Italian producer Dabs has recently stepped up with on Eatbrain, flanked by his almighty Rawbot. And if that isn’t enough of a startling mental image for you then get ready for the sonic grip of the ep on full ‘360 degree’ setting: you can run etc…
Hi Dabs, what are you doing right now? If you’re listening to music, what sort?
Hey! These days I’m taking it easy, having a little break from the studio and enjoying the beginning of the hot season over here. I’m hanging out, enjoy the sun and whatever, listening to some old hardcore hip-hop and rock getting back to the beginning of the inspiration circle, it always works. Last month has been pretty hectic, so some relaxing was really needed.
STRAIGHT to the music: ‘Grindwerk’. When this comes on I can’t sit still! Tell us about the tune, and about the vocal from Ryme Tyme.
It’s a party tune; it was the first one I made for the EP. It came out of the blue in 2-3 sessions only in the studio just after making ‘Sniper’ which was my first one on Eatbrain, on the Tales of the Undead VA LP.
I was in some way suddenly addicted in making ‘crowd reaction’ kind of tunes, after some more deep and funky mood releases I had on Dispatch and Horizons.
I always like to space over the beautiful D&B range of vibes: I truly believe that is what many other dance music genres lack. Never gets you bored!
I have no words to describe how proud I am to have Sean Rymetyme rolling on some beats of mine: legend. Fullstop.
I feel that the creation process is very involved with you… that you go in and get very absorbed in the work and nothing else exists, you’re lost in it. Is that true?
I like to think that someone find some ‘Intensa’ vibe in my output. Yes, I love the ‘Intenso’ word, some of those Italian words recently I saw used in English – actually for red wine – which means full of meaning / body and soul, a part of the creator which directly is thrown into the things he makes.
Is this what we actually call art? OK now I wanna say a big thank you to Gabor Jade for the words he used to describe my music in the EP presentation promo-text.
How has your working process changed over the years? Any new techniques that you use, or equipment?
Growing up, realising that you’re not a kid anymore: actually changed the production process a lot for me. I remember when I use to sit hours in the studio, just making the keyboard sounding like a caged monster, how good?!
Now I get a bit more straight to the point.
VIRUS TI is the tool which is more present in the EP I have to say. It’s magic when you need some instant sharpness leads or hooks!
I love the tone, the vibe of ‘That Door’… can you talk to us about the tune?
‘That Door’ you never should open! The title came from the crackling vibe of the tune, I wanted to make something really ‘Eatbrain’, some horror-tinged kind of roller – tension intro and filthy mids.
That’s it.
… and ‘Hysteria’? This one is my fave *today* though it seems to change! I can’t pick a fave on this ep.
It does change to me too, strangely. Usually you’re focused on your last work but this time I can switch between one and others and I feel the whole work is well combined, all tracks sits at the same quality level which was my goal. Hope that is not just my feelingl haha.
Thing is, to be very honest, that nowdays I listen to some many ‘filler’ tunes in the D&B promo my inbox is packed with, maybe it’s too easy to get a release out today. One time a producer needed to work his ass off to get a tune signed on vinyl.
Just ranting, sorry what’s the question again?
‘Hysteria’.. big fun to work on that one, A-Cray is a great guy, looking forward to hear more of those snares from the man!
What is a ‘Rawbot’? Is it something much more primitive and scary than a basic robot?
Yes you got it. Technology can involve our lives in a big measure, it can BE our life in a material way. But I’m convinced that we cannot escape from the primal instinct, and it’s the unbreakable natural state that makes you feel alive. Why the music producer makes some electronic fast riddims for?
For the primordial need of people to dance or enjoying it at home or whatever. All is good when your head is shaking.
I have to ask… what’s some films that feature robots you like? When you think of them in old sci fi, it’s always pretty messed up. As a kid they freaked me.
As kid, I was mad for VOLTRON. I use to have all the tigers to combine them into the big robot: supersick.
I could say THX 1138 is the best robot movie, but the best influence in sci fi to me was from an Italian comic called Nathan Never.
The Rawbot EP artwork actually reminds me some of the Nathan Never evil drones, so much. Times when drones were just in the sci fi imaginary and weren’t used to drop bombs for real, that’s too scary..
So can you talk us through the title tune?
I tried to push the production level into something I never tried before on ‘Rawbot’.
It’s not the kind of tune I could make in a few session, I actually think that me and Dayan (L 33) looked at the details a lot of times and I edited too many layers after every play. So it took many weeks for us to be 100% happy about the arrangement and especially the mixdown.
Sometimes it goes like that and now I can say it’s worth sometimes to stay on one a bit longer than usual.
Thanks for this Dabs: you are totally unique, the way you think and how it comes out in sound. Any shouts and live dates?
Grazie for the nice words, always a pleasure to be into the Arena! Shouts to Jade for making such an unbelievable work with Eatbrain. A-Cray – was fun to think when we met at LIR and planned to collab – L 33, Sean RymeTyme, to my GF Ottavia for always and constantly supporting every aspect of my work.
And to all those out there supporting my music, promoting and booking me over the years, keep it real! Catch you this summer in Spain and much probably in Sardegna for SUNANDBASS like every September!
For any booking enquiries, get in contact
