Joe Ford is a name getting ears twitching in D&B: new to the Shogun camp. He found time to talk amidst an increasingly hectic schedule about Way of the Warrior Two powerhouse, and ahead of the album launch before bowing and disappearing once more into the forest.
What was bootcamp for you: how did you get your basic training in D&B?
I started off on Dubstep. I was trying to recreate those wobble basses that Datsik and Excision were making. After a while I started to get tired of the same sounds being used over and over again.
So while looking for the next awesome bass sound I stumbled across Calyx and Teebee ‘Make Your Choice’ & from there also found the Spor remix. Needless to say I was hooked.
Creating impossible sounds has always been the cornerstone of D&B so what was it about the bass sounds exactly, that caught you?
Well, it was absolutely those gritty Spor/Calyx and Teebee/ Noisia Reeces which had me obsessed. Gaining the techniques over the following years to achieve those sounds has been the most satisfying-yet-frustrating experience!
How’s it all fuse: your tune for Way of the Warrior 2, ‘Stride’. When did the tune come together?
httpv://youtu.be/vj24dC0Vjuw
I think I finished it fairly close to the deadline actually, this was the first tune that I really spent a lot of time on – I’m used to finishing something in two or three days. I usually just lose my patience otherwise.
So you’re saying there’s more?
There were two or three tunes that me and Ed [Friction] were discussing. ‘Stride’ seemed to fit really well into the LP.
What’s your understanding of the attitude of these Shogun albums… as opposed to them being ‘just another D&B comp’?
In my opinion it’s one of the highest quality D&B compilations there are. I’m so blessed to be part of it.
What tunes on Way of the Warrior 2 do you like yourself, as a fan?
Icicle ‘Anxious’. I remember when I first heard this tune, I’d gone down to the Shogun offices to discuss working with them for the first time. I sat there, blown away as soon as that main bass sound came in. More and more recently I find people are reusing sounds we’ve all heard time and time again and it’s so refreshing to hear something new. Big up Jeroen!
Mefjus’ ‘Jupiter’ remix. I think this is the point at which I decided mefjus has the tightest mix downs in the game at the moment. Another flawless technical production in my eyes.
On the production topic, when you get the notion to produce, how do you start? I mean what if you have the riff and you’re in a car or something?
Often these ideas will occur when I’m at my computer, able to produce, at these times I’ll lay the riff down instantly in midi and save the project. From there it’s locked in.
But how do you retain the actual ‘feel’, the attitude of the tune?
If I’m not able to lay it down in audio like that, I will write it down in the notes section in my phone. Usually a few words that remind of the time/place or the song I was listening to at the time, will be enough to remind me.
You mentioned Friction, so how does it feel to be part of the Shogun gang?
Man it’s a dream come true, honestly. Couldn’t be happier.
What do you want people to get excited about when they see your name on the bill?
Generally the sound I bring to the decks is usually a busier, heavier one than some of the other guys. I try to bring my love of the techy, modern sound that me and a few others are making at the moment out to the crowd.
Back to the beginning you mentioned Dubstep: do you like and produce bass music other than D&B? Is it fun and different to do?
I think Dubstep and D&B production is extremely similar. I learnt 80% of what I know doing 140 stuff; it’s just a case of adjusting certain hits to different frequencies – generally it’s the same concept.
I love to make all tempos, but bring the same style and pallet of sounds across the board. I’ve got a new EP coming out on December 9 that showcases exactly this.
