Break. The Bristolian überproducer who moves like a unsleeping phantom right across the scene. And as he does so, he renders much tech/genre talk to hot air via one simple act: releasing great D&B.
Two big tunes of his are now are looming fast on Playaz: ‘Strictly Entertainment’ and ‘Dulcid Tones’, let’s start with the former…
What’s a sentence to sum up ‘Strictly Entertainment’ in terms of what you wanted to get out there?
Junglist party vibes.
And ‘Dulcid Tones’? It’s blazing and hypnotic.
With that one it was all about a really heavy dirty bass note, kind of Dillinja-inspired. It’s called ‘dulcid tones’ for a bit of irony and for the fact that the main sound on the intro was a Dulcimer, kind of like a harp. It has a dreamy sort of sound. With a bit of feedback from Hype I injected some more reggae vibes into the intro.
I always enjoy playing that one, definitely screws a few faces.
Your name is constantly on the mention when it comes to remixes: can you round up some you’ve done?
Recent artists I’ve remixed are: Dr Meaker, MyNuLeng, Jus Now, Distortionz & Miss Dynamite, Digital & Spirit and Dom & Roland.
… and your collabs?
I’ve done collabs this year with: Xtrah, DLR, Kyo, Riya, Total Science, DJ Die and Mikal.
Can I ask do you have a formula for your work, that you can blaze through the work so much?
Not really a formula so much: I’ve got habits and techniques that are tried and tested. I usually use new material such as beats and samples rather than re-hashed sounds from other tunes, so often it’s still a struggle and doesn’t really get much easier as time goes on.
For me if you’ve spent more than two days making a tune it’s usually that you’re polishing a turd: the best ones are often the quickest.
I also feel that this year you have really re-defined beats, in D&B, really looking at how they flow and sort of shifting gears a bit, is that true? I’m thinking of tunes like the amazing ‘Groove With It’.
httpv://youtu.be/q_-32oASEKc
I’ll take the compliment! For me it’s partly a style and taste thing. I’ve really been going back to my old sound more this year. I love tech tunes, but they can often get a bit stagnant and computery-sounding. I’ve been trying to focus more on the live ‘jungley’ sound again, I guess being a drummer slightly helps in programming grooves and arrangement.
Back to the release: can you tell us how the linkup with Playaz came about?
I’ve DJ’d at the Playaz night in Fabric for a few years and known Hype for quite a while. We’ve planned for ages to sort out a release on Playaz, but other things got in the way.
Hype’s always supported my music and understands it well, so I knew the kind of tunes he’d be into, it was just a case of waiting for those tracks to come along and then get them over to Playaz.
What is new on your label, speaking of labels? I know there’s artists you’re working with.
The latest release on my label Symmetry is by Boston featuring Solis, a track called ‘Go With Me’. They’re from Cardiff and are two really talented artists.
I have a solo release coming after that called ‘Temptations’ out in December.
Then I have another EP lined up soon featuring Need for Mirrors, Detail & Against , Mako and myself.
To round up, what names in D&B are you into, yourself?
I’m into all the guys I’ve mentioned above that I singned tunes from or worked with… also Calibre, Konflict, Dillinja, Ram Trilogy, Bad Company, Goldie, Ulterior Motive and Naibu… and others.
