Ahmad is due to open the doors (no doubt steel-reinforced ones) to the X ep on Turbine and it was time to venture inside. After passing the guards in the watchtowers and undergoing the retinal scan, that is.
Ahmad. This EP is FIRE, even the cover messes with me.
I’m really happy about it and that Turbine Music signed the four tunes. Big ups goes to Dan & Chris from Dust Audio and Turbine Music, who I managed to do a colab with on the EP!
If you could play this sound and it was in a dream NON-CLUB venue what would it look like?
I got a huge spaceship in mind, surrounded from a deep and black universe.
No humans on board, only machines which control everything.
Reminds me a bit on the movie Event Horizon.
When do you produce? Do you find that you produce at certain times then when you listen back it’s like a different person’s done it?
I only produce at day. Indeed it’s a bit strange, to have a listen to your own stuff some weeks or months later.
I never think again about a tune, when it’s done it’s done. So sometimes I get surprised from my
own tunes, ha ha.
Tell me about the collab with Akinsa, ‘Conviction’, what a tune, and a double meaning? conviction like you’re positive and committed/conviction like PRISON.
It means, to have an special attitude and to keep it real. To be honest, Akinsa came along with the title and I met him via Soundcloud.
We had a little chat there and some days later, he sent me some stems and I added my parts to it.
It worked very well and maybe we can make more tracks together in the future, time will tell.
Who in music inspires? Five names?
Data = for making very reduced music. Since day one, I like that pure and clean sound a lot.
Shifted = I only say, “take no prisoners”. His tunes are simple and effective weapons. I like that kind of Techno.
Gremlinz = we made several tunes together and he always keep it twisted, which reminds me a bit on my own style and attitude.
Paradox = for keeping the Drumfunk fire alive. He is the breakbeat don. I nearly like the whole range of D&B, excepting this wobble shit and too commerical music as well.
Autechre = some of their numbers are still in my mind. They totally changed my point of view, in fact of making electronic music and they never followed any trends.
Do you play out and where?
I only produce at the moment.
I didn’t work a lot on my DJ skills in the past, so maybe this year or next year, I will start with this DJ thing, too.
Who is Dave Hoax? Can you take us through ‘Ketamine’?
Check out his Soundcloud site for more information and ‘Ketamine’ was a quick shot.
He sent me some parts and arranged the whole tune, made a first mixdown and that’s the whole story.
I like his music and if two talented artists come together, such tunes can happen.
And you’re there with Slider & Expose as you touched upon. This is so next level it hurts, it’s nightmarish. The doors are locked.
‘Dynamo’ is like a merciless machine, it hunts you and it never gives up.
And to finish, the title tune. Why ‘X’? as in ‘ex’, ‘post’ or ‘previously’ but now is just an ‘x’? Filthy, mindblowing tune, those weird electronics and washes kill me.
The name “X” is from an Darkhorse comic character.
It fitted to the music and for me it is really important, to find the right title for my tunes.
Everything must fit together, the music, the titles, the artwork. The whole pack!
Last words?
Yep, thanks to everyone, who supported me and my music since 2008, you know who you are!
One of the best things about D&B is, you can make beats and tunes for ages, there is no limit and may the force be with you.
Watch out for my forthcoming tune on the next Dust Audio 12” with Gremlinz & Ink entitled Omega Red.
Our three styles really compliment each other, dropping early October on 12” and download.