Technimatic: In the Zone

Last time we spoke to Technimatic they had unleashed their incredible debut album Desire Paths and cemented our jaws firmly on the floor.

Since then they’ve gone from strength to strength, continuing to wow with impressive productions, breathtaking remixes as well as mind-blowing mixes, and with album number 2 in the works, it’s safe to say the D&B world is waiting with bated breath to hear their latest creation.

With the highly-anticipated Flashbulb VIP appearing as an exclusive on Drum&BassArena 2016, and the ethereal ‘Transference’ making waves on Shogun 100, the duo certainly aren’t wasting any time as they prepare album #2.

We touched base to see what’s up…

Ez guys, thanks for taking the time to chat! Where in the world are you right now?

Pete: Yo! I’m currently sat at home, getting things ready for our Australia and New Zealand tour which starts on Thursday. Getting music prepared, checking the itinerary, and making sure I have enough pairs of pants to make it through.

Andy: I am at the Comedy Store filming a stand-up show for Comedy Central.

Always good to have a back-up career (and pair of pants) i guess! 😉 Straight to business – we’ve recently dropped our 2016 compilation and you guys were kind enough to give us the exclusive of the Flashbulb VIP. A lot of people have been waiting for this one! When you made the track did you always know you’d make a more up-tempo version?

Pete: I think it was always on the cards. The original half-speed version we made more for listening purposes. People responded well to it, but it wasn’t necessarily the kind of track we could drop at peak-time in a club. Hence the VIP.

What inspired the track?

Andy: Well it’s always nice to have something surprising in your DJ sets that people aren’t expecting. So we went all-out and tried to make it something that could really work in that different setting.

The compilation marks 20 years of Drum&BassArena.. What’s your oldest/ fondest memory of the brand?

Pete: Well it’s been well-documented, but Andy and I met on the production forum on Drum&BassArena. That’s where we posted up our earliest, and frankly shittest tunes, and got feedback from other people. So it’ll always be an important part of our story.

Andy: When Hollywood come calling and the Technimatic biopic is made, you’ll definitely get a mention.

One can only hope 😉 The way you transformed Flashbulb reminds me of what you did with the Perseverance VIP as well… To me it’s a perfect balance of vibes and really shows your versatility as producers. Do you draw inspiration from any particular influences when producing the more ambient tracks?

Pete: I’m a massive ambient and new-age music fan so those kind of soundscapes are really appealing.

Andy: It’s so important to try and bring elements of music outside of drum & bass into what you’re making, and that’s definitely one area that drives what we do.

You’ve got a fresh track coming up on Shogun 100 as well called Transference. Real ethereal vibe on this one. Is there a story behind it?

Andy: Not really! It’s a track we made a little while ago that the label really liked, and put aside specially for the compilation. We’re really pleased to be featuring on Shogun 100, as it’s an incredible project. So many amazing tunes!

Huge milestone for Shogun! What have been some stand-out releases on the label for you over the years?

Pete: Obviously the early Alix Perez and Spectrasoul stuff really defined a certain sound within drum & bass, and it’s one we still love to this day. A special mention should go to Rockwell, too. He’s an artist we admire a great deal, even though he makes music we don’t play a lot of. To have that kind of vision and originality is very rare.

You’re becoming as renowned for your flawless mixes as you are for your amazing productions – that winter mix…. No words. Seriously loving the mash-ups, which I’ve been noticing in your club sets for a while now. From Looking For Diversion with Alex Reece’s Pulp Fiction, to Music is Music with Nils Frahm’s Familiar… Is this something you’ll just be keeping exclusive to your sets, or potentially releasing?

Andy: Well the Nils Frahm one is available to download from our Soundcloud page, so jump on that if you haven’t already. The mash-ups we do are great for our sets as they give us material no-one else has. But they often have rather big copyright issues, so I think the most of them will remain with us!

You’re currently working on album #2 – how’s that coming along?

Pete: It’s coming on very nicely. We can see the finish line now.

Was the album concept easier to approach this time around already having one under your belt?

Andy: It’s been easier in some ways, and more difficult in others!

Any wicked collabs we should know about? 😉

Andy: Our lips are going to have to be very tightly sealed on this for now. Sorry!

I figured you’d say that! When can we expect a release then?

Pete: You’ll definitely see it appearing this summer at some point.

Can’t wait! What else is on the horizon for 2016? Excited for festival season?

Andy: Definitely! In the past summer has been quite quiet for us, as we don’t make that kind of big, festival type of sound. But we’ve got some exciting bookings already locked in, and hopefully more to come. Keep watching our Facebook and Twitter for updates.

What’s the last track that gave you goosebumps?

Pete: Goldmund – Sometimes.