‘That’s what the sound is really: a bunch of people doing a similar thing but with roots in other genres and the final result is just a big pot of different styles all arranged and presented in a similar way’
Crypticz has emerged from that hotbed of creativity which is the West Country to deliver Magnets, a tapestry rich with influences ranging from footwork, to rave, to Dubstep and of course to D&B, and features a killer Moresounds remix too. It’s a product of his world, and reflected – in part – in the five wicked selections he’s given us too.
We discovered what makes him and the ep tick.
Hello Crypticz, how’s it going what are you doing right now?
Yo! I’m great thanks. Right now… I literally just had a little mix and am sat on the sofa with a cup of tea ready to answer these questions.
Straight off, what influences do you have? I’m listening to ‘Transmission’ and my curiosity is really piqued. There’s all sort of aspects but it’s very ‘you’, most of all.
Thanks for the kind words. My influences are pretty vast I think. I think by biggest influence in general has to be Dubstep, particularly sounds of Bristol circa 06. Artists like Pinch, RSD, 2562, etc. At the time that was all happening I was just a little 11 year so I wasn’t in the thick of it to experience it, unfortunately. I was a lurker around the net, searching out music that appealed to me, but I wasn’t really searching for Dubstep as such until I was about 14/15.
I started out with the more, shall we say, wobbly stuff. I quickly progressed onto things more in the vein of the Big Apple Records sound from London and eventually stumbled across Bristol stuff like Joker and all the way to Appleblim. It was exciting for me.
I experienced the same thing, deep, meditative music like I’d never heard before. The difference was I was a kid in my bedroom with a set of half decent headphones and a lot of spare time.
Obviously D&B is an influence of mine too. Plus I come from Footwork, the essence of that is still there but it’s just natural progression, I think.
Aside from that I think pretty much everything I hear every day influences me, in regards to music. I’m hearing a lot of hip hop at the moment, Stones Throw kind of stuff.
I’m also a sucker for 90s stuff of all kinds. Proper rave shit, teenage punk stuff from that time, trance, electronic music from the 80s. Well, I could go super in-depth but I think I should move on, don’t you?
Ha ha.
So to sum it, is your musical take part of a new style do you think? Eclectic, exploring, multi-styled as it is.
A new style? I’m not sure. A progression from other styles though certainly. Artists like me, working in a similar field… we don’t really have a category as such. It seems the sound is a natural progression from D&B, and that feels a good way to describe it.
I don’t know though, a lot of artists working with this sound come from working with music in different styles and that’s what the sound is really: a bunch of people doing a similar thing but with roots in other genres and the final result is just a big pot of different styles all arranged and presented in a similar way.
Must be amazing to hear out in sets in your part of the world?
Yeah man, I think this style and sound is really great for the club nights. You can take it where you want as there is such a variety of music. You can get all deep and wonky on your audience, give them a bit of a head nodding set or just go all out and give them a proper D&B infused energetic set.
Or give them a journey through everything we have to offer, that’s what I like to try and do.
Take us behind ‘Magnets’ in terms of when it came about.
So, I had just pretty much finished up the Contact ep EP for Diffrent Music, this was around the back end of summer 2014.
The sun was shining, and I had been concentrating all my energy into these dark, sound system tunes. I wanted to bring all this positive energy out into something that was way more in your face. ‘Magnets’ is the result of that really. It came about super-quick, in regards to the actual track itself.
Naturally over the period of working with Inflect on the release little changes came about here and there and I really went in on the technicalities and production of the track. But yeah, what you hear today is essentially what I heard back at the end of Summer last year. Just a bit more polished.
What’s five tunes you listen to and think ‘I do not know how this was made, it’s great’ or just five tunes you love.
Five tunes that are killing me – in a good way – at the moment…
Fixate & Hyroglifics ‘Daft’
Moresounds ‘Dead & Bury’ ft. Fracture
Kimyan Law ‘Daimyo VIP’
Iglew ‘Cymatism’
Om Unit ‘Pots N Pans’
Tell us about the label behind the release, Inflect and their mindset, for people new to it?
Inflect is a record label, club night and music website with a focus on the new wave of uptempo music. I think the secret to Inflect is the people behind it: Alex aka Coleco and his partner Lorna are the two responsible for the creation of this thing. They’re passionate people, they only care about the music. They don’t want to play any games, they’re serious about bringing good music to the ears wanting it, be that through the label, an event or the website.
Inflect covers as much as they can, I had a good chat with Lorna about this the other day actually. There is no interest in silly stuff. The only focus as I said, is sharing good music with good people!
Same thing with their club nights: they aim to bring artists they love to their city and they have always done a great job. In fact I first met them at one of their nights through playing the Good Street Records room.
Shouts to Dan aka Ventah on that one, I may have never came into contact with Alex & Lorna otherwise!
Working with Inflect on a release has been excellent. A real collaborative experience that a lot of time, effort and love has gone into and I think you can hear that. The reception so far has been great, I’m really happy with how everything has worked out. It’s been a very natural process, nothing has been forced, which is always my favourite way to work.
Speaking of an organic love of art, when I think of Bristol and environs I think of great art and graphics. Who’s some faves of yours?
I don’t know the guy at all so I’m not sure if he considers himself as a graphic designer/artist or he is just a hobbyist but I LOVE the art that Tunnidge does for Deep Medi.
Also a fan of – and a special shout to – Mark Valkwitch. Heads here may know him better as Mark Kloud. He’s responsible for the artwork on the Ground Mass releases as well as the sick little sketch on Graphs Posthuman EP. He’s done this really great image of a floating city in the sky which I really like.
Any final shouts, Crypticz?
Loads! Biggest shouts to all the people enjoying the music at the moment. I’m stoked people are into what I do. Extra special shouts to Alex and Lorna at Inflect on this release and also to Chris at Diffrent. Shouts to all the crew that have been about ever since I can remember, you all know who you are. Cheers!