‘… if an artist didn’t send the track before the deadline I could just go to his house and punch him in the face’
Apart from adding a new, gently-violent connotation to his moniker, Bop takes us through the/his world of Microfunk along with the twists and turns, personalities and sights along the micro-way. As it’s effectively a way of life, and a big look too if you know your St P.
When did the concept of the Microfunk label come about?
First time I thought about the label about may be seven years ago, when I was writing with Stepan from Despot. We were curious about this new sound and got an idea to start a label to release this kind of music. But we were quite young and really know nothing about how all this works.
And only now I got back to this idea and realize that there is no label that releases only this kind of music.
There were tunes here and there, but no one was making a whole label dedicated to the microfunk sound so I just couldn’t wait any longer.
So who is it aimed at… is it just simply music fans in general or is it people that just love electronica or is it a new lot of people that don’t exist yet?
People who love electronica, IDM and also D&B fans, those guys who listen to not only mainstream D&B but looking for more deep and experimental approach to 170bpm.
Tell us how the artists on here came to be, in terms of how they all came together for it?
The artists from our first EP are actually my friends – people whose music I love and respect and I think tracks by them are great examples of microfunk music.
Most of the artists – Nuage, Dissident and Oak – live in the same city as me. I think it’s cool to have local artists and I’m lucky to have so talented musicians here who also interested in making deep 170bpm music.
But it doesn’t mean I want to release only dudes from Saint-Petersburg, I just found that it’s more easier to communicate with them because for example if an artist didn’t send the track before the deadline I can just go to his house and punch him in the face.
But my aim to release quality and soulful music all over the world so if you really want to send your demos, just do it. Send links to your tunes with the subject DEMO or send em on soundcloud
Take me through a tune here? I love, totally love ‘Telescope’.
It’s all about the arpeggio in this one, I think. I made it on NI Massive and the main character was made by using Comb filter quite extreme. It sounds really organic because it’s always changing in a bit. I also added the bass, some pads and stuff and then Synkro comes with his amazing backgrounds and deep melody.
Why the title?
The ‘Telescope’ is just one of the variants that came in mind when we was picking the title. Telescope is the thing that gives you sort of connection to space.
Just like this tune.
Tell me about Dissident’s contribution here? Blazing!
Dissident is the pioneer of D&B music in Saint-Petersburg. And he’s a really great producer and released a lot of tunes starting from technoid D&B and labels like Renegade Hardware moving to more atmospheric and broken beats music with releases on Offshore, Subtle Audio, Camino Blue and others. His music is constantly changing and evolving.
‘Design Yourself’ was written about eight years ago, but it still sound like it’s from the future! I instantly fell in love with those clicks’n’glitches and that deep, out of this world, atmosphere. I think it was one of the first tunes that sounded like microfunk.
So I just couldn’t not to release this tune on vinyl, even it was made almost decade ago.
Back to the Microfunk ethos, in general what music do you wish to put out?
For the main Microfunk Music label it will be mainly 170bpm music with deep lovely atmosphere and clicky futuristic drums. But I also plan to make sublabels in the futute to release more dark D&B and music on different tempos.
What’s St P like in general then? I always feel it’s very cool. Is that good or bad? Sometimes bad places are cool because of grit/hardship and sometimes ‘cool’ places are hellish.
I love the city but it has it’s own pros and cons, as any city really. The weather is not so great, but the city is beautiful. And it much smaller than Moscow, for example, so if you live in the center it’s easy to walk from place to place which I enjoy.
Any shouts Bop?
Thanks Damian for the interview, big up D&B Arena! Shouts to all microfunksters out there!
