I prefer the energy in this kind of D&B, the kind that makes you want to punch the air and rip it a new future.
Kitcha has certainly gone straight for the jugular with the new release – flanked by Rafta – for System Shock. The tunes are ‘Boss/Madhouse’ and they don’t so much tap as batter into the sort of special insane energy which seems to flow freely in the North… and not before touching on some vintage rave too: ‘T-99’, anybody?
There’s a slamming mix at the end of the chat too. Get ready!
This release on System Shock is big, loud and direct. What inspired ‘Boss’?
What inspired me initially on ‘Boss’ was the old Digital & Spirit type of sound with the almost ‘wood knocking’ type bass hits. This one was made from a combination of different samples and synths layered together.
The tune was never meant to be as hard as it turned out in the beginning but lo and behold the rowdiness took over and the Anasthasia ‘T-99’ samples were drawn for intensifying the whole thing. Myself and Rafta then batted a few ideas across to each other for the vocal; he then came back with the theme ‘Boss’ topped with a strong hook to go with that and the tune was swiftly born.
httpv://youtu.be/YrnlGcDULEU
Was the tune specifically made for certain spots/raves/nights
Yeah, As soon as the theme set in I then started to turn the tune into more of a harder dancefloor-type track for the more upbeat raves and events as I prefer the energy in this kind of D&B, the kind that makes you want to punch the air and rip it a new future.
You’re joined by Rafta here…
Rafta has been a good friend of mine for many years now; we first met at the old Studio myself and Steppa worked from which was a steel shipping container at the side of his mum and dad’s house… we then kitted it all out with carpeted floor and walls, equipment and padding.
We used to have all-night studio sessions in there: Rafta would pop round for brews, biscuits and to spit some bars over the beats which was good for us all to show each other our new material which then fuelled the fire even more. We then started going out on road to shows across Europe and the U.K together.
It was a great team with great chemistry.
Tell us about D&B in your neck of the woods, I hear it’s always on fire!
Yeah! D&B is strong in the North and has always had its share of passionate people. One of my favourite places to play in the north would have to be room two at the infamous Sub Dub in Leeds: the energy is amazing and probably one of the only places left where the people go for the music and the atmosphere rather than what artist’s playing.
httpv://youtu.be/j3TjBMQFcHo
Regarding such energy, ‘Madhouse’ I feel ties in with the crazy, volatile nature at the heart of D&B…
‘Madhouse’ was definitely crafted for the floor; it first came about as a task set by Callide to create a flip to ‘Boss’. I started messing around distorting 808 bass sounds, ripping intense movie type music and building new drum loops. It just kind of fell together in the shape of that 2003 – 2006 style D&B which I always loved.
What sort of tunes from that era, for example?
Tracks such as ‘Signal’ and ‘Masochist’ started springing to mind as I was making it so I decided to put my own stamp on that sound and roll with it as you never really hear that type of D&B anymore.
Really enjoyed making this tune and going crazy with all the edits and drop outs which I find always keeps it interesting to listen to as you can get creative and fill them out with all sorts of crazy hits and sounds.
If you listen carefully in one of the dropouts you can hear a rocket being shot and then in the following dropout a man screaming ‘aaaahh’ indicating that it just hit him!
Sooooo, where’s the ‘Madhouse’ sample from? I miss those days where films were hyped like that, like you could actually have a heart attack from seeing the film!
Ha ha those films are the one!
The sample was lifted from an old 1974 film trailer for the film ‘Madhouse’ starring Vincent Price. I love all those old film trailers, they are pure sample fodder, and even the soundtracks are always wicked to work with. As much as I like writing my own music from scratch they’re so vintage-sounding… they couldn’t be replicated if you sat there for the rest of your life trying to re-write them to get it to sound that certain way.
The voices are always perfect for this type of D&B as well, especially when pitched down and distorted a little to give that intense feeling before the drop.
What’s your preferred tipple, D&B-wise?
Beats from the more techy side of D&B or Neurofunk as some people know it, as well as over to the more musical, liquid-y stuff and also the Jungle/reggae-influenced.
Artists such as Audio, The Upbeats, Ulterior Motive, Ed Rush and Optical, Rene Lavice, Rockwell right through to artists such as Serial Killaz, Artificial Intelligence, Fred V & Grafix, S.P.Y, Serum, Bladerunner… to name a few.
All these artists are guaranteed to be in the sets as their music is well-produced and strong-sounding.
Speaking of the sets, do you ever switch things, tempo and style-wise?
Absolutely, I’m constantly switching things up as I think it’s healthy in production to do so as it gives you new challenges and totally different sounds to work with each time both on the production side of things and also the engineering.
I worked in a music studio and it taught me a lot about making other styles as we would get people from all walks of life coming in asking for specific types of beats or song-based material that had to sound legit to that particular style. The aim was to not make it sound like it came from a D&B producer for example.
Personally I love to take inspiration from all different types of music and morph different genres together which I think sounds more interesting as a whole.
How did the link up to System Shock come about?
I met System Shock’s owner Dan Callide a while ago now and have recently been in contact with him a lot more as I sent him a new batch of tunes, one of them being ‘Boss’ which originally became 1 Xtra’s track of the week and was played on all the breakfast shows… I bet that woke all the 9-5-ers up! It went right through to the evening shows every day for a week. It received spins from DJs such as Trevor Nelson, Target, Twin B who wouldn’t necessarily play my stuff normally.
Dan got in touch asking if he could put ‘Boss’ out on System Shock which I was happy to give the tunes to him. He then set me a task to make something crazy and rowdy for the flip… so I went to the lab to do just that and out came ‘Madhouse’. Which does what it says on the tin.
Lastly what’s a highlight of this year on the circuit/live front?
I love playing abroad the most as it’s always an exciting adventure and always end up meeting some wicked people. I have real fond memories in particular of playing at festivals such as ‘Outlook’ and ‘Hideout’ both in different parts of Croatia which is a beautiful country in itself.
I always look forward to these, both totally different festivals but equally as good as each other. I can remember one time at Outlook festival I was playing to a roomful of people going mental to the tunes in an old dungeon which was absolutely savage.