance festival, Porter Robinson. This 20-year-old beatmaker from Chapel Hill, North Carolina gradually rises to the prominence on Summer 2011 with his killer electro anthems like “Language”, “Spitfire”, and “Unison.” Had been getting recognition and playing alongside top DJs like Tiesto, Armin Van Bureen, Skrillex and Deadmau5 all over the world, this boy genius told me about his music and the crazy journey so far.
So it is the first time you come to Indonesia?
Second, I was in Bali last week, but really I think it’s still my first time.
How was your impression so far about Jakarta?
I haven’t really doing anything, the traffic is crazy, but the hotel is really nice, it’s beautiful. So yeah it’s really good day for me It’s been great.
Okay, would you mind to tell me a bit about your music? How would you describe it?
Yeah, I do like electro, dance music… hmm… It’s weird, it’s always weird to talk about your own music. My DJ set is kinda high energy, very fast mixing, I play more songs pretty quickly. It’s fun and challenging. I wanna do something unique and so energetic.
Who were your musical influences when you start to make your own music?
Wolfgang Gartner would be number one artist that really influence me. His music is very detailed, very intricate, and it sounds really difficult to make. For me that’s really inspiring, you can tell how hard he’s working on his music. When I first started, there’s also Deadmau5, but today its kinda changing, I’m still love them but today the music I love the most is music that has some kind of beauty, being gorgeous and makes you feels some goosebumps. Like Sigur Ros, Stars, a lot of soundtracks for movies or TV shows.. I wish I could show you my iPod, haha.
Talk about electronic music, how do you think its evolved until now?
Hmm, actually I’m always been secluded. I came from small country town in United States, there’s no clubs, there’s no DJs. I was never really being a part of the electronic music scene, I’m just follow the music that feel most inspirational for me. Few years ago that music happens to be electro, like Wolfgang Gartner and Deadmau5. I didn’t grew up going to clubs, I didn’t really grew up strictly listening to electro legends, like classic dance stuff or house music, I’m not the best person to tell you how it change, but I think it’s in healthy stage right now and I just hope in the next few years producing music will be more challenging, more interesting, I wanna see the scene to take more risk.
So what is your aim for electro music itself?
Uhm, to be honest of course in the next year I wanna write music that exciting and fun to listen to but at the same time I want people to feel emotions. I think my biggest song is “Language” which I wrote late last year and the biggest compliment I ever get is when fans says their crying during that song. I wanna make people feel that way. I think its more challenging than making people dance and go crazy. I’m writing an album right now that focus on emotion and beauty, goosebumps and chills, haha.
Will you collaborating with someone?
Yeah, I have a lot of collaborations coming up but I don’t want to announce it until its come out because sometimes people…they don’t wanna do it and when you looking back, you announce the collaboration but it didn’t happen… so I’m just gonna say wait and see, but I’m doing some collaborations for sure.
Where was your biggest gig so far?
I think it was Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas. I think its like 50 or 60 thousands people… really crazy, I was on the main stage, right after Avicii and right before Armin Van Bureen. I think that’s my biggest show ever.
Beside electro, what kind of music you do listen to?
Uhm, when I’m listen to music in airplane or whatever, it’s often more indie music these days, and I got a lot of film scores, some kind of music that makes me feel something, but I still like dance music, I really do. I still playing dance music whenever I’m partying or DJ, but there’s another side of it to me, which is the emotional side and I think it’s important.
Well, then what are your favorites movies?
The House of Flying Daggers has one of my favorite soundtracks ever, it got the same director for Hero… Spirited Away is also my favorite movie of all time.
Wow! You actually watching anime too?
I watch so much anime!! Haha, Dan, my tour manager is laughing right now because all the time I watch a lot of Japanese media. Not only anime, but I also watch a lot of like tv show and… I’m kinda embarrass about it, it’s kinda my own thing
Have you performing in Japan?
No, but I really looking forward for it, next year I’ll do it. You know, I’m actually gonna have layover in Tokyo the day after tomorrow, I’m actually looking forward for that, haha. I think just to being in Tokyo airport is exciting to me. I’m really obsessed with Japanese culture for sure.
Beside music, what else you enjoy?
Well, I used to do debate and fencing. I used to do sport and stuff but when I start writing music I decide to give all of them up because for now music is the thing I really enjoy the most. I think to do something well, you really have to put everything into it, so I don’t have much time to being with friends or do sports. Just writing music all the time and it’s works for me, you know. I’m still watching shows and plays video games, though.
Do you have any particular resolution for 2013?
Hmm…resolution… I just want to finish my album, that’s all I wanna do. And I got few months off and I decide to cut the touring for a little bit, today gig is like one of my last shows for awhile. Cos I’ve been touring everyday for like two years and it’s really hard for me to write music on the road so after these few days I’m gonna back home and try to finish my album.
Where did you record your album?
I record it on my bedroom at home; I don’t have a studio really. It’s just my computer and my speakers in the same bedroom I grew up as a child. I always believe that you can make good music in any system, you don’t need expensive equipment, you just need to be indulgent and know how your system supposed to sound, listen to a lot of music, and listen to your song in car and in headphones to make sure its sounds good in a lot of different places. I think with enough technique you don’t need a lot of equipment.
