Phil Tangent & Pennygiles: Top 5 Metalheadz Releases

Phil Tangent and Pennygiles require little introduction, having released on the likes of Integral, Dispatch, Liquid V, Innerground, Fokuz, Soul:r and loads more. The pair have reached a new milestone though, gracing Metalheadz Platinum for the very first time with Bardarbunga/ Crossing the Rubicon.

To celebrate the release we caught up with the lads and got them to list their top 5 Metalheadz releases. Dive in…

Yes fellas, thanks for joining us! What were you both doing 5 mins before I interrupted?

PG: No worries! I was actually in the process of work… Please don’t tell them i’m sneaking away to write this.. 😉

PT: I was watching ‘Shameless’ b2b having a Bombay Badboy Pot Noodle.

Very contrasting activities there! Stu, we wont tell anyone, promise! Straight to business – You’re behind the first Metalheadz release of 2017, and your first ever on the label… Were the tracks produced with Metalheadz in mind?

PG: I can’t say whether Phil had that intention for it, in fact when the track was started it went in a whole different direction to the final product. Luckily Phil is very talented at making ideas go in other directions but keep a strong draw to its style.

PT: Ha, cheers mate. I tend not to make music with labels in mind; I try to make music for myself, music that I enjoy, and if a label picks up on it then it’s a huge bonus. To tell you the truth, I was on the verge of scrapping ‘Bardarbunga’. I sent it to Glenn AI to see what he thought of it, he passed it on to Goldie and the rest is history…

I’d imagine it’s a huge milestone to be welcomed to such an influential label?

PG: From the days of buying Metalheadz records and pinning them on the wall dreaming about having your name on one to now – it’s very very surreal.

PT: I’ll echo what Stu said. I feel very privileged to have released on various influential labels but I never thought I’d see the day when I got a voicemail from Goldie singing ‘Crossing The Rubicon’ down the phone at me. That was even more surreal.

Ha, I bet! Phil, I love the contrasting vibes within Bardarbunga… It’s smooth, yet there’s a sinister element to it. What inspired the tune?

PT: Thank you! Remember in 2010, when the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull (“Island Mountains”) erupted grounding loads of flights across northern Europe? Well, in August of 2014 another Icelandic volcano called Bárðarbunga erupted and whilst it transpired there was no effect on flights; we all thought our trips to Sun & Bass were in jeopardy. ‘Bardarbunga’ is a kind of celebration of that echoed by the vocal snippet ‘the way is clear’.

Figuring out where that vocal is from has been driving me bonkers for quite some time… Am I nuts or is it Huey Lewis – Cruisin’?

PT: You’re not nuts but prepare to be driven bonkers for a bit longer…

Damnit, I had a feeling you’d say that… Crossing the Rubicon is a naughty little number. Crunchy, driving, crisp. Is there a backstory behind it?

PG: Something from my side of the project that initially started as a 160bpm half-steppy project in 2013! Then I managed to dig it back out and show Phil and he worked his magic Leighton buzzard hands on it…

PT: I had a little play about with the stems he’d sent but nothing seemed to click at first. A couple of months later, I was working on a project of my own which was just bass, drums, some fx and pads. I almost gave up on it but I felt like I was at the point of no return and didn’t want to scrap something I’d spent so much time on, so I was browsing my samples folder for something to make the track stand out and the stems Stu had sent previously fit perfectly.

It’s no secret you guys have worked on many releases together in the past, what is it that allows you to gel in the studio so well do you think?

PG: Hmmmm, I think past influences are what draws me to collab with Phil. He has a very similar ear to myself, only he can put down the idea much better.

PT: Like Stu says, we have a very similar ear and a shared interest in house music. I love the way he manipulates samples and makes them his own. Plus, he’s a bloody good lad too!

Awww, i’m feeling a real bromance here guys! What’s coming up for both of you in 2017 then?

PG: Pretty much taking the year as it comes, although I’ve got a Dispatch EP ready for next month and a track on a Spearhead compilation. Trying to focus a little more on being content with it all and appreciating all things instead of rushing to release and staying on top of everything!

PT: I’ve got a five track EP with Need For Mirrors coming out on CIA in February, a single with Hannah Eve forthcoming on Soul Trader in March, and I’m working on various projects with Philth under the guise Philth Tangent, and we’re in talks with Integral about releasing an EP.

I’ll also be releasing some new material on my own imprint, Lunar Records so keep an eye out for that!

Can’t wait for it all! Did you guys have any new year’s resolutions that you’ve broken already?

PG: 4 days without a smoke…… Couldn’t help myself.

PT: I’ve learned not to make any new year’s resolutions now as I know I’ll only go and break them…

Haha wise! Before we jump into your top 5 Metalheadz releases, any final words of wisdom/ shout outs?

PG: Don’t be swayed by social media – stick to your beliefs and passions and you’ll get there ☺ Also, big up everyone who shows support for the craft!

PT: Thanks to Goldie and Ant for believing in us and biggups to everyone that’s supported my music. (Now, a shameless plug alert!) Check out my label Lunar Records…

Big ups fellas! Now let’s dive into your top 5 Metalheadz releases…

Pennygiles

1. Asylum – Da Base II Dark

“THE BASS TOOOO DARRRKKK!!!” (Sang as a 16 year old Stuart)

2. Hidden Agenda – Pressin’ On

I remember being in Edinburgh and my cousin had bought this and I was completely back-tracked by it. Almost confused by the sounds and beat structure…

3. J Majik – Freefall

He was one of the first artists I ever heard that made me completely disregard any other genre that my friends were listening to at the time and go “this is for me”.

4. Marcus Intalex & ST Files – Universe

Tracks by these two are the reason I used to stay up from 7pm til 5am looping samples and breaks for 12 bars making sure if after that amount of time the vibe still resonates, it’s worth finishing…