‘I’ve gone back to raw B-Boy culture, manipulating rap breaks never used before in D&B’
Paradox has braved recent arctic temps to ready the gritty ‘Breaker’ and the infectious fury of ‘Kickdat’. He took us behind the two killers in terms of describing and detailing the various components therein.
Big up man how has your attitude to 2016 been, quite a remarkable start to it and what you been up to… Lithuania, I hear on the live front?
2015 was a good year with seven 12”s out there (pics below) and I’ve been busy working on releases for the first quarter of 2016 – four 12”s and a vinyl album to hit record stores between now and June so things have been productive.
Lithuania is arctic cold right now and last week was a chilling -25c.
How do the European scenes react?
All PAs abroad are received well, some are a bit confused by no-mixing at first, but the interaction between performer and crowd is something everyone enjoys on the tours.
One funny moment last year was whilst playing a synthesizer a girl shoved a phone in my face displaying a message request to play Dom & Roland. If I was a DJ I would have, of course.
Tell us exactly what gear you bring live?
It’s pretty ancient compared to today’s standards. I have a small tech-rider that promotors supply for me with Keyboards and I bring a mountain of cables, a 1993 Computer and a 1992 Sampler. Simple things.
Tell us about ‘Breaker’? The tune is pure soul, pure grit. STREET SOUL.
Solo-Paradox-wise I’ve gone back to raw B-Boy culture, manipulating rap breaks never used before in D&B.
This is where myself, DJ Trax and Nucleus come from – the Break DJ scene.
What eras come to your mind when you reflect on the tune? What times/years really sting you with their approach to beats and soul, that this tune particularly conveys? I have a few thoughts straight off!
Influence-wise ‘Breaker’ has 70s Soul, Funk and early 90s Breakbeat Hip-hop samples from Black Sheep and vocals courtesy of Queen Latifah.
The main stab is by The Soul Searchers – a track called ‘Ashleys Roachclip’ from 1974.
This classic b-boy stab was the track’s starting foundation.
Take us behind ‘Kickdat’ and can I ask who scratches? Nucleus? That’s incredible on his part.
I can’t scratch to save my life so I enlisted Nucleus on the 1200s.
DJ Trax is a great scratch DJ too so I’m in good company when I need certain elements for compositions. ‘Kickdat’ is a cap-tip to Eric B & Rakim.
So with this BPM (of ‘Kickdat’) is it typical for you, for people just getting into Paradox?
‘Breaker’ drives at 172 and ‘Kickdat’ clocks in at 132 but both are D&B to me. It’s simple really – It’s B-Boy Culture vinyl.
I highlight this on the vinyl labels to help get my point across when I write this style. ‘Kickdat’ is the 33rd downtempo title on vinyl across my pseudonyms.
I write downtempo titles on albums and occasional 12” flipsides, maybe some people are unaware of that…
Tell us how the tunes are released, it’s a vinyl one? Turquoise I see…
Yes and it’s paramount it’s on vinyl.
Without a physical product in the hand it doesn’t feel like I’m running a real Record Label. The label is fortunate enough that it has been around for a while and has a following, which is why I understand some labels can’t press discs due to today’s market.
The PM sleeve costs are high and fall on the label rather than the record buyer, but it must be this way.
Who are people supporting this and continue to rep your sound?
Mainly Marky, Loxy, Presha, Doc Scott, Flight and Bailey but depending on the style of a track I’ll specifically send to other producers and DJs I like.
Sometimes I don’t send tracks to anyone and they premier on vinyl, that might seem suicidal but sometimes I like the ‘appear from nowhere’ surprise approach.
OK man what tune is in your head right now?
A great track by Big Daddy Kane, but I don’t want to reveal the title as it’s linked to a thing that’s coming out in the summer, so it’s a secret for now.
What is forthcoming for 2016?
The next 12” is around the corner by Alaska & Paradox. ‘Sesi Mirage/Nairah’ is due on Feb 26th on Warm Communications.
The next Esoteric 12” will drop in April called ‘Videoman’.
A new Metalheadz EP will drop in the summer. Alaska & Seba to come on Arctic Music and we also return to Samurai Music and finally, on March 18th, in eight weeks time, my 10th vinyl album will surface on Paradox Music.