So you consider yourself as bedroom musician?
Totally. Hundred percent. I never work in studio. But for these collaborations I need to go to studio to do some vocals and stuff, but for the most part I do it in my bedroom.
Did you listen to another bedroom musicians?
Yeah, the more important thing is sometimes you can’t even tell whose bedroom musician or not, because it doesn’t sounds any different in my opinion. I mean Skrillex is a pure bedroom musician, for his last album he made it with only one speaker because the other one was broken. I think its good evidence that you can make a good sounding music on lo-fi system.
Last question, what can we expect from your live performance?
Well, kinda like what I said before, I’m gonna mixing really fast, try to get play a lot of songs in an hour and half. I want to show a bunch of different music that I like, some of it would be kinda darker, some of it would be more beautiful. I just like to express different array of emotions and feeling and style. But is gonna be fun show, as long as people want to come and see and have an open mind, it should be awesome.
Hi Stephen, how are you doing? What are you doing before answering this email?
Hi, very good! I’m on a train to Reims (France). I’m going to Yuksek’s studio to make new Peter (aka Yuksek) & The Magician tracks.
How do you come up with The Magician as your alias?
I was looking for a new alias and my gilfriend came up with The Magician. We made the character live, with a fancy costume, a wand, magic tapes, video teasers, etc.. Since very young, I always liked playing a character, wearing an outfit or simply being different.
Tell me about your childhood, where do you grew up and what kind of music you listening back then?
I’m half Italian, half Belgian. I grew up in the south of Belgium called “Wallonia”. It is quite a poor region with a high % of unemployed people. Very young my dad listened to Supertramp, Queen, Alan Parsons, Michael Jackson, Abba,.. So In general, I would say my childhood was bathed into the 70’s/80’s pop and disco. In the late 80’s I’ve received 2 turntables, a mixer and a record collection full of rare Disco and Italo Disco record from my uncle who stopped his DJ career. I felt in love to mix two records together.
Do you always know that you want to make dance music?
As DJ, I always want to make people dance. But with years, I feel more and more into pop music and especially as producer. I try to inject pop/vocals into dance music.
What are you working on now?
On a second single for The Magician, a second EP for Peter & The Magician, on a special new collaboration with a very talented artist, on a new remix and a visual for the shows. I’m also touring a lot all over the world.
If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Owner of a wine-bar or taxidriver in New York City.
What’s on your iPod playlist right now?
The Weeknd, SBTRKT, Sebastien Tellier’s new album, New Order from A to Z, Lana Del Rey’s album, M83,..
I’ve been listening your remix for Lykke Li’s “I Follow Rivers” for quite some time and really love it. Any particular aspect you looking for in some songs that trigger you to remix it? Do you have any names/bands whose songs you would like to remix?
I would have loved remix Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games”. It didn’t happen because of my busy schedule. To remix someone else, the principal aspect are the vocals. I’m actually just keeping them when I remix and then build a new track (my own version) around. So it’s more a personal version than a remix.
What can we expect from your live performance?
You can expect a bearded guy dressed up in a fancy costume beige with a wand in the pocket, playing electronic disco/dance music to make people dance and happy.
This is last and just random: Who’s your fave magician and why?
My favorite Magician is Merlin The Enchanter. He has a great hat and I love his owl friend temperamental and completely insane. Merlin The Enchanter made the most of its magic in music, it makes keeping up with his magic stick. As he moved on and that he is back in a small bag all the furniture and objects in his apartment.
Hi Sunik, how are you? What you’re doing before reply my email?
Great, just about to go to my last day of class at high school.
When do you start making music?
February of last year.
What’s the story behind your moniker?
Not much to it really, I wanted to think of a name so I sat in a room with a friend and brainstormed for a while, went on chillwave name generators and all of that. Eventually settled on “Beat Connection” until I realized there was a really good band by that name already.
Which musicians and albums are you most inspired by?
Definitely SBTRKT and Gold Panda, as well as James Blake and Balam Acab. Hudson Mohawke is also by far one of my favorite producers, I don’t really produce in his style but I’m still really inspired by him. Top two albums I’m inspired by are SBTRKT and Lucky Shiner.
Do your school friends know you’re making music?
Yeah a lot of kids at my high school know about my music which is cool.
What are you listening to right now?
Rustie’s Essential Mix for BBC Radio 1 – insanity.
Do you mind if people labeling your music with terms like glitch pop, post-dub, etc? How would
you describe your own music?
I tend to ignore labels on my music. A lot of people call my music ‘chillwave’ which I think is really false, my music is nothing like that, but again I disregard genre statements like that, I just make whatever I feel like at the moment.
If you could write soundtrack for any movie, which would you choose?
Lost in Translation.
What you like to do in the future?
Pursue music as far as possible without becoming a starving artist.
Hi Jennifer, how are you doing? Where you are right now and how’s the day so far?
