We have it on good authority that there’s some big, BIG sounds in the pipeline from Shogun this year. And it all kicked off last week with a stunning two-sider from emerging artist Liz-E. Both The Last Time and Something Inside are real emotionally charged spine-tingling blunderbusses. We thought we’d interview her. She couldn’t chat because she’s got a chest infection so we did the next best thing and emailed her some questions. Turns out her signing to SGN:LTD came about in a very cool way and she wants to open a cat sanctuary.
First, though, let’s check the beats…
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5OC_dxCGvY
Barely a month into 2013 and you’re gunning for the floor on SGN…. Props. Tell us everything about how the release came about…
“Ah thanks , I was writing towards finishing an EP for Smokin Riddims and I was experimenting with different sounds and styles when I made The Last Time. I started to send out couple of the finished tracks to a few DJs and Friction happened to be one of them. To be honest I wasn’t sure he would even listen to them, but then via a Facebook post someone said that they had heard one of my tracks on his radio show. I quickly got in touch to say thank you and he replied asking me if it was signed to any labels or due for a release. After some communication between labels it was decided that it would be removed from my EP and be released on SGN as a single. This is where we are at right now.”
Both The Last Time and Something Inside are quite a contrast to tracks like Torture or the stuff you’ve done with Jaydan. Is this a sign of future Liz-E productions or should we always expect the unexpected?
“Definitely expect the unexpected! I love experimenting and I think all my tracks currently are quite different so I intend to keep it interesting and see where it takes me.”
Speaking of Jaydan… He’s responsible for you elevating from DJ to producer, right?
“I met Jaydan in the summer of 2009. After finishing my degree I had spent some time messing around with various music production software but really wanted to expand and get my own studio set up properly but wasn’t really sure exactly what to buy. After having a conversation with him about production he offered to give me some advice on equipment, sound cards etc so I started to build my own set up. Over the last few years he’s been very supportive and I would definitely say he helped to make me realise what I am capable of.”
Any other producers who’ve really influenced you or inspire you?
“I don’t think there is just one, there are many but to be honest I think it was more an era of the music that inspired me and cemented my love of drum & bass.”
What else can we expect from you this year?
“I am going to be working hard for the labels I’m signed to and following this first single on SGN:LTD I have completed a four track EP forthcoming on Smokin Riddims which is titled The Torture EP and that should be around late February. I have also got some more finished tracks in the pipeline so look out for those over the coming year.”
Final question I ask in every interview… Please tell our readers a Liz-E fact or two that you’ve never revealed in an interview before.
“If I won the lottery I would open a cat sanctuary and I have three tattoos.”
The Last Time / Something Inside is out now