With previous releases dropping on Spearhead Records, ProgRAM and Hardware, Battery step up to deliver their debut EP on Headz – Methxx013.
The production duo – already established artists within the scene – are keeping their true identity firmly under wraps (for now) in the hope the music will do all the talking, and it certainly has a lot to say. Read on as they take us behind the EP and more…
Cheers for joining us fellas! How would you describe your sound and approach to production to those who aren’t properly acquainted?
Thanks for having us! We’re drawing from our classic Jungle / D&B influences and attempting to recapture some of that rawness, energy and feeling. To avoid the sound becoming too nostalgic we try to use unusual rhythms, tones and structures, applying both old and new production values in the process.
Legend has it that you’re already established producers in the scene – why the new alias? I’d imagine the faceless alias would allow for a lot more freedom in production rather than having people comparing your new project to work you’ve done in the past?
Exactly that! Both of us have been involved in D&B for a long time so wanted to avoid people drawing comparisons to our previous work. We’ve spent the last couple of years developing this sound so wanted it to be listened to with open ears.
Ours are open! Do you find that people get pigeon-holed into a specific sound after a while?
Yes, well it’s an age-old scenario that once you become known for a certain sound it can be hard for people to get past the style you’ve been identified with. If they’re a fan of the sound they may just want to hear more of the same, whilst if they aren’t a fan they may not be open to a new direction you’re taking your music. In this situation a lot of artists will adopt a new alias so that their new material is perceived objectively by the listener.
Makes sense! The new EP on Metalheadz has made a serious sonic splash! How long did it take to piece together?
The project is made up of tracks we’ve written over the past couple of years. As the tracks have been germinating for a while we’ve had time to test and fine tune the production. For example we spent a long time shaping the classic breaks used on this EP to add our own stamp whilst attempting to retain their character and ensure that they stood up to current production values.
You’ve had releases on ProgRAM, Spearhead and Hardware in the past year, was this EP specifically written with the Metalheadz imprint in mind?
We never set out to write a piece of music for a particular label but both being huge fans of Metalheadz the influences creep in there and I think that’s something thats helped these tracks to connect with the label.
Talk us through your creative process – Do you work best when you’re in the studio together and can bounce ideas between each other?
Although we have worked like that in the past we do quite the opposite today. We work in separate studio spaces almost entirely remotely. We use a program called Splice which allows us to work simultaneously on the same projects with ease.
We’ll start by uploading basic ideas we’ve written independently and then begin developing the projects. We’ll be communicating through out the process adding notes and direction to the project timeline highlighting specific areas we want each other to focus on within the music. We’ll sometimes come together to finalise certain tracks but for the most part the entire process from inception to mix-down is done this way. Using a new approach has forced us to step outside of our comfort zones and in doing so has given us new perspectives and insights on how we write music together.
Always important to think outside the box! Back to the EP – NoNo is a naughty little stepper – was it inspired by anything in particular?
That track began with a a single snare that really grabbed both our attention and took us back to a certain sound. From there the track grew naturally and pulled us in a very specific direction. There is a clear emotive feel throughout the track and although it’s very stripped back, each individual element was finely balanced to compliment the overall feel. We really strive to keep things subtly developing right through to the end of our tracks, and the way the bassline in NoNo keeps morphing and shifting in sound and texture is a good example of this.
Air is quite haunting. How did the link with Rumour come about?
We first heard his voice around 2 years ago on a track he had made with another producer we know. In conversation we mentioned how great we thought he sounded, so our friend suggested we get in touch. He sent us some acappella recordings of songs he had written, one being ‘Air’, and so we got to work writing the music around the vocal.
We love the soulful feel and conviction in his voice and the fact he is also a talented songwriter makes him a pleasure to work with. This is his second appearance on a Metalheadz release in the last 12 months, the first being on Jubei’s True Form EP last year, which happened to come about through way of our introduction!
Nice one! The urge to nod through Hornsey Dub is strong. What’s your approach to sampling? Is that a big part of your production process?
When the right approach is adopted we view sampling as a very creative process. Sampling is an integral part of what we do. Over time we’ve built an extensive sample library and are still regularly digging for new samples to inspire us. We’re always conscious to take a sample somewhere entirely different from where it started. We’d never use large recognisable sections of other peoples music.
A sample acts as a catalyst to spark ideas, and once a sound is in the sampler we’ll experiment by triggering over a rhythm adjusting pitch, envelope & filter to see what works best and whether that’s a percussive stabby feel or a more sustained looping sound. We’ll then continue to develop the character of the sample throughout the track combining with other layers and patches we’ve created.
Personal favourites from the EP?
We’re very happy with all of the tracks as a collection of music and feel it’s a well rounded representation of the sound we’ve been developing. If we had to pick one I think we‘d go for Hornsey Dub.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
There are far too many names on that list for us to mention, and all of our influences are in some way equally as important to the music we produce. Aside from music I think we draw influence from anything that excites or interests us whether that be a film, a photograph or something as simple as a delicious meal!
They say inspiration can be found everywhere 🙂 So what’s coming up next for you guys?
We have lots of new music ready to go and are very excited for the future.
Final shouts?
Big shouts to Goldie and the Headz crew for giving us this platform for our debut EP. It’s a label that has meant so much to us both for a very long time. Also thanks to you guys and everyone else, we hope you enjoy this music as much as we have enjoyed making it.
Methxx013 is out now. Get it here.