Hello! I’m doing well. I am at home in Los Angeles and the day is pretty nice, I think. I haven’t been outside yet and it’s 3pm.
Can you tell us a little bit about what you were like when you were grew up in South Bay as little girl? Is it shaping your music or influence you in any way?
I grew up in a neighborhood that was very family friendly. It was a classic family suburb, so it was pretty boring. I was drawn to different music than the rest of my classmates and was happy with having a different preference than the others listening to top 40s radio songs. In that way, I still enjoy making music that isn’t like what people are already used to hearing.
What did you last dream about?
Last night I had an interesting dream. I don’t remember much, but I believe i was somewhere unfamiliar and the pieces of furniture were arguing with each other.
What the first thing attract you to making your own music?
The ability to make something creative and also what you’d like to hear. It’s self satisfaction.
Tell me the story behind TOKiMONSTA name; honestly I thought you’re Japanese when I heard your name, but it turns out you’re Korean descent, uumm…what your opinion about Korean Wave?
“Toki” is the Korean word for “rabbit,” but I think people associate the word with Tokyo (or the likes of other Japanese sounding words). The name was something I grew up with and eventually made into my artist name. I didn’t think too much about it, it just was the first thing I thought of to call myself as a musician. As for the Korean wave, I think it’s insane! Too bad I’m not really apart of it. I’m Korean, but seem to be placed outside of that wave.
What/who your biggest influences?
Most of my influences come from hip hop and electronic producers such as J Dilla, DJ Shadow, DJ Krush, Premier, and Aphex Twin.
What do you love most about what you do? And what do you like least?
I love to be able to create something and share that with others. It’s also quite nice to not have my work and work hours dictated by other people. The thing I like the least would be some of the petty criticism I come across.
Any particular musician/song you like to remix now?
For fun, I enjoy remixing 90s r&b. Maybe I’ll try something with Missy Elliot.
What you’re doing beside music?
For leisure, I suppose I enjoy meeting with friends, cooking, drawing, shopping, and watching cartoons.
What do you hope for?
I hope that people will continue to listen to my music as it continues to evolve.
Hi Mark, how are you? Do you mind to introduce yourself?
Hi, I am an electronic music producer from Brighton, UK.
When do you start making music, especially under the Ambassadeurs moniker? I started making music quite a long time ago on my first computer (an Amiga 500 using a program called Octamed) and learnt how to play guitar, piano and drums on the way. The Ambassadeurs moniker started a couple of years ago when I decided to put out a load of tracks I had been working on to see what happened and if people would like them.
What’s the story behind the name? I don’t really remember where the name came from, probably just from reading something and seeing the word and thinking yeah, that will be what I’l call my project. Its funny because it confuses most people because of the name being plural, I turn up to gigs and they are like “where are the others” thinking it’s a duo or something.
Which musicians and albums are you most inspired by? I listen to loads of different types of music but I suppose the artists that have had the biggest effect on me would be…
Amon Tobin – Im a fan of all his work and love the way he continues to push boundaries and is never scared to experiment.
Tribe Called Quest – Midnight Marauders – This is one of those albums I can always keep going back to and listen to from start to finish. Its one of my favourites.
Cinematic Orchestra – Everyday – This album blew me away when I first heard it and still does today, I love the atmosphere it creates and the drumming is incredible.
Tame Impala – Innerspeaker – Discovered this album about a year ago and its still getting played regularly, the great songs mixed with the raw and psychedelic production sound amazing.
Clams Casino – Instrumentals – This album is one of my favorites. Again the atmosphere and emotion in the way he samples things is really special.
I could go on all day with these and there are many important ones I have left out but inspiration and influence comes from everywhere.
What’s the typical creative process when you start making a track? Sometimes I’l start by sequencing a beat, sometimes it will begin playing on the keys, sometimes it’l be chopping up samples on the MPD. I find Its always good to switch up the process of making music in order to keep thing fresh and discover new ways of doing things. How would you describe your music to someone who hadn’t heard it? I usually just call it electronic and whenever its described by anyone else they call it something different. The boundaries of music genres are so blurred nowadays which is a great thing but it always makes this question difficult.
Do you have any routine before you perform on a gig? Not really other than having some drinks and watching whoever else is performing that night. That’s one of the best things, getting to see other acts play when Im gigging.
Watching your “M.O.P.E” video while getting high is one of the greatest trip I ever had, how do you see the importance between your music and the accompanying visuals? Haha, yes a lot of people tell me that and I can understand why, it’s a pretty trippy video and the guys from Feel Good Lost did a great job, I love their work! I think visuals can be important if they are done in the right way and not just done for the sake of putting visuals with a track, listening to music without visuals frees the imagination.
Do you have any subliminal message on your music/video? No, but that’s a good idea, I might try that haha.
What’s you currently doing beside music? I’m completely working on music at the moment, apart from that I am doing some other music related work (Mixing and Mastering) for some people.
Next project? I think I want to work on the Ambassadeurs project and concentrate on that until it is at a point where I will have some time to branch out into another project and try something different… I’l keep you posted on that one!
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